Greg's Corner

Updates from November, 2023 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Geebo 9:00 am on November 14, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: bank scam ( 64 ), impersonation scam ( 116 ), impostor scam ( 13 ), Scams ( 1,232 ), Zelle ( 62 )   

  Is Zelle issuing refunds to scam victims? 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Since this past June, thousands of banks that use the Zelle payment app have been issuing refunds. Why are these banks issuing refunds? For at least the past two years, Zelle has been a boon to scammers. Zelle has been instrumental in allowing scammers to take money from their victims.

  Primarily, Zelle is used in bank impersonation scams. They start out when a victim receives a text message that appears to have come from their bank. The message asks the victim if they recently made a large purchase or transfer and to reply with yes or no. Once the victim replies, the scammers call the victim while posing as the bank’s fraud department. The victim is told their bank account has been compromised, and they need to move their money to a safe account to protect it. The scammers walk the victim through instructions on how to transfer the money to the safe account on Zelle. Then the victim unknowingly transfers their money to the scammer’s account.

  The banks that implement Zelle have been hesitant to issue any refunds to customers. They typically claim that since the customer authorized the payment, there are no grounds for a refund. The banks also claim if they start issuing refunds, then scammers will try to work their way into the refund process.

  In that vein, Zelle has been pretty quiet about how consumers can go about requesting a refund. Nor has it given any indications on any kind of timeline for refunds or whether refunds can be requested retroactively. However, in their defense, Zelle has enacted new prompts within the app that are supposed to warn users if the app feels like the user is making a risky transfer. Zelle claims this has significantly cut down on scams.

  But the best way to protect yourself is to not take the scammer’s bait. Your bank will never tell you that you need to move your money to protect it. That’s just not a thing. If you receive a text message or phone call that claims to be coming from your bank, do not respond. Instead, call your bank at the customer service number from your debit or credit card, and they’ll be able to advise you on if there is anything wrong with your account. And also keep in mind that Zelle is only supposed to be used between friends and family. Anyone else who is asking for payment through Zelle could be trying to scam you.

   

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  Geebo 9:00 am on November 13, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: deed transfer ( 12 ), deeds ( 7 ), real estate ( 118 ), Scams ( 1,232 )   

  Scammer sells own father’s house out from under him 

  

  By Greg Collier

  A man from the Houston, Texas, area is currently on the run from the law after failing to appear for his court appearance. The suspect had been arrested for allegedly selling properties that didn’t belong to him, including one that belonged to his father.

  The suspect’s father allowed his son to stay at the father’s condo. The suspect forged the documents necessary to put the house in his name before selling the condo, and keeping the money for himself. This incident is said to be when the suspect realized he could sell other properties he didn’t own.

  The suspect was able to con his way into transferring the ownership of at least two multi-million dollar properties into his name. According to reports, the suspect would forge deeds and notary signatures in order to steal the properties. The plan was to sell the properties for pennies on the dollar before the actual owners could find out. Properties that had no financial liens on them were said to be the suspect’s main targets.

  A realtor became suspicious when one of their clients was trying to buy a $5 million property for less than half of the market value. This property was being sold by the suspect, which he didn’t actually own. When the realtor contacted police, they found the suspect was trying to sell another property he didn’t own.

  Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. We’ve posted before about victims who were told to leave their homes after scammers submitted forged deeds to the county showing they were the new owners. We’ve also shared stories about vacant lots being targeted in similar scams. If you own a property outright, you may want to pay attention to scams like this.

  Thankfully, there is a way to protect yourself. It’s recommended you go to your county appraiser’s website regularly to monitor the ownership of your property. If your county appraiser does not have a website, you can go to their office. Some counties even have a program where you can be alerted if anything changes on your deed.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on November 10, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: pyramid scheme ( 10 ), Scams ( 1,232 ), Secret SIster ( 5 ), Secret Sister Gift Exchange ( 4 ), social media ( 73 )   

  Gift exchange scam is back for the holidays 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The old joke says Christmas decorations and sales start earlier every year. Just this year, it seemed like stores started getting into the Christmas spirit as soon as Halloween was over. Well, we have our own indicator of the start of the holiday season, and that’s a pyramid scheme disguised as a Christmas gift exchange.

  Recently, the Better Business Bureau sounded the alarm on what’s called the Secret Sister gift exchange. If you’re unfamiliar with the Secret Sister scheme, it’s a scam primarily directed at women, evident from its name. The process initiates with a social media post urging participants to include their name and address in a list, accompanied by sending a modestly priced gift. In exchange, they are assured of receiving as many as 36 gifts. Additionally, participants are encouraged to enlist at least six more individuals into the gift exchange.

  A clear indicator of the pyramid scheme nature emerges when you’re urged to recruit more participants to progress in the exchange, be it gifts or money. In pyramid schemes, the individuals at the pyramid’s summit enjoy the benefits of the scam, leaving those at the bottom with little to gain and often facing unfavorable outcomes.

  Also, by submitting yours and your friends’ addresses, you’re putting yourself and your friends at risk of being the target of identity theft.

  One alarming aspect of social media pyramid schemes like this is the potential legal consequences for victims. Pyramid schemes are prohibited in the United States, and even if participants are unknowingly exploited, involvement in recruiting others for the exchange could lead them to legal trouble. It’s crucial for individuals to be aware of the legality surrounding such schemes to avoid unintentional legal complications.

  If you receive an online invitation to participate in one of these gift exchanges, it’s advisable to politely decline. However, if the invitation comes from someone close to you, it might be worth explaining the potential risks associated with such exchanges. By doing so, you could potentially save them from encountering significant troubles down the line. Educating those close to you about the perils of these schemes can be a valuable preventive measure.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on November 9, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: accidental payment ( 2 ), payment app ( 17 ), Scams ( 1,232 ), venmo ( 26 )   

  Venmo issues its own warning about scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  As you may know, Venmo is a personal payment app, with the emphasis on personal. It’s intended to be used between friends and family to send money quickly and effortlessly. It’s not supposed to be used between strangers, but this hasn’t prevented scammers from using it as an avenue of taking money from their victims. Scammers often use Venmo because once a victim pays a scammer, the scammer can quickly block the victim, preventing any kind of refund.

  Venmo itself recently issued a warning to not only its customers, but the general public about a scam that’s been plaguing its users. In this scam, a Venmo user receives a payment from someone they don’t know. The stranger then messages the user and claims the payment was sent by mistake. Then the user is asked to make a payment back to the stranger.

  These ‘accidental’ payments are often made by scammers using stolen credit or debit cards. If a user pays back the stranger, once the initial payment is found to be fraudulent, that payment is revoked. However, the user’s payment to the scammer is not. This gives the scammer free money and leaves the victim with much less money in their account.

  Venmo stated, if you receive a payment from a stranger, do not pay them back. Instead, a customer should contact Venmo through the app to have the payment reverse the payment. Users should also block anyone who sends them unsolicited payments.

  Another way to protect your Venmo account is by changing your payment feed to private. It is set to public by default, which means anyone can see your Venmo history.

  For more information about Venmo scams, you can use their online help center.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on November 8, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: craigslist ( 124 ), rental car ( 6 ), Scams ( 1,232 ), stolen cars ( 10 ), used car ( 28 )   

  Used car scammers are selling rental cars 

  

  By Greg Collier

  A woman from Houston, Texas, was shocked when two men showed up in her driveway looking for the car she had just bought. She had just purchased a 2019 Toyota Camry for $11,000 through a Craigslist seller. A little below Blue Book value, but not an unreasonable price. She even did a car history check, where nothing unusual turned up. Yet, there were the two men saying the car was theirs.

  The two men had rented the car and tracked it using an Apple AirTag. Now, that may sound like a scam itself, but according to police, their claim was legitimate. This left the woman confused because she had the car’s title. Unfortunately, the title turned out to be a fake.

  The car was returned to its owner, leaving the victim out of her $11,000. A man was arrested for selling her the car and producing a fake title.

  Houston police said you can tell a title is fake by holding it up to the light, if you don’t see the state seals, the title is fraudulent. They also suggested taking the title to a local police department and having them check if the title is valid.

  Buying a used car from a private seller should be treated just like any other purchase. If you don’t want to be ripped off or robbed, the best place to complete the transaction is at your local police department. This will dissuade a lot of scammers and thieves from pulling their scam on you.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on November 7, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: college ( 14 ), emergency scam ( 3 ), grandparent scam ( 65 ), Scams ( 1,232 )   

  College parents targeted by this scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Parents of college students are being targeted in a new scam, but it’s actually an old scam with new targets. It’s more infamously known as the grandparent scam. As you may know, that scam targets the elderly, with scammers trying to convince their victims that one of their grandchildren is in trouble. Often the scammers will claim to be the grandchild. It’s all done to try to squeeze money out of the victims disguised as bail money or some other legal fee. Meanwhile, the grandchild is safe and unaware they’re being used in a scam.

  As you can surmise by the headline, some scammers have decided to target a new demographic, but it’s still the same old scam. Now referred to as the emergency scam, scammers are calling college parents and telling them their child has been arrested. The scammers then ask for bail money that needs to be paid through apps like Venmo or Zelle. With a student possibly being states away from their parents, this could put the parents into a panicked state where they’re not thinking clearly. This is what the scammers are hoping for, so parents don’t have time to logically think about the situation.

  So, how do scammers know which parents to target? Social media, of course. The scammers look for college students on social media, and from there it’s usually not hard to find the student’s parents.

  It also doesn’t help that scammers are now using AI-generated voice cloning technology to imitate the voices of students. If a student is active on social media and have posted videos of themselves, it’s not difficult for the scammers to get a sample of their voice to use in their schemes.

  However, if you’re aware of the scam, it’s easy to beat. Even if it sounds like your own child is telling you they’re in jail, be suspicious. Instead, attempt to contact them directly, either using another phone or text message. You can also call the police department where they’re supposedly being held. And keep in mind that bail is never paid through payment apps, gift cards, cryptocurrencies, or money transfers. Setting up a code word with your child that’s only to be used in the case of an emergency will also go a long way in protecting your family from this scam.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on November 6, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: hacking ( 31 ), recovery scam ( 5 ), recovery service ( 7 ), Scams ( 1,232 ), social media ( 73 )   

  Don’t pay to get your social media accounts back 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Losing access to your social media accounts can be frustrating. Sometimes it’s as simple as not remembering your password, or no longer having access to the email for that account. Other times it can be malicious as being tricked out of your login credentials by scammers. Scammers especially like to hijack Facebook accounts. Once an account has been hijacked, any number of scams can be perpetrated on anyone in your friends list. One of the more popular scams after hijacking someone’s profile is to list imaginary items for sale on Marketplace, while collecting ‘deposits’ on the item.

  So, what can you do if you’ve been locked out of one of your accounts? Well, what you shouldn’t do is pay someone to get your account back. Scammers are posing as recovery agents who claim they can get you your account back, for a fee, of course.

  One Instagram user was locked out of their account and was approached online by one of these phony recovery services. They told the user they could get their account back for $100. Then the user was asked for an additional $130 so the recovery service could purchase the software they needed. The scammers then told the user the account couldn’t be recovered, but they could delete it for another $50. The account was never deleted.

  Scammers like this pour over social media, waiting for someone to mention they’ve been locked out of one of their accounts. Once someone does that, the scammers follow. You might even receive comments from people who swear they had their accounts recovered by using some service. Those commenters are also scammers.

  While it’s not the optimal way, and it feels like it takes an eternity. The best way to recover your account is through the official account recovery pages from the platform itself. That’s not even a guarantee you’ll get your account back.

  In order to avoid losing access to one of your accounts, strong passwords are recommended. If you have trouble keeping track of your passwords, think about using a password manager. There are several reliable free and paid options. And lastly, never give out your access information to anyone.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on November 3, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: check scam ( 76 ), fake check ( 43 ), job scam ( 71 ), Scams ( 1,232 ), work from home ( 7 )   

  Young people fall for this scam more than any other 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Millions of people have checking accounts with their bank. However, they are mostly a checking account in name only. Thanks to the rise of debit cards and online payments, many checking account holders have never written a check in their lives. Even places of employment insist on having employees’ paychecks sent through direct deposit. While many may see this as the natural progression of technological advancement, scammers see it as an opportunity to put one over on younger victims.

  Younger people with no experience in handling paper checks are falling victim to online job scams. Many of these fake jobs are work from home positions. Once a younger person has been ‘hired’, they’re sent a paper check, so they can buy supplies for their new job. The victims are told to deposit the check into their own bank account, and use a specific vendor to purchase their supplies.

  The checks are always stolen or fraudulent. Banks don’t find out the checks are bad until days after being deposited. By then, the victim has already paid the vendor, who is just another part of the scam. When the bank finally catches up with their records, it’s the victim who’s on the hook for the money lost by the bank. With so many young people struggling to make ends meet, this could be a devastating financial loss.

  If you know a young person who is just starting out in the workforce, or one who is between jobs, we ask that you pass on this information to them. No legitimate job will ever send you a check before any work is done. Neither will they ask you to deposit a check into your own bank account to pay for company supplies. Lastly, just because a deposited check appears in your account, that doesn’t mean it’s not a fake.

   
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  Geebo 8:04 am on November 2, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Amazon ( 104 ), job scam ( 71 ), product tester ( 2 ), Scams ( 1,232 )   

  Amazon job scams plague social media 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Trend Micro is a company that sells suites of security software to both corporations and individuals. This is neither an advertisement nor an endorsement of Trend Micro’s products. However, they recently posted on their blog about a job scam that’s circulating on social media that involves retail giant Amazon.

  According to Trend Micro, scammers are taking to social media posing as former Amazon employees. Much like the fake jewelry discount scam we recently profiled, the scammers are promising secret ways for people to make money with Amazon.

  The scammers’ posts claim anyone can make $1500 a month by becoming a product tester for Amazon. The reader is then directed to go to one of several phony websites. Once someone arrives at one of those websites, they’re taken to a survey where they’re told they can claim a gift after completing it.

  Typically, with scams like this, the scammers are after two things, your personal information and your payment information. We’ve seen survey scams like this before, but not one disguised as a job offer. At the end of the survey, the applicant is asked to enter their mailing info to get their free gift, but the applicant has to pay for the shipping. That’s when the scammers obtain someone’s payment information along with their name and address. Under the guise of a job offer, scammers could get a lot more information from victims as well, such as their Social Security number.

  The main problem with this scam is that testing products for Amazon is a legitimate program. However, real Amazon testers do not get paid. Under the Amazon Vine program, reviewers can receive free products to give their feedback about, but the program is invite-only.

  As with any online job posting, research the posting before applying. If you find a listing on social media that sounds too good to be true, go to the company’s website to see if such a job is actually being offered.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on November 1, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: online shopping ( 29 ), puppy scam ( 35 ), Scams ( 1,232 )   

  Veteran taken advantage of in puppy scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  A couple from Columbus, Ohio, wanted to get a puppy as an emotional support animal. The husband is a legally blind veteran, who wanted a Siberian Husky to keep him company and provide emotional support when his wife wasn’t home.

  The couple shopped for a puppy online and thought they found the perfect one for sale from an Oklahoma breeder. The breeder’s asking price was $850. Husky puppies typically vary in price from $800 to $2500. Then the couple was directed to a shipping company to arrange delivery of the puppy.

  The delivery company asked for an additional $750 that would be refundable when the couple picked up the puppy at the airport. Then the delivery company started asking the couple for more money. The news report we saw didn’t say what the additional money was for. However, in most puppy scams like this, the scammers will tell their victims more money is needed for things like vaccines, a special travel crate, insurance, and other fictitious fees.

  When the couple could no longer afford to pay any more money, the delivery company would call them and pressure them to borrow money from friends and family. Once scammers find a victim who is willing to pay them, it’s not unheard of for the scammers to attempt to get more money out of their victims.

  By the time it was all over, the couple had sent the scammers $3000, which has had a serious negative impact on their mental health. That’s a detail that is often overlooked in stories like these.

  If you’re looking to add a puppy to your family, you might want to avoid shopping for one online. Scammers often set up legitimate looking websites with images stolen from other places on the internet. If you insist on shopping online, do a reverse image search to make sure pictures of the puppies weren’t taken from somewhere else. Also do a WHOIS search on the website’s domain name. If it was recently registered, that could be a good indicator of a scammer.

  We recommend only using a breeder who is within a day’s driving distance round-trip. But before leaving, check with the Better Business Bureau to see if the breeder has had any complaints.

  However, our true wish is that you consider adopting from your local shelter. Typically, puppies can be obtained from shelters at little to no expense.