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  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 17, 2022 Permalink | Reply
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    Victim could lose home after being scammed 

    By Greg Collier

    An elderly New Jersey woman has already lost $420,000 to scammers, and because of that scam she may lose her home.

    It started when she received an email stating she had been charged $500 for an antivirus subscription. This is a trick scammers use to get victims to call the number included in the email, which the woman did. The phony customer service rep said they could issue a refund if the victim gave them remote access to her computer, which again she did.

    While the scammers had access to her computer, they had her access her bank account under the guise of issuing a refund. Somewhere along the line, the phony $500 charge became a real $50,000 charge. The scammers said they would issue a refund through a wire transfer. However, the victim was instructed not to tell her bank about the wire transfer because the bank may think it’s part of a money laundering scheme.

    To further this supposed protection against money laundering accusations, the woman was also instructed to move her money into an overseas cryptocurrency account. The scammers then instructed the woman to tell her bank that the large transactions being made were for antique furniture. Her bank did, in fact, ask about the transactions, and she told them what the scammers instructed her to.

    The scam didn’t end there, though. Not only did the scammers take her money, they also opened several lines of equity using her home as collateral. Now, the woman may lose her home since she doesn’t have the money to pay off the loans the scammers took out. At one point, the scammers even had her declared deceased.

    Keep in mind, this was all over a $500 refund for a service that she wasn’t even charged for.

    If you receive an email like this, the first thing to do is check your bank or credit card account to see if the charge is even there. If it isn’t, just delete the email. It’s also worth noting that no legitimate company issuing you a refund will ever ask you for remote access to your device. Remote access should only be given to people you know and trust personally. Not to mention that most refunds can be done almost instantly. Lastly, no legitimate company will ever tell you to hide something from your bank. If someone asks you to do that, they’re actually asking you to hide them from your bank.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 16, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: buy sell and trade, , , , ,   

    Scammers target ‘Buy, Sell, Trade’ groups with missing child posts 

    Scammers target 'Buy, Sell, Trade' groups with missing child posts

    By Greg Collier

    We’ve all done it. We’ve all shared a post on social media that appealed to our emotions that turned out not to be true. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. We all thought we were helping someone by sharing the post. Whether or not the information in the post was outdated or a hoax to begin with, misleading posts get shared with the best intents in mind. Scammers, who are modern amateur masters of psychology, are using posts with emotional appeal to further their scams, and they’re using local community pages to do so.

    According to several police departments around the country, scammers are targeting local swap pages on social media. Specifically, scammers are targeting pages that are what’s known as ‘buy, sell, and trade’ groups. Scammers have been joining these groups and have made posts that are designed to grab your immediate attention. Most of these posts have been about a missing child or baby. Well-meaning members of these groups have ended up sharing these posts, which can lead to the posts being shared thousands of times.

    When these posts reach critical mass, the scammers change the posts to peddle their latest scam. Instead of a missing child post, the post can then become about any number of scams designed to steal people’s money.

    If you’re going to share a post on social media that demands community attention, please make sure it comes from legitimate sources like police departments or legitimate news sources. If you share an unverified post on social media, you’re potentially opening up your entire friends’ list to potential scammers. And even if you’re sharing a post from a legitimate source, try to verify that the information is current, as years old posts often find new life when someone mistakenly shares one.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 15, 2022 Permalink | Reply
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    Moving company scam holds belongings hostage 

    Moving company scam holds belongings hostage

    By Greg Collier

    Congratulations. You happen to be one of the lucky few who just bought or rented a new home. You avoided all the scams, and you’ve gotten all the money and paperwork in order. The hard part is over. Now you just have to move your belongings into your new home. That should be easy, right? You just need to call a few moving companies, get a few quotes, take the cheapest one, and you’re home free. But what happens when the movers ask for more money than they quoted? They’ve already got your stuff loaded on their truck. If you don’t pay then and there, they drive off with your belongings. Can they do that? The answer to that questions is no, but it happens anyway.

    A man in Natchez, Mississippi, recently found this out when he wanted some of his belongings moved to a storage facility. He was given a quote of $900, but when the movers showed up and loaded his stuff, they then asked for $2600. The movers allegedly added travel time to their per hour charges. The Natchez man did not have that kind of money, so the movers drove off with his possessions. They told him he can get them back when he pays the full amount. The matter was initially a matter for a civil court, since the man signed a contract that included extra cost for the travel time. However, after the matter was referred to the state Attorney General’s office, the moving company’s owner and another employee have since been arrested and charged with embezzlement. At the time of their arrest, police allegedly found the property of other victims as well in the moving company’s possession.

    Picking the right mover is almost as important as picking the home itself. If you find a reasonably priced moving company, do an online search for reviews and complaints. You can also check the mover’s license number with the Department of Transportation to see their complaint history. If they’re not registered with the DOT, the movers could be a fly-by-night operation or worse.

    If a company gives you an estimate without physically inspecting your belongings, they might be trying to scam you. You should always get at least three estimates from three different movers and get the estimates in writing. You should also never pay in full up front. 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 12, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: activation scam, , Prime Video, ,   

    Amazon and Zelle used to scam veteran 

    Amazon and Zelle used to scam veteran

    By Greg Collier

    An Army veteran from Florida recently fell victim to a scam while trying to set up his smart TV. The man was trying to activate Amazon’s Prime Video app on his TV when he received an error message. Typically, this error message states that there is a connectivity issue and refers you to an official Amazon help page for assistance. However, if someone were to take the URL of the Amazon page and use it in a Google search instead of going directly to the Amazon page, you could find a scam site listed at the top of the search results.

    The former soldier found himself on just such a page, where he was asked to enter an access code to authorize his device. In this case, it doesn’t matter what access code is input. Someone could put in any string of numbers and letters and still be taken to the next part of the scam. After the man entered the code, he was taken to a page that asked him to call a customer service number.

    After he called the number, the scammer was able to gain access to the man’s Amazon account and did help him install the Prime Video app to his TV. Scammers do this to try to add legitimacy to their scam. Then, the man was told that his Amazon account had been compromised, and he needed to transfer money out of his bank account using the Zelle app to protect his accounts. Before it was all over, the man had lost $6000 to the scammers. As is typical with Zelle scams, the man’s bank has refused any kind of refund.

    When dealing with online customer service or tech support, always make sure you’re at the correct website. In this instance, make sure you’re at an Amazon.com address and not some address that appears to have no connection to Amazon. Also, no legitimate business will ask you to make any kind of transaction using the Zelle app. Apps like Zelle, Venmo, and Cash App are only supposed to be used between family and friends. This is why these apps don’t offer the same protections you might receive with a credit or debit card.

    Lastly, this scam shows once again that anybody can fall victim to a scam. The victim in this scam even said as much to local media when he told them, “I’m 68 years old. I’m a vet. I thought I knew everything. I thought I was smart when it came to things like that.”

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 11, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Orange County, , , , ,   

    Knock on the door saves family from rental scam 

    Knock on the door saves family from rental scam

    By Greg Collier

    We would say that it seems to be the week for rental scams, but unfortunately, they’re an everyday threat to prospective renters. It’s not just renters, either. Homeowners and current tenants are often left having to tell victims of rental scams that the property is not for rent. Meanwhile, the victims are left desperately scrambling to find a place to live after having lost thousands of dollars to scammers.

    The rental scam can take many forms, but at its simplest, scammers copy real estate listings then post a copy somewhere online that the home is for rent. Except, the scammers list themselves as the landlord and collect security or rental deposits before ghosting their victims.

    A couple from Orange County, California, almost feel victim to a rental scam, but decided to investigate when something didn’t feel right. The home they found was listed for rent on Facebook Marketplace. The supposed landlord only communicated by text. They were also asked to pay a $2000 deposit through personal payment app Zelle and were pressured to pay quickly since others were interested in the rental. The couple was also told not to go to the property because it was currently occupied, although the tenants would be out by the end of the week.

    The home was occupied alright, but not by renters, the family that was living there had bought the home, and it was not for rent. The couple interested in the home decided to go to the home anyway, sensing something was fishy. The couple knocked on the door and spoke with the family living there, who told them the home was not for rent. It turned out the scammers had copied the Zillow listing that the family saw when they bought the home.

    The couple was lucky enough to notice the red flags before losing any money. Unfortunately, not all families are this lucky and end up losing what little money they might have. If a landlord only communicates by text, it could mean they’re not in the area and are just interested in taking your money. If they ask for payment through personal payment apps like Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App, that’s another good indicator of a potential scam as scammers can block victims on these apps once they receive payment. And if a landlord tells you not to approach the property, there’s a good chance they’re trying to hide something from you.

    As always, due diligence should be done before putting money down on a rental property. A quick Google search of the address can reveal duplicate listings. If the listing you’re looking at has a lower rent price, that’s more than likely the scam listing. If a listing says the house is for sale or off the market, but your listing says it’s for rent, your listing is probably the scam listing.

     

  • Geebo 8:01 am on August 10, 2022 Permalink | Reply
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    Jury duty scammers go to great lengths to fleece victim 

    Jury duty scammers go to great lengths to fleece victim

    By Greg Collier

    Many scammers will use extreme measures to try to convince their victims that what they’re saying is true. There is so much effort put into some of these scams that we think the scammers could probably make a mint if they decided to make an honest living. They employ such devious tactics with the skill of an award-winning actor, it’s no wonder they continue to find victims.

    For example, a woman from Texas recently lost $1,000 to a jury duty scam. In the grand scheme of things, $1,000 may not seem like a lot of money to some, but it was enough for the scammer to use the following tactics.

    The woman was called by a man identifying himself as a US Marshall. The caller ID even read as being from a Federal Government phone number. She was told that there was a warrant out for her arrest since she failed to appear for a grand jury. However, she was told she could resolve the matter with a payment of $1500. The victim was even told that the US Government can’t accept payment in debit cards, credit cards, or checks, and they only take payment in gift cards.

    She was then given additional instructions she had to comply with. Not only did she have to stay on the phone with the caller the entire time, she also had to provide photos of two forms of identification, one with her picture and one without. The victim then drove around to several different stores, buying gift cards. When she gave the caller the card numbers, the caller said there was a problem with one of the cards, and she needed to buy another $1000 worth of cards. Thankfully, at the next store she went to, a store employee who worked in the fraud department recognized the scam and prevented the victim from losing any more money.

    Now, you may think that you wouldn’t fall for this scam because you’re aware of this scam. Unfortunately, not everyone is. The victim in this case is a licensed professional with a master’s degree. It goes without saying that you have to be pretty smart to obtain that level. However, it’s not intelligence that scammers prey on, but emotion. They want to get you into that state of fear where reason becomes secondary, and they’re quite good at it. As we like to say, there’s a scam out there with your name on it. It only takes the right set of circumstances for anyone to fall for a scam.

    As far as the jury duty scam goes, police or other law enforcement will never call you demanding money in gift cards or any other form. In most cases, if you were to actually miss jury duty, you’d be sent a fine in the mail. If there was an actual warrant out for your arrest, police would not call and warn you. If you receive a call like this, hang up and call your local police.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 9, 2022 Permalink | Reply
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    Rental scam listing stays on Zillow for a week 

    Rental scam listing stays on Zillow for a week

    By Greg Collier

    When looking for a rental property, we recommend using platforms like Zillow to help determine whether a rental listing is a scam or not. Platforms like Zillow can often give you a good idea of not only what market prices for rent are in a certain area, but they can also often tell you who is really renting the property. But what happens when the information on Zillow is wrong? One California landlady recently found out.

    The landlady from Sacramento listed her home for rent on Zillow. However, a rental scammer is said to have duplicated the ad on Zillow as well. The scam was discovered when a prospective renter showed up at the woman’s home looking to take a tour. Except, the landlady had never spoken to the person who showed up at her door.

    Not only had scammers copied the original listing, but they also listed the landlady’s name while asking for $1200 deposits.

    The fake listing stayed up on Zillow for a week after the landlady contacted them. It stayed up so long because the scammer kept arguing with Zillow that they were the legitimate landlord. That could mean that the scammer was collecting $1200 from victims all the while. The landlady is concerned that victims who may have been scammed may come after her, since the scammers used her name.

    While platforms like Zillow and Truila are good tools to use in a search for a rental property, they are not the final authority. They can have scammers like any other platform. Even if a landlord gives you a tour of the property or gives you a code to the property’s lockbox, that doesn’t necessarily make them the true landlord. The best way to find out who actually owns a property is to always check with the county’s tax office or website.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 8, 2022 Permalink | Reply
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    Military family fall victim to rental scam 

    Military family fall victim to rental scam

    By Greg Collier

    U.S. service members are one of the most targeted groups when it comes to scams. They are frequently victims of identity theft, romance scams, and employment scams. Again, this shows that scammers have absolutely no conscience when it comes to finding targets. Our service members have dedicated their lives to protecting our country, but scammers only think of them as a source of loot. Even when service members are looking for housing for themselves and their families, the scammers are lurking.

    A member of the Naval Reserves was recently looking for a home to rent in the Denver, Colorado area. He used a platform designed specifically to help service members find housing near their respective bases. It should be noted that the platform in question is not run by the military itself.

    The service member was able to find a rental to his liking and paid a $2700 deposit. However, the day before he was supposed to move in, the supposed landlord cut off all communication with the service member. Like with most rental scams, the home was actually for sale and not for rent.

    Typically, in rental scams, the scammers will copy the listing of a home for sale. They’ll then repost the listing somewhere else online, claiming the property is for rent, and that the scammer is the owner. The fake listings often list the property at a lower rent than the market value to try to find desperate victims. Scammers will ask victims for security deposits and first month’s rent before disappearing on the victims.

    Rental scams do not discriminate and have taken money from victims in every education and socioeconomic level. Of course, this scam hits lower-income families harder, as they can’t afford the loss of thousands of dollars.

    If you find a rental listing that appears to be a great deal, do as much research as you can on the property. Even a quick Google search of the address can show you information about the actual listing of the property. But when in doubt, contact the county tax assessor’s office or website. They’ll be able to tell you who the actual owner of the home is.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 5, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , cancellations, ,   

    BBB warns of Airline ticket scam 

    BBB warns of Airline ticket scam

    By Greg Collier

    The airline industry has yet to return to pre-pandemic conditions. Many of the airlines are still understaffed and overbooked, leading to record numbers of flight cancellations. As should be expected, scammers have their fingers on the pulse of the airline industry and are using the industry’s problems to the scammers’ advantage. It’s become such an issue that Better Business Bureau offices all over the country have issued multiple warnings about these scams.

    Most of these airline ticket scams start with where someone buys their airline tickets from. Scammers will set up phony websites or phony customer service numbers that promise discounted flight packages. The scammers will act like they’re booking a legitimate flight while taking the traveler’s money. After the transaction is completed, the traveler will receive a phone call from the phony travel company saying the flight has been cancelled, but they can be rerouted for an additional fee. That means the traveler has paid twice for a ticket that doesn’t even exist.

    The BBB warns that no legitimate airline or travel business would call back indicating an immediate price increase.

    In another scam, a traveler has a legitimately purchased flight ticket, but scammers will send out a text message posing as an airline, saying that the traveler’s flight has been cancelled when it actually hasn’t. The text contains a phone number to call which would connect the traveler to the scammers who promise to rebook the traveler for an additional fee.

    With any kind of travel arrangements, always do your research first. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it just might be. Look for online reviews of the company you’re booking your flight with if you’re not dealing with the airline directly. Also, be careful of emails and texts that claim to be rescheduling or rerouting your flight. Never click on any links provided or call any phone number listed in the messages. Instead, call the airline directly at the customer service number listed on their website.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 4, 2022 Permalink | Reply
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    Scam Round Up: Scam targeting service members and more 

    Scam Round Up: Scam targeting service members and more

    By Greg Collier

    This week, in the Scam Round Up, we’re bringing you a warning about a scam you’ve probably heard of and two scams you might not have.

    ***

    Our first scam is one of the more common scams. It’s so common, it even predates the internet. The Pennsylvania State Troopers have issued an alert about the secret shopper scam. Some of the larger retail chains employ secret shoppers to evaluate the customer service in their stores. However, it’s not as common a job as scammers would have you think.

    A woman from the Keystone State lost close to $3000 to the scam. She thought she had been hired by Walmart as a secret shopper. She was sent a check and told to deposit it in her bank account before going out and buying gift cards from Walmart. Once she did, she gave the card numbers to the scammers, who she thought were her employer. The check she deposited was a fake, and the scammers made off with the value of the gift cards.

    If any job asks you to deposit a check into your own account that is supposed to be used for business purposes, the odds are the check is a fake.

    ***

    Do you follow any celebrities on social media? If you do, you may want to watch out for any offers they might make. Recently, a number of celebrities have had their social media accounts hijacked or impersonated. The fraudulent accounts claimed that the celebrities were selling PlayStations at retail price, with the proceeds going to charity. By the time some of the celebrities were able to regain access to their accounts, some victims had already sent money to the scammers.

    Sometimes, celebrities, especially online personalities, will have giveaways, but rarely will they sell anything through social media. If you see one of these posts, be very skeptical, and remember that if something is too good to be true, it probably is.

    ***

    Our last scam is one that is specifically targeting members of our nation’s military. Members of the Illinois National Guard have been receiving phone calls by someone claiming to be a first sergeant. The caller tells the service member that they’re owed back pay. The caller then asks for the amounts of the service member’s last three paychecks. Then the service member is asked to pay a fee of almost $300 in order to receive the back pay.

    According to reports, if a service member is owed back pay, they’ll be notified by their chain of command and not a random phone call.

    ***

    While these scams may not be happening right now in your area, you’re now hopefully prepared if they do.

     

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