Email Phishing Scam Warning

[Kirahfaye]

I just got a handful of emails in my spam folders claiming to be from companies like Home Depot, Costco, Walmart and others and that an order had been processed from someone with the same identification informationi as the email recepient and gave a link where you can check the order and confirm pickup. The wording on the two I looked at were identical.

IT'S A SCAM!

I contacted Costco and they have a recording about it where they suggest, obviously, that you should delete the emails and to NOT click on the link.

Please be safe and delete any you get without even opening them.

[DollyKim]

Be on the look out for scam shipping notices, traffic tickets, traffic tolls, airline tickets, and court notices as well.

[Trethowan]

Telemarketing scams are always fun, too. About a week ago the "IRS" called, via Skype, and said they were going to sue me. The guy with the Indian accent wasn't very convincing. :-p

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

I keep getting "Microsoft" wanting to remote onto to my Windows PC to fix various problems.

The first time they were actually half way convincing, which surprised me, so I led them on a bit then told them there was no need as I'd just blow the VM away I had Windows on and recreate it. I started to explain I was on a Mac and running linux and Windows VMs and they gave up and disconnected. The last time they were incredibly unconvincing - they'd apparently spotted a problem on my PC that was causing my broadband to misbehave for all devices on it. I asked how one earth that was possible, and they hung up.

[Qrinta]

Thank you for the heads up! I get e-mails like this on a daily basis but thankfully they all end up in spam. Quite troublesome when scanning for actual shipping notices.

[Anderson'sAllPurpose]

For some reason I hardly ever get those anymore, but there was one a couple of weeks back that claimed my FedEx package could not be delivered and would I please click on the attached file (.zip) to print my shipping label - sent from a Russian email address made up of random words. I guess it's good to be reminded now and then not to click on those attachments.

[victoriavictrix]

I get phone scams on a regular basis.

"Pelvic mesh" lawsuit--never had surgery that required pelvic mesh.
Vague "surgery" lawsuit.
"Free cruise."
All three of these are phishing for personal info they can use for ID theft.

"IRS" taxes due. They insist that you load up money on a Green Dot card and send them the number. This one is probably because they immediately get snagged as a scam transaction by your bank if you try and issue an EFT. Or because there is no way you can get a transaction reversed on a Green Dot card. Also a scam of course, but this time it's straight money, not ID theft.

And

"Microsoft technician." Now, this one is completely unbelievable to anyone who has ever tried to call MS Tech Support and sat on hold for 4 hours. The idea that MS Techs are so underemployed they call you is hilarious. This is an attempt to actually get control of your computer and strip everything off it for access to your bank, credit and debit cards, and any other account you have.

I got three of these in a row and on the third one I was so mad that interrupted when the moron had just gotten the words "Microsoft technician" out of his mouth.

"No you're not! You're a {bleeping} scammer! I'm going to {bleeping} track you down and when I find you, I'm going to {bleeping} tear your {bleeping} arm off, {bleeping} beat you to {bleeping} death with it, then {bleeping} tear your {bleeping} head off and have my dog {bleep} the {bleeping} hole where your {bleeping} head was!"

They hung up without a word and have not called since.

[Trethowan]

I should try that last one, VV. :-p

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

I got one the other day - apparently an insurance company calling me about an accident I'd had in the last 30 days. So I very nicely told they either had the wrong number or were trying to scam me. They hung up.

[Trethowan]

Hello, board. I am really a Nigerian prince. Surprise! If you send me your banking information I'll make you rich! Or... something like that. Yeah!