Beware of scams

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SandiSAHM
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Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Beware of scams

Post by SandiSAHM »

I'm not usually a PSA person as I figure most people I know both virtually and IRL are smarter than and more "up to date" on life in an online world than I am. That said, someone aged 75+ to whom I am related by marriage was been taken for $30K by scammers in India this week (it could have been worse, they were about to buy $15K in gift cards at an Apple store at the scammer's request - but the guy at Apple told them it was a scam). It all started with an email that looked like a receipt from Norton Lifelock.

Oddly, DH and DS watch youtubers Scammer Payback, Scambaiter, and Mark Rober a lot and were very much aware of exactly how this scam is done and had given them a heads-up back in May about being certain where an email comes from, not using links or phone #s found in those emails but going directly to the provider website via Google when they have questions about information they've received, but I guess they forgot.

https://www.nortonlifelock.com/blogs/feature-stories/fraudulent-use-nortonlifelock-brand

Apparently the scam is also run by folks whose initial contact is email that looks like it's from Amazon, Apple or PayPal.

Be safe!
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Jackielou
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Re: Beware of scams

Post by Jackielou »

My friends Hubby got a phone call while I was having coffee... The caller must have gone off script because the first thing out of his mouth was "Give me your money." That is according to the Hubby. He (the Hubby) kept the guy talking for about 10 mins by just asking questions right back, or asking for the callers money in return.
Jackie
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HappyDaze
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Re: Beware of scams

Post by HappyDaze »

That is so, so sad. Seems the scammers are getting more creative and cunning. UGH.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

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MackerelCat
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Re: Beware of scams

Post by MackerelCat »

I got one at work where some fellow with a foreign accent said I owed the IRS five thousand dollars. Good thing the office was empty because I cussed him out! Made me so mad I actually shocked myself.
Mackie
SandiSAHM
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Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Beware of scams

Post by SandiSAHM »

MackerelCat wrote: Fri Nov 25, 2022 7:48 pm I got one at work where some fellow with a foreign accent said I owed the IRS five thousand dollars. Good thing the office was empty because I cussed him out! Made me so mad I actually shocked myself.
My Mom got a call like that once, fortunately she didn't fall for it. I don't think she fussed at him - between his accent and her accent, they probably wouldn't have understood each other anyway :lol:

I was confirmed that the $30K transfer made its way all the way to the scammers - her bank had hoped to head it off at the CA bank where it went first, but it had already been moved along to India. Relative is pretty angry; it's a terribly expensive lesson.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Beware of scams

Post by SandiSAHM »

In other potentially scammy news...

You'd think those who have no online presence would be safe, right?

Doesn't look that way. My mother, who doesn't have internet service or so much as a smart phone (does everything the old-fashioned way), may have gotten an attempt to be scammed - via snail mail.

She got a letter from her bank (PenFed, so not a 'small' bank) saying that her credit card had not been used in a year, citing the last 4 numbers - not of HER card, just 4 other numbers - and that if she didn't call them at ### to have it reactivated so she can use it they would close the account and she could never reopen another. She says it looks, letterhead and even weight of paper-wise, like PenFed's stuff.

It read a little like if she'd called the # they would have asked for enough ID info to get into her accounts and rob her. I told her the next time she went to the actual bank, which is on post and therefore a rarity in her rounds, to give them the letter and to otherwise not worry about it.

No one is safe from these predatory clowns.
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