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  Geebo 8:00 am on April 17, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: gold bars ( 11 ), malware ( 28 ), moving money ( 12 ), police impersonation scam ( 91 ), pop-ups, Scams ( 1,657 )   

  Another gold scam claims $115,000 from elderly couple 

  

  By Greg Collier

  An elderly Nebraska couple recently fell victim to a particularly elaborate and harrowing fraud scheme, losing a staggering $115,000 in the process. The couple’s computer abruptly shut down, signaling the beginning of their descent into a web of deceit. Upon rebooting, a distressing message purportedly warning of a malware issue flashed on their screen, accompanied by a phone number. Little did they know, this was the first step in an intricate ploy orchestrated by heartless scammers.

  The voice on the other end of the line spun a tale of theft and false accusations, claiming that the FBI was investigating the couple for heinous crimes they hadn’t committed. Fueled by fear and confusion, the couple was coerced into believing they were facing imminent legal repercussions and that their bank accounts were in jeopardy.

  As the days passed, the manipulative tactics intensified, culminating in the demand to purchase gold bars purportedly for safekeeping. Entrusted with a significant sum of $115,000, the couple obediently complied, only to hand over their life savings to a stranger who promised to safeguard their wealth in a distant bank. Men showed up at their door in official looking vehicles claiming to be government agents.

  Tragically, their trust was misplaced, and the promised security was nothing more than an illusion. Days later, when reality came crashing down, it was too late. The realization that they had been duped dawned upon them, leaving them not only financially devastated but also emotionally shattered.

  This story sheds light on two troubling patterns in the realm of scams. Firstly, scammers are exhibiting a growing audacity by dispatching individuals to the residences of their victims. These individuals may either be complicit in the scam or unwittingly drawn into it. Regardless, such occurrences pose a significant risk to the safety and well-being of many.

  The rationale behind sending scammers to victims’ homes lies in the increasing preference for gold as a form of payment. Unlike gift cards or cryptocurrency, which can be transacted electronically, gold necessitates physical retrieval from the victims. Consequently, scammers exploit this requirement, manipulating victims into surrendering their valuables in person.

  Regrettably, gold, much like other forms of payment demanded by scammers, remains largely untraceable. This exacerbates the difficulty of apprehending and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.

  Should your computer or any internet-connected device display a virus or malware warning prompting you to call a phone number, refrain from doing so. Most prominent tech companies eschew traditional customer service phone lines, with some even dissuading phone inquiries altogether. Thus, if you encounter such a phone number on your device, avoid calling it, as it’s highly likely to be a scam.

  Transferring your funds from one financial institution to another as a means of safeguarding them from hackers, thieves, or any other threat is not a viable strategy. Legitimate law enforcement agencies never solicit money from individuals over the phone, and reputable banks never advise customers to relocate their funds to a supposedly “protected” account.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on March 25, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: bitcoin atm ( 32 ), cryptocurrency ( 63 ), pop-ups, Scams ( 1,657 )   

  New Bitcoin scam accuses victims of being predators 

  

  By Greg Collier

  In the case of a recent incident in Blaine, Minnesota, scammers are leveraging fear tactics to manipulate individuals into parting with their hard-earned money. The Blaine Police Department recently issued a warning to residents about a Bitcoin scam that has resulted in significant financial losses for its victims.

  This scam involves a distressing pop-up appearing on the victim’s home computer, alleging suspicious charges on their bank account. What makes this scheme particularly alarming is the level of detail the scammers possess about their targets. In one reported instance, the scammers not only knew the victim’s exact balances across their savings and checking accounts but also provided a fabricated bank ID card featuring the victim’s name.

  The perpetrators capitalize on fear and confusion, falsely claiming that involving the bank’s fraud department or law enforcement would be futile and might even lead to punitive measures, such as being listed as a predatory offender for fictitious charges related to adult entertainment websites.

  To compound the deception, the victims are instructed to withdraw substantial sums of money from their accounts and deposit them into a Bitcoin ATM at a local gas station. Once the cash is converted into Bitcoin and transferred to the scammer’s digital wallet via a provided QR code, the transaction becomes irreversible, leaving the victims in a state of financial distress.

  In light of this alarming trend, it’s crucial for individuals to adopt proactive measures to safeguard themselves against scams. Before taking any action in response to unexpected messages or notifications, independently verify the legitimacy of the communication by contacting the purported sender through official channels. Refrain from sharing sensitive personal or financial information, especially in response to unsolicited requests or pop-up messages.

  It’s essential to understand that companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook are not in contact with your bank and have no access to information about potentially fraudulent transactions in your accounts. Legitimate entities, including companies, agencies, and law enforcement departments, will never instruct you to deposit money into a cryptocurrency ATM. If someone makes such a request, it’s almost certainly a scam.

  Moreover, if you’re coerced into keeping quiet about the alleged issue, it’s another clear indicator of a scam. There’s no legitimate scenario where you’re prohibited from speaking, at the very least, to your attorney. Threats of arrest or inclusion on any sort of list due to a banking matter are entirely fictitious.

  If you encounter a potential scam or fraudulent activity, report it promptly to local law enforcement authorities or relevant regulatory agencies to prevent further victimization.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 1, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: bitcoin atm ( 32 ), cryptocurrency ( 63 ), mental health ( 3 ), pop-ups, Scams ( 1,657 )   

  The hidden mental toll inflicted on scam victims 

  

  By Greg Collier

  When discussing scam victims, it’s crucial to avoid questioning, “How could anyone fall for this?” Such judgmental language hinders victims from openly sharing their experiences. The reluctance of scam victims to come forward contributes to a growing pool of potential targets for scams. Often burdened by a sense of shame and embarrassment, these individuals already grapple with the aftermath of losing their money to scammers. Ridicule only exacerbates the mental toll on victims, pushing them to a point of extreme distress with no easy return.

  For instance, a recent incident involved an elderly woman from Arizona who suffered a loss of $204,000 to scammers employing the pop-up window tactic. The fraudulent message claimed her computer had been compromised and provided a customer service number to address the issue. Upon calling the number, the scammers fabricated a story about someone attempting to withdraw $14,500 from her bank account. They instructed her to withdraw the money and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM for enhanced security. She followed this procedure for 13 consecutive days, despite her bank’s attempts to caution her against the scam. The scammers manipulated her by forewarning that such warnings would come from her bank and insisted she keep the situation confidential due to an alleged hacking of ‘everything’.

  Upon realizing she had fallen victim to the scam, the emotional toll on the victim was profound, leading her to a dark and challenging place. Struggling in silence for months with the weight of her secret, she reached a point where she contemplated taking her own life. It was only after reaching out to a crisis hotline that she found a lifeline. Eventually, she summoned the courage to confide in her son and a few trusted friends about the distressing ordeal.

  Scam victims should take several crucial steps when faced with such a distressing situation. It’s essential to connect with friends, family, or a support network. Sharing the experience can provide emotional relief and valuable perspectives. Report the scam to the local authorities or the relevant law enforcement agency. Providing details can contribute to ongoing investigations and help prevent further scams. Share your experience to raise awareness and prevent others from falling victim to similar scams. Awareness is crucial in combating fraud.

  Supporting scam victims is crucial, and there are several ways others can provide assistance. Be empathetic and understanding. Scam victims often experience feelings of shame and embarrassment, so providing a non-judgmental and supportive environment is essential. Encourage the victim to report the scam to law enforcement, relevant authorities, and consumer protection agencies. Reporting helps in tracking and preventing future scams. Share the victim’s experience (with their consent) to raise awareness about common scams. This can help educate others and prevent them from falling victim to similar schemes. Help the victim find support groups or online communities where they can share experiences with others who have faced similar situations. This can provide a sense of camaraderie and understanding. If the victim is experiencing severe emotional distress, encourage them to seek professional help from mental health professionals or crisis hotlines.

  By offering practical assistance, emotional support, and raising awareness, individuals can play a vital role in helping scam victims recover and preventing others from falling victim to similar schemes.

  Be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on December 18, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: banks ( 7 ), lawsuit ( 48 ), pop-ups, Scams ( 1,657 ), tech support scam ( 56 )   

  Scam victim sues bank over pop-up scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Before we get started with today’s story, we wanted to share an article with you from the New York Times. The article shows that many overseas scammers are victims themselves. According to the Times, English speakers in East Asia are being offered translation jobs. In reality, the victims are being kidnapped and trafficked to forced labor camps, where they’re coerced into committing pig butchering scams to gain their freedom. It seems scams have even more victims than you may have originally thought.

  But speaking of overseas scams, today’s story involves an elderly woman who wired $120,000 to scammers in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, she fell victim to the pop-up scam, also known as a tech support scam.

  The victim was using her computer when she received a pop-up telling her that her computer had been hacked. The pop-up contained a phone number for the victim to call immediately. While the news report does not specify, in many of these cases, the scammers will mention to their victims that since their computer has been hacked, their bank accounts are at risk from hackers. Then the victim is instructed to move their money to protect it. In this instance, the victim wired her money overseas.

  The victim is now suing her bank, claiming the bank should have at least questioned the transactions before allowing them to go through. According to the victim’s attorney, the victim never made a wire transfer before, let alone one for such a large amount that was going overseas. Typically, when bank scams like this happen, the banks try to wash their hands of the matter by saying since the victim authorized the transaction so it’s not the bank’s responsibility.

  What do you think? Do you believe the banks share some responsibility for failing to prevent these transactions, or is the elderly woman simply an unfortunate victim?

  If you do receive one of these pop-ups, do not click on anything within the pop-up. Instead, close the browser or restart your computer. Avoid providing any personal information or following any instructions in the pop-up. Consider running a reputable antivirus or anti-malware scan to ensure your system’s security.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on October 31, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: gold bars ( 11 ), impostor scam ( 17 ), pop-ups, Scams ( 1,657 ), tech support scam ( 56 )   

  Gold bar scammers scammed by police 

  

  By Greg Collier

  When it comes to collecting money from their victims, scammers prefer instant and untraceable forms of payment. In that vein, scammers frequently ask for payment in gift cards, cryptocurrency, money transfers, or through payment apps like Zelle and Venmo. Some scammers even try to coax cold hard cash out of their victims. While cash is largely untraceable, it presents problems when trying to collect it. When a scammer asks for cash, they usually ask for it to be sent through courier services like UPS.

  Then, every once in a while, there are scammers who demand payment in one of the most conspicuous ways possible, gold bars. While technically untraceable, not only does the movement of gold attract a lot of attention, most people wouldn’t know how to convert their cash into gold in a short amount of time.

  That didn’t stop some scammers from trying their hands at getting some gold out of an elderly couple from Georgia. The couple received one of those infamous pop-ups on their computer that said their computer had been hacked. They called the number included in the message, and talked to a phony tech support call center.

  The fake support representative told the couple they definitely had a virus, then asked if they ever used their computer for online banking. They said they did, and the scammer asked which bank they used. After telling the scammer, the couple was told they were being transferred to their bank’s fraud department, which was just another member of the scam ring.

  The scammer posing as the fraud department told the couple their accounts had been compromised, and close to $200,000 in fraudulent transactions could leave them penniless. Then they were transferred to someone claiming to be an agent of the Federal Trade Commission. Again, this was just another scammer. However, the phony federal agent told the couple that in order to protect their money, they would need to withdraw their savings and convert into gold bars. The gold bars would need to be sent to Washington, D.C., where the FTC would issue a check to the couple. A courier would have to come to the couple’s home to pick up the gold.

  Currently, gold is around $2000 per ounce. For $200,000 that would be 100 ounces, which is 6.25 lbs of gold, or roughly 3 kilograms. The couple purchased the gold from a legitimate gold seller in Texas, but before they gave the gold to the scammers, they went to their local police.

  Knowing this was a scam, police set up a sting operation and waited for the courier to show up. Once he did, police were quick to apprehend him. It’s believed the scammer flew from Southern California to Georgia just to steal from the couple.

  This couple should be commended for following their gut when they did. Too often, we’ve seen elderly victims lose their life savings to less convoluted scams.

  Anytime someone you don’t know is telling you that you need to move your money to protect it, or pay yourself, they are trying to scam you. Moving your money is not a thing, and it doesn’t matter if you’re being told this by someone claiming to be from your bank, law enforcement, or any other position of authority, the person telling you this is an impostor.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on October 16, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: police impersonation scam ( 91 ), pop-ups, Scams ( 1,657 ), tech support scam ( 56 )   

  Fake federal agents go to victim’s house to clean money 

  

  By Greg Collier

  When it comes to today’s scams, most scammers will try to take your funds electronically. Then there are those who want your cash and want it immediately. This has led some scammers to employ ‘couriers’ who will go to a victim’s home to pick up the cash. Sometimes the couriers are unwitting participants, such as rideshare drivers. Other times, they’re either working for the scammer or they’re the scammer themselves. Since scammers tend to target the elderly, it’s disturbing to think of scammers going to the home of an elderly loved one.

  In Western Pennsylvania, an elderly couple were in the process of falling victim to the pop-up scam. They received a message on their computer it had been hacked, and they called the number from the message. The couple was told their bank accounts were compromised, and they needed to withdraw their money from the bank. A federal agent would come by to pick up the money to have it ‘cleaned’, before they would get their money back.

  The federal agent was actually a 22-year-old student from Penn State. When he showed up at the couple’s home, they did not believe he was a federal agent and asked to see some ID. The student was unable to produce any identification, so the couple did not give him any of their money and called police. The student was arrested shortly after the encounter.

  While most victims of these scams are physically unharmed, there is a possibility of danger. Not every scammer or ‘courier’ is going to accept walking away empty-handed.

  For whatever reason scammers may claim, no legitimate law enforcement officer or agent will come to your home to protect your money. If that’s what they’re telling you, they are trying to scam you.

  If you receive a message on your computer telling you it’s been hacked, the odds are it hasn’t been hacked at all. If you can’t close out the message, try doing a hard rest on your device by holding down the power button until it shuts off. If the message continues to appear, run a malware scan on your device.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on October 5, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: impersonation scam ( 207 ), phantom hacker scam ( 6 ), pop-ups, Scams ( 1,657 ), tech support scam ( 56 )   

  What is the phantom hacker scam? 

  

  By Greg Collier

  FBI offices across the country are warning citizens about a new scam that’s said to be plaguing Americans. The scam is called the ‘phantom hacker’ scam and is bears a striking similarity to the pop-up tech support scam.

  If you’ll recall, in the pop-up scam, internet users can receive a pop-up on their device that claims the device has been hacked, This pop-up will also claim to be from a big tech company like Microsoft or Apple, and will include a phone number for the device’s owner to call for tech support. The phone number actually goes to a call center that’s part of a larger scam ring.

  The user will be asked to give remote access to the supposed tech support person. After a scan, the scammers will tell the user, the user’s bank account has been hacked. The tech support scammer then tells the user, they’ll be receiving a call from their bank’s fraud department. The victim will then be directed to mover their money to a ‘safe’ account for protection. That safe account is actually a bank account that belongs to the scammers.

  Now, the scam has been modified. After receiving a call from the scammers posing as the bank, victims are instructed to move their money to a government protected bank account. To make the scam appear more legitimate, victims have been receiving correspondence that appears to come from the Federal Government. The correspondence provides instructions to the victim on how to move their money to the government protected account by wire transfer.

  The reason it’s called the phantom hacker scam is because there is no actual hacker involved. If someone were to hack into someone’s bank account, the account would be drained instantly. There is no time-limit that hackers have to wait for before stealing someone’s money or data.

  To better protect yourself from this kind of scam, educate yourself and others about the common signs of pop-up scams, such as unsolicited pop-ups or alarming messages, and never share personal or financial information with unknown sources. By following these precautions and maintaining a healthy dose of skepticism online, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to pop-up scams and protect your digital security.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on September 8, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: moving money ( 12 ), pay yourself, pop-ups, Scams ( 1,657 ), tech support scam ( 56 )   

  Victim loses $600K to tech support scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  If the jury duty scam is the most common scam we see, the tech support scam has to be a very close second. This is another scam where hardly a day goes by where we don’t see a news story where someone fell victim to the scam.

  Typically, the tech support scam occurs when someone is surfing the internet on their device when all of a sudden they receive a pop-up message telling them either their device or their bank account has been hacked. These messages also contain a phone number for the device owner to call for further assistance. If someone were to call the number, they’d be connected to scammers posing as any number of positions such as tech support or their bank’s fraud department, just to name a few.

  In numerous tech support scams, the scammers will convince their victims to download software that allows the scammers to have remote access to the victim’s device. This is done under the guise of wanting to help protect the victim, or make things easier for the victim. In reality, the scammers are now watching your every move on the device where the software was installed. From there, the scammers can either access your bank account themselves from the victim’s device, or they direct the victim to move their money in order to protect it. It’s not unheard of for victims to lose thousands of dollars in this scam.

  In that vein, a Pennsylvania man came forward to let the public know that he was taken for a staggering $600,000 in a tech support scam. In his case, the scammers convinced him to download remote access software. The scam went on for a while, with the scammers throwing a bunch of tech mumbo jumbo at the man to make it seem like the scammers were catching hackers. Instead, they were actually draining the man’s bank account until it was empty.

  If you receive any kind of message that claims your bank account has been compromised, do not call the phone number in the message. Instead, call your financial institution at the customer service number that’s on the back of your debit card, or the bank’s website. Also, please keep in mind, no one claiming to be from Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, or any other tech giant has any idea what’s going on with your bank account. The only company that has access to your bank account is your bank. Even then, if someone contacts you claiming to be from your bank telling you that you need to move your money in order to protect it is lying. Never move your money or send it to yourself when a stranger tells you to. Neither of those transactions or something a real bank does.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 16, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: pop-ups, Scams ( 1,657 ), tech support scam ( 56 )   

  Pop-up scammers are showing up at elderly victims’ doors 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The pop-up scam is one of the more prolific online scams out there. It tends to target elderly victims, who may not be tech-savvy enough to recognize the scam. The scam starts out while the victim is online, and they receive a pop-up message on their device. It doesn’t matter what kind of device it is. They can be using a phone, tablet, or computer and the scam works the same.

  The pop-up message typically says there is something wrong with the victim’s device. The message can even end up locking or freezing the device. There is almost always a phone number included in the message that claims to offer the solution to the victim’s tech problem. These phone numbers often claim to be from Microsoft, Apple, or some other tech giant, so they can appear more legitimate.

  As we’re sure you’ve surmised, the phone number actually goes to a call center full of scammers. The scammers will usually tell their victims that their computer or bank account is being hacked. In either instance, the scammer will have the victim download an application that allows the scammer to have remote access to the victim’s device.

  From there, the scam can go in any number of directions. Personal information could be stolen from the victim’s device, the scammers can access the victim’s financial accounts, or the scammers will ask for a substantial payment to ‘fix’ the device. This can be in the thousands of dollars in some cases. However, all of this is typically done remotely. Now, there is a group of scammers who are going to the victims’ houses to collect the victim’s money.

  In Colorado, a number of elderly victims have reported falling victim to this new scam. It starts out the same with the victim getting the pop-up message, but from there it takes a wildly different turn.

  In one instance, an 83-year-old woman was told the reason she got the message was because her bank was failing. She was also told not to tell anyone in her family or the police. They directed the woman to buy another cell phone they would use to communicate with her. She was then instructed to empty her bank account because the bank couldn’t be trusted, but someone from the ‘new bank’ would come by to pick up her money, so they could ‘protect’ it. A man showed up at her door to collect the money and the cell phone she was using to communicate with the scammers.

  Similar scams happened to at least two other victims in the scam county. One victim was told to buy gold, which they gave $125,000 worth to the scammers. Another victim lost $36,000 in cash. Police were given different descriptions of the people who came to pick up the money, leading them to believe the collectors may not even be part of the same scam ring.

  Anytime someone you don’t know tells you not to talk to your family or police, they’re trying to isolate you, so they can take advantage of you. If you receive one of these pop-up messages, try turning the device off and back on again to see if that resolves the issue. You should never call the phone number in the pop-up because it only goes to scammers, even if they claim to be from a large company.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on April 7, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: fear, Microsoft ( 23 ), pop-ups, Scams ( 1,657 ), tech support scam ( 56 )   

  The Psychology of Scams 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Fear can be a great motivator. Fear triggers are fight or flight responses and often force us to make a split-second decision. Even though we’re making a decision in that short amount of time, that decision isn’t always the right one, and in many cases, that decision may not even make sense. That’s why fear is the greatest tool in the scammer’s arsenal.

  Let’s take a look at a scam that happened recently in Minnesota. A 65-year-old woman lost $20,000 to the Microsoft pop-up scam. She received a pop-up on her computer that said she needed to call Microsoft. That’s where the fear starts. For people not super-familiar with how computers work may think the worst when getting a message like that. Have I been hacked? Is my identity being stolen? Will I lose all my pictures and personal files? Has my entire digital life been compromised?

  The answer the woman got after calling the supposed phone number to Microsoft was probably worse than she could have imagined. The person she spoke with told her that there had been suspicious activity on her computer, and she needed to call the Federal Trade Commission and was given another number to call.

  When she called who she thought was the FTC, she was told her IP address was being cloned and used by someone in Texas for illegal activity.

  An IP address is like a phone number for your computer. Just as you need a phone number to make a call, your computer needs an IP address to connect to the internet and communicate with other devices. The IP address is a unique set of numbers assigned to your device by your internet service provider (ISP) that identifies it on the internet.

  The person who was supposedly from the FTC told the woman that her IP address was being used to view explicit illegal images and illegal gambling. At this point, the scammers have elevated their fear tactics. Illegal gambling may not seem so bad, but when you add it to one of the worst online crimes a person could commit, and that you could be blamed for it, would send anyone into a deep state of fear.

  The woman was then told that this was all part of an international money laundering scheme, and she needed to protect her money. The scammer told her she needed to take $20,000 out of her bank and UPS it to an address in Florida. She suggested she would withdraw the money and keep it in her home. The scammer told her if she did that, the local police would arrest her for money laundering. That probably pushed the woman into an even bigger panic, which is precisely what the scammers want.

  We have the benefit of hindsight to be able to look at this scam and can see how convoluted it is. Microsoft doesn’t know what’s going on your computer. They’re also infamously known for being difficult to get a hold of. Even if they did know your device was compromised, they would tell you to call the FTC, who is also known for being difficult to contact, as most government agencies are. And no government agency would ever threaten a citizen with arrest over the phone.

  So, we may look at this and wonder how anyone could fall for this scam, but when fear kicks in like this and someone is dealing with the pressure of the moment, anyone could be vulnerable to a scam.