A Holiday Warning to My Subscribers!

Scammers are hard at work to get your money for their Christmas shopping.

In May, I wrote a confessional post for Medium about how imposters on the platform scammed me. I hoped that by sharing my story, I could keep it from happening to someone else. I was grateful that I called the Attorney General’s Office to report it and got their advice about securing my credit. It took some work, but I locked my credit in all three major bureaus to secure my identity and ensure I didn’t get hit again. Despite being vigilant and suspicious, I almost took another hit today.

Once again, I share my story, hoping to stop it from happening to any of you. The story of my first experience is here. After reading it, you will understand why this fraudulent email from what looked like PayPal garnered my immediate attention.

As you can see in the screenshot from my computer, the PayPal logo looked legit. I failed to see the tiny writing in the middle at the top because I went right into freakout mode. As it happens, I was on hold with American Express then. They offered an upgraded business card without an annual fee, which I wanted to take advantage of. I’d explained to the representative that I had locked my credit because I was scammed and wanted to ensure pre-approval meant they didn’t require a credit check.

She put me on hold to check with the proper department, so, ever the multitasker, I decided to check my emails. That’s when I saw the above email. When she returned to the line, she advised me that a credit check wasn’t necessary and that she could take my application for the upgrade on the phone. I told her it had to be fast because I had an emergency that needed my attention.

After finishing my conversation with AMEX, I immediately dialed the 800 number attached to the email. I wasn’t surprised when someone with a strong foreign accent answered the phone. How often do you reach an American when dialing customer service? The man on the other end said everything you’d expect about how smart I was to call immediately and assured me that he would help me deal with the issue. He went on about how someone probably used my cell phone number because of something I’d purchased from it.

It just so happened that I’d made a purchase from my phone the day before and hadn’t received my confirmation email.

He didn’t ask for any personal information besides my email. However, I became suspicious when he wanted me to put an address in my search bar to take me to a remote server. I asked why I would need to do that, and he spewed out a bunch of malarky about needing to do it to keep my PayPal account safe. He put me on hold for a minute, probably to inform his pals that he had a fish on the line. While I was waiting, I decided to sign into my PayPal account. Thank the good Lord I did.

There were five requests for $1,299.00 from different names I didn’t recognize.

There was no request for the scary $1895.95. If that monster had gotten into my computer, he would have authorized the charges, and I would have been out $6,500.00. A devastating amount compared to the previous $165.00 I was taken for.

It’s maddening and sad that we must be so suspicious today. I see it getting worse, not better. Scammers can easily replicate logos from legitimate companies you trust and drain your bank accounts. PayPal seems to be a favorite. I disputed the charges with them when I was taken in May and never received a refund. Telegram and WhatsApp will always be suspect to me now, too.

I’m happy to say that the REAL representative at PayPal was very helpful. He stayed on the phone while I changed my password and signed back into my account. He assured me that the funds requested would not be sent. He also had me forward the fraudulent email to the company.

Please remember that scammers hope to have their Christmas at your expense during the busy shopping season. No depth is too low for them. Stay diligent. Examine every email closely and listen to your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, there is a reason for it. Do not give anyone you aren’t positive is from a reputable source access to your personal information. Lock your credit report the minute you think there is a problem.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas. Make sure the thieves aren’t dipping into your stockings. God bless, and stay safe.

I’m a retired biker bar owner, author, blogger, and full-time RVer. You can follow me on Medium, Facebook, Linkedin, X(Twitter)