Well kiddies, it looks like the *ssholes are at it again. My long term readers may recall that I posted one of these 3-4 years ago, about a particularly nasty and effective phone fraud scam. It was geared basically to NV residents, since the fraud kitties used NV Energy to give their scam gravitas.
It was particularly effective because the fraudmeisters had gotten a hold of a machine that not only allowed them to make their phone with any number they wanted, but it also allowed them to create their own header, making it appear that the call came specifically from the real NV Energy. Teri understandably fell for it, and we ended up getting nicked for $400. Life lesson learned.
Well, they’re back at it, and this time the threat is potentially nationwide, so I’m sounding the all call. They don’t apear to have the header capabilities of the last Ma Barker gang, but this is just as bad.
I just received a call on my cell phone that came up as a Spam Risk, so I automatically shunted it to voicemail, and damn if I didn’t get a message, which is unusual for spam calls. The message went something roughly like this;
This is the fraud department at bank of America. We are calling you to advise you of suspicious activity on your Bank of America Visa card. There was a charge of $175 attempted at a Tim Hortons. This transaction was declined, and as a safety measuer we have frozen your credit card. Please contact us at 877-###-##### for further assistance. Thank you.
This is why this scam is so dangerous. It is a cardinal rule for anybody who deals with financial information that they never call you and ask for personal information. If they get you, they explain the situation, and ask you to call them back at the number on the back of your card. If they get voicemail or a machine, again, they request you to call them at the number on the back of your card.
This is an easy trap to fall into, simply because the call purports to come from a toll free number, as is the return contact number they give you.
Simple fix. If someone claiming to be from a bank, merchant, utility or serfice provider calls you and asks for personal or financial information, tell them that you’ll call them back at their posted customer service number. If it’s a message, and you’re concerned, ignore the callback number and call the number on the back of your card.
I worked 8 years in fraud prevention for Zappos, so I have a nose for this sh*t. We have gotten nicked a couple of times over the years with online fraud with our debit card, so Teri has the fraud number in her contacts. One call to BofA confirmed the attempted fraud. In fact this is apparently so widespread that the BofA agent sent her an e-mail with a questionnaire to fill out about the contact.
You peeps are my online family, and I don’t want you to get stung. The maxim of the 21st century is that technology is there to be mastered, and these f*ckers keep finding new ways to master it every day. But as long as you remember one simple principle, Only call the number on the back of the card, then in the immortal words of The Who, We won’t get fooled again!
I thank you for the privilege of your time.
Lol, ty
I got a real doozy from people pretending to be Wells Fargo. They said my debit card had been compromised and this didn’t surprise me because I was part of a nationwide data breach. And I knew that. But what was the killer — are you ready for this? — the guy on the phone wanted to send somebody to the house to pick up my debit card, because they were going to “recycle” it. There’s something precious about a plastic debit card that needs recycling.
I get that older people aren’t supposed to be tech savvy, but if a debit card was made with some precious “chip” as this guy said, I’m sure that would be common knowledge. People would not be chopping up their credit cards any longer. And that’s what I did with mine, with the guy on the phone. I said, “Sorry. Can’t recycle it now. I just cut it with scissors.”
And it’s going to get worse.
I got a text earlier this week with a variation. It was purportedly from my credit union saying there was a charge of $175 at Walgreens. It’s been so many years since I’ve been in a Walgreens I can’t remember but I also haven’t looked them up for any reason online since Covid five years ago. Come to think of it that was the last time I was in one but once I got there for a shot they couldn’t connect with the VA system (like their website said they could do) so I left without getting my shot!
The point is that people need to be on the lookout because whatever asshole(s) are behind this it’s a multi-faceted scam. Sophsticated enough to use different retailers and methods (phone, text and email) trying to suck people in.
I called my credit union to report it. You should check your own several times a week for the next couple of weeks.