[bonrich]

I just had an email from Capital One saying that a purchase from Amazon for $125.83 was denied because Amazon was using a credit card number that is no longer valid. I was instructed to go to the Amazon site, link was provided, and put in the correct card number. Yep, that was a worthy delete! Never ends........

[Viperguy]

Many, if not most seniors are inherently honest and trustworthy......guess what? Times have changed. Any time I get an email that looks interesting I look at the link and the URL. You can usually tell if it's a scam because the link is generally long. It might have Amazon in there somewhere or IRS but 99% of the time they are false. Click on it and you perhaps opened the door to malware. I got one one day that apparently lock my screen up and told me to go to a site that would repair it............Big mistake. The assistant at Apple told me to simply turn the computer off and back on again and it will most likely go away......and don't go there again. People in foreign countries are making lots of $$$ on us trusting souls.

[chrissy2231]

Delete all unrecognized emails. Never answer the phone when there is unknown caller ID. I had my email address stolen when I put an email in junk instead of deleting. It had a valid Microsoft logo. It took 4 hours to restore my account.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Ron Coen

I received an email stating a large screen TV had been purchased by me. The email appeared authentic, as from Amazon, in every way. When I called the number listed, a person answered as “Amazon”. I was on the phone for a protracted period, trying to work with the guy to get the purchase cancelled. He tried several times to get me to allow remote access to my computer and I kept refusing to do so. Eventually, however, one of the fixes he proposed must have granted him access. He said Amazon wanted to refund the price of the TV and he wanted to add $400 to my checking account just as a verification amount, then he would add the remainder if the 400 went through. He admonished me to be very careful when entering the 400 on the line provided on the screen. I did so, but very quickly another zero and decimal and two zeros were added, appearing as $4000.00. He blamed me for the “error” and when I adamantly denied it, he said my computer was old. He sounded quite concerned and was anxious about how that excess money was going to revert back to him. He displayed an authentic-looking account ledger showing the deposit. He said Amazon did not allow him access to our credit card or bank account, that we needed to purchase gift cards at Best Buy and read the numbers on the back to him. He told me to leave my laptop on and he stayed on the phone with me while we drove to Best Buy. When we reached the parking lot, he said the clerk might ask why I was buying the cards since the amount was $2000.00 (the difference between the price of the TV and the $4000 supposedly in my account). He said I would need to tell her it was for my grandchildren, otherwise I would be charged tax on it. I said (repeatedly) that I would not lie. I would pay the tax. He kept insisting that saying it was for grandchildren wasn’t really a lie. Anyway, when I kept refusing to do as he asked, he became nasty, saying I was threatening him with the loss of his job. I told him I would be happy to send a check or give permission for Amazon to charge me for the overage, but he kept on. Finally, he said I would have a surprise when I got back home because he would wipe everything off my computer. He said, four letter words toward Donald Trump and Joe "Boodin.” And hung up. When we got home, sure enough, everything was wiped from my laptop.
I called our bank to see if they could in some way trace the deposit the caller said he made. It turned out that he never had any contact with the bank. No deposit was made, even though he was able to produce on the screen an authentic-appearing bank account page that showed the $4000 deposit. It turns out also that the caller had no contact with Amazon either. The entire situation was a fraud.

.

I'm sure some will post, how could you. Truth, REALITY, these people are artists.
You are distracted, have other issues and they gotcha. I found on the internet, US GOVERNMENT, FREE.............. I entered it as it was paperwork kind of thing that I wanted. Before anything starts they ask for your credit card. I ASSUMED, US government, postage???? So I gave it to them. They play video, which has no value.
They do not show it till the end, they billed my credit card about $100. It is not until the end that they give you a phone number. Oh you need to talk to xxxxx and she will call you back. Of course they never call back. Long story short, they offered to settle for $50.00 and I refused. Very good at this con. They implied this was the best offer I would get. I had printed everything. I contacted my credit card company sent them my file and the charge was dropped. I am either too old or too tired and have in the past done the David vs Goleith thing. I should have reported it to the attorney general but did not. My apologies to the next person they snag. We, I, enable them to continue.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Viperguy

Many, if not most seniors are inherently honest and trustworthy......guess what? Times have changed. Any time I get an email that looks interesting I look at the link and the URL. You can usually tell if it's a scam because the link is generally long. It might have Amazon in there somewhere or IRS but 99% of the time they are false. Click on it and you perhaps opened the door to malware. I got one one day that apparently lock my screen up and told me to go to a site that would repair it............Big mistake. The assistant at Apple told me to simply turn the computer off and back on again and it will most likely go away......and don't go there again. People in foreign countries are making lots of $$$ on us trusting souls.

Re: hijacking your computer
We are old school. We still use checks, do not bank on line. I have anti virus. It is a pain in the neck as it runs every morning. I have my computer backed up. If, they grab me, there is nothing worth them having. ENJOY IT.

[airstreamingypsy]

The first mistake was clicking the link in the email. If a business or bank emails you, go directly to their site, without clicking the email link. If they have a real message to you, it will be there.......

[Prism]

Originally Posted by Gpsma

Sorry...one big paragraph! Many wont read it.

Contacting Amazon online seems hard. Is there a phone number to call where Amazon actually answers in person?

These scams are diabolical!

[Ecd1810]

Forward the email Psishing@amazon.com

[Ken D.]

Originally Posted by oneclickplus

The original email was not "authentic in every way". Go look at it ... find the FROM email address. You will see immediately that it not an Amazon email address.

Good point, just place your cursor over the sender’s email address and you will see the true originator trail.

[Manatee]

Wow. Alot of critical replies here.

I for one appreciate the honesty - sharing what happened. Too often people are embarrassed, they hide the scam they fell for and it keeps happening to others.

Bravo for reminding us!

[eclairela]

Never call or email these scammers. They will take your money. Ignore all of them.

[cassjax2]

I am amazed that people still fall for this type of scam. Contact your bank, not the so called business.

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by bonrich

I just had an email from Capital One saying that a purchase from Amazon for $125.83 was denied because Amazon was using a credit card number that is no longer valid. I was instructed to go to the Amazon site, link was provided, and put in the correct card number. Yep, that was a worthy delete! Never ends........

yeah, & it always happens around this time of year. i think i've come to expect it, lol

[dadoiron]

Originally Posted by Tmarkwald

I work in computer security, dealing with scams just like these. We have ways to trace back the emails.

However when anyone calls, tell them you are driving and calm back later. Check the account personally. Companies never call like this. Another indication - listen carefully for an accent, indicating an overseas call.

Some of these people are extremely persuasive. It took me years to train my parents before they passed away to last the phone down and walk away.

Many of us were brought up in a kind, gentle, environment where we did not hang up on people. I taught my parents to tell these people that they needed to talk to the husband or the wife and just lay the phone down and walk away. They never were comfortable with just hanging up on them. Me? I forward the call to the psychic hotline!

I worked in the security field as well and this is good advice.

Your best defense is always to do your own research and call back to a number you can verify from your past dealings.

[oldtimes]

Also you will notice that scam emails do not contain your name. They are addressed generically. A legitimate email from a company will address you by name and may have a portion of your personal info like the last digits of your account number. It is still wise not to click on any links but go directly to the company’s website or known phone number.