Updates from May, 2020 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 14, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Increase in scam that could land victims in jail 

    Increase in scam that could land victims in jail

    Just like every other scam, the reshipping or repackaging scam has seen an increase since the start of the current pandemic. In the reshipping scam, scammers post online ads for a work at home job. The phony job entails receiving packages in the mail that the scammer will say you need to inspect for damages before shipping them to a third party. The items usually have been purchased with a stolen credit card. This way it becomes harder to track the stolen item. Police in Boise, Idaho recently recovered $7,000 worth of stolen goods from the home of someone who had been scammed into reshipping them.

    The biggest hazard with the reshipping scam is the fact that even if you’ve been conned into reshipping, you can still be held criminally liable depending on what you were asked to do by the scammers. For example, if you were instructed to lie on US Customs Service forms for packages leaving the country, you could be charged with fraud.

    Another drawback of this scam outside of receiving stolen merchandise is that you could be paid with fraudulent checks or money orders. Once again, if you deposit these into your bank account and then spend the money for whatever reason, you’ll be responsible to the bank for the check’s amount once they discover it’s fraudulent.

    And since the reshipping scam usually stems from phony job ads, your identity could be compromised as well if you provided personal information to the scammers. Could you imagine if all three of these things happened to you at once? That could cost you untold amounts of money just for being an unwitting participant in the scam.

    If you think you may be a victim in a reshipping scam there are steps you can take. If you’ve already received items don’t mail them. Instead, contact the USPS Postal Inspectors at 1-877-876-2455.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 13, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    The other victims of romance scams 

    The other victims of romance scams

    When we’ve discussed romance scams in the past, we usually focus on the victims who have lost money. However, there are other victims of the scam that we may not have considered.

    If you’re unfamiliar with romance scams, they also go by the name catfishing. A scammer will set up a phony social media or dating profile. They’ll then approach a victim online like they’re seeking a romantic relationship. They might string the victim along for weeks or months. They’ll often give excuses as to why they can’t meet in person, usually business-related but not always. Eventually, they’ll approach their victim for money. A lot of the time the scammers will claim they’re stuck in some remote location and need the money to get home. Other times they’ll say it’s for a business venture that could make the victim rich. Sometime they’ll even flat out ask for gifts.

    This scam is prevalent among the military. Not as financial victims, but as the ones having their pictures stolen to be used on the scammers’ fake accounts. Scammers prefer using the pictures of military members as it gives them a built-in excuse as to why they may be overseas or unable to meet in person. Sadly, these military members are victims too as they often find themselves being sought out by the financial victims of the scam.

    For example, a Naval Petty Officer stationed in Virginia says that he receives several messages a day from victims of a romance scam that used his picture. Too often the victims believe that the person in the picture is the actual scammer. He says that he even had victims go after his girlfriend online. In some cases, he says, victims will even physically track down the military member used in the picture.

    We’re sure we don’t have to instruct military members on how to conduct themselves on social media because they’re probably given guidelines for that all the time. However, if you want to protect yourself or someone you know from one of these scams, one of the best things you can do is a reverse image search. This will allow you to see if the picture being sent is one being used somewhere else online under a different name.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 12, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Work at home scams continue to rise 

    Work at home scams continue to rise

    According to the Better Business Bureau, work at home scams were on a sharp rise even before the COVID-19 crisis started. Now, with so many people having been laid off or furloughed these scams have become even more prevalent over the past couple of months. These scams start off with tempting online ads promising decent money for relatively easy work without having to leave your home and risk infection. However, you could be risking something that’s almost as devastating.

    For example, a woman in Minnesota recently responded to an online ad for a data entry position. The ad promised to pay $15 an hour and promised at least a 40-hour workweek while maintaining a flexible schedule. After she responded to the ad she was instructed to download WhatsApp so an interview could be conducted. WhatsApp is a messaging app that’s popular overseas and often used in place of text messaging. Essentially, she was being interviewed for this job over text message. This is usually done so scammers can avoid sounding like they’re calling from another country.

    The scammers had said that they were going to pay for her to buy a new laptop for the job. They claimed they were going to send her a check to buy the equipment from an approved vendor. However, they told her that she only had 24 hours after receiving the check to purchase the equipment. If she had received the check it would have been a counterfeit check that she would have been responsible for if she had deposited it into her bank account. The 24-hour turnaround is a way for the scammers to get the money moved quickly before her bank could realize it was fraudulent.

    It wasn’t too long before the scammers started asking her for personal information like a copy of her driver’s license and who her cell phone carrier was. They then sent her a form that asked for her banking information along with security passwords. Thankfully, she realized this was a scam before her identity could be compromised.

    While there are legitimate work at home positions to be found, they are not as common as online ads may have you believe. If the offer sounds too good or it feels a little off, listen to your gut and avoid giving out any information to the scammers.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 11, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    More info on when people on SSI will get their stimulus check 

    More info on when people on SSI will get their stimulus check

    According to our previous posts about the economic impact payment, a number of people who are on Supplemental Security Income still haven’t received their stimulus payment. To better help our readers who still have questions, we have found additional information that might help alleviate their anxiety over the delivery of their stimulus payment.

    If you’re on SSI and still haven’t received your stimulus payment, you’re supposed to receive it by mid-May. So hopefully, you should receive your payment by the end of this week at the time of this posting. The IRS is said to be putting these payments on your Direct Express cards. However, if you used the Non-Filers tool on the IRS’s Get My Payment page and provided the IRS with a bank account or opted for a paper check, you will receive your payment that way. We would imagine that the direct deposit to your bank account would also take place by mid-May but paper checks could take even longer. While lower-income families are supposed to get their paper checks sooner rather than later if they requested one, it could still be some time before a paper check is received.

    If you have a Direct Express card, you’ll be allowed a one-time free ATM withdrawal to access your stimulus payment. This will be in addition to the free withdrawal you already receive. You can also sign up for text or email alerts at the Direct Express website to be alerted when you get your payment.

    The IRS has also said that the Get My Payment website has been improved to help you get a better idea of where your payment is. If in the past you received the dreaded error message from the IRS website, you should now be able to get the status of your payment. If you still get the error message, try typing out your information in all caps as some have reported that it has helped them with getting their payment information.

    The most reliable and up to date information should be found at the IRS’s Coronavirus Tax Relief and Economic Impact Payments website.

    For non-stimulus payment news about COVID-19/coronavirus please go to Coronavirus.gov.

    (H/T to USA Today and cnet)

     

    • Anonymous 9:51 pm on May 12, 2020 Permalink

      I ha e. Not. Got my check. Ssi. I need it

    • Mary Howard 8:29 am on May 13, 2020 Permalink

      When will ssi get theirs if they have a payee everyone else is getting it tofay of they don’t have a payee not fare

    • Anonymous 8:31 am on May 13, 2020 Permalink

      Not fare people that geta SSI that had a payee isn’t getting there payments today whwre people taht dont have a payee got theirs today when will they get them??

    • Senobia 12:52 pm on May 13, 2020 Permalink

      I’m on ssi and I haven’t gone a check and they already talking about a second check can someone please tell me how this happen

    • Colten Ennis 8:25 pm on May 13, 2020 Permalink

      Will people on SSI that have payee get a get a stimulus check

    • Geebo 11:54 pm on May 13, 2020 Permalink

      Unfortunately, we do not have the answer to every situation however we found a link that we hope answers some of your questions.

      https://www.aarp.org/retirement/social-security/info-2020/representative-payees-stimulus-role.html

    • Anonymous 3:13 pm on May 14, 2020 Permalink

      My son gets ssdi I am his payee and they say they can’t find him something why

    • Anonymous 5:14 pm on May 14, 2020 Permalink

      they say may 27 u will have it

    • Anonymous 9:51 am on May 16, 2020 Permalink

      When will the rest of the SSDI and Retirement get there money still waiting need it.

    • Anonymous 11:13 am on May 16, 2020 Permalink

      My son had direct express card for his monthly checks from ssi and he gets social security from his father he’s not received his stimlas money yet when will be get it

    • Anonymous 9:27 am on May 17, 2020 Permalink

      I get SSI too haven’t got mine I don’t understand what’s going on how do I find out if I don’t get it where do I catch it

    • Phylistine Ervin for Johnny Harvey 12:20 pm on May 17, 2020 Permalink

      My son is 46 he gets a ss check from his decease dad he is handy cap never filed taxes I am his payee well he get a check

    • Anonymous 12:33 pm on May 17, 2020 Permalink

      R we still going to get any additional income

    • Kenneth Grugin 8:12 am on May 18, 2020 Permalink

      Still waiting. Irs.gov site is a joke . i have direct express.

    • Ellen. Merrell 9:15 am on May 20, 2020 Permalink

      I. Get. Spouse. Benefits.

      Social. Security. Did. Not. Check. From. Yet

    • FELIX COLON 4:34 pm on May 20, 2020 Permalink

      MIESPOSO RECIBE SSI Y NO A RECIBIDO NADA. YO SOY SU REPRESETANTE. CUANDO LO RECIBIRA.

    • Anna shuck 4:06 am on May 21, 2020 Permalink

      Me and my husband get SSI on a direct Express card he got his but I did not get mine he is a Rep payee for me so I don’t know if the rep payees get it or not I have no clue

    • FELIX COLON 7:33 pm on May 21, 2020 Permalink

      DICEN QUE EL 27 MAYO 2020 LOVAN RECIBIR. SERA VERDAD

    • Connie boshell 1:51 am on May 22, 2020 Permalink

      I’m on Windows pension I haven’t git my and I don’t no how to check to see when I will get it

  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 8, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    More details about COVID rental scam 

    More details about COVID rental scam

    It seems the rental scammers have gone all-in during the current pandemic. Prior to the current social distancing guidelines, rental scammers would make up any excuse they could to avoid meeting their victims face to face.

    In a typical rental scam, the scammer will copy a legitimate real estate ad. Usually, the property from the real estate ad is for sale. The scammer will then change the ad to appear the property is for rent before posting the phony ad on someplace like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. The fake rental rate will almost always be well below the current market value. When someone applies to the fake ad, the scammer will try to pressure the victim into sending either a deposit or first month’s rent without allowing the victim to inspect the property. The scammers would give excuses like they were out of town on business and couldn’t show the property. In many cases, scammers used to say they were overseas doing mission work for their church. The range of excuses the scammers would give would range from the ridiculous to the sublime. Now, with COVID-19 still looming as a potential health threat, the scammers have a built-in excuse not to meet with their victims.

    To make matters worse, scammers are now using a new trick when questioned if an is fake. In the San Francisco Bay Area, one man questioned whether or not a rental listing on Craigslist was a scam since the property was below local market value. The scammer responded by saying that the federal government has asked property owners to lower rents during the current crisis. Of course, the federal government has done no such thing. The confusion is understandable as both local and federal governments have made many conflicting statements about the pandemic.

    Usually, the scammer will ask for payment through some untraceable means like wire transfer, gift card, Cash App, or cryptocurrency. If a landlord asks for payment in any of these ways, it’s almost guaranteed to be a scam.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 7, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Scammer tries to claim missing man was kidnapped 

    Scammer tries to claim missing man was kidnapped

    In Cincinnati, a woman has been dealing with tragedy on two fronts. Two years ago, her brother went missing and hasn’t been seen or heard from since. Last year, her great-niece accidentally drowned and is fighting for her life in the hospital. You might think that a person undergoing such hardships might be considered off-limits to scammers but you’d be mistaken. This is exactly the type of person that scammers are looking for. They prey upon the emotionally vulnerable hoping that their mental state will cause them to leave their guard down and fall for their scam.

    Because this woman’s grand-niece is still in the hospital, she’s been trying to raise money for medical expenses through GoFundMe which many people with rising medical costs do in our country. The woman was able to raise several thousand dollars through the fundraising platform. This attracted the attention of a scammer who obviously didn’t care what depths they had to stoop to. The scammer sent her text messages saying that they had kidnapped her missing brother. They asked for the GoFundMe money for his release. They even sent her a photoshopped picture of her brother’s face with duct tape over his mouth.

    Thankfully, the woman had the resolve to take the messages to the police who indicated to her that the picture had been obviously edited. She texted the scammer back and said she couldn’t access the money and the messages stopped.

    As we have discussed in our previous posts about virtual kidnappings, kidnappings for ransom are quite rare in the United States. In most cases, the supposed victims of these scams are just fine and are in no danger. However, since her brother was missing it added a layer to the scam. She absolutely did the right thing in taking the text messages to police.

    Even if you’re currently under great emotional stress when approached by one of these scams, always take a step back and try to think rationally about what you can do. With virtual kidnapping scams, your best bet is to always try to get someone else to contact the supposed kidnap victim to make sure they’re ok. If you’re ever unsure what to do, you can always go to the police.

     

  • Geebo 8:54 am on May 6, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Secret shopper scam gets a COVID revamp 

    Secret shopper scam gets a COVID revamp

    With the way the economy has reacted to the current pandemic many people now find themselves unemployed. Some of these people will turn to non-traditional jobs to try to make ends meet. This could cause people to apply for jobs that really aren’t jobs at all but well-organized scams. One job scam that seems to continually claim victims id the secret shopper scam.

    Now, there are legitimate secret shopper positions offered by many retailers. There just aren’t as many as you might think after seeing all the ads online for secret shopper job offers. In the secret shopper scam, you’re almost guaranteed to be ‘hired’. You’ll then be sent a phony check to cover your expenses and payment. You’ll be asked to deposit the check at your bank, use some of the money for the ‘job’ before being asked to send the excess amount back to the scammer. As with any scam involving phony checks, once your bank discovers the check is a fake, you’ll be responsible for the entire amount of the check to your bank while the scammers are long gone with your money.

    Now, with scammers ramping up their activities during the pandemic, the secret shopper scam has gotten a coronavirus twist. At least one report has stated that jobs are being offered online to become a social distancing compliance auditor. The phony job offer not only asks you to go to a retailer to rate customer service as a secret shopper but also rate their adherence to social distancing guidelines. However, just like the secret shopper scam, the check you’ll receive for payment is a fake.

    As we said, there are real positions for secret shoppers across America. If you’d like to inquire about one of these positions you can do so through the website of the Mystery Shopper Providers of America.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 5, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Scammers are using stimulus check confusion against you 

    Scammers are using stimulus check confusion against you

    The scammers are still at it during this crisis. Here are a few more scams that are using the coronavirus pandemic to their advantage.

    There is still a lot of consumer confusion around the delivery of the economic impact payments, or as they’re better known stimulus checks. The scammers are taking advantage of this confusion to try to steal your identity. Some reports say that scammers are sending out emails that look like they’ve officially come from your bank. The emails offer to give you the status of your stimulus check but instead, they take you to a link that asks for your personal information. As of right now, the only place where you can find out the status of your stimulus payment is from the IRS’s Get My Payment website. If the IRS needs to contact you, they will send you a letter through the regular mail.

    Another scam we just recently heard of is the deed transferring scam. It seems that scammers are telling people struggling with their mortgage payments to transfer their deed to a third-party. The scammers say that this will allow the homeowner to no longer be responsible for their mortgage payments. This is false. In reality, the new deed holder could potentially evict you from your own home. In turn, this could cost the homeowner untold costs in legal fees for just trying to stay in their own home.

    Lastly for today, there are reports coming out of the state of Washington about a new porch pirate scheme. Investigators there say that a group of porch pirates are dressing up as nurses to try to take your deliveries without being questioned by authorities. We assume that the trick here is that in many states there are still stay at home orders and medical staff are considered essential workers and no one would question a nurse being out during the quarantine. Most delivery services have options where you can be notified when your delivery arrives. If you enact these options you’ll have a better idea when to bring your deliveries inside and foil the porch pirates’ plans.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 4, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Scam threatens to infect your family with COVID 

    We’ve posted before about various scams that threaten either the victim or their family with violence. The first one that immediately jumps to mind is the virtual kidnapping scam where someone calls you and tells you a loved one has been kidnapped and demands a ransom. In reality, the supposed kidnap victim is fine. Another scam in a similar vein is the cartel scam where the scammer claims to be part of a criminal cartel that has targeted your family if you don’t pay them. The scammer will then send a violent picture claiming it to be their last victim. However, the scammer is targeting random people hoping that someone will pay to stop their fictitious demands. With this currently being the quarantine era, of course, there is a version of this scam that involves COVID-19.

    In this updated version of the scam, the scammer will send you a phishing email that may contain the actual username and password to one of your online accounts. These can usually be obtained on the dark web or hacker forums after major data breaches occur. The scammer will threaten to expose all your ‘secrets’ if you don’t pay them. They’ll then say if you don’t pay they’ll infect every member of your family with coronavirus but not in such a polite manner.

    “I know every dirty little secret about your life,” the email reads. “To start with, I know all of your passwords. I am aware of your whereabouts, what you eat, with whom you talk, every little thing you do in a day.”

    “You need to pay me $4,000,” it goes on. “If I do not get the payment: I will infect every member of your family with the coronavirus. No matter how smart you are, believe me, if I want to infect, I can. I will also go ahead and reveal your secrets. I will completely ruin your life.”

    These threats are mostly hollow as these scammers are usually overseas and have no way of really knowing your day to day interactions. again, the scammers are hoping for that one person that believes their claims. If you receive one of these emails your best bet is to simply delete the email. Don’t respond to it even to tell off the scammer as they will then know that your email address is a working one. Just to be on the side of caution you may also want to change your password on whatever account they claim to have compromised.

     

  • Geebo 8:20 am on May 1, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    When will people on SSI get their stimulus checks? 

    When will people on SSI get their stimulus checks?

    We’ve been trying to provide our readers with as much accurate information as possible when it comes to receiving their economic impact payments. However, with the way both the media and government work, that information could always be changing and that’s what has happened here. Previously, we said that people on Supplemental Security Income should start receiving their stimulus payments this week, however, that now appears to be incorrect.

    According to new reports, SSI recipients will start receiving their stimulus payment sometime in May. When in May is unknown at this time. However you receive your SSI payments is how you should receive your stimulus payment whether that’s through a check, direct deposit, or debit card. If you’re on SSI and expecting the additional $500 per dependent you have until May 5th to provide the IRS with your dependent information at this link. If you miss the May 5th deadline, you won’t see the dependent benefit payment until 2021.

    Please keep in mind that this information can change at any time. We understand how difficult it may be trying to make ends meet while awaiting your stimulus check. However, due to the ever-changing situations, the pandemic continues to cause, delays could be inevitable. As challenging is it may be, you may want to plan your budget accordingly until you actually receive your payment.

    While it may be difficult to navigate, the most reliable and up to date information should be found at the IRS’s Coronavirus Tax Relief and Economic Impact Payments website.

    For non-stimulus payment news about COVID-19/coronavirus please go to Coronavirus.gov.

    (H/T to CNN)

     

    • Tara Holliday 11:21 pm on May 1, 2020 Permalink

      What date they be deposited in our account

    • Geebo 11:23 pm on May 1, 2020 Permalink

      As far as we know an exact date in May has not been announced.

    • Keisha hardy 12:42 am on May 4, 2020 Permalink

      If you owe child support does the whole check go toward the amount owed he

    • Geebo 7:35 am on May 4, 2020 Permalink

      From what we understand, if someone is behind on their child support payments, their stimulus payment could be withheld.

      https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/19/5-groups-of-people-who-wont-get-a-stimulus-check.aspx

    • Tammy 4:39 am on May 5, 2020 Permalink

      I I’m on SSDI I have been approximately 20 years now and I still don’t have my stimulus check but the druggies down the road do now you tell me $800 a month to live on is too much money I make too much money I don’t think so

    • Karen K Estep 8:05 pm on May 5, 2020 Permalink

      Yea I get both SSI and social security dint get mine yet either they saying it be comming in May

    • Amy Furgerson 12:21 am on May 6, 2020 Permalink

      I get SSI and I haven’t got my money yet either. There are people that I know that has got there money.

    • Katrina 5:19 pm on May 6, 2020 Permalink

      No one has gotten anything deposited or even seen in the mail ! What is really going on?

    • Erica Ringo 5:42 pm on May 6, 2020 Permalink

      I’m on ssi n I haven’t gotten mines either I know another lady haven’t gotten hers yet either

    • Geebo 6:13 pm on May 6, 2020 Permalink

      Again, from what we understand, the payments can go out anytime between now and the end of May.

    • Milton willie 6:23 am on May 7, 2020 Permalink

      People own child support should get there check reduce 600 for you 600 for them that be right you get live to that is dum how said take all of it

    • Laura pruitt 8:10 am on May 7, 2020 Permalink

      When will I get my money because I am on SSI and did not receive mines eaither yet and it says mid of may

    • Geebo 8:21 am on May 7, 2020 Permalink

      Again, from what we understand, the payments can go out anytime between now and the end of May.

    • Anonymous 12:54 pm on May 7, 2020 Permalink

      We Have Not Got Are Check,a Yet We Are On S S I

    • Charlene Manzone 1:06 pm on May 7, 2020 Permalink

      I receive ssd and I also have direct deposit from direct express and I still haven’t received my stimulus either why do we have to wait Soo long

    • Amy M Furgerson 5:55 pm on May 7, 2020 Permalink

      I got an email today from Social security telling me when we should start to get our money & my email saying starting on May 13. I hope that this helps.

    • Amy M Furgerson 6:01 pm on May 7, 2020 Permalink

      I got a email from Social Security that says that they are going to start to deposit the check on May 13.
      I hope that this helps everyone out.

    • sharon Collier 12:44 pm on May 8, 2020 Permalink

      i get ssi havent gota check yet and cant find out how t check

    • Amy M Furgerson 1:49 pm on May 8, 2020 Permalink

      I got an email from Social Security saying that they will start to deposit the checks on May 13 the.

    • CHARLES Campbell 11:11 pm on May 8, 2020 Permalink

      Am on SSI I havent receive mine yet what going on went can I start to receive it

    • Meredith Hatton 12:19 am on May 13, 2020 Permalink

      I am payee for my son when will he get his

    • Anonymous 7:13 pm on May 13, 2020 Permalink

      When I get stimulus check I draw ssi

    • Amy M Furgerson 11:20 pm on May 13, 2020 Permalink

      I was suppose to get mine on May 13, but I never got my money & I have a friend that said”that we won’t get them until the 15th. I don’t know when we are suppose to get the money but it would be nice to know when we are going to get our money.

    • Anonymous 4:16 pm on May 14, 2020 Permalink

      How to get SSI to and I haven’t I haven’t received my own and he said by the 13th so I don’t know what am I going to get married and then I heard if you don’t get it by this Friday then dennies’ are just going to issue you a check I don’t know how true that is either so when will I get line

    • Anonymous 6:07 pm on May 18, 2020 Permalink

      If you owe child support will you still get a check

    • Geebo 7:23 pm on May 18, 2020 Permalink

      From what we understand, if someone is behind on their child support payments, their stimulus payment could be withheld.

      https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/19/5-groups-of-people-who-wont-get-a-stimulus-check.aspx

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