New Scam? - Freeper heads up!

self | 8/24/2017 | Dad was my hero

[Dad was my hero]

Is this a scam? Two previous times over the last couple months I was called by someone (Indian accent) telling me that I was due a refund from a transaction I had with their company last year. I vaguely recalled the transaction and they knew the date and exact amount. I just needed to access my computer and checking account so they could give me the money. (red flags all over the place so...) I told them to just send me a check and we'll call it even then hung up.

Well yesterday another call, this time they had enough details to convince me they must have been legitimate, they had the last four digits of the credit card number I used at the time. So we began playing a verbal game that lasted almost two hours.

First they said for me to go to a site and download "teamviewer.dmg" and run it. So I did (starting to have that slight fishy smell). Then they gave me an access code. Now they had access to my iMac. They kept telling me to access my checking account and I'll soon see the money reappear in it. I had some difficulty telling the guy that the credit card I used was a club visa card with no checking account attached. He transfers me to the next person. I again explain that the card has no checking account attached to it. He insists that I'm going to see the money appear in my checking account but I need to access my account. So I told him I was accessing it, just not on the computer they were on, I work from home and my pc (two feet away from my iMac) is accessing my checking account, no money. I need to access it from my computer that they are shadowing! (fishy smell is now getting stronger but I'm still hooked.)

So I finally relent and in the mean time the guy tells me that they are not in the same country so exchange rates will apply, did I understand that? Yes. NOW, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT TOUCH YOUR COMPUTER KEYBOARD OR MOUSE WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING! Got it. Now, because of banking regulations in our country we cannot transfer amounts less than $10,000 so you will soon see that amount show up in your account. Then you need to transfer back to us $9,800 and keep the remaining amount. Well, alarm bells are going off and so I try to move the mouse to the log off section of my account and I am not able to control it, all the while they are shouting at me not to do that. So I reach around the back and cold shut down the computer which disconnects their call from me because my home is using Magic Jack. Another guy was also on my cell phone. BTW, every call that came to me came through as unknown or anonymous.

I ran a malware scan and had Apple support verify that they left nothing on my iMac.

[Dad was my hero]

wish I had seen info on that. Like I said, they had so much exact information that they convinced me that they were the company I dealt with last year to help me with computer work.

[NonLinear]

Yes it was a scam. $10,000 shows up in your account, you send $9,800 back, then the $10,000 turns up to be a bad deposit and you are out $9,800.

Scammers are doing this on Craig’s List and various other internet sales. They want to buy your stuff and transfer you more money than the cost and you refund them the difference. Their transfer bounces and you are out the change.

Also, NEVER let anyone who is not your known computer help desk run team viewer on your computer.

[Vaquero]

I get three or more new scams daily. Since Obama became president my junk phone messages has increased 100 fold. I am on the state and federal do not call list. No one pays attention to that anymore. It would do Trump well to reintroduce stiff penalties again.

I get the names and numbers of all callers displayed on my phones and my TVs. Thanks Cablevision. I only answer callers I know. All others can leave a message

[Chode]

if you have to ask, it is...

[Religion and Politics]

Of course this is a SCAM. Along with the Microsoft Security Center calls, IRS looming deadline, warranty on your auto running out, last chance to reduce your credit card debt, and so on and on and on...

Not to mention all the email scams that are constantly on the lurk and become more and more sophisticated.

This stuff is way out of control.

[Dad was my hero]

I really don’t think so. As I wrote, I ran a mal ware scan immediately after and had Apple support check the computer files too. I think I’m safe there.

[windowdude]

You messed up. I would have a professional look at your PC. They likely left a something you can’t see. JMHO

[Religion and Politics]

You may have already been had.

Good point. While TeamViewer was active they could have been downloading files from the computer and looking for lists of accounts and passwords.

I hope TeamViewer is not giving access to your computer every time you turn it on.

[JPJones]

I got something similar last year from the “IRS”. They said, in thick accents, that my 90 year old dad owed taxes from 1982 and would be taking him to court.

I repeatedly asked for someone “who spoke English” and kept getting transferred.

Finally still not sure if this was really the IRS or not, I told them “see you in court” and hung up on ‘em.

Felt good.

[AppyPappy]

You didn’t download malware. You downloaded a legit tool to access your computer. You need to find that software and delete it.

[Dad was my hero]

I did, it went to the trash, then deleted.

[ptsal]

Try “YouMail.com”

It is possible to block entire blocks of number and shunt these spammers and spoofers to cell-phone hell.

[posterchild]

I’ve never had a business need to communicate with me to issue a credit card refund, much less share the viewing the transaction on my computer.

I wonder if the ‘access your computer’ BS was so they could replace the text reflecting your balance with balance+10000 just to help convince you the made a transfer. Did the business you recall having a transaction have ‘exchange rates?’

[EQAndyBuzz]

Also, if anyone ever calls you from Windows support, hang up.

[Dad was my hero]

No exchange rates mentioned. But my account balances are all secure as of today so they didn’t have enough time to do anything.

[T-Bone Texan]

Never trust an Indian or a Paki dog.

[Clay Moore]

Today may be too late. Good luck.

[Dad was my hero]

well that’s an easy one since it is an Apple product. though I’ll keep that in mind since I work from home on a pc on the other side of the room from the iMac. ;^)

[Dad was my hero]

I appreciate the kind words and constructive thoughts offered by fellow Freepers, those who want to mock and gloat, just remember someday it may be your turn and someone will slip past your radar and nail you or a loved one.

I offered this information so others who had not heard of this offshoot of the Nigerian scam information so they won't get as far into it as I did. Had I read about it before I wouldn't have ever gotten this far either.

[mad_as_he$$]

Having many decades on this Earth I can tell you that NO ONE has ever legitimately called me and offered to send me money in any way, shape or form.