A new phishing scam
I wanted to alert readers of The Green Sheet to a phishing scam that is attempting to be perpetrated by someone soliciting sales and account representatives using our company identity. I don't know if we are just unfortunate to be the ones that they are using to perpetrate this fraud or whether they are or will be using other legitimate payments industry company identities for this as well.
We've been alerted to emails that are being sent out to solicit for various positions. The company soliciting purports to have affiliates in Finland, Germany and the United States. The latest of these solicitations is to hire part-time account coordinators. They describe the main task of this position as "collecting transfers and payments from our clients in United States."
These emails are being sent by someone named "Mary," with a different last name than mine. There is an "apply here" button that takes the person to an application, the backdrop of which is almost an exact replica of our website, including our company name and product branding; however, not at a web address we own. When one individual followed the link and tried to apply, after they submitted the first page, they were asked to input bank account information. They became suspicious, looked up our brand on the Internet and called us.
The website we were alerted to last week was housed at www.clinic-payments.com. After we notified Yahoo and the domain registrar of this URL, the site was taken down. No sooner was it down than a new site popped up with a different URL. This time it is www.medline-payments.com.
The new emails have the same basic message with an "apply here" button that takes you to a page at this web address. We have not found a common denominator for how they are targeting people other than they appear to be people in sales capacities: insurance agents, marketing reps, people with resumes posted on job sites for sales positions, etc.
We have notified the Cyber Investigations unit of the FBI. I wanted to alert Green Sheet readers for a few reasons. The first is to let you know that if you receive an email solicitation for sales positions from a company using our A-Claim brand and purporting to have affiliates in multiple countries, it is not us.
We are a wholly owned subsidiary of a U.S.-based insurance company with all of our operations in the United States. We also don't hire employees or attract independent agents via email blast. I ask that if you do receive one of these solicitations, please contact us and send us a copy of the email so that we can forward the information to the FBI.
Mary Dees Preferred Health Technology Inc.
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From GS Online's MLS Forum The premier online network for payment pros GS Online MLS Forum member JEH1003 shared the following conversation that took place when, on impulse, he decided to buy a Popsicle with cash at a convenience store.
Me: Yes, it's all I have. I'm sorry. (Why should I be sorry anyway?) Merchant: You don't want to buy something; you just need change. You should get something else. Me: I just want the Popsicle. I can give you a check. (half laughing at this point) Merchant: No, a check for such a small amount is ridiculous. Me: Tell ya what, I have a credit card. (really enjoying myself now) Merchant: No, I won't allow such a little purchase on a card; the fees kill me. Me: You know, I'm in the merchant services business. And it kills me: you guys complain about taking a card, you complain about taking a check and now you won't take my cash? How exactly do you propose I pay you? Should I just not stop by if I don't have exact change? Tell ya what, keep the Popsicle. I'll go across the street from now on. Merchant: No, no sir. I am sorry. Come back. I will break your 20. |
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