Scammers Beware !

[Penwoir]

Here's one to watch out for. 

I was going out the door to take my son to the hospital when my husband answered the phone from our credit card company telling us they could lower our interest rate. My husband was intriged, I was a bit skeptical. However the "bank" then proceeded to tell my husband what our current balance was on our credit card, how much our last payment was and what date we paid it.  I whispered to my husband, "I think it's a scam". He didn't think so in light of the fact that they had all this accurate information.

He continued to talk to the person from the "bank", gave them our credit card number in order that they could transfer our higher credit card balance into a lower credit card account and, as I closed the front door to rush off to the hospital I shouted to my husband... "if it was OUR BANK they would already know what our account number is!!"

When I got back from the hospital my husband told me he'd called the bank, cancelled our credit cards and informed them of the scam.  What we do not know, to this day, is how they already knew what our credit card balance was and how much/what date we last made a payment.   

Shocking eh?

[moon29]

sounds like you followed your intuition and saved u and your family a whole lot of heart ache and trouble good for you.  it is crazy how scammers get your info these days but i do know that when you are the gas pump to make sure you always push credit because they have devices similar to a card reader that if you push debt it steals your number and now they also have your pin.  just something else we have to watch out for each day why cant people just be honest.

[Penwoir]

sounds like you followed your intuition and saved u and your family a whole lot of heart ache and trouble good for you.  it is crazy how scammers get your info these days but i do know that when you are the gas pump to make sure you always push credit because they have devices similar to a card reader that if you push debt it steals your number and now they also have your pin.  just something else we have to watch out for each day why cant people just be honest.

Your're absolutely right!  It's a shame people can't be honest.  I had done a transaction with my bank not just a couple of weeks before over the phone - I can't help but wonder if that started something off - although I don't like to think about it too much because it just gets so daunting how dishonest people are.

Thanks for your reply.

[blondie71]

My Brother had a similar problem.  A (BANK) called him and told him he was over drawn on his account ( I forget how much) anyways they offered him a deal of paying half and they will for give the other half.  So my brother came over with the information the bank was out of New York.  He asked me what he should do and I told him don't do it.  I told him this because he is unable to get a bank account due to bouncing his account and had not had one is over 8 years and he has never been in New York If it was the local banks who turned it over to collection it would be a collection agencies not another bank.  They where trying to get money from him so it was a scam.  Why do people do this?  My brother has a wife and 5 kids he can't afford to be scammed he is smart he should of known better.

[Nancy5]

Good for you! That was SO smart on your part to say they should know the credit card number.  I can understand how your husband might have gone along with it, considering they knew everything else.  Thank God he was fast enough to cancel the credit card before it was too late!  Good for both of you!!

[Falconer02]

Nice.

[bowrunner]

There seems to be so very many crooks out there now and they are very good with computers.

[vickysue]

I received a phone call a few months from some claiming to be my grandson, and that he was in Mexico and needed some money to fix his car so he could get home. Well i knew for a fact where my grandson was. And that was an amount of $1400.00. So i tried to get an address from him, but no, Just wanted me to send it to the post office by western union. Oh after getting over being mad I laughed so hard because he dang sure was not getting a penny from me. Us older folks have to be very careful because the crooks are out there  trying every trick in the book to get money from us. I never give my bank account, credit card numbers out let alone my social securiy number.

[crisstar]

If you paid your bill online, then maybe someone's looking at your internet activity. Make sure you have a secure connection.

[timvolley]

at least you realize that was a scam. You really have to watch what info you give out with new scams every day being played out

[davidh121]

Thieves are becoming much more clever nowadays, which is the reason I'm paranoid on so many more things.  This has unfortunately made me more weary about things that could use a helping hand like certain fundraisers, non-profits and even some homeless I see on the streets.

[oldbuddy]

I only need about 5 or 6 words until I hang up on these idiots.

[meg0694]

Yikes!!  I would never give that info over the phone especially when they are the ones that called you.  Be careful

[springsgardner]

I get a similar call where a recording tells me that my credit card's interest rate could be lowered and that this is the last attempt they are going to make to help me out. Then, they tell me to wait for the next representative. The recording doesn't bother to tell me which credit card issuer it is.

I also get calls from the Windows Department telling me that I have a virus on my computer and that they are calling to help. They want me to grant them virtual access to my computer. HA! Not happening

[msmoneybags48]

Good for you.  I had an e-mail from one of my contacts asking for money and asking me to send the money to London.  I know the perswas surprised because I told him to have a Merry Christmas.  After the Christmas holidays, she sent me an e-mail and said her computer had been hacked.