[On-going Scams - Post them here]

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Dottie57
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Dottie57 »

Are there scammers out there who pray on people who have lst a relative lately? Got a call indicating my dad was behind in paying maintenance on his timeshare. Dad has dementia for 10 years, mom was constantly with him and asked if he wanted a timeshare he would have said “what is a timeshare?”
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LadyGeek
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by LadyGeek »

Absolutely. It's just a name on a mailing list. My Mom is still getting mail addressed to her deceased husband (my Dad) who passed away several years ago. The funny part is that she moved and is getting mail addressed to my Dad at her new address.
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dratkinson
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by dratkinson »

Mentioned that I'd had a call from a scammer who said I'd been over-charged and they wanted to give back the money. Told them to keep the money... which confused them. I hung up and thought nothing more about it. But, have since learned more about what I missed by not playing their game. Most interesting.


See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrKW58M ... =MarkRober

YouTuber explains how scam works to con victims out of $20K, each. And how he worked with law enforcement to catch some of them.

Scam methodology. Scammer tells victim they were overcharged, allows victim to enter repayment information, then makes victim believe they entered a repayment amount that was too much, and pressures victim to mail immediate cash repayment.

--Assume scammer says victim was overcharged $200 and payment will be withdrawn from bank in a few days.
--Asks victim to grant access to victim's PC so he can "see" that money was refunded.
--With access granted, scammer asks victim to bring up bank account to see if $200 charge has been withdrawn from bank. "Not yet, good. I will allow you to enter your refund information to keep your bank account safe... no one will see your information but you."
--"For your security", asks victim to input repayment information into scammer's fake refund form.
--Victim inputs $200 into fake refund form---it's a simple text file, does absolutely nothing, but distracts victim and wastes time. (Scammer needs the time for next step.)
--While victim is busy with do-nothing refund form, scammer is busy editing a copy of victim's account display, to show victim mistakenly entered a $20,000 refund (not a $200 refund).
--After victim is done and has submitted the fake refund form, scammer then shows victim the edited copy of bank account display with a fake $20K deposit and new account balance. (It's not real bank account screen; it's the copy the scammer edited to show a fake deposit transaction and new balance.)
--Scammer pretends to be shocked! "What did you do? You took $20K, not $200! I'll lose my job! My family will lose our house! My children will starve! You must repay the money immediately. The refund form that you submitted only sends money to you, it does not go the other way to protect your account! You must mail $19,800 in cash to me so I will not lose my job."
--And good-hearted victims do.

YouTuber says this scam is worth $20B/yr. :shock:

Glad I told them to keep the money.
d.r.a., not dr.a. | I'm a novice investor; you are forewarned.
Barsoom
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Barsoom »

I just got a bunch of the latest variant of the erroneous order scam. This time, it's virus protection software. You're supposed to call them to dispute the order.
Email Subject: Order Acknowledgement
Dear Customer,
Thank you for choosing McAfee. we are reaching out to remind you that your McAfee Antivirus. Service is expired and Auto Renewed today. We would thank you for the Complication of 12 Months McAfee - Antivirus plan.
We auto renewed your plan and charged $349.99 against your account. We understand that you are busy hence could not get through to you when we tried to contact you.
Invoice No GS147AER45A
Invoice Amount USD 349.99
Issue Date April,28,2020
Expiration Date April,29,2023
For any query /support or to cancel the subscription and to report disputes please call us at our
Helpline Number: +1(940) 226-1799
Also in case of any proven dispute you may have your full Refund.
Thank you,
McAfee Antivirus Support
Helpline Number: +1(940) 226 -1799
McAfee Antivirus Support
Address:- 72 Down Town St. Los Angeles, CA 70001
This Email Is being sent by McAfee to the customer as they had subscribed to our newsletter services
Welcome to McAfee These terms and conditions outline the rules and regulations for the use of
Email Subject: PAYMENT INVOICE


Invoice Number – MCTQ6467598
Product Issue Date Expiration Date Qty Amount
McAfee Security 360 Plan April, 20, 2021 April, 19 2026 1 $499.99
PC Solution
3856 Raleigh Street 2nd Lane
Miami, Florida
33101-129

We are an associate of the McAfee Support.

You are important:-
In case of any dispute or query or to cancel the subscription please reach out to our support team @ toll free
+1 (518) 467-2399 / +1 (518) 467-2399 and get a full refund. Please note you have 24 hours to report a dispute.
Thank You.
McAfee Support
#PCSolutions_FirewallTeam#
-B
Barsoom
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Barsoom »

Also, I just received the latest version of the Nigerian Prince scam.
Email Subject: From Mr. Fitzpatrick D. Moore

Fitzpatrick D. Moore.
#5 Catherine Pa,
Westminster,
London SW1E 6DY,
United Kingdom (UK).
--------@-----.---

Dear Beloved,

I am Mr.Fitzpatrick D. Moore from Ireland, a contractor in both USA,Canada,Norway and London, lived in Norway for 26years and currently residing in London United Kingdom (UK),. I am 75 years old. I was browsing and I saw your e-mail So I decided to write you if your e-mail is still active. Please accept my apology for this unsolicited contact, I have been diagnosed with Lung cancer. It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live. I am very rich, but was never generous; I have given most of my assets to my immediate family members.

My health condition has gotten worse and just two weeks ago my doctor informed me that my condition has reach a critical stage, and that I have just 3 months left. This confirmation is from my doctor and still a devastating news; it is hard to know that you have just a little time left to live here. After the doctor’s medical pronunciation that I have just few months to live, I decided to divide my wealth to contribute to your country where as a contractor made lots of money. I want to assist you with the funds to do great charity works in your country, this is my last wish. I selected you after searching few websites; I prayed and God led me to you.

I have decided to give alms to charity organizations. I cannot do this myself anymore because of my health. I once asked members of my family to give some money to charity organizations, they refused and kept the money. I have a huge cash deposit of (US$5.6M) Five Million six hundred thousand united states dollars with a Diplomatic Finance Management Company (DFMC) in United State of America (USA). I will want you to help me collect this deposit and dispatch it to charity organizations. You will take out 10% of these funds for your assistance to help me disburse this fund to charities and 90% for the charity project.

Do let me know if you will be able to handle this fund and use it for the said purpose so that I will inform the Diplomatic Finance Management Company (DFMC) in United State of America (USA) on my decision. Reply to me using (--------@-----.---). Please reply to my mail for more details on how to claim this Gift.

I will like you to acknowledge the receipt of this e-mail as soon as possible and treats with absolute confidentiality and sincerity.

Peace of the Lord be with you and family.

Thank you.

Best Regards,
Fitzpatrick D. Moore
-B
likegarden
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by likegarden »

For years every few months we got Emails from a scammer who lists Key-Bank. That Email states that Key Bank has problems with my account and they need to talk about that. But since we do not have Key-Bank accounts, I deleted that Email. But recently I wrote the person back, that we do not have Key Bank accounts.

So now we got another Email in layout similar to the Key Bank Email. (they did not know how to spell), this time from "Welmart" <sendername@charter.net> stating Fraud Protection Services : Dear Walamrt Customer, etc. my card (did not show which credit card) was used for 2 Walmart E-Gifts, and they Declined.
They asked : Do you recognize each transaction listed above? and asked to press YES or NO.
We expect to get these scam Emails continuously, but will delete them.
Mudpuppy
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Mudpuppy »

Barsoom wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:21 am Also, I just received the latest version of the Nigerian Prince scam.
I got a good, sensible chuckle out of that letter starting with "Dear Beloved" and the phrase "defiled all forms of medical treatment" (I'm sure they meant defied, but defiled adds just the perfect bit of additional humor).

My latest issue is with the legal businesses with scammy business practices, namely the door-to-door "independent" gas contractors are out in force this week. They've knocked on my door three times so far this week. How they are still allowed to legally operate in California with their business model (using various scammy techniques to switch your gas account over to their overpriced contract) is beyond me.
66Sally
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by 66Sally »

Very stressful evening - my mom called to say she had a very busy day. Someone called her from America Express ( a very helpful, nice fellow) who said that someone from China has hacked her AE account and her bank account. This helpful fellow told her to protect her money by buying $6,000 in gift cards to protect her AE account and $4,000 in gift cards to protect her bank account. She needed to do this within the next three hours. He remained on her cell phone while she bought the gift cards. She read the scratch off numbers from the purchased gift cards in the parking lot of the stores. $10,000 gone. All the gift cards now have zero balances. I checked. My father just died in Feb 2021. I hope there is a special place reserved in H$@## for these scammers.
GreenGrowTheDollars
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by GreenGrowTheDollars »

I'm so sorry, 66Sally. You are right, there is a special place in Hell for them.

Maybe your mom would let you block calls from callers not in her address book? That's one way to avoid a lot of fraud.
squirm
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by squirm »

We tell our parents to immediately call one of us kids whenever money is involved that's over $500.
mr_brightside
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by mr_brightside »

pretending to be 'from Microsoft'

of course they wanted to be paid with Gift Cards... out $14,000

https://jocoreport.com/77-year-old-woma ... -of-14000/

------------------------------------------
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Stinky
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Stinky »

66Sally wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 9:28 pm Very stressful evening - my mom called to say she had a very busy day. Someone called her from America Express ( a very helpful, nice fellow) who said that someone from China has hacked her AE account and her bank account. This helpful fellow told her to protect her money by buying $6,000 in gift cards to protect her AE account and $4,000 in gift cards to protect her bank account. She needed to do this within the next three hours. He remained on her cell phone while she bought the gift cards. She read the scratch off numbers from the purchased gift cards in the parking lot of the stores. $10,000 gone. All the gift cards now have zero balances. I checked. My father just died in Feb 2021. I hope there is a special place reserved in H$@## for these scammers.
What a horrible, horrible thing to happen to your mother.

I’m sorry for her. And for you.
Retired life insurance company financial executive who sincerely believes that ”It’s a GREAT day to be alive!”
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RickBoglehead
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by RickBoglehead »

66Sally wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 9:28 pm Very stressful evening - my mom called to say she had a very busy day. Someone called her from America Express ( a very helpful, nice fellow) who said that someone from China has hacked her AE account and her bank account. This helpful fellow told her to protect her money by buying $6,000 in gift cards to protect her AE account and $4,000 in gift cards to protect her bank account. She needed to do this within the next three hours. He remained on her cell phone while she bought the gift cards. She read the scratch off numbers from the purchased gift cards in the parking lot of the stores. $10,000 gone. All the gift cards now have zero balances. I checked. My father just died in Feb 2021. I hope there is a special place reserved in H$@## for these scammers.
Very sad.

This is why as parents age the children should make an attempt at some point to get the parents to agree to let them monitor financial transactions. Very delicate subject, and met with resistance and indignation (especially on this forum), but this is an example of where if the child got alerts for bank account and/or credit card transactions, a $10,000 withdrawal would have likely been noticed.

Alerts can be setup based on dollar amounts so that normal transactions aren't communicated. And, it doesn't require the monitoring person from having any access to the accounts, assuming the parent does the setup.
Avid user of forums on variety of interests-financial, home brewing, F-150, EV, home repair, etc. Enjoy learning & passing on knowledge. It's PRINCIPAL, not PRINCIPLE. I ADVISE you to seek ADVICE.
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RickBoglehead
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by RickBoglehead »

likegarden wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 1:56 pm For years every few months we got Emails from a scammer who lists Key-Bank. That Email states that Key Bank has problems with my account and they need to talk about that. But since we do not have Key-Bank accounts, I deleted that Email. But recently I wrote the person back, that we do not have Key Bank accounts.

So now we got another Email in layout similar to the Key Bank Email. (they did not know how to spell), this time from "Welmart" <sendername@charter.net> stating Fraud Protection Services : Dear Walamrt Customer, etc. my card (did not show which credit card) was used for 2 Walmart E-Gifts, and they Declined.
They asked : Do you recognize each transaction listed above? and asked to press YES or NO.
We expect to get these scam Emails continuously, but will delete them.
That was a mistake. Marking the email SPAM, without opening it (since you don't have Key Bank accounts) is the right action to take. Your action merely allowed the scammer to mark your email address with a code akin to "fresh meat". This means your email address will fetch more money when it's sold to others, and will result in more activity in the future, as you noted. NEVER RESPOND.
Avid user of forums on variety of interests-financial, home brewing, F-150, EV, home repair, etc. Enjoy learning & passing on knowledge. It's PRINCIPAL, not PRINCIPLE. I ADVISE you to seek ADVICE.
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RickBoglehead
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by RickBoglehead »

Barsoom wrote: Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:21 am Also, I just received the latest version of the Nigerian Prince scam.
Email Subject: From Mr. Fitzpatrick D. Moore

-B
From the email subject you knew it was SPAM. Don't open it. Did you know that you opening the email is sent back as an "action"? You then are marked as "likely to open" by the scammer for future activity?
Avid user of forums on variety of interests-financial, home brewing, F-150, EV, home repair, etc. Enjoy learning & passing on knowledge. It's PRINCIPAL, not PRINCIPLE. I ADVISE you to seek ADVICE.
neilpilot
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by neilpilot »

RickBoglehead wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 10:14 am
66Sally wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 9:28 pm Very stressful evening - my mom called to say she had a very busy day. Someone called her from America Express ( a very helpful, nice fellow) who said that someone from China has hacked her AE account and her bank account. This helpful fellow told her to protect her money by buying $6,000 in gift cards to protect her AE account and $4,000 in gift cards to protect her bank account. She needed to do this within the next three hours. He remained on her cell phone while she bought the gift cards. She read the scratch off numbers from the purchased gift cards in the parking lot of the stores. $10,000 gone. All the gift cards now have zero balances. I checked. My father just died in Feb 2021. I hope there is a special place reserved in H$@## for these scammers.
Very sad.

This is why as parents age the children should make an attempt at some point to get the parents to agree to let them monitor financial transactions. Very delicate subject, and met with resistance and indignation (especially on this forum), but this is an example of where if the child got alerts for bank account and/or credit card transactions, a $10,000 withdrawal would have likely been noticed.

Alerts can be setup based on dollar amounts so that normal transactions aren't communicated. And, it doesn't require the monitoring person from having any access to the accounts, assuming the parent does the setup.
While I agree with you're advice, my limited experience with alerts set up on our checking account hasn't been good. I set up an alert for transactions above $5k, and they go out via both text & emails. Unfortunately the alert is issued the following day. By then in 66Sally's example the damage would have been done.
Colorado Guy
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Colorado Guy »

Am not sure if this is legitimate or not.

Received a physically mailed card from BCBSsettlement.com, a Blue Cross Blue Shield Settlement org, stating that BCBS overcharged for some period ($2.7 BILLION), and saying I could join the group being represented by this team so I could get what's coming to me! Going online one has to enter personal information just to get a form, and I am reluctant to be added to a junk mail list (at the very least).

If this is legit, and they know I had BCBS for part of that period, why do I need to respond? I received something like this decades ago regarding working with asbestos claims, didn't join that one either. Now, a bit older and not much smarter (but a little bit), I am inclined just to throw this away, as I am skeptical to say the least.

Any insight would be appreciated, otherwise this card goes into the recycle bin in a day or so.
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RickBoglehead
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by RickBoglehead »

Colorado Guy wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 12:43 pm Am not sure if this is legitimate or not.

Received a physically mailed card from BCBSsettlement.com, a Blue Cross Blue Shield Settlement org, stating that BCBS overcharged for some period ($2.7 BILLION), and saying I could join the group being represented by this team so I could get what's coming to me! Going online one has to enter personal information just to get a form, and I am reluctant to be added to a junk mail list (at the very least).

If this is legit, and they know I had BCBS for part of that period, why do I need to respond? I received something like this decades ago regarding working with asbestos claims, didn't join that one either. Now, a bit older and not much smarter (but a little bit), I am inclined just to throw this away, as I am skeptical to say the least.

Any insight would be appreciated, otherwise this card goes into the recycle bin in a day or so.
It is 100% legitimate.

If you never respond to be part of the class, you'll receive nothing.

viewtopic.php?t=346367

https://www.bcbssettlement.com/
Avid user of forums on variety of interests-financial, home brewing, F-150, EV, home repair, etc. Enjoy learning & passing on knowledge. It's PRINCIPAL, not PRINCIPLE. I ADVISE you to seek ADVICE.
SerenityBlue
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by SerenityBlue »

Colorado Guy wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 12:43 pm Am not sure if this is legitimate or not.

Received a physically mailed card from BCBSsettlement.com, a Blue Cross Blue Shield Settlement org, stating that BCBS overcharged for some period ($2.7 BILLION), and saying I could join the group being represented by this team so I could get what's coming to me! Going online one has to enter personal information just to get a form, and I am reluctant to be added to a junk mail list (at the very least).

If this is legit, and they know I had BCBS for part of that period, why do I need to respond? I received something like this decades ago regarding working with asbestos claims, didn't join that one either. Now, a bit older and not much smarter (but a little bit), I am inclined just to throw this away, as I am skeptical to say the least.

Any insight would be appreciated, otherwise this card goes into the recycle bin in a day or so.
Its legit if you search online. My wife received the same card but I believe she's not eligible as her plan was a government plan. I thought this was common for lawsuit settlements where the less people who claim means more money for the lawyers and other claimants depending how the settlement rules were crafted?

https://www.nj.com/news/2021/04/heres-h ... ement.html
https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/ ... c16a9bbf7d
Colorado Guy
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Colorado Guy »

RickBoglehead wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 12:49 pm
Colorado Guy wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 12:43 pm Am not sure if this is legitimate or not.

Received a physically mailed card from BCBSsettlement.com, a Blue Cross Blue Shield Settlement org, stating that BCBS overcharged for some period ($2.7 BILLION), and saying I could join the group being represented by this team so I could get what's coming to me! Going online one has to enter personal information just to get a form, and I am reluctant to be added to a junk mail list (at the very least).

If this is legit, and they know I had BCBS for part of that period, why do I need to respond? I received something like this decades ago regarding working with asbestos claims, didn't join that one either. Now, a bit older and not much smarter (but a little bit), I am inclined just to throw this away, as I am skeptical to say the least.

Any insight would be appreciated, otherwise this card goes into the recycle bin in a day or so.
It is 100% legitimate.

If you never respond to be part of the class, you'll receive nothing.

viewtopic.php?t=346367

https://www.bcbssettlement.com/
Fast response, thank you! And color me surprised! :shock: After reading the referenced thread, I am pondering whether to file an application and then wait anxiously for my (potential) $ 0.02 reimbursement! :oops:
RetiredAL
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by RetiredAL »

RickBoglehead wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 12:49 pm
Colorado Guy wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 12:43 pm Am not sure if this is legitimate or not.

Received a physically mailed card from BCBSsettlement.com, a Blue Cross Blue Shield Settlement org, stating that BCBS overcharged for some period ($2.7 BILLION), and saying I could join the group being represented by this team so I could get what's coming to me! Going online one has to enter personal information just to get a form, and I am reluctant to be added to a junk mail list (at the very least).

If this is legit, and they know I had BCBS for part of that period, why do I need to respond? I received something like this decades ago regarding working with asbestos claims, didn't join that one either. Now, a bit older and not much smarter (but a little bit), I am inclined just to throw this away, as I am skeptical to say the least.

Any insight would be appreciated, otherwise this card goes into the recycle bin in a day or so.
It is 100% legitimate.

If you never respond to be part of the class, you'll receive nothing.

viewtopic.php?t=346367

https://www.bcbssettlement.com/
IMO, usually the only people that receive anything meaningful in most of these lawsuits, are the lawyers.
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RickBoglehead
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by RickBoglehead »

Colorado Guy wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 1:03 pm
Fast response, thank you! And color me surprised! :shock: After reading the referenced thread, I am pondering whether to file an application and then wait anxiously for my (potential) $ 0.02 reimbursement! :oops:
RetiredAL wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 1:47 pm IMO, usually the only people that receive anything meaningful in most of these lawsuits, are the lawyers.
I won't disagree that these lawsuits enrich lawyers, and that many should not be even brought(?).

Here's a list of my settlements since 2004, and it is not complete. I also received hundreds of dollars in several class action lawsuits over stocks (I remember an AOL one), and at least one over airplane ticket prices. Couldn't find them in a quick Quicken search...

Meaningful? $55.53 for 15 minutes work. $98.72? You gotta pay to play.

Note - I have never filed in a class action lawsuit that I was not in the class, which is easy for people to do, as many don't require proof.

2/2004 - computer CD class action - $13.86
12/2009 - Memory class action - $11.31
5/2011 - riding mower class action - $21.84
5/2011 - lawnmower class action - $10.19
12/2011 - foreign transaction fees class action - $18.04
8/2016 - Kasha class action - $55.53
2/2017 - Verizon Wireless class action - $13.53
4/2019 - Verizon Wireless class action (additional payment) - $2.87
8/2019 - Magazine class action - $98.72
Avid user of forums on variety of interests-financial, home brewing, F-150, EV, home repair, etc. Enjoy learning & passing on knowledge. It's PRINCIPAL, not PRINCIPLE. I ADVISE you to seek ADVICE.
RetiredAL
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by RetiredAL »

RickBoglehead wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 5:02 pm
Colorado Guy wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 1:03 pm
Fast response, thank you! And color me surprised! :shock: After reading the referenced thread, I am pondering whether to file an application and then wait anxiously for my (potential) $ 0.02 reimbursement! :oops:
RetiredAL wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 1:47 pm IMO, usually the only people that receive anything meaningful in most of these lawsuits, are the lawyers.
I won't disagree that these lawsuits enrich lawyers, and that many should not be even brought(?).

Here's a list of my settlements since 2004, and it is not complete. I also received hundreds of dollars in several class action lawsuits over stocks (I remember an AOL one), and at least one over airplane ticket prices. Couldn't find them in a quick Quicken search...

Meaningful? $55.53 for 15 minutes work. $98.72? You gotta pay to play.

Note - I have never filed in a class action lawsuit that I was not in the class, which is easy for people to do, as many don't require proof.

2/2004 - computer CD class action - $13.86
12/2009 - Memory class action - $11.31
5/2011 - riding mower class action - $21.84
5/2011 - lawnmower class action - $10.19
12/2011 - foreign transaction fees class action - $18.04
8/2016 - Kasha class action - $55.53
2/2017 - Verizon Wireless class action - $13.53
4/2019 - Verizon Wireless class action (additional payment) - $2.87
8/2019 - Magazine class action - $98.72
Glad to hear you think you got some value from them.

My experience has been mostly around stock valuation shakedowns, mostly relating my Dad's Trust's Brokerage Account. It used to be a managed account, so almost all stocks were qty 5 to 30 each for a couple dozen symbols. I don't think that in the 10 years I oversaw it, that it never once had a 50 share lot. So when I get a notice that there is a proposed settlement relating to "T" for up to 20 cents a share, and the account once held 20 shares of "T", I don't get very excited and the notice gets placed in the circular file.

One time years ago, I did nibble over a Samsung C/A for up to something around $40 per phone. We had 2. A few years later, we received a settlement check for around $10 total. IMO, the whole racket is near to being a scam in itself.

So today, just say no thanks. Maybe one will come along that's worth more than my effort needed to research the data needed for filing, but I'm not holding my breath.

Speaking of real scams, we got one of those IRS ENFORCEMENT calls today. A real person for once, but the heavy foreign accent is a give-away.
RetiredAL
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by RetiredAL »

One thing I personally grateful about relating to scams against elder people - I no long worry about my Dad.

When my elder Dad went to Assisted Living, he chose not to move his phone. I get a copy of any left messages. Being in Assisted, he had no need for his checkbook or credit cards. For his E-mail, I wrote spam filter rules that blocked some from showing in his in-box, but there were always leakers. But I took his accounts book, so he couldn't get confused into trying to logon to something. Today, he no longer even checks his e-mail - that is good. When I visit him, I read to him anything important.

I daily review his E-mail and at least once a week he still get a bank account alert, Amazon alert, or similar purporting to be an account alert. Up to about a year ago, he still checked his e-mail and was getting 5 to 10 of these each week. He generally opened these messages, so the scammers got notice they had a live address. For the last year, I totally ignore them and delete them, and the number has dropped off considerably. But that decline took a long time to happen. Once on someone's list, that list gets recycled back around and around.

It's hard so see a parent decline, but it's good to know he's protected from external abusers.

My empathy goes out to the child whose mother got scammed out of $20K. It's sad that we have to worry about our elders this way.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by neilpilot »

RetiredAL wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 6:45 pm

Glad to hear you think you got some value from them.

My experience has been mostly around stock valuation shakedowns, mostly relating my Dad's Trust's Brokerage Account. It used to be a managed account, so almost all stocks were qty 5 to 30 each for a couple dozen symbols. I don't think that in the 10 years I oversaw it, that it never once had a 50 share lot. So when I get a notice that there is a proposed settlement relating to "T" for up to 20 cents a share, and the account once held 20 shares of "T", I don't get very excited and the notice gets placed in the circular file.

One time years ago, I did nibble over a Samsung C/A for up to something around $40 per phone. We had 2. A few years later, we received a settlement check for around $10 total. IMO, the whole racket is near to being a scam in itself.

So today, just say no thanks. Maybe one will come along that's worth more than my effort needed to research the data needed for filing, but I'm not holding my breath.

Speaking of real scams, we got one of those IRS ENFORCEMENT calls today. A real person for once, but the heavy foreign accent is a give-away.
Speaking of "stock valuation shakedowns", in 2016 I filed as a "BP Fair Fund" claimant based on a 200 share position. I was surprised 2 years later when I received a check for $1322. :moneybag
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by RetiredAL »

neilpilot wrote: Thu May 13, 2021 7:41 am
RetiredAL wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 6:45 pm

Glad to hear you think you got some value from them.

My experience has been mostly around stock valuation shakedowns, mostly relating my Dad's Trust's Brokerage Account. It used to be a managed account, so almost all stocks were qty 5 to 30 each for a couple dozen symbols. I don't think that in the 10 years I oversaw it, that it never once had a 50 share lot. So when I get a notice that there is a proposed settlement relating to "T" for up to 20 cents a share, and the account once held 20 shares of "T", I don't get very excited and the notice gets placed in the circular file.

One time years ago, I did nibble over a Samsung C/A for up to something around $40 per phone. We had 2. A few years later, we received a settlement check for around $10 total. IMO, the whole racket is near to being a scam in itself.

So today, just say no thanks. Maybe one will come along that's worth more than my effort needed to research the data needed for filing, but I'm not holding my breath.

Speaking of real scams, we got one of those IRS ENFORCEMENT calls today. A real person for once, but the heavy foreign accent is a give-away.
Speaking of "stock valuation shakedowns", in 2016 I filed as a "BP Fair Fund" claimant based on a 200 share position. I was surprised 2 years later when I received a check for $1322. :moneybag
Good for you!

I see this as an unusual case. It was filed by the SEC protecting investors who were mislead (scammed?) by company statements and was settled for $500+ BILLION. It's not the typical of what I call a "shakedown lawsuit", where no fault was admitted/assigned, where the filing lawyers are doing it mostly for their profit, and the company pays a negotiated settlement to just make it go away".
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Nicolas »

RetiredAL wrote: Wed May 12, 2021 6:45 pm Speaking of real scams, we got one of those IRS ENFORCEMENT calls today. A real person for once, but the heavy foreign accent is a give-away.
The fact that you got a call at all was a dead giveaway, the IRS doesn’t call people on the telephone.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Buford T Justice »

"David" from Publishers Clearing House called and said we won! He just needed us to call back with some our information...

But saw the real winner from Spokane, WA on a commercial a couple of weeks ago...
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Anyone Currently Renting? Scams Galore.

Post by TheAccountant »

[Thread merged into here --admin LadyGeek]

Every time I log onto Craigslist, I feel like there is a new scam out there. With services like Facebook Marketplace and Zillow, I don’t know why I even bother to check Craigslist. Maybe it is for nostalgia’s sake. Either way, it didn’t take long to find a new scam.

I found a house with an attached garage for a reasonable price. The ad looked legitimate, although there were only five pictures (red flag number one.) I sent the landlord an e-mail to assess the situation.

Red flag number two was when the landlord asked me to communicate using another e-mail address. I forwarded my initial inquiry to the new e-mail address and waited for a reply.

Two minutes later, the “landlord” replied with the following message:

Image

The “credit score” link goes to a scam site where it asks for your personal information. This is a relatively new craigslist house rental scam. Even though it doesn’t involve a transfer of funds, it still exposes the renter to releasing their confidential personal information.

Here are some others I have encountered over the years.

The Too Good To Be True Scam

This craigslist house rental scam can usually be found with a nice house listed at a ridiculously low price. Most of the time there are only four or five pictures, but sometimes the ad can be more detailed.

When contacting the “landlord,” they’ll usually get back to you and say how much interest there is in the property. They’ll immediately start asking for security deposits and other personal information. Once they have your money and information, they’ll stop responding.

Many times the scammer will use legitimate properties. They will even go as far as telling the tenant that they are OK to move in. Then when the tenant arrives, the house is occupied by the owner and the scam becomes apparent from there.

This happened recently in Jacksonville, Florida.

Middleman/Making Excuses For Owner

This scam starts with the owner of the property being unavailable. They’re either out of the country, sick, or there is some other excuse as to why you cannot communicate with the owner. Instead, the owner’s friend or partner is allegedly renting the property on their behalf.

The renter then pays their deposits and fees, and then the middleman disappears. This can be done by a scammer living anywhere with an internet connection. They will use a fake photo of a nice looking house, then create the scam listing. People who are relocating are targets of this scam because they can’t physically inspect the house before paying the deposit.

Scams Targeting The Landlord

This actually happened to a friend of mine. The scammer will contact the landlord and request to rent the property. They will actually send funds upfront (and fairly quickly) for the security deposit. In my friend’s case, the “renter” sent a fraudulent check.

The “tenant” actually sends too much money and requests a refund for the difference. The check normally takes a few days to bounce, so time is of the essence with this scam. The scammer is hoping that the landlord will refund the money before the check bounces.

Link
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Re: Anyone Currently Renting? Scams Galore.

Post by RedDog »

From a tenants perspective, dealing with an established property manager eliminates a great deal of scam risk.
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Re: Anyone Currently Renting? Scams Galore.

Post by Marseille07 »

Anyone looking for rent on Craigslist is asking for trouble. I'm sure some listings are legitimate, but there are so many scams that it's not worth using the platform.

Apartment.com also has scammy listings. Zillow seemed OK.
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Re: Anyone Currently Renting? Scams Galore.

Post by TheAccountant »

I lucked out in my current property as it was a word of mouth type deal.

I’m shopping around just to see what’s out there. My prior two rentals I found on Zillow with zero issues.

Craigslist is basically a write off at this point.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by LadyGeek »

I merged TheAccountant's thread into the ongoing discussion.

(Thanks to the member who reported the post and provided a link to this thread.)
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Re: Anyone Currently Renting? Scams Galore.

Post by Marseille07 »

TheAccountant wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:28 pm I lucked out in my current property as it was a word of mouth type deal.

I’m shopping around just to see what’s out there. My prior two rentals I found on Zillow with zero issues.

Craigslist is basically a write off at this point.
The trick is to go hit the property manager's site directly. Apartment.com has listings from apartment complexes. If you apply from their site, very low chance to get scammed.

Another option is to find realtor-type people at the remote city who can go take a look and show you around over Zoom. This option costs money, but it's cheaper to pay them than arrange your move & find out your rental property doesn't exist.
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Re: Anyone Currently Renting? Scams Galore.

Post by TheAccountant »

Marseille07 wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 1:18 pm
TheAccountant wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:28 pm I lucked out in my current property as it was a word of mouth type deal.

I’m shopping around just to see what’s out there. My prior two rentals I found on Zillow with zero issues.

Craigslist is basically a write off at this point.
The trick is to go hit the property manager's site directly. Apartment.com has listings from apartment complexes. If you apply from their site, very low chance to get scammed.

Another option is to find realtor-type people at the remote city who can go take a look and show you around over Zoom. This option costs money, but it's cheaper to pay them than arrange your move & find out your rental property doesn't exist.
I actually showed my old rental to the new tenants via Zoom. I hope they didn’t think I was the middleman!
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It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by nrkv »

[Thread merged into here --admin LadyGeek]

Today I’m introducing myself as “hello I’m stupid and I’m a victim of phone scam”.

I got a call yesterday saying that my iPhone is hacked, 32 hackers currently accessing my phone and network and that Apple needs to access my phone. On a normal day that would have been a red alert. But lately I’m getting messages with a missing shipping delivery or some sort of links like that and my VoIP work calls are having lags and vpn drops 10/20 times a day. I myself am suspecting wrong doing and when this call came my IT troubleshooting mode kicked in.

To “prove” that the call is from Apple, they made me do a my email to my phone iTunes purchase and it was blocked. They made me do Walmart gift card order on Walmart app and few minutes later there’s an email from Walmart saying that order can’t continue due to block on purchase. Each time I kept getting text messages saying that Apple customer care has successfully blocked the transactions and that money will be credited back.

They made me download anydesk app to take control of my phone and it actually says Apple Support and Approve. For those of you that doesn’t know the app broadcasts everything you do on phone. Open Bank of America app, zelle transactions and empty the account (text messages keep coming saying it’s being reversed by Apple). I moved from troubleshooting to trusting to panic to volunteering information (“how about this other bank app, has it been hacked? Let me login and show you”) to downright stupid. They made me login to Gmail accounts. They made me drive from store to store to buy gift cards with my credit cards and I kept taking pictures and sending them pins. Text messages keep coming saying that transaction is being reversed. I only stopped because there are no more nearby stores, it became night and I went to “let whatever happen” mode and started yelling. They hung up the phone. It never occurred to me why a trillion dollar company need my money.

Reality hit me immediately. Zelle says it’s almost impossible to get the money back, Amex and discover also say the same because it was me physically at stores and card is not stolen or used online. They all created fraud alerts and froze the accounts.

I changed passwords, reported to FTC.gov, made a police complaint, deleted anydesk app, 1year freeze on credit through experian, asked Schwab to block online login, and thinking of resetting phone.

I know about car warranty, police station needing help, ssn block phone calls etc. but maybe these are new. Writing here to bring awareness to these virtual friends that helped me a lot this year. The damage so far that I’m aware of is $4200. Perhaps not a big deal if I can control the damage but I’m not able to excuse myself since yesterday because I’m not even 50 and actually work in frikking IT.
Other than bringing awareness, my ask here is, is there anything else you suggest me do? And please be gentle :(
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Re: It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by fposte »

Sorry about that. It's amazing how easy it can be in the moment to be misled by your anxiety.

My personal approach is to try to keep abreast of common and new scams (I look at the r/scams subreddit but there are probably other forums); it's easier for me to recognize something as a reported scam than to assess it from the ground up. I'm intending to keep that up as I get older and more vulnerable.

Also, I have a no gift card rule (based on the reading experience). I've never heard of a situation where somebody legitimate needed to be paid that way.

Thanks for sharing. It's easier to fall for these than we'd like to think.
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Re: It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by anon_investor »

Sorry OP. Scammers prey on people by creating a stressful situation and hoping the victim makes a poor decision.

I never pickup unrecognized phone calls anymore, if it is important they will leave me a message.
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Re: It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by Doctor Rhythm »

Instruction to buy gift certificate = scam. Always 100% of the time. Unless it’s coming from my spouse, and even then…
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Re: It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by bluebolt »

There's an ongoing scam thread here on Bogleheads that details a lot of these scams:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=277964

I imagine mods may merge this into that one.

Sorry this happened to you.
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Re: It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by cacophony »

Sorry to hear about this and I hope you're able to get it resolved as best as possible.

As a general rule to avoid these types of scams: Never give anything, whether information or $$$, to somebody that contacts you. If you think they're raising a legitimate concern then you should end the call and reach out to them. For example, if Citibank calls and says they need info, you say "Ok, let me call you back at the official Citibank number". Find the number on the Citibank website and call them. That's the only way to know for sure that you're actually talking to Citibank.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by LadyGeek »

I merged nrkv's thread into the ongoing discussion.

I also removed an off-topic post. As a reminder, see: General Etiquette
At all times we must conduct ourselves in a respectful manner to other posters.
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Re: It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by nisiprius »

nrkv wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:04 pm...To “prove” that the call is from Apple, they made me do a my email to my phone iTunes purchase and it was blocked. They made me do Walmart gift card order on Walmart app and few minutes later there’s an email from Walmart saying that order can’t continue due to block on purchase. Each time I kept getting text messages saying that Apple customer care has successfully blocked the transactions and that money will be credited back...
I'd like to understand exactly what the scam was.

Not blaming you, I really just want to understand.

Exactly what were you asked to do, and why did you think it would "prove" that the call was from Apple?

What did you think was happening? Did they say you should make "test" purchases to troubleshoot the account, and they worked you up gradually from making "test" purchases of iTunes to "test" purchases of gift cards and reading them the card numbers?

And made you think they were "test" purchases, when they were real purchases, by sending you phony email messages they had created themselves, claiming that the purchases would be refunded?
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Re: It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by lgs88 »

nrkv wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:04 pm ...
I know about car warranty, police station needing help, ssn block phone calls etc. but maybe these are new. Writing here to bring awareness to these virtual friends that helped me a lot this year. The damage so far that I’m aware of is $4200. Perhaps not a big deal if I can control the damage but I’m not able to excuse myself since yesterday because I’m not even 50 and actually work in frikking IT.
Other than bringing awareness, my ask here is, is there anything else you suggest me do? And please be gentle :(
Hi, NRKV.

I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you. Being the victim of a crime is upsetting, the more so when you were tricked into being a "participant." I worry about something similar happening to my family members.

I'd suggest taking it up with Walmart and iTunes and anywhere else whence you purchased a gift card. They may be willing to process a refund, either because there are funds remaining on the cards (doubtful if these are professional scammers) or simply as a matter of courtesy/good will.

The second thing I'd suggest is to remember that as time passes, this unpleasant experience will fade in your mind and not make you as queasy as I suspect it does now.

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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by dratkinson »

Fear of phone scams is why, when I bought my (first) phone, last year... I decided it would only be used for phone calls (to replace missing pay phones) and for map directions (to replace missing paper phone books and maps I use to keep in car). All financial matters are handle by another route.

I too do not understand how scam worked. But would like to know.


So far the worst scams I've experienced have been from my worthless brother. (I stopped counting at $100K.) The memory does fade with time. But it does leave one with a health dose of "skepticism".

Sorry for your loss.
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nrkv
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Re: It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by nrkv »

nisiprius wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 4:14 pm
nrkv wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:04 pm...To “prove” that the call is from Apple, they made me do a my email to my phone iTunes purchase and it was blocked. They made me do Walmart gift card order on Walmart app and few minutes later there’s an email from Walmart saying that order can’t continue due to block on purchase. Each time I kept getting text messages saying that Apple customer care has successfully blocked the transactions and that money will be credited back...
I'd like to understand exactly what the scam was.

Not blaming you, I really just want to understand.

Exactly what were you asked to do, and why did you think it would "prove" that the call was from Apple?

What did you think was happening? Did they say you should make "test" purchases to troubleshoot the account, and they worked you up gradually from making "test" purchases of iTunes to "test" purchases of gift cards and reading them the card numbers?

And made you think they were "test" purchases, when they were real purchases, by sending you phony email messages they had created themselves, claiming that the purchases would be refunded?
It started with the iTunes purchase to show that they are controlling all purchases from Apple side and the error message that transaction cannot go through. Then the Walmart order block is to show that any transactions done on iPhone (even through any app) are blocked from Apple and that I shouldn’t worry. I got an actual email from Walmart that order is blocked, not just phony text message. When I later at night checked with Amex they said that Walmart actually canceled order and that pending charge will be dropped in few days. I don’t know how they were able to do it.

By this time, I have less qualms about downloading anydesk app and making BOA Zelle transactions. With these steps so far we were only able to remove 16 out of 32 hackers. Something like hackers tried these transactions already and by taking same steps and blocking through Apple we were able to remove hackers connected to your phone. For the remaining hackers we need drastic wider purchase attempts to track them.

How I agreed to have them on phone and drive from home to 3 stores, purchasing gift cards, scratching pins, taking pictures and broadcasting through anydesk is like I’m in hypnosis. None of this logically or technically makes sense in hindsight. Why was I so desperate to remove hackers from phone and home network?
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Re: It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by roamingzebra »

nrkv wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:04 pm Other than bringing awareness, my ask here is, is there anything else you suggest me do? And please be gentle :(
I had to stop reading after the first paragraph since I don't use a smart phone, and so can't address iPhone issues and so am just offering general tips, not anything related to your particular issue.

I do everything on a PC vs a phone. I think that helps bring perspective since I'm able to do all normal activities including online purchases without being bothered by a plethora of warning messages. None of my online accounts have my real phone number, so no text messages, but they do have my email address. I rarely get emails except as confirmation notices of an order or that it has shipped or a note of a delayed delivery. I have an alert set up on my credit card account to alert of any charges above some minimal amount - I don't remember the number I put in, but it basically shows all transactions.

Also, whenever an online merchant has an issue with a purchase, they generally won't make me go through hoops except to confirm my computer's identify by turning on javascript (I usually surf with it off). Or on rare occasions they will temporarily block my order. That has happened to me on weekends and I just order the following Monday and all goes fine. (Retailers are becoming increasingly anxious about fraud so are occasionally putting in roadblocks, but none that can't be surmounted by a little patience.)

I think smart phones add complexity and confusion to things since there's so many ways bad actors can contact a person and it's hard to separate out real messages from harmful ones. This route isn't for everyone but remember that just a few years ago nobody used smart phones.

Another thing is that a lesson learned in finances also applies to everday e-commerce life: Don't be greedy. If you get notices indicating free gift cards or free offers of some sort (not that this is your particular issue -- I didn't read far enough to know), ignore them. I mean really, is a free gift of $25 really going to make an impact on your life?! Of course not. All that accepting an offer does is put you on a marketer's list of people that are susceptible to text/email offers and it makes you a spamming target, and your data will be sold, which will result in more spam and fake offers. And the more spam you get, the harder it is to separate real messages from harmful messages from bad actors.

I could go on and on but I think smart phones have complicated things and it's necessary to go back to using them strictly as a tool, give out the minimum of information possible, turn off most "push" messages except ones from your credit company, and so on and so on.
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Re: It turns out that Apple customer care doesn’t call you

Post by StevieG72 »

nrkv wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 2:04 pm [Thread merged into here --admin LadyGeek]

Today I’m introducing myself as “hello I’m stupid and I’m a victim of phone scam”.

I got a call yesterday saying that my iPhone is hacked, 32 hackers currently accessing my phone and network and that Apple needs to access my phone. On a normal day that would have been a red alert. But lately I’m getting messages with a missing shipping delivery or some sort of links like that and my VoIP work calls are having lags and vpn drops 10/20 times a day. I myself am suspecting wrong doing and when this call came my IT troubleshooting mode kicked in.

To “prove” that the call is from Apple, they made me do a my email to my phone iTunes purchase and it was blocked. They made me do Walmart gift card order on Walmart app and few minutes later there’s an email from Walmart saying that order can’t continue due to block on purchase. Each time I kept getting text messages saying that Apple customer care has successfully blocked the transactions and that money will be credited back.

They made me download anydesk app to take control of my phone and it actually says Apple Support and Approve. For those of you that doesn’t know the app broadcasts everything you do on phone. Open Bank of America app, zelle transactions and empty the account (text messages keep coming saying it’s being reversed by Apple). I moved from troubleshooting to trusting to panic to volunteering information (“how about this other bank app, has it been hacked? Let me login and show you”) to downright stupid. They made me login to Gmail accounts. They made me drive from store to store to buy gift cards with my credit cards and I kept taking pictures and sending them pins. Text messages keep coming saying that transaction is being reversed. I only stopped because there are no more nearby stores, it became night and I went to “let whatever happen” mode and started yelling. They hung up the phone. It never occurred to me why a trillion dollar company need my money.

Reality hit me immediately. Zelle says it’s almost impossible to get the money back, Amex and discover also say the same because it was me physically at stores and card is not stolen or used online. They all created fraud alerts and froze the accounts.

I changed passwords, reported to FTC.gov, made a police complaint, deleted anydesk app, 1year freeze on credit through experian, asked Schwab to block online login, and thinking of resetting phone.

I know about car warranty, police station needing help, ssn block phone calls etc. but maybe these are new. Writing here to bring awareness to these virtual friends that helped me a lot this year. The damage so far that I’m aware of is $4200. Perhaps not a big deal if I can control the damage but I’m not able to excuse myself since yesterday because I’m not even 50 and actually work in frikking IT.
Other than bringing awareness, my ask here is, is there anything else you suggest me do? And please be gentle :(
Ouch, they really reeled you in. Sorry this happened to you. This happens all the time, this is the first I have heard of the spin of the perpetrators sending an email claiming the transaction was reversed. I have so many scam calls incoming to my business that the phone is turned off, never answered. Luckily we do not need to talk to customers on the phone, normally vendors call and if I do frequent business with them they have my cell number.
Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.
andypanda
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by andypanda »

Not exactly a scam - maybe - but this past July my brother-in-law received a letter from a collection agency demanding payment for 18 months of cable tv/internet in Va Beach.

Trouble is, he died in Richmond in January, 2020 and hadn't even lived in Va Beach since 10/2019.
My wife sent them a copy of her probate papers and a copy of the death certificate. Weeks later they sent another letter saying they have decided in the interests of them being the kind, helpful, caring people that they are to go ahead write off the debt. Not even an Oops or a Sorry.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by BogleFan510 »

jerryk68 wrote: Tue Aug 18, 2020 2:05 pm Since this pandemic started we have been grounded at home because we push all the buttons for a bad outcome. So being bored, I started answering the approximately 6 scam calls on the house phone that we get a day and I play along with what they are selling. The phone use to be a Verizon number but is now a google voice number. We rarely get scam calls on our cell phones and use the house number as our main contact phone.

The scam callers usually have a recording of the proposal and I only respond if I only have to press #1 or #2 and never call them back. Lower electric cost, lower credit card balance, IRS, Amazon and Microsoft are just few and we even got a call from a person claiming to be my grandson who needed financial help. My goal in answering the calls is to keep them on the phone for as long as possible by saying I needed to go up stairs to get whatever information they request. In the beginning, I would just hang up the phone after 15 or 20 minutes but then I changed my tactics and get back on the phone usually in 3 to 5 minutes later and say I need additional time to get the information but if they call me tomorrow I will waste more of their time. Most times they just hang up but a few times the scammer will make negative comments of my scam.

In the last week or so the number of calls have dropped significantly to a couple last week none so far yesterday and today. I doubt very much that my scamming the scammers is the cause in the slow down of calls but sometime must have happened. Just wondering if others have experienced a similar drop off.
I would strongly recommend not engaging scammers. Many financial firms now use voice recognition as one of their fraud protection measures. Some scammers record your voice saying key phrases and may use this to try to spoof a service providor with a computer generated version of your voice.
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