If you were younger...you'd already be over the hill....it's because you are older that you haven't made it to the top yet! Geeeeez...one step at a time Brother...you'll get there...don't beat yourself up now!
Scam Alert!
- Thread starter Old Rooster
- Start date
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The scammers are getting pretty sophisticated.
I made the reservations for our upcoming travel through AA. They have no direct flight where we're going, so they book us on their sister airline. However, they can't assign the seats. I was told to call the other airline and reserve them.
So, after 4 days I remember to make the seat reservations, off to the other airline's website I went. Clicked on it, it popped up with the site map, including customer service. Clicked that, toll free number came on. So far so good. Reserved the seats. There are fees these days for seats closer to the front, gave them my CC. I received confirmation, complete with the airline logo, flight info, and seat assignments. All is still well..
The following day, I opened the airline website to confirm that indeed our seats are reserved. Sure enough, they were. BUT, it says no fee for us, even seating in their elite section because of my lifetime Gold status with AA.
Then, anger sat in, I am beginning to think I got scammed. So, I called the airline directly and asked why I got charged for the seats when I called. The person asked for the tool free number I called, gave it to her. I was politely told that is not their number.
Hurriedly, I dialed the same number...... ring, ring, ring...
They are slick.
The bad thing on my part, my CU flagged the number initially and asked whether I will authorize the charge. Of course, dummy me, I replied with a big YES.
You authorize the charge, you play hell reversing it from a non existing company.
I made the reservations for our upcoming travel through AA. They have no direct flight where we're going, so they book us on their sister airline. However, they can't assign the seats. I was told to call the other airline and reserve them.
So, after 4 days I remember to make the seat reservations, off to the other airline's website I went. Clicked on it, it popped up with the site map, including customer service. Clicked that, toll free number came on. So far so good. Reserved the seats. There are fees these days for seats closer to the front, gave them my CC. I received confirmation, complete with the airline logo, flight info, and seat assignments. All is still well..
The following day, I opened the airline website to confirm that indeed our seats are reserved. Sure enough, they were. BUT, it says no fee for us, even seating in their elite section because of my lifetime Gold status with AA.
Then, anger sat in, I am beginning to think I got scammed. So, I called the airline directly and asked why I got charged for the seats when I called. The person asked for the tool free number I called, gave it to her. I was politely told that is not their number.
Hurriedly, I dialed the same number...... ring, ring, ring...
They are slick.
The bad thing on my part, my CU flagged the number initially and asked whether I will authorize the charge. Of course, dummy me, I replied with a big YES.
You authorize the charge, you play hell reversing it from a non existing company.
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Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
Right now I'm not doing business with any website that isn't already saved on my computer (or I have an account with) from years ago... It saves the headache of worrying about popup scammers.
Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
The absolute most aggravating aspect is law enforcement has zero desire to deal with scammers. Impossible for them to chase down every little scam which is why it so profitable to the dirtbags. LE just does not have resources to address such a rampant problem. Not to mention so much of it is off shore anyway.
If you are crossing fingers buying the impossible to find product, then you reap what you sow. We just need to be smarter in buying decisions. We all have a defensive posture to protect our family and ourselves but seem to throw that thought process out the window seeing FM215M primers at good price for E money on an unknown website. How does that OMG Got to buy NOW before it is GONE just blow away our sensibilities?
Monday Night Football - C'mon Man!
If you are crossing fingers buying the impossible to find product, then you reap what you sow. We just need to be smarter in buying decisions. We all have a defensive posture to protect our family and ourselves but seem to throw that thought process out the window seeing FM215M primers at good price for E money on an unknown website. How does that OMG Got to buy NOW before it is GONE just blow away our sensibilities?
Monday Night Football - C'mon Man!
It sucks!
cdherman
Well-Known Member
I got my data lost in the Equifax data breach in 2017, IIRC. Had my credit reports locked for years and then unlocked them to help a daughter get an apartment. Place required some parent to have good credit. Failed to re-lock my credit. 3 fraudulent loans taken out in my name in a matter of months. I was never notified by the stupid online lenders, who allowed "completely electronic loans" -- fraudster was using a yahoo email that was indeed my name. Just not me. They never ever sent a SINGLE piece of snail mail to my address. Which the fraudster had correctly given, since otherwise, the credit report would have noted "issues"......
Blame is partly on institutions that are too lazy to make sure that loan applicants are legit. And banks that allowed parties to set up accounts without legit ID. The fraudulent money left the USA in my case via a very well known bank, but the account was fraudulent.
In the end, a local police investigator did a LOT of work, filed affidavits and subpoenaed information from the banks and lenders involved. Kept me in the loop in the end, with a phone call when it all was over. No convictions or arrests, but it possible that her efforts might have changed the lazy behavior that the banks and lenders were engaging in that allowed the fraud to happen.
I ended up losing zero dollars. But countless hours of work and learning. Try filing a police report during the heart of COVID when it was all over the phone, and the lender says you have to file paperwork in 5 days. Except the police made you send a check for $1 to their office, and then they would snail mail you the report!!!! In the end, the lenders did not pursue me any further, and my credit history was cleared.
Seriously, if anyone is still reading:
- you can lock, freeze or otherwise render your credit untouchable for ZERO dollars if you are savy and do your research.
And to repeat what others have said. If it sounds too good to be true, well it always is!!!!
scpaul
Well-Known Member
It's not foolproof but I call them in person and if the person that answers has a heavy accent, I ask to speak to a supervisor that my half deaf redneck ears can understand. While all of this is going on I'm listening to the background. I ask for a number that I can call them back after I check on something. I also pay by check or postal money order and get a physical mailing address. I'm sure that I've missed some legitimate deals but atleast the scammers,Inc. Didn't get my info to trade around everytime they come up with a new scam angle.
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Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
Scammers are better every day. Lock your credit, its easy to do. If you are not using VPN, you are at risk. Website must accept CC's. I won't use a site UNLESS I know someone who has used it successfully.
CC's: use EVERY Alert available on your card. You can set the use Alerts to $1.00. Why? CC's are "tested" at low amounts then slammed. I have stopped several attempts through Alerts. Its easy and every bank provides them. USE them!! Simple to do, go to your on-line account with bank and go to Alert menu. You can set usually any amount, I always select low amount.
PSA: when you get Alert your wife bought you birthday gift, prob good idea to keep quiet and be surprised. Just sayin.
Debit cards: obviously NEVER use with PIN on ANY site EVER!!
CC's: use EVERY Alert available on your card. You can set the use Alerts to $1.00. Why? CC's are "tested" at low amounts then slammed. I have stopped several attempts through Alerts. Its easy and every bank provides them. USE them!! Simple to do, go to your on-line account with bank and go to Alert menu. You can set usually any amount, I always select low amount.
PSA: when you get Alert your wife bought you birthday gift, prob good idea to keep quiet and be surprised. Just sayin.
Debit cards: obviously NEVER use with PIN on ANY site EVER!!
In talking to some one over the phone. I hate it when the other person has a heavy accent. I have made a few mad about asking for some one that can speak english clearly. The other is PayPal. I had closed that account in 2018. I still get email even as of today thanking me for purchases and billing my account. This goes on monthly. Nothing has ever come ot if, but still has me wondering. I have written or called PayPal several times. Nothing ever comes about it. I'll NEVER USE PAYPAL EVER AGAIN!
scpaul
Well-Known Member
Computer list.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
Even that can be a problem. I have known a few people who have used Rock Auto for auto parts. I ordered some shocks for the old truck from them, a few days later my cc started getting hit. Someone intercepted the info, even with virus software on my machine. I know there weren't any trackers on my side.
I ended up killing over 30K in credit line because of that and a couple of other things Chase did. I never did get charged for anything, but they sure didn't care that the same cc# was used in multiple states at the same time for brick and mortar things like food and a tire pump. Didn't even notify me to start with...
Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
I stopped using Rock Auto years ago for lot of reasons. If bank Alert does not work, I would be raising Cain with their Fraud Dept. The Alerts work within 3 seconds of any purchase with our cards. I get text within 3 seconds of Retailer, location, amount and date/time. Its truly effective since you can stop pretty much any purchase almost immediately. I have stopped purchases within seconds of notification of purchases in Kali, NYC, and Hong Kong. Just hope they paid money for my CC numbers.
scpaul
Well-Known Member
I don't put any sensitive info on the net via my equipment. It doesn't matter how many consumer grade security programs you have, they are all last weeks news. I do business with some businesses that could get me financially ruined. I make them enter my info on their end because they have newer and more sophisticated security than the average person an afford a d insurance too, i bet. There are alot of the big boys that have their own version of a computer farm. Some even have the real deal. If my info is hacked from them then they are responsible. You dont think that the CC companies re-emburse you out of the goodness of their heart do you? I can't prove the statements that I just made but repeating what you heard second hand isn't admissible as the truth, it's by definition "hear say", right?
What I haven't figured is why as consumers we can't invent the tech to stack security programs instead of them corrupting each other when we load more than 1 security program at a time. I've had it work for a very limited time then their parameters clash. Why did it work for a little bit?
We also have a slush checking account with which we put money into for purchases direct payments and maybe put your name down differently ie:RJJones, Robbie Jones, R. John Jones, etc. And maybe even have different addresses, street p.o.box. It's just my theory that the less commonality that a computer can see between accounts the better off you are.
I haven't been in the office equipment arena since 2008 when they disabled and retired me, so what I'm thinking is probably so far out date that it's laughable.
What I haven't figured is why as consumers we can't invent the tech to stack security programs instead of them corrupting each other when we load more than 1 security program at a time. I've had it work for a very limited time then their parameters clash. Why did it work for a little bit?
We also have a slush checking account with which we put money into for purchases direct payments and maybe put your name down differently ie:RJJones, Robbie Jones, R. John Jones, etc. And maybe even have different addresses, street p.o.box. It's just my theory that the less commonality that a computer can see between accounts the better off you are.
I haven't been in the office equipment arena since 2008 when they disabled and retired me, so what I'm thinking is probably so far out date that it's laughable.
I put in Mcfee a few months ago. I end with two bugs in my computer from them. I had to have it cleaned out. That cost me over $13,000.00 for that little trick. I feel it wasn't so bad, I was told that by the people that cleaned up my computer that a older gal it cost her over $115,000.00. My computer when crazy one moring, when I open up an add. I don't open up adds anymore. I never seen that before. Then a phone call, from back east within a couple of minutes. MY computer was showing a bug at that time. Anyway they worked me around. Now I wear a sign where every I go. STUPID. I can kind of laugh at myself now, Still madder that hell!! They tried again a month or so later. Northwest energy in Montana, somebody was calling everybody about their electic bill wasn't paid and they going to shut down my powder to my place in Montana. They kind of screw that up. Your had two option. hold on the phone, or they will call you back. I took the second option. I was close to home. So I got on the comupter. Looked at my checking account and could see that the bill was paid. They called back on the powder bill. I said I don't think so. They hung up right them. Most everything is on auto deduce, or pay, by me, because of being so many places during the year.
So beware! I would like to say "Hold My Beer". It wouldn't be quick either. Lots of pain too.
So beware! I would like to say "Hold My Beer". It wouldn't be quick either. Lots of pain too.
