The QR code scam is making its way around our area. You receive a box with a small item and a note saying this is a gift. To find out who the sender is, you are asked to scan a QR code that loads a malicious code which copies your personal information and uploads it to the scammer’s database.
Do not scan random QR codes and beware of these “gifts.”
I just read about a man who had a cell phone taken out in his name with his info. He got a bill from Verizon, but he didn’t have an account with them. He went to two different Verizon stores but they said that they couldn’t do anything to fix it and he owed the money. He called corporate but they said that he owed the money because he couldn’t prove that he didn’t open the account. He finally called the local tv station. The next day he was informed that the matter was taken care of. Very scary.
I had this one yesterday
I just got a text that was, supposedly, about unpaid tolls. Aside from the fact that it was from a personal phone, and random words being in bold font, the absolutely best part was that it was a GROUP TEXT.
My husband’s employee was just scammed out of $80k. Yes, $80k. I don’t want to go into all the details as he is completely mortified and sick with shame, and in case this ends up in the news, he would be even sicker.
I can say that there were a few factors that facilitated the scam.
I honestly think factor 3 was the reason he was scammed. I think if there hadn’t been visitors he would have realized what was going on.
My s21 got a call yesterday. Supposedly a sheriff in our home state of CA saying there was a warrant out for him because of a missed court date. He asked me if there had been any mail, which there hasn’t been. The person on the phone stayed on the line and said s21 could clear this up with the Austin PD. We were discussing if this was a scam and had a hard time figuring out what they would get out of him going to the local PD. He was considering driving to a local PD when they started asking for personal information and it became obvious it was a scam.
Apparently the DMV scam is all over the country.
https://wapo.st/3Zk042d
My H is constantly screenshotting me these asking if it’s a scam. I’ve told him. If you get it, it will ALWAYS be a scam. DMV doesn’t even have your cell phone number. I always use mine for everything. I suppose it’s better than him clicking on it!
The harder ones for him that i worry about are the shipping ones. He buys so much stuff on eBay and various toy sites, sometimes coming from China. And sometimes he does pre-orders, so it can be a year or longer before something ships. Nobody can keep track of it all. So I don’t mind if he always checks with me first, even if it gets repetitive.
It’s exactly the same with my husband!! Yes, it’s good they check with us, but you’d think they’d start getting the hang of it…. 
My H was in tech for 45 years but sometimes he wonders if the stuff he is emailed/texted might be legit and CALLS them. Fortunately when he starts talking to them he realizes they’re scammers but it does make me worry about his judgment. I tell him not to call but can’t control him.
Just got a call.
Silence then a click.
"This is Robert calling from the State of Massachusetts regarding your electricity discount. (With a strong accent.)
I asked, 'What country are you calling from?"
He replied, “State of Massachusetts usa”.
Except he pronounced usa like a word “you-sa”.
I laughed and hung up.
“This is Tom, answering in a state of disbelief regarding your stupidity”
My 92 yr old Mom got a letter yesterday saying she would lose her place at the AL facility if my father didn’t pay his “substantial” debts in the next 30 days. My father died almost 2 years ago. They have zero debt, and hadn’t for probably 20 years.
She “knows” it is fake, and the staff assured her it is fake, but it plays into her deep worry that she is too healthy to be living there and is taking up someone’s space. She has also gotten letters saying she owes taxes on her address, which is the nursing home’s. Luckily she has run all these past us but it still is causing her distress. One of her favorite parts of AL is that spam phone calls have been greatly reduced!
Elderly Mom’s credit card was charged $30 for a donation to a bogus breast cancer charity. Mom denies authorizing the charge but there is a good chance they called Dad and he fell for it without Mom knowing. We monitor the account so disputed it immediately, canceled the card and ordered new cards. By amazing coincidence two days later Mom got a call (allegedly) from the bank that issued the card saying that two bogus Amazon purchases ($1000+ each) were made on the card and could she give more information. Mom called me to double check and the two Amazon purchases don’t show up anywhere on her credit card account. And logically, the “purchases” were made despite the old card being cancelled and the new card not received yet. Lots of praise to Mom for calling me before giving out any information, but it seems obvious the breast cancer “charity” was selling credit card information to scammers. I warned Mom these calls will continue . . .
I have had this issue before where someone starts a Prime video subscription (trial plan) on my account. I have parental controls in place but apparently trial plans must skirt it. I did speak to a very nice guy at Amazon and got a refund. I need to be more vigilent!
Every day, for a week, I’ve gotten notifications that my I-cloud account is in jeopardy of closing, which would mean I would lose all my pictures, etc. they want me to update my billing address. I know I order extra space on my Fidelity card and nothing is wrong with that card Also, I have not been able to trace where this message is coming from.
I haven’t responded cause I don’t know how to check if this is a scam
I am no expert, but if it’s email, click on the email address that it’s sent from, and it may become obvious that it’s a scam.
It’s a scam! I have been getting the same notifications, but I do not have an icloud account!
Thanks