One more scam

Veterans’ Voices is directed toward veterans and their families who have given so much to ensure our freedom in this country. This is an area where you may share your experiences, or read of other veterans’ experiences. We thank you for your service, and hope that you know how much you are loved and appreciated.

---

I have written about scams that were tried on me in the last few columns. I got a few emails from other veterans about how they received phone calls from these scammers as well. I was also asked if I could mention a few more, so here goes. I heard this one from my Aunt. She almost gave too much information on the phone. So here goes.

Here is how it works: A person calls and says something along the lines, “This is Amy, and I am calling from the Security and Fraud Department at Visa. My badge number is 12550. Your card had been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern and I am calling to verify. This would be on your Visa Card which was issued by your bank. Did you purchase a Samsung telephone for $897.25 from a consumer company based in New York?”

When they were told no, the caller continued, “Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company that we have had our eyes on for the last few months and the charges have been from $657.00 to $938.26, just under the $1,000.00 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to your address on file. Could you verify the address, please?” She told her the address. The caller said “I will be starting a fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 800 number on the back of the card and ask for the Fraud and the Security Department. You will need to refer to this control number. The control number is 125885. Please repeat that back to me.”