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Strange emails - Identity theft attempt?
Old 11-25-2019, 11:45 AM   #1
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Strange emails - Identity theft attempt?

I received three strange emails from Synchrony Bank this morning. I have an Amazon Store Card through Synchrony Bank but have never used it. I have never applied for an Amazon Credit Builder card or had any other interaction with Synchrony Bank. My credit is frozen at all three major agencies.

(Note: The Amazon Credit Builder is a secured credit card designed for people who are looking to build or rebuild their credit. Once approved for the Amazon Credit Builder, you are required to make a refundable security deposit as collateral to open your credit card account.)

Here are the three emails:

Quote:
A Trial Deposit Has Been Successfully Made to Your AMAZON CREDITBUILDER

Note: This email was sent to you by Synchrony Bank, the issuer of your AMAZON CREDITBUILDER Account. You may receive account servicing emails even if you have requested not to receive marketing offers by email for your AMAZON CREDITBUILDER Account. Synchrony Bank is located at 170 Election Road, Suite 125, Draper, Utah, 84020, USA.

This is an unmonitored email box. Please do not reply to this email.

Head off identity theft before it happens. For more information about identity theft, please visit the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) consumer website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft/.
Quote:
A Trial Deposit Has Been Successfully Made to Your

Note: This email was sent to you by Synchrony Bank, the issuer of your Account. You may receive account servicing emails even if you have requested not to receive marketing offers by email for your Account. Synchrony Bank is located at 170 Election Road, Suite 125, Draper, Utah, 84020, USA.

This is an unmonitored email box. Please do not reply to this email.

Head off identity theft before it happens. For more information about identity theft, please visit the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) consumer website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft/.

Quote:
Action required on your application
(The last email was blank other than the subject)

Anyone else received anything like this? Any idea what's going on?
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Old 11-25-2019, 11:51 AM   #2
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Not yet.
I have in the past gotten emails notifying me of my purchase/transfer of money, which I didn't do, and the links were fake scam sites.

Have you frozen your credit at the big 3 credit sites so it's harder for someone to open credit in your name ?
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Old 11-25-2019, 11:52 AM   #3
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Could be an email error by the bank. The fact that you have a card account with them already should preclude the credit builder card.
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Old 11-25-2019, 11:57 AM   #4
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Looks like spam to me. I would call synchrony directly to ask them.
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Old 11-25-2019, 12:01 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunset View Post
Have you frozen your credit at the big 3 credit sites so it's harder for someone to open credit in your name ?
Yes (see last sentence of first paragraph).
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Old 11-25-2019, 12:01 PM   #6
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Looks like spam to me. I would call synchrony directly to ask them.
30+ minute wait time on their customer service line...
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Old 11-25-2019, 12:06 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REWahoo View Post
30+ minute wait time on their customer service line...
Perhaps a few other received the same email.


edit - a current discussion on this over at Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfin..._andor_amazon/
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Old 11-25-2019, 12:11 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelB View Post
Perhaps a few other received the same email.

edit - a current discussion on this over at Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfin..._andor_amazon/
Thanks.
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Old 11-25-2019, 12:27 PM   #9
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I received same emails just about an hour ago. I didn't apply for, no link provided to check or confirm.
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Old 11-25-2019, 12:46 PM   #10
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We received these spam emails this morning as well.
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Old 11-25-2019, 12:50 PM   #11
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It's spam.

"A Trial Deposit ..." gives off alarms of The Pigeon Drop.
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Old 11-25-2019, 01:09 PM   #12
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What domain were the senders’ email accounts? That often gives it away as phishing or spam. Most email apps now only show the from as “xyz bank” but if you dig for the complete email address it might say xyzbank.abcd.ru or whatever, instead of the xyzbank.com you would expect. Maybe.
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Old 11-25-2019, 01:21 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REWahoo View Post
I received three strange emails from Synchrony Bank this morning. I have an Amazon Store Card through Synchrony Bank but have never used it. I have never applied for an Amazon Credit Builder card or had any other interaction with Synchrony Bank. My credit is frozen at all three major agencies.

(Note: The Amazon Credit Builder is a secured credit card designed for people who are looking to build or rebuild their credit. Once approved for the Amazon Credit Builder, you are required to make a refundable security deposit as collateral to open your credit card account.)

Here are the three emails:








(The last email was blank other than the subject)

Anyone else received anything like this? Any idea what's going on?
I had an online chat with synchrony bank Amazon credit card group about my same emails. The customer service guy said that it was an “email glitch” and apologized. He said to disregard the emails, and that an email would be sent soon explaining about the glitch.
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Old 11-25-2019, 01:23 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by easysurfer View Post
It's spam.

"A Trial Deposit ..." gives off alarms of The Pigeon Drop.
No, it’s a bank error.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GalaxyBoy View Post
What domain were the senders’ email accounts? That often gives it away as phishing or spam. Most email apps now only show the from as “xyz bank” but if you dig for the complete email address it might say xyzbank.abcd.ru or whatever, instead of the xyzbank.com you would expect. Maybe.
It’s a valid domain synchronybank.com. System error on their part.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelB View Post
Could be an email error by the bank. The fact that you have a card account with them already should preclude the credit builder card.
Exactly!

We also have frozen credit.
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Old 11-25-2019, 01:23 PM   #15
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Delete the emails and don't click on anything in them.

Watch your back for a few months.
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Old 11-25-2019, 01:26 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REWahoo View Post
Yes (see last sentence of first paragraph).
Right, I missed it, starving for lunch...
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Old 11-25-2019, 01:27 PM   #17
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Quote:
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Delete the emails and don't click on anything in them.

Watch your back for a few months.
Could be a real scam, maybe the scammer will come along and post that it's not a scam at all, they personally talked about it with the bank, it's just an email mistake, a correction is forthcoming, and not to be worried.




edit - ok, just kidding...
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Old 11-25-2019, 01:30 PM   #18
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Could be a real scam, maybe the scammer will come along and post that it's not a scam at all, they personally talked about it with the bank, it's just an email mistake, a correction is forthcoming, and not to be worried.
What, me?
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Old 11-25-2019, 01:40 PM   #19
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What, me?
Perish the thought!
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Old 11-25-2019, 01:49 PM   #20
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