I fell for a phish!

It can happen to you! The caller id had my credit card company’s name. The credit card got a charge that was declined a couple of minutes before the call. The caller mentioned the declined charge and said they would lock the card and send me a new one. Asked me for SS #. I started to say that I wasn’t comfortable giving that info but hubby was showing me the declined charge at the same time so…they hung up as soon as I gave it. Hubby called the cc company and they said they never ask for that info if they call us and the declined charge on the account was not the same vendor as the caller mentioned.

Best guess is they got my cc from a recent data breech (HS yearbook purchase!) and managed to make the fake charge right before the call. That is quite the coordination!

All is fine, credit bureaus alerted for fraud and accounts locked and getting a new cc. I just feel so stupid! This is the third time my card got hacked but the first where I was an idiot lol. 

Anyway just a word to the wise not to trust calls (or emails) even if everything looks valid. Always ask for a number to call back, then ignore that number and use one from a statement instead.

Was the yearbook through Heff-Jones? 
Our cc was compromised a few months after we purchased from them

Yep Heff-Jones. 

wendyn said:

It can happen to you! The caller id had my credit card company’s name. The credit card got a charge that was declined a couple of minutes before the call. The caller mentioned the declined charge and said they would lock the card and send me a new one. Asked me for SS #. I started to say that I wasn’t comfortable giving that info but hubby was showing me the declined charge at the same time so…they hung up as soon as I gave it. Hubby called the cc company and they said they never ask for that info if they call us and the declined charge on the account was not the same vendor as the caller mentioned.

Best guess is they got my cc from a recent data breech (HS yearbook purchase!) and managed to make the fake charge right before the call. That is quite the coordination!

All is fine, credit bureaus alerted for fraud and accounts locked and getting a new cc. I just feel so stupid! This is the third time my card got hacked but the first where I was an idiot lol. 

Anyway just a word to the wise not to trust calls (or emails) even if everything looks valid. Always ask for a number to call back, then ignore that number and use one from a statement instead.

 ---or call the number on the back of the card.

I received a strange robo phone call yesterday that claimed to come from AARP.  Recipients were told to "press 1 to receive a packet of information on combating fraud and a free tote bag.  AARP is constantly advising members not to press 1 when receiving a robo call.  I assume this was a particularly troubling pfishing expedition.

joan_crystal said:

I received a strange robo phone call yesterday that claimed to come from AARP.  Recipients were told to "press 1 to receive a packet of information on combating fraud and a free tote bag.  AARP is constantly advising members not to press 1 when receiving a robo call.  I assume this was a particularly troubling pfishing expedition.

Sad to say, but I always assume that. Never pick up the phone for a number you don't know. Most robo-dialers are just running through numbers to see if there's someone at the other end. Once there's a pick-up, they can sell *that* info to other robo-diallers. I get at least 1 call a day from something. Anyone needing to actually contact you will leave a call back message, and anyone you haven't contacted before is spam.

I fell for Phish the first time I saw them live in Austin Texas.

And I never answer the phone if I don’t know who’s calling, they are free to leave a message.

Install, Hiya.

I get about 1 Robo every 10 days.   Hiya lists "Probable Scam" on suspicious phone calls.

Spoofing is a problem.  Sometimes the number showing on your caller ID does match whomever the phisher wants you to believe is calling.

We don’t answer the phone either. They were very smart though. Hubby has alerts set up with the cc company for every charge made as we’ve had card #s stolen several times (and we have teens who have cards lol).  Hubby got a text alert of a declined charge. This was valid. About a minute later the phone rang with the caller id of the credit card company. Hubby answered because he had just gotten the declined charge. So they had my cc# (prob from the recent Heff Jones breech) and our phone # and now they have my SS # because I fell for it. 

Anyway I’ve done what I need to do to lock everything down so hopefully won’t be too impacted.

ridski said:

joan_crystal said:

I received a strange robo phone call yesterday that claimed to come from AARP.  Recipients were told to "press 1 to receive a packet of information on combating fraud and a free tote bag.  AARP is constantly advising members not to press 1 when receiving a robo call.  I assume this was a particularly troubling pfishing expedition.

Sad to say, but I always assume that. Never pick up the phone for a number you don't know. Most robo-dialers are just running through numbers to see if there's someone at the other end. Once there's a pick-up, they can sell *that* info to other robo-diallers. I get at least 1 call a day from something. Anyone needing to actually contact you will leave a call back message, and anyone you haven't contacted before is spam.

 This. I NEVER answer my phone if I do not know who it is calling.

cubby said:

ridski said:

joan_crystal said:

I received a strange robo phone call yesterday that claimed to come from AARP.  Recipients were told to "press 1 to receive a packet of information on combating fraud and a free tote bag.  AARP is constantly advising members not to press 1 when receiving a robo call.  I assume this was a particularly troubling pfishing expedition.

Sad to say, but I always assume that. Never pick up the phone for a number you don't know. Most robo-dialers are just running through numbers to see if there's someone at the other end. Once there's a pick-up, they can sell *that* info to other robo-diallers. I get at least 1 call a day from something. Anyone needing to actually contact you will leave a call back message, and anyone you haven't contacted before is spam.

 This. I NEVER answer my phone if I do not know who it is calling.

 Oh, I do.

Most of the calls I get on my home phone are spam-related.  But I engage them in chat ... drawing them out, wasting their time.  The more time of theirs that I waste means one fewer person to get annoyed at the end of the caller's shift.  I've done my civic duty!

If you do answer the phone, at least answer politely. I have to make occasional calls to members of a volunteer organization - people I don't know - to clarify membership or activity info. Most people don't answer, so I leave a message, which is fine, but those who do answer are clearly expecting spam and their tone is often so nasty that I just hang up without resolving the issue. If I do stay on and identify myself, then I have to listen to them apologize for their nastiness. Not fun. Being ugly on the phone may make you feel better, but it won't deter spammers and it's really unpleasant for legitimate callers.

cubby said:

 This. I NEVER answer my phone if I do not know who it is calling.

 Not a good idea. Ed McMann calls before delivering your Publisher's Clearing House check. If you don't answer, Ed will give the check to someone else.

Assume ANY unsolicited call is a scam/phishing call and don't answer.  If it's legitimate for some reason, they will leave a message.  Then you can control how you verify the information.

My phone only rings for callers in my contact list; otherwise it goes straight to messages.   

ridski said:

Sad to say, but I always assume that. Never pick up the phone for a number you don't know.

 +1000000

drummerboy said:

ridski said:

Sad to say, but I always assume that. Never pick up the phone for a number you don't know.

 +1000000

 Ah, but there in lies the rub. My sister is sick and I am her medical proxy. Many calls come in from "unknown." I know those are real callers, believe it or not. It's the ones with familiar-ish numbers that are suspect. Suffice it to say, I answer all calls now, and I do get spam but many of them are legit.

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Install, Hiya.

I get about 1 Robo every 10 days.   Hiya lists "Probable Scam" on suspicious phone calls.

 I get several every day but nomorobo takes care of them for me!