Recent Updates Page 75 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 4, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , , ,   

    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.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 3, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , ,   

    How Zelle scammers wear down their victims 

    How Zelle scammers wear down their victims

    By Greg Collier

    As expected, the Zelle scam is still ongoing. For a brief recap, scammers are calling their victims pretending to be a bank fraud department. The scammers tell their victim that there’s been fraudulent activity on their account. The victim is instructed to move their money through the Zelle app to protect it. But what’s really going on is the scammers are directing the victims to transfer their money to the scammers.

    Just today, we found two reports of bank customers falling for the Zelle scam. However, both of these reports give us a good look into how scammers convince their victims to give up their money.

    A woman from New Jersey is a customer of PNC Bank, one of the banks that co-owns the Zelle app. She received a call from scammers posing as PNC Bank’s fraud department. The caller was said to sound professional and told the woman there had been a $1000 Zelle, transfer to a man in Texas she didn’t know. The caller even knew the woman’s name, address and phone number. She was told to use the Zelle app to perform a $1000 reversal.

    The woman started to think the call was suspicious and started asking for additional identifying information from the caller, such as her date of birth or account number. The caller insisted the call was legitimate and time was running out on stopping the phony transaction. The caller refused when she asked to speak with a supervisor. She even said she was going to call PNC directly, but was told she would just be directed back to the fraud department. Then the caller tried to say there was another $5000 charge that just came through. When she started asking more questions, the caller said PNV would call her back tomorrow and hung up.

    A man from Colorado fell victim to a similar scam when he received a call that appeared to come from U.S. Bank’s fraud department. U.S. Bank is also a co-owner of Zelle. That caller had a large amount of the man’s information, including his name, address, and the last four digits of his bank account. Again, that caller sounded professional, and the man heard computer typing in the background like they were really handling a fraudulent activity on his account. He was also instructed to move his money through Zelle, where he lost $1000. These scammers also tried to get more money out of the man, That’s when he hung up and called U.S. Bank directly to find out he’d been scammed.

    In both cases, neither bank would refund the victims their money, with both claiming they can’t do anything since this wasn’t the result of a banking mistake.

    Please keep in mind that scammers aren’t just some guy calling from a run down basement using a burner phone. Often, they’re run exactly like a legitimate business would be run. Don’t fall for phony professionalism.

    And remember, Zelle is only supposed to be used between friends. It’s not for bill paying or ‘protecting your money’. If you get a call like this, hang up and call your bank directly at the phone number on your debit card or from the bank’s website.

     

  • Geebo 8:04 am on August 2, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , ,   

    Scammers descend on flooded areas 

    By Greg Collier

    If you follow the news, you’ve probably heard of the devastating floods that have affected parts of Appalachia, including Virginia, West Virginia, and especially Kentucky. Countless families have been displaced from their homes. Unfortunately, scammers will be using these disasters to try to fleece an already distraught victim pool. To make matters worse, the scammers will do this posing as federal agents offering assistance.

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency, also known as FEMA, is warning residents of the flood-affected areas to be aware of scammers posing as FEMA agents. In one of the more popular FEMA scams, scammers will call affected victims offering assistance with an application for a FEMA disaster grant. What the scammer really wants is the victim’s personal information, including their Social Security number, so the scammer can get the grant money using the victim’s name.

    In a variation of the advance fee scam, scammers, acting as FEMA agents, will ask for a fee that they say is required for a grant application. This is false, as it’s free to apply for a FEMA disaster grant.

    In order to better protect yourself, do not give any personal information to someone claiming to be a FEMA inspector. Inspectors do not need your personal information and are not authorized to do so. Unless you’ve already filed for a disaster grant, FEMA will not call you out of the blue. As with most government agencies, you need to contact FEMA first before any progress on your application can be made. Also, no FEMA agent should ask for your application number, as legitimate agents will already have it.

    Lastly, if you receive a letter from FEMA but haven’t filed an application yet, a scammer may have tried to file for a grant in your name. If this is the case, you can call the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362.

    Please keep in mind that even if you’re not currently residing in a disaster area, you could someday and these tips will apply to you as well.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 1, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , Mega Millions,   

    Lottery scams in the wake of record jackpot 

    Lottery scams in the wake of record jackpot

    By Greg Collier

    We’re sure many of you have heard about the $1.3 billion dollar lottery jackpot that happened this past Friday. A single ticket bought in the Chicago area matched all the numbers in the Mega Millions lottery drawing. However, even if a lottery player matches several numbers, they can still win a substantial prize. This is what scammers are now using to prey on their victims.

    In the state of Connecticut, scammers are calling potential victims while posing as the state’s lottery commission. The callers are telling residents that they’ve won a lottery prize. The resident is then asked for personal information like their Social Security number. More than likely, this is done so the scammers can commit identity theft.

    Keep in mind that if you do play the lottery, even occasionally, you need to claim the prize yourself. In most cases, the state doesn’t know who has won a lottery. They only know where the winning ticket was purchased. Just think about how many stories there have been where a lottery winner never claimed their prize.

    This isn’t the only lottery scam out there. Another popular lottery scam is the advance fee scam. In this scam, the scammers tell a victim they’ve won a lottery or sweepstakes, but they need to pay a tax or processing fee before claiming their prize. The scammers will continue to ask the victim for more money, claiming there are problems with the delivery of the prize.

    There is also the impersonation scam, where scammers claim they’re famous lottery winners who are giving some of their winnings away. In this scam, the scammers will either text or send messages on social media using the names of legitimate lottery winners. The victims are then instructed to click on a link which will help them claim their gift. Victims have reported giving scammers their Social Security numbers along with their driver’s license information. Other victims have reported losing money when asked for processing fees and taxes.

    If you ever receive a text message, phone call, or social media message saying that you’ve won money, you have every right to be skeptical. Because, in the end, it could end up costing you money instead.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 29, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , ,   

    Scam victims deserve our sympathy, not our scorn 

    By Greg Collier

    When you constantly post stories about scams, you’ll inevitably get two types of comments. The first types are the ones where people will admonish the victim for being a victim. Those comments usually say something like, “How could they not know this was a scam?” The second types of comments are the boastful kind that say, “I would never fall for a scam like that.”

    Neither of these comments are very helpful. We all benefit from hindsight and can pick out the errors in judgement a scam victim might have made. But unless you’re in the heat of the moment of the scam, no one can say how they would truly react.

    No one can truly say they’re scam-proof. There is a scam out there with your name on it, just waiting for the perfect moment for you to drop your guard even for an instant. It doesn’t matter what level of education you have or your socioeconomic status. According to an article from Forbes written by a retirement plan specialist, the more self-confident a person is about not being scammed, the more likely they are to fall for a scam. People who are well-educated and of sound mind are often victims of scams because they feel like they don’t fit the profile of a scam victim.

    You also have to consider the mental state of the victim at the time of the scam. The Washington Post has a great article about how scams are affecting not only the mental health of victims, but everyone else who is on the lookout for scams.

    In the Post article, they tell the story of a cancer patient who can’t ignore strange phone numbers because she never knows when it will be a doctor or medical lab. She says she’s being bombarded by scammers, receiving 20 scam calls a day. They also tell the story of a couple who almost fell victim to the virtual kidnapping scam. They believed their adult daughter had been kidnapped, and the kidnapper was demanding a ransom. Furthermore, they were able to contact police, who found that their daughter was ok, but can you imagine the terror they felt in the meantime? We can advise people to remain calm all we want, but in the moment that advice may not take hold.

    Lastly, the main reason why we shouldn’t disparage scam victims is because many of them never come forward to police in the first place out of embarrassment. If victims are discouraged from coming forward, more victims fall victim to these scams. Some victims have even taken their own lives after being scammed.

    It takes just as much effort to offer these people some kind words of encouragement than it does to vilify them. Which kind of person would you rather be? What kind of person would you want others to be if you were a victim?

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 28, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    Couple loses $350K In Apple scam 

    By Greg Collier

    To be honest, there’s not a lot of information about this story. The report that we’ve read spends more time discussing the amount lost to the scammers, which, to be fair, is a lot. However, we can assume how the scam worked from previous scams in a similar vein. But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

    An elderly couple from the state of Michigan are said to have lost $350,000 to a tech support scam. The couple reportedly withdrew money from several different accounts to send money to the scammers through a Bitcoin ATM.

    The county sheriff’s office where this scam took place says that they are familiar with scams like this, but this is the largest amount lost they’ve ever seen.

    What we do know about the scam is that the couple received a message on their computer that appeared to come from Apple Computers with a phone number to call.

    This sounds a lot like the pop-up scams that claim to be from Microsoft. These pop-ups, which can lock up your computer, say things like your computer has a virus, or is in danger of being hacked. These pop-ups usually also instruct victims to call a phone number to resolve the issue.

    When a victim calls one of these phony customer service numbers, they’ll be told some outlandish tale about how their computer is being hacked, and the hackers are about to steal all the victim’s money. The victim will then be instructed that in order to protect their money, they need to move it somewhere safe. This is when the scammers will direct the victim to withdraw their money from their bank accounts and send it to the scammers in the forms of gift cards, cryptocurrency, or some other form of untraceable payment.

    What many victims don’t know is that companies like Apple, Microsoft, or Google don’t really know whether your computer has been compromised or not. If you receive one of these pop-up messages, turn your computer off. Hold down the power button until it turns off, if you need to. If the pop-ups continue, you may need to run a malware scan using a product like Malwarebytes. Malware and viruses are more likely to affect computers that run Microsoft Windows than Apple computers.

    If you still can’t get your computer to function properly, try taking the device to a computer repair store. It will cost you a lot less in the end than sending the money to scammers.

    But whatever you do, do not call the phone number in the pop-up message.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 27, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    New elaborate addition to the jury duty scam 

    By Greg Collier

    There’s hardly a day that goes by where we don’t see some police department warning local residents about the jury duty scam. This scam is simple in its design, as it uses a basic human fear to take money from its victims. Typically, scammers will pose as local law enforcement, even going as far as to spoof the police department’s phone number. The scammers will call a potential victim and identify themselves as a police officer. The victim will be told that they missed jury duty and now have to pay a fine to prevent being arrested. Most times, this is enough to get the victim to pay. The scammers will almost always demand payment in some form of untraceable means, like gift cards or a prepaid debit card.

    Now, it seems, jury duty scammers are stepping up their game as authorities in North Carolina are warning residents of a new elaborate twist to the typical jury duty scam. Law enforcement in the Tarheel State have received complaints about jury duty scammers who have set up business-level voicemail systems that mimic those of police departments.

    Instead of just trying to find a victim on a live call, some scammers are now leaving voicemails telling the victims they’ve missed jury duty. The scammers then leave a local return phone number for the victim to call. If the victim does return the call, they’ll be placed into a phone tree that claims to be from a police department. When scammers pick up the call, they’ll identify themselves with the names of real police officers from the department they’re posing as.

    Not only does a scheme like this add the appearance of legitimacy to the scam, it also shows the lengths scammers will go to.

    No legitimate law enforcement agency will ever call you on the phone and threaten you with arrest if you don’t make an immediate payment. Also, no court system ever accepts payment in gift cards, money transfers, cryptocurrency, or any other type of untraceable and nontraditional payment.

    If you receive one of these calls, hang up and call the police department at their non-emergency phone number. Do not use any phone number that may be left by the caller.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 26, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    The Zelle scam is still around, in case you were wondering 

    The Zelle scam is still around, in case you were wondering

    By Greg Collier

    We’ve been posting about this particular Zelle scam since last October. That probably means the scam has been going on for at least a year. In case you need a reminder or haven’t heard of the Zelle scam, we’ll give you a refresher.

    Zelle is what’s known as a peer to peer payment app. Its closest competitor is Venmo and is supposed to be used in a similar way. Payments are only supposed to go to people you know personally. The most used example for apps like Zelle is splitting a check at a restaurant. Instead of everyone getting a separate check or trying to settle up with cash, you can electronically send your friend your portion of the bill. However, scammers have taken advantage of people through Zelle even if the victim doesn’t normally use the app.

    The most egregious of these scams is a bank impersonation scam. It starts when a potential victim of the scam receives a text message that appears to have come from their bank. The text message typically says something to the effect of, did you make a large purchase or did you transfer a large amount of money through Zelle? The victim is then asked to reply yes or no.

    When a victim replies no, they immediately receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from their bank’s fraud department. The phony customer service rep gives instructions to the victim to use Zelle to protect their account from being hacked. What’s really happening is the scammers are directing the victims to use Zelle to move money from the victim’s account to the scammers’ account.

    Recovery of lost money is often rare and difficult. Zelle offers little in the way of consumer protection when it comes to scams. The big banks that own Zelle say they can’t refund the victim their money since the victim ‘willingly’ moved the money, scam or not.

    Zelle has gotten a bad rap because of this scam over the past year, but it still seems like they’ve done very little in the way of trying to protect their users. With all the negative press, the scam still continues.

    Just recently, a woman from Texas lost $3000 to this scam. In her case, the scammers took $1000 a day for three days from her account through Zelle under the guise of helping her protect her account.

    The best way to prevent yourself from falling for this scam is to ignore the text message. Do not reply to it at all, or you will receive a call from the scammers. Scammers don’t actually know where you bank. They cast a wide net of text messages, hoping to get at least one person to respond. If you still have concerns about your bank account, call them directly at the customer service number on your debit card or your bank’s website.

    If you find yourself having fallen victim to this scam, file a police report. We have seen it reported that doing this will aid in recovering your money, but is not a guarantee.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 25, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    Grant scams target cancer patients 

    By Greg Collier

    Very few things are more disheartening than being told you have cancer. Even if it’s a minor form of cancer, if there is such a thing, just the word cancer conjures up images of long and uncomfortable treatments to say the least. It also brings thoughts of financial hardships, as an extended illness like cancer can bring a mountain of medical debt. More people in the United States declare bankruptcy over medical bills than any other reason. Then imagine having a helping hand extended to you only to have it be taken away while taking money out of your pocket.

    A woman from Connecticut recently had surgery to have a cancerous lump removed. She was approached by someone on social media posing as a local non-profit organization. They told her that she was eligible for a $15,000 grant to help pay for her medical expenses. But in order to receive the grant, she first had to pay a $500 fee. After she paid the $500, she realized she had been scammed.

    Grant scams have been plaguing social media for a while now. Typically, victims are approached by people who appear to be their friends. However, their friend’s account has been compromised, allowing scammers to lull victims into a false sense of security. Victims are usually in some sort of financial need. Add a cancer diagnosis into the mix and a victim might be under such emotional duress that they could miss the red flags of a scam.

    Unfortunately, any agency that deals with grants does not approach potential applicants. You need to go to them. They also do not ask for money in advance. That is known as the advance fee scam and anyone who asks you to, is just after your money. You may be a target for this scam if you’ve recently shared a medical diagnosis with your friends on social media.

    The victim in this story has also set up a GoFundMe page if you can find it in your heart to help.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 22, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , t-shirt scam,   

    Scam Round Up: New Social Security scam and more 

    Scam Round Up: New Social Security scam and more

    By Greg Collier

    This week in the Scam Round Up, we’re bringing you a story with a happy ending, for once, and a whole bunch of scams.

    ***

    Our happy ending story is one that starts out with a Philadelphia-area man who fell for the grandparent scam. He was led to believe his son was in jail on a DUI and needed $25,000 for bail. The scammers enlisted the service of a Lyft driver who was supposed to take the $25,000 to the scammers. The driver felt like something was up and tried to confirm the identity of the so-called attorney who was supposed to get the money. When the attorney wouldn’t provide identification to the Lyft driver, the driver took the money to police, who were able to return the money to the victim.

    Please keep in mind, if someone says they’re sending a rideshare or courier to your home to pick up money for some kind of emergency, the odds are pretty good they’re trying to scam you. If a relative or loved one claims to be in jail, attempt to contact them first before sending any money. More than likely, you’ll find out they’re ok.

    ***

    Just because Amazon’s Prime Day is over, that doesn’t mean Amazon scams will stop. A sheriff’s office just outside of Richmond, Virginia, is warning residents about an Amazon phone scam taking place there. In this scam, the victims receive a call from someone claiming to be with Amazon. The caller will say there are suspicious charges on the victim’s account. They’ll then say they’re connecting you with police. Except, everyone on the call is a scammer trying to get your financial information.

    Amazon rarely calls their customers, even if there are fraudulent charges. If you receive a phone call like this, hang up, then check your Amazon account to make sure there are no fraudulent charges on the account.

    ***

    An old used car scam is making a reappearance, or maybe it never went away. The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about used cars for sale that the seller claims is being stored out of state. The scammers will claim that you need to pay a transport company with either gift cards or a money transfer. Often, the scammers will claim that eBay is shipping the vehicle. While eBay does have a used car marketplace, they do not do any shipping of vehicles. And as usual, gift cards should only be used as gifts, and money transfers should never be sent to people you don’t know personally.

    ***

    One scam that has been popping up all over the country is the police T-shirt scam. From coast to coast, residents have been receiving text messages that claim to be selling T-shirts for their local police department. The text message contains a link that is supposed to be a shop for the T-shirts, but is actually a fake website designed to take your financial information. If you receive one of these texts, block the number and delete the text.

    ***

    Lastly, there seems to be a new Social Security scam going around the country. According to reports, there’s an ad circulating on social media that claims Social Security will provide a spending card for adults over the age of 51. This is not true, as Social Security offers no such service. More than likely, if someone tries to apply for one of these fictitious cards, the scammers will either ask for financial information, or they’ll ask for a payment first before the card can be issued.

    If you see an ad that promises you amazing Social Security or Medicare benefits, be very skeptical of them. Too often, these services are either misleading or downright fraudulent.

    If you have any questions about these advertised services, it is recommended you contact the Social Security Administration first at 1 (800) 772-1213.

     

← Older posts

Newer posts →

c
Compose new post
j
Next post/Next comment
k
Previous post/Previous comment
r
Reply
e
Edit
o
Show/Hide comments
t
Go to top
l
Go to login
h
Show/Hide help
shift + esc
Cancel