Scammer had me going for a while...

[gwraigty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jled317 Be careful immediately calling back using the number on the credit card. A couple in my hometown was recently scammed out of $35000 this way. The original scam caller actually suggested to the couple that they hang up and call back to the number on their bank card. This made them feel secure of course. But the scammer had some way to keep the line open after the couple thought they had hung up. The couple then dialled the number on their bank card, or they thought they had. The scammer was still on the line, and pretended then to be a rep from their bank. He helped the couple transfer their money to a “new account” so it would be safe. The sad part is that the bank won’t reimburse the fraudulently-obtained cash because the customers themselves did the transfer!!

So maybe something else to add to the list of how to keep ourselves "scam-proof" is to wait a length of time before calling. Just enough time for the scammer to get impatient and move on.

[Mdlerth]

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Originally Posted by HadEnuff What do young con artists turn into?

Politicians

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jled317 Be careful immediately calling back using the number on the credit card. A couple in my hometown was recently scammed out of $35000 this way. The original scam caller actually suggested to the couple that they hang up and call back to the number on their bank card. This made them feel secure of course. But the scammer had some way to keep the line open after the couple thought they had hung up. The couple then dialled the number on their bank card, or they thought they had. The scammer was still on the line, and pretended then to be a rep from their bank. He helped the couple transfer their money to a “new account” so it would be safe. The sad part is that the bank won’t reimburse the fraudulently-obtained cash because the customers themselves did the transfer!!

Landlines take a while to actually hangup. Try it yourself, by phoning a friend then say bye but don't put down the phone, if your friend picks up the phone within a couple of seconds the connection will still be there, and you can talk.

I've done it before.

[JohnML]

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Originally Posted by Maidensong My mom, who's 82 and incredibly sharp, recently got a call from someone posing as one of her many grandsons. The conversation went like this: Scammer (in a sad, pitiful tone): Grandma? I need-- My Mom (who knows full well what all her grandsons sound like): Oh! I'm so glad you called, honey. I've been so sick and I'm broke and you need to come take care of me and-- Click It made her day!

If Grandma is on Facebook, there is a good chance she has identified everyone in her family and allows anyone in the world to see her family relationships. Facebook is a scammer's dream. Lots of old people telling every detail of their life to the world.

[COcheesehead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnML If Grandma is on Facebook, there is a good chance she has identified everyone in her family and allows anyone in the world to see her family relationships. Facebook is a scammer's dream. Lots of old people telling every detail of their life to the world.

Add in Ancestry.com for all the maiden names and you're good to go.

[SunBlueSky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mdlerth Politicians

[Palmtree]

It's easy to spoof an incoming call phone number. I read an article that you can buy the app for only $8.99. It allows you to spoof any number you want. White House, IRS, FBI, etc. For a few dollars more it will change your voice to a teenage girl/boy in distress.

It's a strange new world.

[RVplusDog]

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Originally Posted by blueskyk “Call me” I texted. And that was the end of it. But by this time I’m embarrassed to say I had revealed DH and I would be out of town for the weekend. If the scammer knew my name and my priest’s name, did he have the church directory with my address? .

In many cases, your address (and age, relatives, etc) are available online with a simple google search. I tell people that all Crooks need to find your address is your name (if very unusual) or name plus state/town. Please do google yourselves and see what free, publicly available information is out there so that you won’t be surprised if callers know it.

I see RVers all the time that potentially give away the farm by putting up the pretty/friendly signs on their campsite: Gerald & Millie Jacobson, Indiana. Now the crooks know that these two are camping. They can google to find their home address & info about relatives. They could call posing as delivery person from something perishable (Incredible Edibles, etc) & the vacationer might verify they’re not home...

One more online, public gold mine of information for scammers is obituaries. Names, locations, relationships, dates, ages, hobbies, careers: all published with the best of intentions. Scammers can target elderly widowers, posing as old friends from that workplace, church, hobby club. They will know so much, it’d be hard to resist.

Speaking of charities, online information is often not well-protected from small, budget-constrained, volunteer-staffed, or newer organizations. Think about everything from your homeowners association to the golf group: really any time you’ve done or joined something, information might be available online.

Be careful out there!

[COcheesehead]

I assume all my information is known. SS number, address, phone...everything and then I take action and precautions from there.

[JoeWras]

Most road race (running) information ends up online and shows your age.

Tax records are a gold mine since they include actual addresses. Minor celebrities are at risk since many use their real name. (Big celebrities probably put the stuff in a shell corp.) Everyone is at risk if a scammer is willing to dig deeper. Value of home? Neighborhood? What cars you drive?

Basically, your footprint is out there and a profile has been made for you based on your age and gender (easily known), your home value, the type of cars you drive, political affiliation, and much, much more.

[Taxman59]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWras I got a call from my credit card fraud department and told them I need to call back using the number on the back of my card. She said she understood and encouraged me to do so. They won't be belligerent about it. Turns out it was real fraud.

Same thing happened to me. I told the caller I would call the number I had for the CC fraud dept and ask for them by name. They laughed. I called the fraud dept, asked for the person by name and the same person answered the call. They apologized for laughing, but they said I was the first person in a long time who hung up and called them back on the CC listed phone #. They had sent out many warnings about fraudulent "fraud" calls, and people still were willing to give out info to the scammers.

[scrabbler1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taxman59 Same thing happened to me. I told the caller I would call the number I had for the CC fraud dept and ask for them by name. They laughed. I called the fraud dept, asked for the person by name and the same person answered the call. They apologized for laughing, but they said I was the first person in a long time who hung up and called them back on the CC listed phone #. They had sent out many warnings about fraudulent "fraud" calls, and people still were willing to give out info to the scammers.

I assume you didn't call the scammer back re: not really disconnecting from the previous caller!