An Indiana couple pleaded guilty recently to their part in defrauding Amazon of more than $1.2 million in electronic devices by taking advantage of the e-commerce giant’s replacement policy. [More]
scamalamadingdong
Couple Illegally Used Amazon Replacement Policy To Get $1.2M Worth Of Electronics For Free
By 10.2.17
If Someone Calls You From Equifax To Verify Your Account, It’s A Scam
By 9.14.17
Now that Equifax is part of the mass public consciousness for failing to secure sensitive financial and personal information for about half of the adult U.S. population, soulless scammers are trying to prey on this heightened awareness by blasting out fake calls to people, asking them to verify their account information. [More]
4 Things To Remember To Avoid Getting Scammed In Wake Of Equifax Breach
By 9.12.17
As everyone now knows, 143 million Americans had their personal data compromised during a two-month-long data breach at credit reporting agency Equifax earlier this year. Authorities are now reminding consumers to watch out for bad actors looking to profit from everyone’s worries about their newfound vulnerability. [More]
Sports Radio Host Arrested In $5.6M Investment Fraud Involving Non-Existent Concert Tickets
By 9.6.17
Longtime New York sports radio personality Craig Carton was arrested this morning on federal charges of securities and wire fraud in connection with a scheme that allegedly tricked investors into thinking their money was being spent on blocks of concert tickets that would then be resold at a huge profit. Problem is, say prosecutors, those tickets didn’t exist, and the money just went to cover Carton’s casino debts. [More]
Man Racked Up Thousands Of Dollars In Charges At Hotels Without Ever Checking In
By 8.28.17
Like Jimmy McGill lounging in a resort pool while charging drinks to another guest’s room, an apparent con artist in South Carolina recently told police he’s been freeloading his way around the luxury hotels of the Southeast, charging thousands of dollars in purchases to rooms where he was never the guest. [More]
IRS Warns Of Increase In W-2 Theft Scams
By 8.22.17
Tax time might still be months away, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be on the lookout for possible scams: The Internal Revenue Service and FBI are warning consumers and businesses about an email scam targeting employee W-2 forms after seeing a 150% increase in incidents last year. [More]
No, You Can’t Pay Your Bills Using The Routing Number For The Federal Reserve
By 8.16.17
The Federal Reserve System might be the central banking system of the United States, but it is not your bank. To that end, you can’t provide a service provider, merchant, or other entity with the routing number from the Federal Reserve, and if someone asks you to, it’s likely a scam. [More]
Scammer Posing As Starbucks Corporate Convinces Store Workers To Wire $2,600
By 8.9.17
A fraudster in South Carolina combined the tradition of pranking fast food restaurants with a new variation of the CEO scam last week, convincing employees at a Starbucks to give them all of the money in the store. [More]
How To Avoid Falling For Ticket Scams
By 6.6.17
It’s that time of the year again: Both the NBA and NHL finals are near, and all your favorite bands are on tour — which means tickets might be scarce. Scammers know you might be desperate for a good deal, however, so be prepared to do battle. [More]
Schemer Claims Subway Manager Needs Bail, Scams $200 From Employee
By 5.31.17
Combining the juvenile tradition of pranking fast food restaurants with the “your relative is in jail” wire fraud scam, someone managed to trick employees at a Subway restaurant to fork over $200 to a complete stranger. [More]
Feds Shut Down Multimillion-Dollar Debt Relief Scam
By 5.23.17 — Updated: 5.25.17
A phony debt relief operation that bilked tens of millions of dollars from individuals — including the disabled and elderly — based on the promise it could lower their debt burden is out of business after a federal court temporarily halted the scheme. [More]
Man Behind $1.1M Home Depot Receipt Scam Gets Two-Year Prison Sentence
By 5.16.17
A Texas man who used Home Depot’s program for tax-exempt business purchases to scam more than $1.1 million from the retailer has been sentenced to two years in federal prison and ordered to repay all his ill-gotten gains. [More]
Feds Launch Major Smackdown On ‘Tech Support’ Scams
By 5.12.17
If the world of scams was a wrestling ring, the Federal Trade Commission would be launching itself from the corner to deliver a world of hurt on tech support scammers who claim consumers’ computers are full of malware and other nasty stuff that can only be vanquished by paying them hundreds of dollars. [More]
Imposter Phone Scam Targeting Veterans Who Misdial The Number For Healthcare Program
By 5.12.17
It’s easy to accidentally hit a wrong number when dialing, and usually it doesn’t lead to anything worse than an awkward conversation if someone picks up. But the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is now warning against a scam aimed at people who misdial the number for a healthcare program for veterans. [More]
How To Avoid Online Puppy Scams That Take Your Money And Do Not Give You A Puppy
By 5.10.17
We know: Those big eyes, huge paws, and soft fur in online puppy ads for popular breeds can be seriously beguiling when you’re looking for a new fuzzy friend. But don’t let the cuteness overload tempt you into falling for a scam that will ultimately leave your arms empty and your wallet hundreds of dollars lighter. [More]
Ponzi Scheme Victims Say PayPal Knew User Was A Scammer
By 5.8.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Victims of a Ponzi scheme that raked in hundreds of millions of dollars allege that online payment system PayPal were aware of the scam operator’s past but turned a blind eye because the company was making so much money from these fraudulent transactions. [More]
Scammers Buy Stuff With Your Card, Then Trick You Into ‘Returning’ Items To Them
By 4.24.17 — Updated: 4.26.17
Because there is apparently no limit to the amount of effort someone will put in to being dishonest, scammers are constantly evolving their tricks. For example, it’s no longer enough for someone to just steal your credit card number to go on a shopping spree. Now they have to involve you, by tricking you into actually shipping the fraudulent purchase on to them. [More]
American Airlines Workers Targeted In $16.7M Hearing Aid Scheme
By 4.21.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Thousands of American Airlines employees unknowingly became the targets of a multi-million dollar insurance fraud scheme carried out by a father-son duo who claimed to provide the airline workers with free hearing aids for simply taking a test. [More]
