Posts Tagged ‘scams’

WARNING ABOUT FAKE PAYDAY LOAN COLLECTION CALLS

By MSI in Chicago, Crime, Electronic Fraud, Electronic Theft, fraud, MSI Detective Services, Private Investigator, scam, Stolen Property at August 30th, 2010 | 1 comment

ATTORNEY GENERAL MADIGAN ISSUES WARNING ABOUT FAKE PAYDAY LOAN COLLECTION CALLS

As usual, the scammers keep trying and keep warning.  It’s always best to verify any unsolicited phone calls, email or other communications requesting your personal information.

Chicago – Attorney General Lisa Madigan today warned Illinois residents to be on the alert for scam artists posing as collectors of payday loan debt.  The scammers call consumers and threaten them with legal action unless the victims authorize payments from their bank accounts.

In recent weeks, Madigan’s office has seen a rise in consumer complaints about the bogus collection calls. Most of the consumers report they have taken out payday loans in the past, usually from an online lender, but paid off the loans long ago. In at least one instance, the consumer reportedly filled out an online payday loan application but never completed the process.

Madigan stressed that these complaints involve outright con artists, not innocent mistakes by legitimate debt collectors. Victims who have contacted Madigan’s office report that the phone calls seem to originate from outside the United States. Often, the fake collector already knows personal information about the consumer, such as their name, Social Security Number, and place of employment, which can lead the consumer to believe they are dealing with a legitimate collector. Also, the scammers usually have the consumer’s bank account information on file and ask the consumer to confirm the accuracy of the information.

Many times, the con artist will claim to be affiliated with a law enforcement agency.  In almost every case, the bogus collector threatens the victim with legal action, including a lawsuit or arrest, if they don’t make a payment right away. The scammers attempt to force victims into an immediate payment and ask them to authorize a direct withdrawal from their checking account. In some cases, they ask their victims to sign a promissory note and submit it to the bogus collector by fax. Some victims reported to the Attorney General’s office that they have paid hundreds of dollars before realizing they have been scammed.

The bogus debt collectors use a variety of names, including: Morgan & Associates, Federal Bureau of Investigators, DNR Recovery, DNI Recovery, Legal Accounts Association, Department of Law and Enforcement, CashNet USA, America Legal Services, Quick Cash, and ACS.

Although many of these names are fake, some are names of legitimate businesses that the purported debt collectors may be using without permission.

The Attorney General urged those who receive a suspicious debt collection call to remember the following advice:

  • You cannot go to jail for failing to pay a debt;
  • If you are threatened in any way by the debt collector, hang up and file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office;
  • Do not give out any personal information over the telephone, including bank account numbers or credit card numbers;
  • When in doubt, ask the debt collector to provide you with documentation that substantiates the debt they are trying to collect;
  • Contact the original creditor and ask whether the debt has been paid. If it has not, confirm that the debt was sold to a third party collector before making a payment.

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Phishing, Vishing, & Smishing = Fraud

By admin in Chicago, Crime, Electronic Fraud, Electronic Theft, invasion of privacy, Investigations, MSI Detective Services, Privacy, Private Investigator, Security, Technology, technorati at June 22nd, 2010 | 2 comments

phisherAccording online security site Krebs on Security, phishing scams are on the rise.  Readers wrote in to the site, reporting that they’d been targeted by automated phone calls warning them of fraudulent activity on their credit cards or bank accounts asking them to call in to a number and verify their credit card numbers.

If you receive a call like this, think before dialing. The question to ask yourself is, “Why does my credit card company need to know my account number? Don’t they already have it?” Account verification processes usually call for information that’s NOT on your credit card, like date of birth, last four digits of your social security number, or your “challenge” question (What is the name of the first pet you owned?)

Not to mention the fact that unless they have every phone number you use in their database, they aren’t able to match you to the card number period.

These efforts to steal your data–and your money–are also known as Vishing (Voice Phishing), are methods criminals employ to cleverly convince you to provide them access to personal information for the purpose of identity theft.

Vishing usually occurs as follows:

  • You receive a recorded voice message to call a phone number
  • An automatic voice response system walks through a series of questions to record your data

Smishing, like Vishing, is a scam as well. Smishing, however, sends a text message requesting you to call into a certain number.

An Internet Security reports shows that the attacks are declining, most likely a result of public awareness regarding these scams.



Phishing.Trend

Image: Internet Security Report



Krebs on Security noted that many people believe these scams to be ineffective; he refuted this by referencing a 2008 article he wrote that detailed a Smishing scam that sent millions of text messages in 45-days. There were approximately 4400 inbound callers (potential victims) and of these, 125 people gave up their account information, PIN, and security code.

Most of us tend to react quickly, sometimes without thought, when our money’s at stake. Refrain from reacting, remain calm, and take action: “If in doubt, check it out;” don’t call numbers you receive via text message from unknown parties, log into your bank account online, or pick up the phone and call you bank to verify the information. If you’ve been victimized by one of these scams, file a complaint with the joint FBI/National White Collar Crime Center Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Fraud is a crime that needs to be curtailed.

The takeaway? If this type of fraud did not work, nobody’d be doing it.

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Beware of Holiday Scams! Cash Back When You Don’t Need It!

By MSI in MSI Detective Services at November 27th, 2009 | No comments


Beware of holiday scams, especially if you are paying for your purchase with a credit or debit card.

CHECK YOUR RECEIPTS BEFORE LEAVING THE CASHIER’S STATION!

Especially during this  very busy and stressful time before the holidays!

It happened at large discount store chain a month ago.  Someone made a purchase, over $150, and glanced at his  receipt as the cashier was handing over the bags.  He saw a cash-back of $40.   When he told the cashier that he didn’t  request a cash back she said that he would have to take the $40 because she couldn’t delete it.  I told her to call a supervisor.  Supervisor came and said “You have  to take it.”  Customer said NO!  Taking the $40 would be a cash advance against my Discover & he wasn’t paying interest on a cash advance!!!!!  If they couldn’t delete it then they would have to delete the whole order.  So the supervisor had the cashier delete the whole order & re-scan everything!  The second time I looked at the electronic pad before I signed & a cash-back of $20 popped up.  At that point I told the cashier & she deleted it. The total came out right. The cashier agreed that the electronic pad must be defective. Obviously the cashier knew the electronic pad was defective because she NEVER offered me the $40 at the beginning.  Can you imagine how many people went through before me & at the end of her shift how much money she pocketed? Just to alert everyone.

Another person went to a Milford, DE store  last week.  She had her items rung up by the cashier.  The cashier hurried along and didn’t give her a receipt.  She asked the cashier for a receipt and the cashier was annoyed and gave it to her.  She didn’t look at her receipt until later that night.  The receipt showed that she asked $20 cash back although she did not.  The store was called and they investigated but they could not see the cashier pocket the money on the video tape.  She then called her niece who works for the bank and her niece told her that this is a new scam going on. The cashier will key in that you asked for cash back and then hand it to her friend who is the next person in line.   Please check your receipts right away when using credit or debit cards!

A husband and wife were in Wal-Mart North Salisbury and paying with credit card when the husband went to sign the credit card signer he just happen to notice there was a $20 cash back added. He told the cashier that he did not ask nor want cash back and she said this machine has been messing up and she canceled it.

I wonder how many people have been, or will be, “stung” by this one?

 


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