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Insider's report on payments phishing expeditions each week. I've gotten proficient at
spotting potential fraud and wasn't prone to falling prey.
Or so I thought.
Fighting online I'm relating this tale now as a warning: Internet scammers
scammers are getting smarter, folks. The gang that scammed me
had excellent command of the English language, at least
the written language. My call to what was supposed to
have been an eBay Inc. support center was answered by
someone with a foreign accent, but I figured eBay was
using off-shore call centers. Had I done a reverse lookup
on the number I would have learned it was listed as a
mobile tied to an Indiana address not affiliated with eBay.
But in my eagerness to get that truck it never crossed my
mind.
Gift card scams prevalent
According to the IC3, gift card fraud is an escalating
problem. Several scams involving the cards, also referred
to as closed-loop prepaid debit cards, have been reported
to the center. Many involve the secondary market for
gift cards that consumers frequent to sell or exchange
unwanted cards. Others, like the one that snagged me, take
advantage of the relative anonymity of online auctions
sites.
By Patti Murphy Victims purchase items on an auction site and are advised
ProScribes Inc. to pay using prepaid cards. I was advised to use PayPal My
Cash prepaid cards. I was led to believe the money would
he Internet has been a huge agent of change, for be held in escrow by eBay until the vehicle was delivered
lawful and unlawful enterprises alike. Recently, and inspected. It was a short week, because of the holiday
I had the misfortune to learn first-hand about weekend, but I was assured the vehicle would be delivered
T the latter category. In retrospect, I realize I July 2, and the seller requested detailed information to
ignored key signs that something was amiss. Too eager to facilitate timely delivery. But the vehicle never arrived.
make a purchase, I let my guard down. I had been looking Skepticism required
for a vehicle for some time, and I found just what I'd been
looking for online a few days before the Fourth of July My message is this: buyer beware, especially when shopping
weekend. At $1,500, it was a good price. Maybe too good. via online auction sites. There are steps consumers can
and should take to protect themselves when frequenting
Shortly after I paid $1,500 for a truck that never online auctions, as well as when shopping the secondary
materialized, I discovered it was too small a sum for law gift card market. First and foremost, be a skeptic. If a deal
enforcement to care. And the Federal Trade Commission seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. Offer to
merely took a report and referred me to the Internet telephone or ask the seller to telephone you to discuss
Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, which tracks and reports logistics of the sale. If the seller can't or won't do this, do
on crimes involving the Internet. I wish I'd known about not proceed. Legitimate sellers are motivated and will
IC3 before, because perusing the site, I quickly learned make every effort to meet potential buyers.
I'd gotten caught in a scam that's being orchestrated from
Romania and relies on the popularity of prepaid cards. In my case, the seller said he was with the military and
leaving within days on an overseas assignment. Plus, he
Fraudsters getting smarter offered to have the vehicle delivered to me at no extra cost;
Now, I spend a significant amount of time online. As a he just needed to get rid of the vehicle before he shipped
journalist, I have come to rely on the Internet for the ready out to avoid the cost of storage, or so the email messages
access it provides to information sources from all over the stated. I was swayed by a combination of patriotism and
world. And as a consumer, I find it is often faster and less thirst for a good deal.
expensive to shop online than at brick-and-mortar stores.
It's not unusual for me to spend 30 to 40 hours a week
online. Plus I have email accounts that attract hundreds of Being a skeptic includes searching the web for information
28
Insider's report on payments phishing expeditions each week. I've gotten proficient at
spotting potential fraud and wasn't prone to falling prey.
Or so I thought.
Fighting online I'm relating this tale now as a warning: Internet scammers
scammers are getting smarter, folks. The gang that scammed me
had excellent command of the English language, at least
the written language. My call to what was supposed to
have been an eBay Inc. support center was answered by
someone with a foreign accent, but I figured eBay was
using off-shore call centers. Had I done a reverse lookup
on the number I would have learned it was listed as a
mobile tied to an Indiana address not affiliated with eBay.
But in my eagerness to get that truck it never crossed my
mind.
Gift card scams prevalent
According to the IC3, gift card fraud is an escalating
problem. Several scams involving the cards, also referred
to as closed-loop prepaid debit cards, have been reported
to the center. Many involve the secondary market for
gift cards that consumers frequent to sell or exchange
unwanted cards. Others, like the one that snagged me, take
advantage of the relative anonymity of online auctions
sites.
By Patti Murphy Victims purchase items on an auction site and are advised
ProScribes Inc. to pay using prepaid cards. I was advised to use PayPal My
Cash prepaid cards. I was led to believe the money would
he Internet has been a huge agent of change, for be held in escrow by eBay until the vehicle was delivered
lawful and unlawful enterprises alike. Recently, and inspected. It was a short week, because of the holiday
I had the misfortune to learn first-hand about weekend, but I was assured the vehicle would be delivered
T the latter category. In retrospect, I realize I July 2, and the seller requested detailed information to
ignored key signs that something was amiss. Too eager to facilitate timely delivery. But the vehicle never arrived.
make a purchase, I let my guard down. I had been looking Skepticism required
for a vehicle for some time, and I found just what I'd been
looking for online a few days before the Fourth of July My message is this: buyer beware, especially when shopping
weekend. At $1,500, it was a good price. Maybe too good. via online auction sites. There are steps consumers can
and should take to protect themselves when frequenting
Shortly after I paid $1,500 for a truck that never online auctions, as well as when shopping the secondary
materialized, I discovered it was too small a sum for law gift card market. First and foremost, be a skeptic. If a deal
enforcement to care. And the Federal Trade Commission seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. Offer to
merely took a report and referred me to the Internet telephone or ask the seller to telephone you to discuss
Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, which tracks and reports logistics of the sale. If the seller can't or won't do this, do
on crimes involving the Internet. I wish I'd known about not proceed. Legitimate sellers are motivated and will
IC3 before, because perusing the site, I quickly learned make every effort to meet potential buyers.
I'd gotten caught in a scam that's being orchestrated from
Romania and relies on the popularity of prepaid cards. In my case, the seller said he was with the military and
leaving within days on an overseas assignment. Plus, he
Fraudsters getting smarter offered to have the vehicle delivered to me at no extra cost;
Now, I spend a significant amount of time online. As a he just needed to get rid of the vehicle before he shipped
journalist, I have come to rely on the Internet for the ready out to avoid the cost of storage, or so the email messages
access it provides to information sources from all over the stated. I was swayed by a combination of patriotism and
world. And as a consumer, I find it is often faster and less thirst for a good deal.
expensive to shop online than at brick-and-mortar stores.
It's not unusual for me to spend 30 to 40 hours a week
online. Plus I have email accounts that attract hundreds of Being a skeptic includes searching the web for information
28
