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Updates from February, 2023 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 14, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Airbnb ( 13 ), grandparent scam ( 65 ), new york ( 16 ), Scams ( 1,229 )   

  Roaming Scammers: Fraudsters on the Move 

  

  By Greg Collier

  When we think of scammers, we tend to think of the stereotypical scammer from overseas. While there is some truth in that stereotype, America has its fair share of scammers, and they might be on their way to where you live.

  While the majority of scams can be done remotely, there are some that require a more personal touch by the scammers. The grandparent scam is one of those scams. The grandparent scam is a common tactic used by fraudsters to trick elderly individuals into paying a large sum of money. The scammer pretends to be the victim’s grandchild, who is supposedly in legal trouble, often due to a fabricated car accident. To convince the victim to pay, the scammer may also impersonate a police officer or a lawyer. The end goal of this scam remains the same, which is to trick the victim into paying the scammer a large amount of money.

  For the grandparent scam to be successful, the scammer must be able to mimic the voice of the victim’s grandchild on the phone. This is why this type of scam is not typically carried out by scammers operating from overseas. To collect the money quickly, the scammer must be in the same geographical location as the victim. As a result, grandparent scammers often travel around the country in search of new, unsuspecting victims. This mobility also allows them to quickly move on to another area once they have either made enough money or if the authorities start to investigate.

  Three scammers from New York City had a run-in with the law during their trip to Syracuse, New York. Despite the long drive, the trio rented an Airbnb as they targeted their unsuspecting victims. The scammers were reported to have successfully conned an elderly couple out of $9500 before making two more attempts to extract more money. On their fourth call, they were caught red-handed as the police listened in on the line. Despite their brief stay in Syracuse, the trio of scammers were able to deceive their victims out of a staggering $24,000. Had they been able to move on undetected, it is uncertain how many more individuals would have fallen prey to their deceitful schemes.

  To safeguard yourself from the grandparent scam, it’s crucial to approach unexpected phone calls or emails from people claiming to be a grandchild in distress with skepticism. Never disclose personal information or money until you have verified the identity of the caller. To confirm their identity, try asking questions that only your real grandchild would know the answer to. Another precautionary measure is to establish a code word with your grandchildren to use in such situations. If you suspect a call or email to be fraudulent, don’t hesitate to report it to the authorities.

   

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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 13, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: deed transfer ( 12 ), deeds ( 7 ), real estate ( 118 ), Scams ( 1,229 )   

  Deed scam tries to scare homeowners 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Homeowners in the Nashville, Tennessee area have been receiving some disturbing letters in the mail recently. Just imagine receiving a letter in the mail that says the deed to your property has been transferred to someone else and the transfer has been recorded with your county’s deeds office. Thankfully, the letters are part of a scam, but they’re designed to get the homeowner to panic.

  The letters appear to come from the local County Register of Deeds office. They go on to state the homeowner can obtain a copy of the supposed new deed by paying a fee to a supposed service in Florida. So, not only are the scammers hoping on getting an $89 payment from their victims, but if a victim pays by debit or credit card, the scammers will have their financial information as well.

  This scam preys on the fear of another scam where people have lost ownership of their own homes. Previously, some homeowners have been tricked into signing over the deed to their homes to a scammer. The scammer tells them they can avoid being foreclosed on if they sign the deed over to a third party. This typically results in the homeowner being evicted from their home by the scammers.

  In a similar scam, scammers have sent phony tax forms to homeowners asking them to fill the forms out. The scammers then use the information taken from these forms to try to get the deed reassigned to the scammer.

  If you receive a letter like this, the first thing you should do is contact your county deeds office to see if there is any legitimacy to the letter. In some counties, including Tennessee’s Davidson County, where you can sign up for property alerts. This way you can be notified if any action is being taken against your property.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 10, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: gift cards ( 98 ), online shopping ( 29 ), puppy scam ( 35 ), Scams ( 1,229 )   

  Victim threatened with animal abuse charges in puppy scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  A woman from Oklahoma recently fell victim to an online puppy scam. The victim lost $5,800 to the scammers, which is one of the higher amounts we’ve seen lost to this scam.

  If you’ve never heard of a puppy scam, there are actually a few different scams called puppy scams. The one we’re discussing today is the one where, typically, no puppy actually exists. The scammers set up phony websites where they claim to be breeders. They tend to advertise one specific breed in the scam. The pictures on the scammers’ websites are usually stolen from other place on the internet, but used as if they were selling the pictured puppies.

  Once the scammers have found a victim, they’ll string the victim along while trying to extract multiple payments from the victim. No puppy is ever sent to the victim.

  The victim was shopping online for a Maltipoo puppy for her husband for Christmas, after they lost their family pet. After placing the order with the website, she was asked for a down payment to be made by American Express gift card. She was told that payment didn’t go through and needed to make the deposit again. Then she was asked for money for shipping, then for puppy daycare, until the amount lost to the scammers was $5,800.

  When she told the scammers, she wasn’t paying them any more money, they threatened her by saying that she would be facing ‘puppy abandonment’ charges if she didn’t pay.

  While shopping for most things online is convenient, a pet shouldn’t be shopped for online. If you’re looking to buy a specific breed, look for legitimate breeders that are within driving distance from your location. It’s best that you see the puppy in person before buying one. But even if you’re going to a local breeder, research them first before making any kind of purchase. Make sure you’re not buying from a puppy mill or backyard breeder, where the animals are often sick with terminal illnesses.

  Lastly, we always hope that if our readers are in the market for a puppy that they consider adopting from their local shelter. You can usually adopt for little to no cost, and you’re giving a lonely puppy a home.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 9, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: atm skimmer ( 4 ), California ( 20 ), EBT Cards ( 2 ), food stamps ( 4 ), Scams ( 1,229 ), skimmers ( 2 )   

  Scammers steal millions from California’s disadvantaged 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Usually, we post about scams that the typical consumer should be aware of. They should also be aware of this one, but for different reasons.

  As we always say, scammers don’t care who they’re taking advantage of. Their victims could be the elderly, or they could be inexperienced teens. There’s probably even a scam that takes advantage of orphans somehow. They love taking advantage of those who are financially secure. However, that doesn’t stop them from stealing from those who have very little to their own name.

  According to a report from the L.A. Times, scammers are stealing millions of dollars from those who receive economic assistance from the state. Typically, the scammers are targeting those who receive welfare and food stamps. The stamps themselves have been long gone for years. They’ve been replaced with an Electronic Benefit Transfer card, more commonly known as an EBT card. Benefits are deposited into the recipient’s account, and the recipient uses the card as they would a normal debit card. Therein lies the problem.

  Security experts believe that the scammers are obtaining card information by installing skimmers at various locations where EBT cards are used. Traditionally at convenience stores, ATMs, and gas stations. When a cardholder puts their card into a machine where a skimmer has been placed, scammers can copy the information from the card, including the PIN. Scammers will then go to an ATM and withdraw the cardholders benefit money.

  The Golden State isn’t helping their benefit recipients much. Once a recipient’s card has been skimmed, the only protection they’re given is that they’re told to withdraw all their money at midnight on the day of the month the benefits are issued.

  California’s EBT cards are still using the magnetic strip, which is where the scammers take the information from. Most commercial and consumer credit and debit cards use the more secure chip. The state says it would take at least 2 1/2 years to update the cards.

  Meanwhile, it takes recipients at least a month to have their benefits replaced by the state. That’s a month they have to worry about putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their family’s heads. And if they have their benefits stolen more than once, the recipient could be investigated for EBT card trafficking.

  Many have the belief that people who receive assistance from the state are somehow living the high life. Nothing could be further from the truth. These are people who struggle every day, and the scammers just make that struggle worse. Sadly, they seem to be receiving no help with that fight.

  We urge you to read the L.A. Times article that goes more in-depth about their plight.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 8, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Apple ( 28 ), door to door scam ( 5 ), home warranty ( 2 ), impersonation scam ( 114 ), macOS, mail fraud ( 21 ), pop-ups ( 21 ), Scams ( 1,229 )   

  Scam Round Up: Scammers entering seniors’ homes and more 

  

  By Greg Collier

  This week in the Round Up, we have an old scam that homeowners should still be aware of. We also have two new scams, with one of them having chilling implications.

  ***

  Do you know why we’re always talking about Windows pop-up scams and not Apple ones? It’s not because macOS is any more secure than Windows. It’s mainly because Apple only has 17.2% of the market share when it comes to computers. Essentially, it’s not worth it for scammers and hackers to target Mac users. That doesn’t mean that macOS is completely free of scams.

  Recently, at least one Mac user has reported getting a scam pop-up on their Mac. It was disguised as one of macOS’ notification pop-ups. It was even complete with the system settings icon. The pop-up says that your iCloud account has been hacked and asks the user to click here to remove the virus. Your iCloud account being hacked and having a virus are two separate things. Never click on anything that says click here now when it comes to potential security risks on your Mac.

  If history is any indicator, if you click the notification, you’ll either have malware injected into your device, or you’ll be taken to a scam site that will ask for your personal information.

  ***

  Minnesota’s homeowners are being warned about letters that tell them their home warranty is about to expire. These are scam letters which are trying to get you to divulge your credit or debit card information to the scammers. According to the Minnesota Department of Commerce, these scammers will try to tell you that they have some kind of arrangement with the mortgage company, HOA, or county deeds office.

  If you receive a letter like this, just dispose of it. If you’re looking to purchase a home warranty, always check for reviews and complaints to make sure the company is legitimate.

  ***

  Lastly, the residents of Pulaski County in Virginia are being warned of a disturbing scam that’s targeting seniors. Authorities there have reported that a number of seniors have had scammers showing up to their homes posing as agents of the state’s Department of Health. Once inside the home, the scammers are asking victim’s for personal information and taking pictures of the homes’ interiors.

  If someone like this approaches your home, always ask to see their identification. Also, don’t be hesitant to call police if they start pressuring you to enter your home.

  ***

  As always, just because these scams aren’t currently happening in your area, doesn’t mean they won’t come there eventually. Now you have the knowledge to protect yourself from them.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 7, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: income tax ( 12 ), IRS ( 22 ), mail fraud ( 21 ), Scams ( 1,229 ), tax scam ( 9 )   

  New scam targets taxpayers 

  

  By Greg Collier

  In previous posts about tax season, we’ve warned our readers about the typical scams they might encounter. One of the tips we always give is that the IRS will never call or email you about your income tax return. Instead, the agency sends their notices through postal mail. But what if you got something in the mail that said you owed tax money? That’s what residents of Pennsylvania are having to deal with right now.

  Residents of the Keystone State have already started receiving letters in the mail which claim they owe the state a substantial amount in back taxes. Moreover, the letters residents are receiving threaten them with both wage garnishment and seizure of property if the bill is not paid. The letters are even labeled with “Final Demand for Payment”.

  All of these threats are part of common tactics used in most scams. First, the scammer wants you to have a sense of panic upon seeing the letter. They’re hoping to scare you into sending them a payment without doing any further research. Then the scammers increase the urgency of that fear by using threats of financial loss.

  If you receive a letter like this, don’t panic. Do your research. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, these letters are supposedly being sent by the ‘Tax Assessment Procedures Domestic Judgment Registry’. There is no such office or department in the state of Pennsylvania, or any other state for that matter. A quick Google search turns up a number of state complaints about this scam.

  Also, never call any phone number that may be included in the contents of the letter. That number will just be manned by scammers looking to intimidate you further into making a payment. Instead, go to your state’s Department of Revenues website to locate their direct contact information. They should be able to provide you with correct information about any possible tax balances.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 6, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: counterfeit goods ( 12 ), Scams ( 1,229 ), Sports ( 3 ), sports betting, Super Bowl ( 6 ), tickets ( 17 )   

  Super Bowl scams for 2023 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Whether you’ll be going to the big game in Phoenix this year, or watching from home with friends and family, there are a number of scams surrounding this Sunday’s Super Bowl to look out for.

  If you’re looking for Super Bowl or NFL merchandise, be wary of bootlegs. We’re not just talking about that one stand that shows up in an abandoned parking lot every year, either. The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers that many online scammers will be trying to get consumers to buy counterfeit apparel. While others just won’t ship anything at all. Items like football jerseys should be inspected before purchase due to their price. If you’re looking for a Jersey for Sunday, you might be better off picking one up at a brick and mortar store if you want it to last.

  With online sports betting seeing a resurgence in recent years, some may be thinking about putting some money down on the game. However, there is no end to the number of websites that will try to take your money in some pretty crooked ways. Once again, the BBB is offering advice about being taken advantage of by shady websites or apps. One of the most common scams is when a sports betting platform won’t let you cash out. In many instances, the scam sites will tell you that you need to pay more money to get your winnings.

  Many state gambling commissions have a list of approved sports betting sites listed on their websites. Always avoid any pop up ads or spam from betting sites, as it’s pretty good odds they’re trying to swindle you. And as always, never bet more money than you can afford to lose.

  Lastly, if you have plans to make it to Phoenix, but still need tickets, be careful of buying counterfeit tickets. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office is reminding Eagle’s fans to be careful who they buy tickets from. Super Bowl tickets are all electronic, but still can be faked. Stick to authorized ticket vendors and never pay for tickets using gift cards, money orders, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Any vendor that asks for payment in those forms will probably not send you any tickets. And if they do, those tickets will be fraudulent.

  No one wants to show up to this once-in-a-lifetime event only to be turned away at the gate.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 3, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: check scam ( 76 ), fake check ( 43 ), job scam ( 71 ), Scams ( 1,229 ), venmo ( 26 ), Zelle ( 62 )   

  The Digital Trap: How Technology leaves the Young Vulnerable to Scams 

  

  By Greg Collier

  When we discuss older Americans being susceptible to scams, it’s usually because of their unfamiliarity with some modern technology. However, being too familiar with tech can also make someone vulnerable to scams.

  For example, young people, who use payment apps like Cash App and Venmo regularly, could be convinced to use those apps to their own detriment.

  Recently, a college student from Louisiana fell victim to a phony check scam. She thought she was applying for a job as a nanny. The scammers sent the student checks for thousands of dollars, and told her to deposit them in her own bank account. She was then instructed to send out payments for things like appliances and cleaning supplies. These payments were sent out through the Zelle and Venmo apps.

  Afterward, the bank discovered that the checks were fraudulent, but the student had already sent out all the money. In these cases, the banks hold the account holder responsible for the lost money, even if it was lost through deceitful means.

  Statistically, younger people are just as vulnerable to scams as the elderly, if not more so. This is possibly because of their unfamiliarity with traditional banking transactions. This is not intended as a criticism of young people, but rather a reminder that not everything needs to be done digitally.

  As far as this scam goes, never deposit any checks intended for business into your personal account. Real employers will never ask you to do that. Anyone who asks you to deposit a check then asks you to make payments for them is just trying to scam you.

  Lastly, apps like Zelle, Venmo, and Cash App should only be used with friends and family. These apps make it too easy for scammers to cash out and disappear after taking your money. The companies behind the apps are typically helpless to do much after the transaction goes through, or so they say. So, if you do get scammed through these apps, a refund probably isn’t likely. Please keep in mind that while these apps may be popular in your social circles, most legitimate businesses do not accept payments through them.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 2, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: dating ( 4 ), online dating ( 5 ), romance scam ( 68 ), Scams ( 1,229 ), valentine's day ( 4 )   

  Elderly victim loses almost $100K to romance scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  With Valentine’s Day approaching, romance scams are on the rise. For new readers, romance scams typically consist of scammers luring their targets into false romantic relationships as a way to steal money. The scammers usually pose as oil rig workers, military members stationed overseas, or international business people. This is done in order to have a built-in excuse as to why the scammer can’t meet their victim face to face. While anybody can fall for a romance scam, elderly women are frequently the targets for this scam. While Valentine’s Day can be a potential flashpoint for romance scams, they can happen at any time.

  For example, an elderly woman from Indianapolis is said to have lost $98,000 to a romance scammer. The victim was using a dating website after losing her husband a few years ago. She met someone on the site who claimed to be 20 years her junior. When asked if the age gap would be a problem, the scammer replied with, “age is just a number.”

  The scammer then convinced the victim to move their conversations away from the dating site and use text messaging instead. The scammer claimed to own a construction company in Montreal, Canada, and asked for money to help support his business. The victim sent five payments that totaled a little over $98,000.

  The supposed construction company owner even sent the victim a picture of a plane ticket that showed an intent to visit the victim. Of course, no one ever showed. Even then, the scammer continued to ask the victim for money, including a $500,000 request to invest in his construction business. When the victim stated they had no more money, the scammer cut off contact with the victim.

  If you ever meet a potential romantic partner online, the first thing you should do is a reverse image search on their picture. Scammers will often steal pictures from someone’s social media who has no idea their picture is being used in a romance scam. If your prospective partner is being cagey about meeting in person, that is usually a good indicator that they’re trying to scam you. Also, if you’re using a dating app or platform, and you’re asked to move the conversation off the platform, that could be a good indication of a scam. Lastly, if they ask for money before meeting, that’s a huge red flag indicating a scam.

  If you know someone who may be a victim in a romance scam, it’s often difficult to convince them that they’re being scammed. It may help if you show them this blog post or any of the articles out there that detail how a romance scam works.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 1, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: arrest warrant ( 22 ), customer service ( 49 ), gift cards ( 98 ), health insurance ( 5 ), identity theft ( 96 ), impersonation scam ( 114 ), jury duty scam ( 26 ), police impersonation scam ( 49 ), pop-ups ( 21 ), Scams ( 1,229 ), tech support scam ( 43 )   

  Scam Round Up: Scammer dresses as cop and more 

  

  By Greg Collier

  This week on the round up, we’re bringing you three scams that may not be new, but have a new aspect to them.

  ***

  For our first scam, we have a Nebraska woman who lost $53,000 to a pop-up scam. She got a pop-up on her computer that said someone had used her personal information for online gambling. The pop-up also had a number to call. The woman called the number, and the person she spoke with claimed to be from her bank. She was told she needed to transfer her money to a separate bank account to protect her money. The new aspect of this scam is that she was told when the person who supposedly stole her information tried to take money from her account, they would be arrested. Instead, she transferred her money to scammers.

  Never call any phone number that appears on a computer pop-up. Those numbers only go to scammers, no matter what the pop-up might say.

  ***

  Our next scam shows how well-informed scammers can be. In Los Alamos, New Mexico, retirees of the historic Los Alamos National Lab, were recently told their prescription insurance would no longer be taken at Kroger pharmacies. This story doesn’t get any more local. However, it hasn’t escaped the purview of scammers. Residents have reported that they’ve received phone calls from people impersonating the prescription insurance company. These callers have been asking for personal information like Social Security numbers and dates of birth.

  Health insurance companies typically only call customers when the customer has called them first. Also, the health insurance companies typically don’t ask a customer for their Social Security number, as most insurance companies use their own internal ID numbers for their customers.

  If you get a call out of the blue from someone claiming to be from your insurance company, hang up and call them directly at the customer service number on your health insurance card.

  ***

  Lastly, we have a disturbing version of the arrest warrant scam, as if that weren’t disturbing enough. In the arrest warrant scam, scammers will pose as local police and call their victims. The scammers will tell their victims they’ve missed jury duty and a warrant has been issued for the victim’s arrest. The victim will then be instructed to make payment through gift cards or pre-paid debit cards. But this scam usually only takes place over the phone.

  In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this scam is said to have stepped into the real world. A man dressed as an officer from the local County Sheriff’s office approached a woman and told her she would need to buy $8,000 in gift cards to avoid arrest for missing jury duty.

  It’s unclear how the victim in this news story was approached, however, if you’re approached by someone you think may be impersonating an officer, there are steps you can take. If you’re approached at your vehicle or home, call 911 and ask them if you’re being contacted by an actual officer. Police dispatch will have a record of it if they are an actual officer.

  No police officer would ever stop someone and threaten them with arrest if they didn’t pay a fine then and there. Police would also never ask for payment in gift cards.