I get the call about the warranty for my vehicle expiring at least twice a week, always from a different number within my area code.
The funny part is I drive a 2003 truck I and I am pretty sure that the warranty expired at some point during the past 18 years…
@MWolf it was thoughtful that they validated her good taste in porn. Nice touch! 
Not a scam but a response to one. My husband got a call about some “urgent matter” regarding his “account.” Can’t remember all the details, but I do remember what he did. He told them he needed to go look up his SSN because he didn’t have it memorized (scammer must have been just starting out in the criminal business) then proceeded to go up and down three flights of stairs, retrieving one fake digit at a time. “Oh no sorry, I think that was a 4. I need to go check again.” He got in a mini-workout, all in exchange for an earful of profanity.
There was a piece on the local news tonight about a woman who’s SSN was used to file a false unemployment claim. The woman got the 1099 for $2900! The state is working to correct those 1099’s.
Yep!! I got one of those yesterday, too. Amazon must really be having problems!!!
Not sure what the scam is here, lots of suspicious grammar/usage details (cheers, queries, 856 is NJ, not toll-free, +1, US does not use +, but Europe does, ‘register number’ etc.)mail address ends .de, so Germany:
Dear XXXXXX
Thanks for using Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection. This is an invoice for your recent purchase.
We Thank you on the Completion of your 1 year.
We tried to contact you on your register number for queries but could not get through.
Invoice recap
Description Total
Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection
Fire Wall & Network Protection $ 299.99
Total $ 299.99
Payment method:
VISA/Master $ 299.99
If you have any questions about this invoice, simply reach out to our Support Team +1 (856) 326-1543 (Toll Free) for help.
you have 24 hrs. to refund this charge from the date of the transaction without being charges.
It may take a few days for this transaction to appear in your account.
Cheers,
The Billing Team
+1 (856) 326-1543 (Toll Free)
FAQ
Please don’t reply to this email. To get in touch with us, +1 (856) 326-1543
Windows Defender Protection in USA are provided by Microsoft Payments Private Limited. Users are advised to read the terms and conditions carefully.
MVP Consumer Security 2014-2016
Windows Insider MVP 2016-2018
NOTE: if email received in your spam box ask service desk to verify machine identity.
@somemom fwiw, I sometimes google the phone number. This time, it brings up this
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/all/spam-rcvd-em-thanks-for-your-payment-windows/b32f122f-50a5-423c-bc51-a4d0d80e32a8
I guess the scam is to catch you on the renewal fees-?
I had to deal with an unemployment scam this week. I received a letter and a debit card from the state. I immediately contacted the state and said that I hadn’t applied for benefits. They have had a ton of these scams lately. Just what I wanted to spend my morning doing, sigh.
Are you sure it wasn’t a relief debit card? Those are automatically sent without you having to apply.
The unemployment cards/scams are quite elaborate. My brother got one with a card and 3 pages of instructions, applications, and info with state seals and department of unemployment letterhead. We know it was a scam because he’s not employed.
In Colorado they have more scam applications than real applications, but cannot send out checks or increase the payments because they don’t know the difference.
This card came from the state of Illinois and said in a separate letter that came the same day, to contact them if you hadn’t applied. Apparently, the scammers set up a bank account and have funds directed to it.
Pretty sophisticated scam. I have to say that I might have fallen for that, unless the debit card looked fishy. Our initial Covid relief payment was simply a debit card from the government. It was real, of course.
The card my brother got with his scam unemployment was a US Bank debit card and looked exactly like all the other debit cards we have. I’ve been trying to figure out the scam, and all I can think is that the scammers make 2 identical cards (or have access to the account tied to the card) and if the application is processed they pull the money out as it is deposited.
All it has done here is slow down all the unemployment payments because they can’t tell the fraud from the legit claims.
You said you “immediately contacted the state and said that I hadn’t applied for benefits.” And what did they say? In your case, does “hadn’t applied” mean you do not need UI or you’re registered just hadn’t applied for this card yet?
When I google “unemploymemt unsolicted bank card,” I see discussions of a scam. BUT also explantions/FAQs from some states or banks which implies these are legit. A more efficient way to distribute UI payments.
This happened to both my husband and I during the pandemic (we are in illinois too)…Fraudulent filing for unemployment claim plus the debit card. It must be common…there is a place on the illinois gov website to report it as fraud, no need to even speak with anyone. I also am not sure how the scam works, meaning how the scammers get their money…maybe like twoinanddone suggested above.
Just read this one. Person got a call supposedly from the drugstore saying the wrong Medicare number was on the form and they needed to correct it so they could get their covid vaccine (person had made an appointment). So they hung up and dialed the store who didn’t know anything about it–and they already had the right number.
I don’t think this was a scam, but just a strange event. My mother answered the door today and it was someone soliciting/campaigning? for an animal rights group. It was something to do about puppy mills and wanting to collect enough support to file legislation to ban them. My mother offered her $10 (we live in an older neighborhood with many, including my mother, living on social security) but the woman said they never take less than $20 but really expected everyone to sign up for $60 per MONTH. My mother said no, and the woman didn’t take the $10.
I guess beggers can be choosers.
I DO think that was a total scam. It was a total pressuring tactic “if you won’t give X then you don’t care and you are beneath us”. Works surprisingly well but fortunately not on your mom.
I think it works like this: they get enough details and open up a bank account and have the funds deposited there. Today, I got a letter telling me that the state has set up a telephone interview with me as they don’t think I am eligible for benefits as I could still be working (I retired from substitute teaching). Such a pain but I am glad in a way that there are all these hoops to go through. I also got a letter today from the state asking for verification of id. I can disregard that one as I have already reported this as fraud.
