# Be alert



## ronaldj (Dec 3, 2022)

Yesterday I received a text message from someone saying a package was ordered on my visa card. There was a phone number to call and confirm. Instead, I went to my visa page and nothing had been charged. I checked the text number against the visa number, not the same. I googled the text number, it said it was a spam number. So be careful don’t open text messages unless you know.

Be alert the world need more Nerts.


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## Marie5656 (Dec 3, 2022)

*Yes.  I think seniors are good targets, as many of us are trusting.  I was almost scammed once several years ago...one of those where I was sent a very large check, told to deposit it, keep a small portion of the money and keep the rest.  I showed it to my bank and they called the scam.
Along with the current one where people are asked to send money via Itunes cards. I know it is a scam, and would never fall for it, but I do not understand why the scammer specifically asks for ITunes cards.  Anyone know?*


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## Alligatorob (Dec 3, 2022)

Good advice!  You did the right thing, not everyone does...


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## NorthernLight (Dec 3, 2022)

This is my rudimentary understanding of the iTunes card scam: 

Payment through an iTunes card (or any gift card) is harder to trace than a bank transfer or PayPal, etc. The scammer can then resell the virtual card. 

The reason a scammer asks the victim to use a specific kind of card is so they can concentrate on reselling just one kind of card ("Hey everybody, get your iTunes here!") instead of 20 different gift cards.


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## 1955 (Dec 3, 2022)

I've gotten those too.  I just hit block and report.  Don't know if it does any good.


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## Packerjohn (Dec 3, 2022)

I trust no one; especially those wearing masks.  They have something to hide and cannot be trusted.


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## Tish (Dec 3, 2022)

I block them and move on.


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## bowmore (Dec 3, 2022)

I just got an e-mail stating that a virus had been installed in mu PC and the person had access to all my accounts. They wanted a modest $1500 in bitcoin to remove it, I deleted the e-mail and then ram Malwarebytes on both our computers-no problem.


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## Marie5656 (Dec 3, 2022)

NorthernLight said:


> This is my rudimentary understanding of the iTunes card scam:
> 
> Payment through an iTunes card (or any gift card) is harder to trace than a bank transfer or PayPal, etc. The scammer can then resell the virtual card.
> 
> The reason a scammer asks the victim to use a specific kind of card is so they can concentrate on reselling just one kind of card ("Hey everybody, get your iTunes here!") instead of 20 different gift cards.


*OK< thanks for the info Sounds about right*


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## Robert59 (Dec 4, 2022)

I've been getting alot of phone calls from people from the police and vets wanting money. I just block the phone number because you don't no which is real.


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## Jaiden (Dec 4, 2022)

My son-in-law is a retired cop who works in cybersecurity, and he says that scams targeting seniors are very common.  I got a call from someone who said they were from a medical supply and my doctor wanted me to have a back brace.  That made no sense, so I called the doctor's office and they said it's a scam to get my Medicare number so they can bill a bunch of stuff fraudulently.   I also get calls saying some high-dollar item is being charged to my Amazon account if I don't call right away.

If these people would invest the energy they waste dreaming up scams into something positive, the world would be a better place.



 security,


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## MadyGio (Dec 5, 2022)

ronaldj said:


> Yesterday I received a text message from someone saying a package was ordered on my visa card. There was a phone number to call and confirm. Instead, I went to my visa page and nothing had been charged. I checked the text number against the visa number, not the same. I googled the text number, it said it was a spam number. So be careful don’t open text messages unless you know.
> 
> Be alert the world need more Nerts.


I actually saw something like that on youtube, and is seems most of the emails and call are from india.


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## OneEyedDiva (Dec 23, 2022)

ronaldj said:


> Yesterday I received a text message from someone saying a package was ordered on my visa card. There was a phone number to call and confirm. Instead, I went to my visa page and nothing had been charged. I checked the text number against the visa number, not the same. I googled the text number, it said it was a spam number. So be careful don’t open text messages unless you know.
> 
> Be alert the world need more Nerts.


Yes I've gotten a couple of texts lately that I suspected were spam but didn't open them. One appeared to come from Amazon and probably did but I deleted it. Later I found that I'd gotten an email from Amazon alerting me that someone had signed in using a Mac OS.  That was me, so I figured that's probably what the text was about. It's always best to check a bank or other entity's site when being alerted about an alleged fraud. It's good you're savvy about spams.


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