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  Geebo 9:00 am on December 30, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: American Express, Facebook ( 180 ), gift cards, Macy's, Microsoft ( 21 ), pop-ups ( 26 ), recovery service ( 8 ), Scams ( 1,383 ), social media ( 81 ), tech support scam ( 50 )   

  Scammers try to scam victim again 

  

  By Greg Collier

  In the 1984 sci-fi classic ‘The Terminator’, one of the protagonists describes the Terminator by saying, “It can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop… ever.” That’s an apt description of scammers as well. They will use any opportunity to scam someone, no matter what the cost may be to the victim. And if that victim has been scammed before, then that just means they can be scammed again, according to scammers. Even if the intended victim didn’t fall for the scam, that doesn’t mean scammers won’t try to scam them again.

  A Rhode Island widow says she was scrolling Facebook on her computer when she started receiving a number of pop-ups that said her computer was infected and to call Microsoft at the number listed. Avid readers of this blog will recognize this as the pop-up scam. The phone number doesn’t actually go to Microsoft and instead goes to a scammer’s call center.

  After calling the number, the widow was told that her American Express card had been compromised, and she was about to be charged $16,000 for a fraudulent purchase. She was then connected to another scammer posing as an American Express agent. That scammer told her she would need to buy $8000 in Macy’s gift cards to override the fraudulent charge. The victim went and bought the gift cards while the scammer stayed on the line with her.

  The scammer told her to scratch the backs of the cards and give him the code numbers. The victim gave him one before realizing this may be a scam. Instead of giving the remaining numbers to the scammer, she went to the police. But the story doesn’t end there.

  The victim didn’t want anyone else to fall victim to the same scam she did. She posted a warning about it on Facebook. It didn’t take long for her to receive a comment from another scammer. This scammer said that the FBI helped them get their money back and the victim would need to text a phone number left by the scammer. The supposed FBI agent kept asking the victim for personal information in exchange for assistance. Thankfully, the victim realized this was a scam and ceased all communications with the scammer. Scammers never stop scamming.

  While the first scam is one that we’ve gone into detail before, the second scam is not so well known. That scam looks for scam victims on social media, and will try to send victims to a phone number or social media account that can supposedly help a victim get their money back. This is just another scam. Once money is lost to a scam, no recovery service can get it back, no matter how much someone promises you they can.

   

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  Geebo 9:00 am on December 27, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Amazon ( 108 ), cryptocurrency ( 52 ), customer service ( 50 ), gift cards, identity theft ( 108 ), Scams ( 1,383 )   

  Amazon scammers have too much information about you 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Since the holidays just ended, most of us aren’t really thinking about Amazon unless we have a return to make. However, we’re thinking about Amazon due to a disturbing scam using its name. To be clear, we’re not saying that Amazon is outright scamming its customers. Rather, there are scammers who pose as Amazon employees to try to instill fear into their victims.

  This typically starts out with a phone call, email, or text message to the victim stating that the victim just purchased an expensive item. When the victim says they didn’t buy it, this starts a chain of deception designed to confuse and intimidate the victim. Unfortunately, most Amazon scams end the same way, with the victim turning their money over to the scammers.

  For example, a North Carolina woman recently received a text message that appeared to come from Amazon. The text said that she had purchased a smart lock for over $600. The message also included a phone number to call if the order had not been placed by her.

  The victim called the number and was told by ‘Amazon’ that her identity had been stolen. What’s particularly disturbing about this scam was that the scammers told the victim that her children’s identities had been stolen as well, and even named the children by their full names. That can be unsettling for any parent. To be fair, the scammers could have just gotten the children’s names from social media, but it’s still alarming to hear your kids’ names spoken by a stranger.

  However, the phony Amazon rep said they could help protect the family’s identities. All it would take is the victim sending $2000 to the rep in gift cards and cryptocurrency. By the victim’s own words, she said she was unfamiliar with cryptocurrency and ended the call. In the end, no money was lost, thankfully.

  Amazon is kind of like the government in that they’re not going to reach out to you unless there is already an ongoing issue you contacted them about. Even if someone uses your account to make a fraudulent purchase, Amazon is not going to call or text you. You would just receive the typical email that Amazon sends when someone makes an order. And anytime a business asks you to send them gift cards or cryptocurrency, you’re more than likely dealing with a scammer, as these forms of payment are largely untraceable.

  If you receive a notification or phone call like this, check your Amazon account first to see if any fraudulent purchases have been made on your account. Then contact Amazon’s customer service through their website. Never use the phone numbers included in these messages, as they’re guaranteed to go to a scammer.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on December 6, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Apple ( 31 ), Christmas shopping ( 23 ), gift cards, holiday shopping ( 16 ), Scams ( 1,383 )   

  Beware when buying gift cards for the holidays 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Gift cards are one of the most talked about topics on this blog. Typically, it’s because gift cards are the currency of scammers. If someone asks you to pay them in gift cards, you’re likely being scammed. However, there is another problem with gift cards, even if you’re buying them for their intended purpose.

  Scammers and other cybercriminals will go into stores and record the information from the back of gift cards. They’ll then wait for someone to put funds on those cards. Once that’s done, the scammers will use the funds on those cards for themselves.

  This recently happened to a mother from the San Francisco Bay Area who was trying to buy Apple gift cards for her daughter. She bought a card at a supermarket and put $100 on it. When her daughter went to use the card, the funds were already gone. The mother then went to a pharmacy to get another Apple gift card, and again by the time she gave the card to her daughter it was already empty. She was eventually able to get a legitimate card from an Apple Store.

  Gift card scammers will often go into various stores and scratch the security strip from the card. They’ll document the card number before replacing the security strip with a sticker.

  There are some ways to protect yourself against this scam. First, you should always make sure the card has not been tampered with by inspecting the back of the card. Take a handful of cards from the rack and make sure they’re similarly marked on the back. Scammers will often place tampered cards up front to get the money quicker. Try purchasing a card from the middle of the pack instead.

  When buying gift cards, pay for them with a credit card whenever possible. A credit card will give you better protection against loss than if you had paid for the cards with cash or a debit card.

  If you receive a card that’s been emptied, you can try to contact the customer service number that’s on the back of the card. However, they can rarely ever get the money back or offer a refund.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on December 2, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Christmas shopping ( 23 ), gift cards, holiday shopping ( 16 ), puppy scam ( 37 ), Scams ( 1,383 ), venmo ( 28 )   

  Buying a puppy for Christmas? Watch out for these scams. 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Before we get started, we’d like to say that if anyone is thinking about adding a puppy to your family this holiday season, please keep in mind that doing so is a long-time commitment. Pets like this are not meant to be impulse buys and can live up to 20 years. Pet owners should always make sure they’re ready for that kind of dedication.

  Once that kind of decision is made, there are a number of pitfalls a prospective pet owner needs to be aware of before making their purchase, as the online world is full of puppy scams.

  For one, pet buyers should be wary of websites that claim to have puppies at below-market prices. A family in Richmond, Virginia, thought they were paying $700 to a website for a Yorkie puppy. They paid the supposed breeder with Walmart gift cards. When someone asks for payment in gift cards, that’s a major red flag that this could be a scam, as once the money is gone from the gift cards it can rarely ever be reclaimed.

  After the family paid the $700, the scammers came back and asked for more money. Typically, scammers will claim they need additional payment for things like shipping insurance or a specialty crate for transfer.

  Anybody can create a website claiming to be selling puppies using pictures stolen off the internet. To prevent yourself from being scammed by websites like this, you can do a whois search on the domain name to see how long the website has been around. If it’s only been around for a short amount of time, that’s a pretty good indication of a scam. You can also do a reverse image search to see if the pictures used on the website can be found anywhere else.

  A family from Greensboro, North Carolina befell a similar fate recently. A friend of theirs on social media said they were giving away puppies for a rehoming fee of $100. The family sent the fee through Venmo, but the friend claimed the payment didn’t go through and kept asking for the fee. It turns out that the friend’s Facebook page had been hijacked by scammers. It’s recommended, in this instance, to talk to the friend on the phone before sending any money. Like gift cards, once you send money through apps like Venmo, it’s gone.

  As always, when it comes to adding a new puppy to the family, we recommend only shopping locally and through reputable breeders. Contain your search to a reasonable driving distance, and do your due diligence when researching the breeder themselves. Check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints about the breeder.

  However, even more so than that, we ask that you consider adopting a puppy or even an adult dog from your local shelter. Shelter dogs are only there through no fault of their own and can be obtained at little to no cost.

   
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  Geebo 8:01 am on August 10, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: gift cards, jury duty scam ( 30 ), police impersonation scam ( 65 ), Scams ( 1,383 )   

  Jury duty scammers go to great lengths to fleece victim 

  

  By Greg Collier

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

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

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

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

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

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

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on July 22, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Amazon ( 108 ), customer service ( 50 ), gift cards, grandparent scam ( 69 ), lyft ( 15 ), money transfer ( 7 ), police scam ( 37 ), ride sharing ( 6 ), Scams ( 1,383 ), social security ( 29 ), t-shirt scam, used car ( 34 )   

  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.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on July 18, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: gift cards, Scams ( 1,383 ), ticketmaster ( 2 ), WWE ( 2 )   

  Mother of disabled WWE fan taken in ticket scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  A woman from Clarksville, Tennessee, has a wheelchair-bound son who is said to be a superfan of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). When she found out that the WWE was holding its SummerSlam card in nearby Nashville, she wanted nothing more than to get tickets for her son.

  She Googled the number to event vendor Ticketmaster, and called the number listed. She expressed that her son would need special seating. The representative gave her a ticket price of $25 each and instructed her to go to her local supermarket. The representative stayed on the phone with her while she went to the supermarket. Since the store did not have a Ticketmaster counter, she was instructed to buy $250 worth of eBay gift cards.

  The woman gave the card numbers to the representative, and the rep claimed that the card numbers were no good. They then told the woman she needs to go to a Walgreens to buy more gift cards. This is when she realized she had been scammed.

  This story does have a happy ending. Current WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes, son of pro wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, has offered to help the woman and her son get something set up with the WWE.

  However, most scam stories like this do not have a happy ending, but there are ways to protect yourself when buying tickets to not just the WWE, but any kind of live event. The first thing is that if you’re going to call any kind of ticket vendor, do not use the first phone number listed on Google or any other search engine. Scammers often buy their way to the top of search engine rankings to get their phony customer service numbers listed first. Instead, go to the vendor’s website and get their number from the ‘Contact Us’ section.

  Customer service reps are some of the most overworked people in the country. Sometimes they have to juggle multiple customers at once. They do not have time to sit with a customer on the phone for extended periods of time while they go to a store. Scammers will keep you on the phone to prevent the scam from falling apart.

  Lastly, no legitimate business or agency will ever ask you to pay in gift cards. Gift cards should only be used as gifts. Scammers love them because gift cards are easy to deplete and once they are, they’re untraceable.

  Video: Local mother warns others after falling victim to a gift card scam

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on July 14, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Cash App ( 42 ), gift cards, puppy scam ( 37 ), Scams ( 1,383 ), Yorkies   

  Yorkies popular in puppy scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  While it may just be a coincidence, we’ve seen multiple reports of Yorkies being used in puppy scams. In puppy scams, scammers will advertise puppies for sale claiming that they’re the puppy breeders. In reality, the puppies don’t even exist, and the scammers will try to bilk as much money from their victims.

  The scammers will typically advertise the puppies at below-market prices. Then, once the victims make their initial payment, the scammers will attempt to get more money out of the victim through various ploys. These can take the form of a special crate needed for shipping, shipping insurance, or processing fees among others.

  A great indicator that someone is being scammed when buying a puppy online is that the seller requests payment through non-traditional and largely unrecoverable means. These means are, typically, gift cards, money transfers, cryptocurrency, or personal payment apps.

  A woman from Lincoln, Nebraska, was recently scammed out of $225 when trying to buy a Yorkie puppy. Not only was she asked to pay through Cash App, but she was also pressured into making an immediate purchase when the scammers told her that the puppies were selling fast.

  Meanwhile, a man from Pennsylvania was told to send $750 in Walmart gift cards to purchase his puppy. After he paid the initial price, he was then asked by the scammers to pay an additional $1000.

  As far as puppy scams go, never buy a puppy sight unseen. You may also want to try to shop local from a licensed breeder. Most importantly, we always recommend considering adopting a puppy from your local shelter instead. This can often be done with minimal or no cost. Some shelters even have waiting lists you can sign up for if you’re looking for a certain breed.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on July 12, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Amazon ( 108 ), gift cards, Google ( 30 ), Prime Day ( 8 ), real estate ( 128 ), rental scam ( 87 ), review bomb, Scams ( 1,383 )   

  Scam Round Up: Amazon crime day and more 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Today in the Scam Round up, we’re bringing you one scam you definitely should be aware of, a new twist on an old scam, and a kind of strange scam.

  ***

  First, we have the new twist on the old scam, the rental scam to be specific. Typically, in a rental scam, the scammers post a home or apartment for rent online they don’t own. They’ll then start collecting security deposits, or rent money, from their victims. This is usually all done without ever meeting face to face. However, a woman from Cleveland, Ohio, is accused of allegedly collecting $20,000 from dozens of victims at the apartment complex she worked at. The scammer would tell victims that their application was approved before taking their money. This included payments in money order, cash, and, of course, Cash App.

  It’s difficult to protect yourself from a scam like this when it’s being perpetrated by an employee of a legitimate apartment complex. While we imagine the odds of this scam happening again are low, if you feel like you’re not receiving enough communication from the property management as you get closer to your move-in date, consider talking to another employee at that complex. If you’ve been scammed like this, don’t hesitate to contact your local police.

  ***

  In our strange scam story, restaurants from across the country are being extorted. A rash of scammers is threatening to review-bomb the restaurants with one-star reviews on Google, if the restaurant doesn’t send a $75 Google Play gift card to the scammer electronically. We’re not just talking about your local Applebee’s, these scammers are also threatening restaurants that have been awarded the much lauded Michelin Stars.

  What makes matters worse, Google isn’t the easiest company to get a hold of when you need an issue like this resolved. Google has even refused to recognize some of the reviews as fake and have refused to remove them from their platform.

  While this scam sounds more like a viral prank than anything, the scammers are not relenting. When a restaurant adds a response to the phony complaint indicating the review is fraudulent, the scammers double down with threats like “We can keep doing this indefinitely. Is $75 worth more to you than a loss to the business?”

  While not a lot of people own restaurants compared to the rest of us, a scam like this can potentially threaten any industry and any business.

  ***

  Lastly, we have the scam that everyone should be aware of. Today starts Amazon Prime Day, one of the online retail giant’s biggest sales event. Cybersecurity experts call Prime Day the Super Bowl for scammers. The biggest threats are said to be phony websites that imitate Amazon and messages that appear to come from Amazon but don’t. If a shopper ends up going to one of these phony Amazon clones, they could be subject to malware, identity theft, and lost funds. Always check the URL, or web address, to make sure you’re on the website you want to be. Scam sites will often have a URL that is spelled like the site they’re imitating, but be one letter off or have left a letter out. They could also have the Amazon name in their URL, but have it direct you to their scam site instead.

  Consumers should also be wary of deals that sound too good to be true. That could also be the indicator of a scam. If you will be shopping online during Prime Day, try to use a credit card whenever possible because they offer more protection than a standard bank debit card.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on July 1, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: eBay ( 16 ), gift cards, Scams ( 1,383 ), used car ( 34 )   

  Gift cards still popular among scammers 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Within the past year or so, it seems like scammers have been leaning more toward Zelle and cryptocurrency to steal from their victims. Prior to that, gift cards seemed to be used in just about every phone and online scam. Scammers would get their victims to buy scores of gift cards for whatever the scam entailed, and then had the victims read the card numbers to them. The money on the cards would then be depleted immediately by the scammers, and the victim would have no way of recouping their financial loss.

  While git card scams may not be as prevalent as they used to be, they’re still out there. For example, a man from Arizona recently lost $1000 to a gift card scam. This also took the form of a used car scam. The man was looking for a truck and found one online. The seller claimed to be a serviceman and was selling the truck at such a low price because he was deploying soon.

  The seller also claimed that he was selling the car through eBay and needed the man to buy eBay gift cards to purchase the vehicle. The man bought the cards at a local store and was even warned about scams by a store employee. The man went through with the purchase anyway, and provided the supposed seller with the numbers from the back of the cards. Of course, the truck never existed, and the scammer cut off communication immediately with their victim.

  Before we get into the warnings about gift cards, there were a few red flags you should know about first. If an item is being sold at a steep discount and the seller claims to be a military member who is shipping out, that’s a good indicator of a scam. Scammers love using this story, as it tends to make them sound more trustworthy.

  Also, while eBay does have its own vehicle marketplace, you don’t pay the seller directly with gift cards. They also do not have a vehicle shipping program, which many scammers claim.

  Lastly, unless you’re actually giving someone a gift, gift cards should never be used as a form of payment to people you don’t know. No legitimate company, agency, or online seller, will ever ask for gift cards as payment. They are the currency of the scammer, since they’re virtually untraceable once the card is depleted.

  Video: Milan man falls victim to eBay gift card scam