I got a text on my cell phone telling my that some rando cell phone had accessed my Paypal acct and I should click on the link if it wasn’t me.
It said the log in happened in Idaho at 4:14 PM Pacific time.
It was not yet that time.
They can see into the future!!!
I’v been getting random calls, from several unknown numbers, with this robotic message: This is a test call. Time to stay home. Stay safe and stay home.
I’ve received several emails confirming large charges, one was from a student email address at a MA public school district, probably spoofed.
Things like MacAfee, Coinbase, etc., large enough amounts to make you click in outrage, and yet there is not really anything to click. Strange.
Creepy!
Last night I noted a drop in my credit card rating of 40 points. It seemed I had a new card from Best Buy. I was ready to file a dispute this morning, when I received a bill of $4300 and a BB credit card. Someone in DC bought a lot in one day in Washington, DC. I called BB, and then filed a fraud account with credit karma.
What I don’t understand is how someone had my address, DOB, and social security card to open an account.
What else should I do? File a police report?
Couldn’t hurt.
You might also consider freezing your credit. DH and I that several years ago, with all three credit bureaus, after the Experion breach. If we ever need to take out a loan or a new card – highly unlikely – we’ll unfreeze it for a couple of days.
You should contact the IRS and apply for a PIN to use when you file taxes so someone can’t file for a refund in your name. They can do that if they have your SS number. It happened to our neighbors and it was a nightmare.
We applied for a PIN in August 2020 and finally got instructions from the IRS in June 2021. We were lucky nobody filed fraudulently in 2021.
When we called our local law enforcement agency to report a fraudulent unemployment claim in my husband’s name, they said they get inundated with so many reports they don’t even take them anymore.
Freeze all your credit reports with the main credit agencies. Then no one can open a loan or a credit card with your information
Filing a fraud report doesn’t freeze? I don’t see how I can do that. I began with Equifax
No, it doesn’t freeze your credit.
Thanks you everyone. I froze 4 already. This community is truly terrific!!
Well, my sister just almost lost her life savings. She’s in the process of buying a very modest home near me, with the proceeds of selling our mother’s house. She’s had several mistakes happen with the realtor instructions (actual ones) so she was surprised but not suspicious when she got an email with instructions to wire the payment to the title company’s account who would then make the check. She did (she thought) check with the realtor if this new process was correct, since it contradicted earlier instructions.
Long story short, was discovered after three days–two days following that of us all being devastated fo her, and then, thankfully! the bank was able to recover the funds before they disappeared forever. Which apparently was the likelier outcome.
She’s not a gullible person, though maybe not totally savvy. but googling around, I have been finding out that this scam is exploding right now–even real estate professionals have been taken in. The faked emails mirror the actual ones exactly. So I know now, check everything verbally and in person. Just so thankful she got her money back!
OMG, that’s scary. Thank goodness she got her money back.
So glad to hear she wasn’t out the money!
Wow! I hadn’t heard about that one. Really glad she got her money back and I hope they somehow catch folks doing that one. I know it’s hard to catch from online transfers, but I can hope.
The bank said they will continue to pursue it, and she also notified State Police and her state Attorney General’s Fraud Office, so I really do hope that these lowlifes get caught. My guess is that it is international, though, so not likely.
The president of my little company got taken in this wire transfer scam and she has a law degree and is not naive. They took over a year to recover and lost the house they were buying. Having sold their own house they had to rent for that year. Bottom line was never do a wire transfer for a real estate transaction. That fraud is everywhere. Checks may be slower but they are safer.
Oh my gosh, thank you for sharing this. How terrible that could have been. I am so glad your sister got her money back. These scammers are the scum of the earth.
I applied for a PIN online on the IRS site about 10 days ago. They weren’t able to verify my cellphone number thru their database (part of the online steps) so they mailed me an activation code which I received today. I logged back in using that code and now have my PIN set up.