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  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 17, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , landlords, , ,   

    The rental scam from the landlord’s perspective can teach us a lot 

    By Greg Collier

    Recently, landlords have gotten a bad rap due to the eviction crisis brought about by the pandemic. However, many of them are just hardworking people using a property investment to make their living. When it comes to rental scams, we don’t often think of the legitimate landlord as being a victim of the scam. While they may not be losing money like the typical rental scam victim, they are spending precious time and resources to combat the scammers.

    In a typical rental scam, scammers will copy a legitimate listing of a home that’s for rent or for sale. The scammers will then post the property for rent on unmoderated platforms like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Usually, the property will be listed at below-market value rent to try to entice a victim. Once the victim is hooked, the scammers will ask for money in the form of a deposit or first and last month’s rent. Some victims have even tried to move into the property, only to find that someone else is legally living there.

    A landlord from Vermont was recently interviewed by her local media, and she said that she continues to see her properties listed on craigslist by scammers. She also said that scammers are listing her properties on craigslist that aren’t even up for rent. This has led to people knocking on the doors of rented homes asking if they can see the property. The landlord also said that within a 48-hour period, her team will flag up to 15 fraudulent listings on craigslist. It doesn’t help that scammers are also flagging legitimate listings on craigslist as scam ads.

    So, as we always recommend, do your research in a property before committing any money to the process. A web search of the address can reveal a lot such as the legitimate listing if it is, in fact, for rent. Such a web search can also tell you what the typical rent is for that kind of property in the area. However, the best way to prevent falling into a rental scam is to check with the county’s tax assessor’s office or website to find who truly owns the property.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 16, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    NY warns the boss scam is back 

    NY warns the boss scam is back

    By Greg Collier

    With the Delta-variant of COVID-19 causing so many new outbreaks, a lot of employees are going back to working from home. Many other employees never even returned to the office and retained their work at home positions. However, due to the most recent outbreaks, a scam targeting work at home employees has been on the rise again, at least according to the state of New York, and if it’s happening in New York, you can bet it’s only a matter of time before it starts hitting other parts of the country.

    While it’s not a new scam, the Empire State is warning work at home employees to be wary of any emails or texts you receive from your boss asking you to buy gift cards. The messages will appear like they’ve come from a high-ranking official from within your company, but the address and phone numbers on these messages can be spoofed. You’ll be asked to buy a bunch of gift cards for a ‘business emergency’ and then you’ll be instructed to give the numbers to the scammer posing as your boss.

    There’s another version of this scam that’s even more costly. In some cases, employees that work in accounting departments, human resources, or accounts payable have been asked to cut checks to scammers or switch bank accounts to a scammer’s account.

    When it comes to dealing with corporate funds or corporate purchases that seem out of the ordinary, take the time to verify with either your direct supervisor or the person who’s supposedly sending the messages with a phone call. While it may seem like an inconvenience to some, it’s better than losing a bunch of your company’s money. Also, keep in mind that no legitimate business will make payments to anyone with gift cards. As we are fond of saying, gift cards are the currency of the scammers.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 13, 2021 Permalink | Reply
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    Man loses half of his savings in bank impersonation scam 

    Man loses half of his savings in bank impersonation scam

    By Greg Collier

    It’s a scammer’s ‘job’ to make them appear as legitimate as possible, no matter how outlandish their request might be. That’s exactly what happened to a San Francisco man recently when scammers convinced him to transfer half of his life savings to a different bank.

    The call appeared to come from the man’s bank, which was Bank of America. The name and number appeared on his phone as being from his bank, so at the start the man didn’t have a reason not to believe it wasn’t his bank calling. The scammers told him that someone was accessing his bank account in Georgia. It’s not unheard of for banks to call their customers to warn them of fraudulent activity on their accounts. So, the man still believed he was talking to his bank. However, what happened next should have been a tip off that this was a scam call.

    The scammers told him that in order to protect his money, the man needed to transfer his money to another bank account with a different bank. He was given instructions on how to use the payment app Zelle to send his money to a Chase bank account for ‘protection’.

    Of course, the Chase account belonged to the scammers, who emptied the Chase account as soon as the man’s money landed in their account. Luckily, Bank of America was able to issue him a refund, but this is the exception rather than the norm.

    If a bank calls you, it’s not wrong to be immediately suspicious. If you think it’s not your bank calling you, politely hang up and call the bank directly using their customer service number that’s on the back of your bank card or on the bank’s website. You can even go to your local branch if that’s what you prefer. Any of those avenues will be able to tell you if there is an actual issue with your account. Also, banks will never tell you to use an app like Zelle to move money around. Zelle, and apps like it, are specifically designed to pay other people or receive payment from other people. If someone claiming to be from your bank tells you to transfer money using one of these apps, there’s a high possibility it’s a scam.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 12, 2021 Permalink | Reply
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    Family taken in Bitcoin rental scam 

    Family taken in Bitcoin rental scam

    By Greg Collier

    A family from Eastern Pennsylvania is in the process of relocating to South Carolina due to one of the heads of the household being hired for a new job. The family found the ideal home for rent that they were looking for. It was in the perfect location and was well within their price range. The first problem was that the family found the home on craigslist, which the report we found this story on called “a favored hangout for scammers.” Unfortunately, that was only the beginning of the family’s problems.

    After the family responded to the ad, they thought everything appeared normal. The people they were communicating with appeared to be from a rental company. The family was even sent a rental agreement to sign. However, all communication was done by text and email, which should have been the first sign that this rental company may not be on the up and up. The next sign was that the so-called rental agency asked for a $3500 deposit to be paid in Bitcoin. The scammers had to instruct the family on how to make the Bitcoin payment. After the payment was made, all communication from the supposed seller stopped.

    If you’re looking to rent a home, especially one that’s multiple states away, you really need to research the listing for legitimacy. A web search for the property’s address can turn up so much information, like if the home is actually for sale instead of being for rent. That search may also show that the rent isn’t as cheap as the initial listing said it was, as scammers usually list the home’s rent as cheaper than market value to entice victims. You should also ask for a live virtual tour of the home before making any deposits. If the landlord doesn’t communicate by phone, that’s also a good indicator the listing might be a fake. Lastly, never pay a deposit in any kind of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. While Bitcoin can be traced, it’s anonymous enough that victims rarely, if ever, get their money back.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 11, 2021 Permalink | Reply
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    In danger of being evicted makes a prime target for scammers 

    In danger of being evicted makes a prime target for scammers

    By Greg Collier

    The Federal Government has extended the eviction moratorium to October 3rd. Not only does this give tenants extra time to try to improve their situation, but it also gives scammers more opportunities to find more victims. Scammers are always looking for victims who are in a desperate situation, and there’s no situation more desperate than the possibility of losing your home. To scammers, it doesn’t matter if you only have a little money to your name. They’ll try to take it anyway. And now they’re trying to take it from those trying to keep a roof over their heads.

    The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning to those looking for any kind of rental assistance. Too many scammers are out there now, offering services that are too good to be true. The scams run from phony credit repair services to ‘guaranteed’ loan services. While there are legitimate credit repair services, consumers need to keep an eye out for repair services that make promises they can’t keep, like removing a bankruptcy from your credit report. And no loan is ever guaranteed. Those who are offering such loans will probably ask for an upfront or advance fee and not provide any service.

    There are also government grant scams to look out for. While there are government grants that provide financial assistance to some tenants, the government will never reach out to you. And again, the grant scammers will ask for an advance payment disguised as processing fees. Real grants require no such fee.

    However, the BBB has been warning about one particular scam lately. In it, the scammers call you to tell you that your loan is approved. They’re hoping that you’ve applied for at least one loan to help improve your situation. The scammers will then say that before they can release the loan money, you need to increase your credit score. All you need to do is wait for $1000 to show up in your bank account then once you send the $1000 back, your credit score will be improved enough to get the loan. The money deposited into your account is fraudulent and if you send it to the scammers before your bank catches the fraudulent transaction, you’re not only responsible for the $1000 but any overdraft fees as well.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 10, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , DISH, , , , ,   

    Scam Round Up: QR Codes, Satellite TV, and unsubscribe scams 

    Scam Round Up: QR Codes, Satellite TV, and unsubscribe scams

    By Greg Collier

    Once again, we’ve come across a few scams that may not warrant an entire blog post to themselves, but we felt deserved your attention.

    We’ve all seen QR Codes, even though we may not know what their called. They’re the codes that retailers and other companies use that can be scanned by your phone. In some instances, they give you more information on a product or service. However, the Better Business Bureau is warning consumers that scammers are using QR Codes for devious purposes. These malicious QR Codes are even worse than links used in phishing emails, as the QR codes can not only lead you to malicious websites or inject malware into your device, they can also open up many payment apps. It’s recommended that you only scan QR Codes from entities you trust.

    ***

    If you subscribe to a satellite TV service like DISH, or DirecTV, you may want to be wary of any phone calls offering upgrades. If someone calls you claiming to be from your provider and asking for your address and PIN, hang up. Scammers will try to get you to pay for non-existent upgrades while saying it’s a better deal to pay now over the phone than having a technician show up. These providers will never ask you for personal information over the phone, and giving a scammer your PIN could lead to your payments being directed to them rather than your provider.

    ***

    Lastly, we have a scam that wants you to unsubscribe from a service or product, sort of. In this scam, the scammers call their victims and tell them that they must unsubscribe from a free trial or their credit card will be charged. If the victim says that they never signed up for any free trial, the scammers will say that someone else must have signed them up, and they still need to cancel. The scammers will then lead victims to a phony website where they can supposedly unsubscribe from the service they never signed up for in the first place. Of course, these websites are designed to not only steal your information, but can inject malware on to your device as well. If you receive one of these calls, it’s recommended that you contact your credit card company to make sure there are no subscription services on your account that you didn’t sign up for personally.

    ***

    And again, as we like to say, just because a scam isn’t happening in your area, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look out for it.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 9, 2021 Permalink | Reply
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    The jury duty scam is becoming more sophisticated 

    The jury duty scam is becoming more sophisticated

    By Greg Collier

    As we have previously mentioned, the jury duty scam is probably one of the most prevalent scams going on out there today. As you may know, scammers will call their victims posing as local or federal authorities. The scammers then tell their victims that they missed jury duty and there’s a warrant out for the victim’s arrest. Then the scammers ask the victim for money, so the victim can avoid arrest. Like most scams, they’ll ask for payment in virtually untraceable ways like money transfers, gift cards, and cryptocurrency.

    The first tip off that this may be a scam is the fact that the scammers are calling you. If you actually missed jury duty, you would receive a summons in the mail from whatever court you were supposed to be reporting to. It seems that enough people have caught on to the jury duty scam that the scammers are changing their tactics, and it begins with a letter in the mail.

    According to law enforcement in the state of Oklahoma, residents have been receiving official looking documents in the mail telling residents that they’ve missed jury duty. However, the letters are being followed up with phone calls to the residents, with the scammers once again posing as law enforcement and threatening arrest. They’re then telling the residents that they need to pay a fine right then and there over the phone.

    The phone call is the tell because law enforcement will never call you to threaten you with arrest, and court fines are not paid over the phone.

    If you receive one of these letters or a letter like this, call the agency or office in claims to be from. Don’t use any phone number that may be listed on the documentation. Those could lead you directly to the scammers. Instead, get the phone number from the agency’s or office’s website. It should be listed on their ‘contact us’ section.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 6, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , ,   

    Brushing scam not as harmless as it seems 

    By Greg Collier

    The brushing scam is one of the more confusing scams if you’re not in the know. For clarification, the brushing scam is when third-party Amazon retailers send you a bunch of their products. You didn’t pay for it, but you didn’t order it either. The vendors do this so they can say you’re a verified purchaser and use your name to give themselves a five-star review. Legally, you can keep the stuff they send you, even though it’s usually low-quality items that you probably have no need for. So what’s the harm?

    According to the Better Business Bureau, it means that the scammers have a lot of your personal information. Enough of it in fact that they can open an Amazon account in your name even if you already have one. While you may not be losing money while getting free stuff delivered to your door, it does mean that your identity and privacy have been compromised.

    If you start receiving these unsolicited items from Amazon, the first thing you should do is make sure that your account isn’t being charged for the items you’re receiving. Just as a precaution, you should change your Amazon password to something that’s not easily guessable, like your birthdate or one of your kids’ names. Then you should contact Amazon to let them know that a vendor is brushing, as this is forbidden under Amazon’s terms of service. Go to Amazon’s website to find their customer service info. Don’t do a web search for their phone number, as that can lead you to a phony customer service department who is also looking to scam you.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 5, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    Moving scam steals families’ belongings 

    By Greg Collier

    With the increasing demand for housing, many families are in the process of moving. Whether it’s across town or across the country, many families are turning to professional movers to transport their belongings to their new homes. Unfortunately, like a lot of other service industries, there are a number of scammers posing as legitimate moving companies.

    For example, families in the Charlotte, North Carolina area have reported to police that their belongings disappeared after hiring what they thought was a moving company. Several families have reported that the so-called movers packed up their stuff and just made off with it. The phony movers were even said to have appeared legitimate, as they had a professional looking website and a customer service department. However, once the families lost their belongings, the website and phone numbers would disappear.

    That’s only one moving scam that can affect families. A more prevalent scam is when shady long-distance moving companies hold your belongings hostage while they demand extra payment. These fly-by-night companies often end up going out of business, leaving customers’ belongings in a state of legal limbo which is difficult to recover.

    Just like any other major life decision, you should do a lot of research before picking out a moving company. Check online reviews and ask friends on social media for recommendations. You can also check the mover’s license number with the Department of Transportation to see their complaint history and if they’re not registered with the DOT, that can be a big red flag that the company may not be legitimate.

    If a company gives you an estimate sight unseen, they may also be trying to scam you. Always get at least three estimates from three different movers and get them in writing. Never make payment in full upfront, and make sure that the movers provide full-value protection insurance. Lastly, if anything feels out of the ordinary with your movers, don’t be afraid to go with another company.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 4, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    Pair arrested for string of grandparent scams 

    By Greg Collier

    When the grandparent scam first became prevalent, the scammers were satisfied with just getting their victims to pay through gift cards or money transfers. Then the scammers started using unwitting ride-share drivers as couriers to pick up payments directly from the victims. Then the scammers themselves did away with all the middle men and started collecting the payments on their own. However, that presents its own problem as it allows police to arrest these scammers at the victim’s home, as one pair of alleged scammers recently found out.

    Quickly, just for context, the grandparent scam is when a scammer calls an elderly victim and tells them that one of their grandchildren is in jail and needs money for bond. In reality, the grandchild is fine and is unaware of what’s being done in their name.

    A pair of alleged grandparent scammers from Georgia were recently arrested in Oklahoma. According to police, the pair had targeted several elderly victims in their scheme. They probably would have more victims if not for the intervention of a bank employee. The scammers had targeted an elderly man and told him his nephew was in jail. They also told the man that after he got the money, he needed to wait for a bondsman to come collect the money. The man went to his bank to withdraw $15,000, but the bank was concerned the man may be a victim of a scam. The bank asked the man a few questions and determined he was being scammed and called police. Police arrested the ‘bondsman’ who turned out to be the scammer himself. His cohort who claimed to be a ‘currency trader’ to police was also arrested as part of the plot.

    The fact that scammers are showing up at the doors of elderly victims is quite concerning, especially if the victim lives alone. It never hurts to verify the story that someone on the phone is claiming. If you think your relative may be in jail, they won’t get in any further trouble if you hang up and verify the story being given to you. Also keep in mind that bail bondsmen don’t come to you. You have to go to them if you need to post bond for someone.

     

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