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  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 21, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Charity scams hit hardest this time of year 

    Charity scams hit hardest this time of year

    This time of year, many charities see increases in donations due to the giving spirit of the holidays. However, there are some organizations posing as charities that might not help who they claim to.

    Most charity scams start with unsolicited phone calls. They’ll claim to be collecting money for an official-sounding charity or a charity that uses a similar name to an official charity. They may also use a generic phrase like they’re collecting for bond relief without giving a specific charity name. They’ll then try to pressure you into making a payment right then and there before you can hang up. Often they’ll try to get you to make a donation using an untraceable method like cash, gift cards, or wiring the money.

    If you’re thinking about donating to a charity that collects online, you may want to think about doing a proper web search about the charity first. Put the name of the charity into the search engine along with phrases like ‘complaints’, ‘review’, or even ‘scam. Also, make sure that you’re not signing up for a series of monthly donations.

    You should also be careful of phishing emails that pretend to be from charities. Much like the unsolicited phone calls, the emails will look like they’ve been sent from actual well-known charities. In one instance, a man clicked on an email link to donate to a charity, and his device became infected with ransomware. Not only did he end up losing all his files, but his identity was stolen as well.

    If you’re looking to donate in order to support the cause, you can use the Better Business Bureau’s Give.org to aid you in your research of charities.

    There really is no level that online scammers won’t stoop to. If you just take a few moments to do some research, you can protect yourself from falling victim to these con artists.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 18, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Scam disguises itself as ‘Secret Santa’ program 

    Scam disguises itself as 'Secret Santa' program

    We’ve discussed the repackaging or reshipping scam previously. Traditionally, scammers will advertise this scam as a work from home position where your job is to inspect packages you receive from the scammers. Then you’d be instructed to send the contents of the packages to a third party. The third party is usually someone overseas. These positions are often advertised online with such titles as ‘shipping coordinator’, ‘warehouse distribution coordinator, or ‘local hub inspector’. Now, some scammers are adding a Christmas twist to the reshipping scam.

    Police in Ohio have reported a number of complaints they’ve received from residents who have received emails asking them to help in a ‘Secret Santa’ program. The email says that participants will have items shipped to them. They’re then supposed to photograph the items before repackaging the items and sending them overseas. We’re guessing that scammers are using the Secret Santa ploy to appeal to our generosity.

    The reshipping scam is potentially one of the most damaging scams to its victims for the sole reason that even if the victim is an unwitting participant, it could land them in jail. The items that the scammers send to the reshippers are often either stolen or purchased with stolen financial information. If a reshipper were to falsify shipping documents under the instruction of the scammers to get around US customs they could potentially face jail time.

    Another pitfall to the reshipping scam is that the reshippers are often paid with phony funds. Often, the scammers will send a fake or stolen check to the reshipper as payment. The scammers will tell the reshipper to use the phony check to buy supplies and keep a big part of the check as payment. The scammers will then ask for some of the difference back. Once the bank discovers the check is phony, the reshipper would be responsible for the full amount of the check.

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

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 17, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    More COVID vaccine scams are on their way 

    More COVID vaccine scams are on their way

    We’ve already posted about scams that are expected to follow the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Even more scams are now expected if they haven’t started already.

    These scams will be relatively easy to avoid if you keep one piece of information in mind. As of this posting, the vaccine can not be purchased, online or otherwise. According to the website of the Centers for Disease Control, vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccination providers will be able to charge an administration fee for giving the shot to someone. In essence, the vaccine is free outside of a small provider fee.

    However, that won’t be stopping the scammers from trying to use the fear of the virus to get you to buy vaccines they don’t really have. According to reports, scammers will be sending out phishing emails stressing how urgent it is that you should get the vaccine. These emails could look like they’re coming from legitimate organizations like the CDC, Medicare, or even your own medical provider’s office.

    As with most phishing emails, the scammers are trying to get you to click on a link contained in the email. The link will likely do one of two things. It will either take you to a fake but legitimate-looking website that asks you for personal or payment information. Or it will inject some type of malware onto your device. If you give out your information, that could lead to identity theft and fraudulent purchases. If you allow malware onto your device, that could lead to your device being scanned for your information or it could be remotely held hostage with some ransomware.

    We know it sounds cliche, but literally, we are all in this together. We will all have the opportunity to be vaccinated against this destructive disease that has taken so many lives. If we’re all patient and work together, we could beat this virus before we know it.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 16, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Two TV reporters hit by unemployment scam 

    Two TV reporters hit by unemployment scam

    Once again, it seems like the current spate of unemployment scams show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. For those who may be unaware, domestic and foreign scammers are filing for unemployment benefits using stolen identities. The stolen identities were said to be obtained from previous corporate data breaches that exposed their customers’ information. These scams are overwhelming state unemployment systems due to the current pandemic. California alone is said to have paid out close to $2 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims.

    Many of these scams were discovered by people who are still employed. They either find out through their employer who is wondering why their employee filed for unemployment, or when the employee receives the unemployment payment in the mail. When scammers have the payment sent to the victim’s home address, it usually means they’ll try to convince the victim into transferring the fraudulent payment over to the scammer. Since the states are overwhelmed, trying to notify them you received a fraudulent payment has been time-consuming and frustrating.

    While North Carolina does not have nearly the same population as California, they’ve still paid out $11 million in fraudulent unemployment claims. Two of those claims were paid to two TV reporters who work for the same station out of Raleigh. One of the reporters is even a consumer protection reporter. One of the reporters had even taken steps to try to prevent being targeted in this scam. The news anchor reportedly put a freeze on his credit that should have prevented claims from being filed under his name. Both reporters said that they had difficulties explaining their situations to the state when they called the states’ fraud hotline. They felt like the representatives taking their calls were not trained well enough to deal with fraud claims. Both reporters also said they received the fraudulent payments in the mail before their employer even knew about the claims being filed. The state claims that they’re having a difficult time balancing between preventing fraud and paying out legitimate claims.

    The country is already facing an economic crisis because of the pandemic. If states don’t start getting a handle on unemployment fraud, the crisis could become worse than we ever thought.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 15, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Scams will follow the vaccine rollout 

    Scams will follow the vaccine rollout

    Yesterday, vaccines for COVID-19 started rolling out across the country. Due to the initial limited supply, not everyone will be able to get one right away. The first round of vaccines are said to be going to frontline and essential workers. As you might expect, scammers are said to be already using the news of the vaccine in their latest scams.

    Scammers have been using the current pandemic to take advantage of consumers since almost day one. Previously, scammers have touted fake cures, used fake testing to gain medical information, and promised phony contact tracing jobs, just to name a few. So, it should come as no surprise that scammers are jumping on the news of a coronavirus vaccine.

    The latest scams seem to be taking one of two forms. The first one is that the scammers are calling victims and claiming to have the vaccine already. Unless they’re a medical facility or health department, they don’t have the vaccine. These scammers might be spoofing the numbers of local facilities. They’re probably looking to either take your money or steal your personal information if history is any indicator.

    The second form of the scam is scammers are promising their victims they can get them the vaccine earlier than they’re supposed to. Much like what happened with a similar scam involving the economic impact payments, no one can get you the vaccine early. Once again, this is probably another tactic of trying to get your money or information.

    When it comes to the vaccine, you should only listen to your physician or your local health department. No stranger that calls you out of the blue has your best interest in mind, They’re only looking to take from you in these confusing times.

    We’ll all be able to eventually get the vaccine as long as we remain patient and continue to practice current safety guidelines.

     

  • Geebo 9:15 am on December 14, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    New Cash App scam drains man’s bank account 

    New Cash App scam drains man's bank account

    Cash App can be a great resource for people who have been historically underserved by traditional banks. However, it is also open to an inordinate amount of scams. This leaves Cash App users in a particularly vulnerable position when they could use better support from Cash App.

    A man from Raleigh, North Carolina is a landlord and allows his tenants to pay through Cash App. After collecting the rent from his tenants, he had over $20,000 in his Cash App account. He wanted to transfer the money out of his Cash App and he received a call from someone claiming to be from Cash App customer service. The caller gave the man directions on how to transfer his money out but in reality, they were instructing the man to give scammers his money. Not only that but they also raided his bank account which was connected to his Cash App account. Before it was all said and done, the man lost close to $25,000.

    What you may not know is that Cash App does not have a customer service department that can be reached by phone and they don’t randomly reach out to users of the app. In the past, we have seen instances where people have called what they thought was a customer service number they found online only to be scammed out of their money. This is the first instance we’re aware of where the scammers reached out to a Cash App user first.

    Even after being contacted by a local news station, Cash App didn’t appear to be much help. It seems like all they did was to issue a statement saying essentially ‘people should be more careful’. The man who lost his money stated that when he was in contact with Cash App customer service, they were no help in trying to get his money back.

    Cash App doesn’t seem to have any good system in place to protect consumers from fraudulent charges. On its own help page, it says to wait until the transaction is marked as complete, then contact the merchant to dispute the charge. But Cash App makes it too easy for the scammers to just block the person they just scammed.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 11, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Rental scam could leave family homeless for the holidays 

    Rental scam could leave family homeless for the holidays

    A family in North Carolina is facing possible homelessness after falling prey to a rental scam. The family was already down on their luck when they came in contact with a scammer. They have a struggling business that’s been hit hard by the pandemic. They also have two young children who test positive for COVID. On top of that, they had to quickly find a new home due to safety concerns.

    Unfortunately, they went to one of the worst places you can go to find a new home, Craigslist. They found a listing with reasonable rent. When they contacted the supposed realtor from the listing, they were told when the property would be open for viewing. They wanted to move in so they paid an $800 deposit through PayPal. However, when they went to meet the realtor to get the keys at the new home, the realtor never showed. As with most rental scams, the Craigslist listing had been copied from a legitimate realtor’s website. Now the family could be out $800 and they’re scrambling to find a place to stay.

    Sadly, they are the type of victims that rental scammers love to fleece. Scammers are always hoping to find victims who are in a desperate situation who may not be thinking clearly. If the victims are under some kind of impending deadline, that’s even better for the scammer.

    While we hope this family lands on their feet, their story can be used as a warning for anyone looking to rent a home on short notice. Even if you’re under a time crunch, research the property before making any kind of deposit. We always recommend checking with the county’s tax assessor’s office or website to find out who is actually renting the property. Also making any payment through a payment app like PayPal, Venmo, or Cash App should be a red flag that you might be getting scammed. It’s easy for scammers to block victims once the payment is made leaving the victims with little to no recourse.

    https://youtu.be/5rfVNEjBms4
     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 10, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Puppy scams are wrecking the holidays 

    Puppy scams are wrecking the holidays

    Before we get to the heart of the matter, please don’t buy a pet for someone as a surprise gift. Any pet is a responsibility that should be taken seriously and not done as a whim.

    Now it seems between COVID and the upcoming holidays, puppy scams are becoming more and more common. The most typical puppy scam is when you buy a puppy online and the supposed breeder keeps hitting you with fees and expenses. Often the scammers will say they need extra money for insurance, shipping, or a special crate that the puppy needs. Other times, they’ll ask for extra money for supposed problems that have come up in shipping or supposed medical needs for the puppy. Then not only is the puppy never delivered, but it also doesn’t even exist. Recently, there seems to be a rash of these kinds of scams. We’ve seen reports from people who have lost $300 to someone who lost $9000.

    Just because someone has a website and claims to be a breeder, that doesn’t make them one. Scammers can have a website set up in minutes with pictures of dogs that they pulled off of Google Image Search.

    Your best bet is to always shop local from a reputable breeder. Do your research before purchasing a pet. Do a web search with the breeder’s name and the words ‘fraud’ or ‘scam’ to see if there have been any complaints against them. A reverse image search can often tell you if a fake breeder is pulling images off of other websites which is a definite indicator of a scam. Avoid any offers that are below the usual price for that particular breed. That’s how scammers often lure in their victims.

    As always, we recommend adopting a pet from your local shelter. Some shelters even have waiting lists if you’re looking for a particular breed. If you’re not looking for a particular breed we still recommend visiting your local shelter. Not only will you save a lot of money but you never know which animal there will capture your heart.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 9, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    Bail bondsman scam has familiar ring 

    Bail bondsman scam has familiar ring

    If you’ve ever had to deal with a bail bondsman, it can be a harrowing experience. Not because of the bail bonds office but for the fact that you’re unexpectedly trying to bail a loved one out of jail. Not everyone is familiar with the experience which can lead to people being taken advantage of by scammers claiming to be a bail bondsman.

    First off, let’s clarify what a bail bondsman does. If you’ve been arrested, the arraigning judge will set a bail amount to guarantee that you’ll appear in court. If you can afford your bail the bail amount will be returned to you after you appear in court. If you can’t afford your bail, you may obtain the services of a bail bondsman. The bondsman will usually ask for around 10%-15% of your bail in a non-refundable fee. They will then put up their money to the court to allow you to be released.

    Here’s the thing though. If you or a loved one has been arrested. You have to approach the bail bondsman yourself. A bail bondsman will not call you out of the blue to tell you that a loved one has been arrested. That’s what’s been happening in Washington County, Maryland. Residents there have been receiving phone calls from scammers posing as a bail bondsman. The scammers will say that a loved one has been arrested and will try to get the victim to make some kind of payment over the phone. If a victim makes a payment, the scammers then call back seeking additional payments to have the victim’s loved one released. In some cases, these phony bail bondsmen have sent people to the victim’s home to collect the money.

    If this sounds a lot like the grandparent scam to you, it is incredibly similar. In the grandparent scam, the scammer will target an elderly victim and claim to be one of the victim’s grandchildren who has been arrested. The scammers will then also ask for some kind of payment over the phone.

    If you receive one of these phone calls from someone claiming to be a bail bondsman, hang up. Then call the person that the caller claims has been arrested. If they have been arrested, a legitimate bail bondsman can not accept payment over the phone. You would have to visit them at their office not only to make payment but to sign contracts.

    Another red flag that you’re dealing with a scammer is if they ask for payment in non-traditional means like gift cards, prepaid debit cards, money transfers, and the like.

    Hopefully, you’ll never have to deal with a situation like this. But if you do, now you’re better prepared.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 8, 2020 Permalink | Reply
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    California getting hit the hardest by unemployment scams 

    California getting hit the hardest by unemployment scams

    For months now, we’ve been discussing the historic amount of unemployment benefit scams that have been affecting each and every state. If reports are to be believed, it seems that California has been hit the hardest of all when it comes to unemployment scams.

    As we’ve mentioned before, both domestic and foreign criminal rings have been assailing the states’ unemployment systems with fraudulent claims. Because of the record number of people out of work because of the pandemic, scammers have taken it upon themselves to take advantage of the situation by filing false unemployment claims. Often the scammers use stolen identities they’ve obtained through large data breaches that have been sold on the dark web. Fraudulent benefits have been filed in the names of people who are both employed and unemployed.

    Recently, California district attorneys have announced that over $1 billion in fraudulent benefits have been paid out by the state. However, the bank that handles the unemployment debit cards for California says that total is closer to the $2 billion range. Some reports say that 1 in 3 unemployment claims in California are fraudulent. The problem has gotten so bad that the bank handling unemployment benefits for California have even taken some benefits back from legitimate recipients in the name of fraud investigation. Many of these recipients have had little to no recourse in getting their benefits back.

    If you live in California, you’re probably already aware of the situation. So if you live in any of the other 49 states, why should you care what happens to California? Well, when it comes to the larger states, as goes California so goes the country. It could be only a matter of time before we start seeing other states being ravaged by unemployment scammers like California is. Pennsylvania, Washington, and Massachusetts have already encountered massive unemployment fraud just not on the level of California yet.

    While we’re not sure what the solution is to stop these scammers, if the states don’t get a handle on them soon, the nation could be headed to even larger economic problems.

     

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