The link has changed again today, now they are an HSBC Company cleared by HFD Global Clearing.
Who would we report this scam website to?
I did an FBI Internet Fraud report. Other than that I don't think there's much I can do, since it's a Russian based website. It's not hosted by any reputable and responsive webhost.
On a related note, so I sent in the application although no monies sent.
However they have my parents and my SS #/mother maiden names.
So we all have credit freezes and fraud alerts at the bureaus.
I am not collecting SS yet, but was wondering what risk do my parents have with a potential redirection of SS payments possibly.
I will call the SS offices, but was wondering on thoughts here.
That's a good point, and I guess I'll have to do that too. Although, seriously, I think everybody's SS is out there already. At the same time, by pulling the money back before he got it I probably pissed him off, so I should be safe rather than sorry. And I'll be interested in hearing what SS tells you. We haven't started SS yet, but I've got accounts with the SSA for both of us, so I'm hoping we would be notified of any activity.
And did you click on a link to download the application? If so there may be some nefarious bots already creeping around your computer stealing all kinds of personal information/financial data from you. If you google how to report identity theft, one of first to come up is usa.gov and they take reports on online and international scams. This could be the beginning of a nightmare.
There were no links. That should have been a red flag in itself. You had to call in and request the application, which was emailed to you as a PDF. I did run the PDF through a virus checker, and didn't get anything. So hopefully that's one less thing to have to worry about.
I mentioned earlier the website
www.scam.com but it's just another forum.
All the legit companies they are pretending to be affiliated should have a contact for suspicious activity.
I checked the FDIC list and there was no listing for Community Bank so that may be another checkpoint but obviously that won't work since they are generally claiming affiliation with legit banks.
It's Community Federal Savings Bank. FDIC# is 57129. They're legit, but all they do is hold the account that the victim wires the money to. Then Transferwise has access to that account, and picks up the money from there and sends it overseas.
I got an email from Transferwise saying they would refuse the transaction when they got it. But that was already after I had gotten the money back, so I think it was CFSB that reversed the wire. I spoke to their fraud department yesterday and they put in whatever process they had to deal with these sorts of things. Again, I was lucky I got on it right away, because if I had waited 3.5 hours everything would have been closed and I would have been hosed.
Can I suggest a separate thread for this topic? I wanna hear more but it is OT.
I'd have no problem with that, but I'm not sure it has that much more to be said. Whatever the mods think.