Greg's Corner

Tagged: veterans Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

• 

  Geebo 9:00 am on December 26, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: bank fraud ( 19 ), impostor scam ( 13 ), Scams ( 1,222 ), USAA, veterans   

  A fusion of bank scams target veteran’s widow 

  

  By Greg Collier

  We hope all our readers had a safe, joyous, and scam-free Christmas. Don’t forget to keep an eye on your gift card balances before using them.

  Over the past year, we’ve seen several new ways in which scammers have lured their victims into a financial trap. None has been more disturbing than scams that target the families who have recently lost a loved one. Scammers scan the obituaries looking for victims who may not be thinking clearly since they’re grieving. At best, you have a scammer posing as the funeral home trying to squeeze money out of you, at worst you have a real estate scammer trying to steal a family’s home with a phony deed scam. Now, we’re seeing scammers using the obituaries to gain access to the bank accounts of those in mourning.

  Back in November, a US Army Veteran who had been awarded the Purple Heart passed away. According to his widow, a week after the soldier’s memorial, she was targeted in a bank scam. The scammers posed as USAA, a bank whose customer base is largely members of the military, veterans, and their families. Like most bank scams these days, the soldier’s widow received a text message that appeared to come from USAA warning her of fraudulent activity on her account.

  The text message included a customer service number to call, but the number didn’t go to USAA. Instead, it went to a scammer call center impersonating USAA. According to the victim, the scammers even used USAA’s customized hold music while she was on the phone with the scammers.

  The victim was talked into giving the scammers enough personal information where the scammers gained access to her bank account. At this point, scammers typically drain the account of its funds. However, this time, the scammers took the scam even further. A phony check was deposited into the account for $4500. Before the check was discovered to be fraudulent, the scammers withdrew not only the $4500 from the phony check, but the remaining funds in the account as well.

  The victim reported the scam to the police and USAA, but the bank initially denied her claim for a refund, stating they determined the transactions were not fraudulent. That was until she went to a local TV news station with her story. After the news station got involved, USAA returned the lost money to her.

  If you receive a text message from your bank about any questionable activity on your account, stop for a moment. Do not call any number included in the text message or click any links the message may contain. Instead, call your bank directly at the customer service number listed on the back of your bank card.

   

  Leave a ReplyCancel reply
• 

  Geebo 8:00 am on September 20, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: advance fee scam ( 42 ), cash flipping ( 8 ), cryptocurrency ( 43 ), identity theft ( 96 ), inmate scam ( 3 ), lawsuit ( 47 ), money-flipping ( 4 ), prison ( 4 ), Scams ( 1,222 ), social media ( 73 ), TikTok ( 9 ), veterans   

  Scam Round Up: New scam targets veterans and more 

  

  By Greg Collier

  This week in the Round Up, we’re bringing you three scams that might not be affecting you now, but you should be aware of.

  ***

  Our first scam has to be more than distressing to its victims. Scammers are targeting the families of inmates who are incarcerated in a county jail in Alabama. The scammers are posing as jail employees, telling the families that their family member has died in custody, when it isn’t true.

  From what we’ve researched, this is not a common scam, but has happened before. However, we couldn’t find any information on what the scam is hoping to achieve, since the scammers have not asked for any kind of payment. If we had to hazard a guess, we’d say this might be some kind of identity theft ploy.

  According to the local sheriff’s department, if an inmate were to die in custody, the family would be informed by the coroner’s office. If you have a family member who is incarcerated, you may want to find out what the procedure is for that jurisdiction.

  Sadly, this is not the only scam the family’s of inmates have to worry about. They are often targeted by scammers who promise their family member better privileges or an early release. These scams often ask for money. Someone receiving these offers should always check with the institution first to see if these programs are actually available, and should never give anyone their personal information over the phone.

  ***

  It always seems like social media has a never-ending stream of scams to deal with. It also seems that the short-form video platform TikTok is no exception. Lately, they’ve been dealing with a string of videos where scammers claim they can help you make a profit investing in cryptocurrency.

  The videos usually have someone flaunting stacks of cash or other signs of wealth while promising to make the viewer money. However, this is just a variation of the money flipping scam that has plagued Instagram. The scammers will promise they can get viewers thousands of dollars if they just send the scammer a few hundred.

  The scammers end up keeping the money sent to them and often ask victims for more money using promises of returning even more profit to the victim.

  Cryptocurrency on its own is already flush with scammers. Unless you know the cryptocurrency market intimately and can afford to lose an investment, you shouldn’t let other people invest in it for you, especially people you don’t know personally.

  ***

  Recently, an act was passed into law that allows U.S. veterans and their family to sue the government if they were exposed to toxic burn pits at military bases. The Better Business Bureau is reporting that scammers are using this new law to their advantage by promising veterans and their families they can sue the government for them. Once they get the veteran’s money and information, the scammers disappear.

  Another scam targeting veterans is one where the scammers are posing as Veterans Affairs. Again, the scammers are after the veteran’s personal information for identity theft purposes.

  The VA recommends that if you received unsolicited communication from someone claiming to be from the VA, you should contact the VA through their website. You can also find if you’re eligible under the new law here.

   
• 

  Geebo 8:00 am on July 21, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: homeless ( 5 ), north carolina ( 15 ), rental scam ( 84 ), Scams ( 1,222 ), veterans, Zelle ( 62 )   

  Homeless vet taken in rental scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  We’ve said it many times in the past, scammers don’t care who they take advantage of. They’ll use any situation to steal money from the most vulnerable members of our society. Scammers often fleece the elderly who live alone. They would literally steal from babies if given the chance. So, it should come as no surprise that scammers would not only steal from a man who served our country, but one who has also fallen on hard times.

  A veteran from North Carolina, is currently living in a tent in the woods of Concord, a semi-rural suburb of Charlotte. He served in Iraq and has been trying to find stable housing. Unfortunately, it’s been difficult for him to find housing due to his credit history and a criminal record.

  He thought he had found an ideal place when he found an online listing for a home to rent. The supposed landlord gave the man’s brother the access code to the home, so they could actually tour the home. The man agreed to rent the home and sent the landlord $2,000 through the personal payment app Zelle. The landlord then cut off all communication with the veteran. The property was actually being rented by a rental company.

  Scammers having the access codes to rental homes is nothing new. The scammers get the code by contacting the rental company and taking a tour of the home. The code is then used by the scammers to make the scam appear more legitimate.

  And again, it should come as no surprise that Zelle was also used in the scam. Since Zelle offers little to no protection to its users, it has become a tool of choice for scammers everywhere.

  Rental scammers are constantly looking for people who are desperate for housing. Since housing is one of the most basic of needs, people who are scrambling for shelter may often overlook the warning signs of a scam.

  Again, security codes are not a sign of a legitimate property owner. To better prevent yourself from being scammed, it always pays to research a property first. Just a quick web search of the property’s address can bring up a plethora of information that can help you determine whether a listing is a scam or not. You can also find the true owner of a property by checking with the county’s tax assessor’s office.

   
• 

  Geebo 8:00 am on April 13, 2020 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: coronavirus ( 40 ), covid-19 ( 48 ), grandparent scam ( 65 ), impersonation scam ( 111 ), Scams ( 1,222 ), text messaging ( 32 ), veterans   

  Text scam says you have covid-19 

  

  So far, we’ve seen some insidious scams that have preyed on the fear of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but this one may just take the proverbial cake. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is warning residents about a new coronavirus scam that is targeting its victims through text messages. The text messages say something to the effect of “Someone who came in contact with you tested positive or has shown symptoms for COVID-19 & recommends you self-isolate/get tested.” The text also contains a link that is supposed to contain more information. In all likelihood, the link goes to a website that either tries to steal your personal information or injects malware on to your device. We recommend that you shouldn’t click any links provided by anyone you don’t know personally whether they’re sent through text, email, or social media.

  The State of New Jersey has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic due to its proximity to New York. The New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal has been warning the Garden State about several scams taking advantage of the current crisis. Most of these scams we have gone over previously. However, one particular scam that Mr. Grewal is warning about caught our attention. That would be the impersonation scam or grandparent scam. Normally, this scam is when a scammer calls an elderly victim and poses as a grandchild and that they’re in some kind of trouble. They’ll then ask for money for things like bail or emergency medical expenses that have to be paid right now. Now, scammers are using the cover of covid-19 to perpetrate these scams. The scammers will say they’re infected with covid-19 and need money. As with most scams, they’ll ask for the money through gift cards or wire transfer. Instead of immediately reacting, call the person the scammers are claiming to be directly to verify that they’re actually ok.

  Previously, we’ve detailed scams where the scammers are disguising themselves as workers for the CDC, the Red Cross, and local hospitals selling various coronavirus tests or cures for a fee door to door. Of course, neither the tests or cures they sell are legitimate and they are just looking to make a few hundred dollars a pop. If that wasn’t low enough reports in Las Vegas have surfaced stating that some of these scammers have taken to posing as employees from Veterans Affairs Hospitals. For many of our veterans, the VA is the only place where they can receive medical treatment so some older veterans may be trusting of anyone who claims to be from the VA. In response to this, the VA has stated that they won’t come to your home without scheduling an appointment first.

  If you know someone who could be susceptible to these scams, please check in on them even if it’s just a phone call. They’ll probably appreciate that you’re looking out for them.

   
• 

  Geebo 9:00 am on November 11, 2019 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: grants ( 14 ), healthcare ( 35 ), IRS ( 22 ), Scams ( 1,222 ), veterans, Veterans Day ( 2 )   

  Scams that veterans should be aware of 

  

  With today being Veterans Day it only seems fitting that we should look out for those who have given so much for our country. It seems that veterans are often targeted in government impostor scams. Since veterans often have to deal with several government agencies about benefits and services hearing from the government may not seem that out of the ordinary. Scammers will try to take advantage of the frequency that veterans deal with the government in hopes that the victim of their scam will believe that they are calling from the government. However, most of the scams they try to commit are also some of the same scams civilians have to deal with.

  The most common scam reported by veterans is the IRS impersonation scam. This is where scammers will pose as IRS agents and try to persuade their victims into believing that they owe back taxes. The scammers will try to pressure their victims into making a payment as soon as possible either through wire transfer or gift cards. The next common scam for veterans is the grant scam where the victim will receive a message on social media from a friend’s compromised account telling the victim they can get federal grant money. The scammers will then say that in order to get the grant the victim will need to pay a processing fee which will disappear as soon as it’s paid. And lastly, scammers will pose as being from the VA in order to try to get medical and healthcare information from the victim.

  [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyG7BrXIXWk%5D

  As with most government scams, the ways of prevention remain the same. If the government really needs to get a hold of you they will more than likely contact you by mail. The government will also never ask for payment over the phone through wire transfer or gift cards. Those are tools of choice used in most scams today. And as always, if you receive one of these calls and you may believe that there is an issue with one of these agencies, hang up and call the agency back at their proper phone number.

   
• 

  Geebo 8:00 am on October 2, 2019 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: malware ( 25 ), military ( 11 ), phishing ( 73 ), veterans   

  Malware attack targets veterans 

  

  Most online scams and attacks tend to target vulnerable groups of people such as the elderly, low-income families, and those in desperate need of a home. This new attack is no different, however, it’s targeting a group of people who have not only served their country but often find themselves needing resources more so than many other members of society. We’re of course talking about military veterans. Some of them are dealing with enough problems without having to deal with scammers and other bad actors but unfortunately, there are always people looking to take advantage of a bad situation.

  A number of internet security firms have reported that there is a malware attack floating around that targets veterans who are looking for employment. The veterans are lured to a site that resembles one run by the US Chamber of Commerce that is supposed to help veterans find work. Instead, this phony website infects the user’s computer with malware that is designed to steal personal that’s kept on the device. While it has not been determined what specific information is being stolen one can imagine the myriad of scams that information could be used for especially when it concerns someone who may be receiving government benefits or assistance. Sadly, this isn’t the only scam that targets veterans.

  [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryjbgmD4Z2o%5D

  Another scam that veterans should be on the lookout for is the benefit buyout scam as shown in the video above. There are also scams promising refinancing on VA loans with bogus promises of low rates along with phishing attacks from phony emails that appear to be from the VA. That’s in addition to employment scams that are identical to the ones civilians fall prey to but in this case, they are specifically targeted at vets. If an offer sounds too good to be true it is recommended that you check with your local VA office for additional information.

   
• 

  Geebo 10:16 am on December 5, 2018 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: employment ( 33 ), Facebook ( 173 ), scam ( 22 ), veterans   

  Facebook slips as the top place to work as a Facebook scam targets veterans 

  

  In a follow-up to yesterday’s post about Facebook employees looking to leave the company, Glassdoor released their 2019 rankings of the best places to work. Facebook has fallen hard from its number one perch sliding all the way down to number seven. While it’s still in the top ten of the best places to work in the country, its decline on Glassdoor’s list shows that worker’s attitudes toward the company have definitely shifted in a less than positive way. Facebook was supplanted at the top of the list by consulting firm Bain and Company.

  In other news, a scam has arisen on Facebook that is indicative of its ongoing fight with foreign agitators. WIRED is reporting that foreign entities are posing as various US veterans groups in order to provoke outrage among veterans. As has been Facebook’s usual response to matters like this, Facebook has only been shutting down these scam pages when they’ve been notified by a legitimate veterans organization although the process took months. The scam pages seem to be largely targeting veterans who served during the Vietnam War. The scammers seem to be targeting Vietnam vets due to their age and are hoping that the vets are not savvy internet users. Unfortunately, a number of these scam pages continued to stand because Facebook said that the page did not violate their ever-vague community standards.

  What can be said about this latest Facebook faux pas that hasn’t been said about the others? Again, this latest scam shows that Facebook seems to thrive on controversy and outrage in order to keep their users engaged on the platform by any means necessary. In this day and age where the average Facebook users use the platform to obtain their news, they can almost hardly be blamed for buying into the misinformation since they’re inundated by it on an almost constant basis. If Facebook isn’t willing to help those who have served our country then who are they out to help besides themselves?

   
• 

  Geebo 11:12 am on November 11, 2016 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: veterans, Veterans Day ( 2 )   

  Honoring our veterans on Veterans Day 

  

  Today, as I’m sure you know, is Veterans Day. It was originally known as Armistice Day to celebrate the ending of World War I. In the US, it was later changed to Veterans Day to honor all the veterans who fought in all US wars.

  According to the US Census there are 18.8 million veterans in the US today. A number of them need assistance with mental healthcare due to PTSD and too many of them are currently homeless.

  Maybe this year, especially with the amount of division in our country right now, we should pledge to do more to help our veterans, not just for one day, but all year round. Volunteer, or donate, or do what you can to help our veterans who are in need of assistance.

  As civilians we should be more than happy to assist those who fought for our country and need our help. They have given so much and gotten so little in return where they should be on our minds all year-long.