A new Scam... For my American friends...
By mr_pearl
@mr_pearl (5018)
India
June 23, 2012 6:38am CST
My Dear Fellows.. I am not sure if it is known or not. Before a couple of months, I changed my job. While I was hunting for a new one, I came across a company who is into Customer Care. When I visited, they told me it was for US market. The funny thing was the office was nothing like I'm used to. It was small, dark and ventilation was scarce...
Nothing alerted my mind though (coz its India). When they told me the job profile, my mind waived the red flag. These guys, somehow, take hold of SSN of US citizens, which gives them access to their profiles- personal, professional, bank a/c details, credit cards, mortgages etc. Using this data they call innocent American citizens and pose as FBI officials. They threaten the innocent people and exploit them. They take their credit card details and make them pay any amounts.
This is unbelievable. I was quite scared to write about this earlier, as there are local guys involved and they'd not appreciate me doing this. I can't go to authorities, because I'm sure the authorities are already in it too (remember, its India).
My dear Americans, please do not fall for any such threatening calls... Don't fall prey to anyone who says he's FBI on the phone. And do not let them accuse you of anything. And please do not give away your hard earned money to these scamsters.... May God be with us...
3 people like this
6 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
23 Jun 12
Thank you so much. I don't fall for these sites, yes there are emails saying they are from F.B.I. and they go directly to my spam file. And from there , I can make a filter. I Never give out my SSN so I'm safe . But I want to thank you for all the other Yanks here that may fall victim to this. You be safe. @mr_pearl (5018)
• India
23 Jun 12
Hey Sarah, it is not a rising scam. I know a guy who worked for this company. He tells me that they used to collect thousands of dollars in an 8 hours shift. I guess, it's been going on for a long time.
And it ain't e mail dear... It is a phone call. If you ever get a call, where the caller claims to be an FBI agent, just ask 'em to visit your place. Don't share any personal info... I love your country. I don't want you guys to be robbed... Take care...
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
23 Jun 12
Your love for America and Americans shows! If they are scamming people via a phone call, they will Never get me! I don't answer my phone!
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
23 Jun 12
That is good Sarah. I did not want to scare you though, or anyone. Look whatever happens, you can just ask the caller for the address of his station... Most of the fakers'll disconnect the call at that... ;-).
Just watched 'Pearl Harbor', yet again... And love it so...
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222759)
• Chile
23 Jun 12
I would never knowingly give any money to unknown people. But, of course, some people have many ways of scamming you. In my country there are people that steal while they are in jail through cell phones. If you reply to their calls, they can take all the money you have there. Bank accounts are also hacked easily, in spite of all the security measures
.
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@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
23 Jun 12
This is very worrying. I really think that you should find some way of reporting it to whatever level of authority you feel is above being involved in such things. Perhaps your parliamentary representative?
Many call centres are now based in India but I still would have thought that any American receiving a call from an "FBI official" would be inclined to be suspicious if the caller had an Indian accent.
The tone of your story (and the opinion which you clearly have of your country - "remember, its India") is rather depressing. I'm afraid that it only corroborates the general low esteem which many people have of Indians (and I think that, in the West, people tend to make little distinction between Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. I know that some might find that 'ignorant' and even insulting, but that is certainly the case in England - I can't speak for USA and other countries.).
I have to say, though, that all of the people of those nationalities whom I have personally met and known have tended to refute that reputation - indeed, I cannot think of any for whom I have had less than the highest respect and fondness (and that also extends to many Indians whom I know from MyLot).
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
23 Jun 12
Hi... Thank you for replying. I was afraid that no one would take this seriously.. Yeah, it is happening, even now. I know a guy who's worked there... He says, all he had to do was to call an American, threaten them and collect as much as possible... This is so hideous...
Please don't think all Indians are wrong or scammers... It is just few of 'em. I can not report, coz there's no assurance. Here, everything can be bought- cops, politicians or humans.. I'm sad that I'm born here... There'll be no safty for me, if I speak about it... :-(.. You see, it took two months for me to muster the courage to write here...
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
23 Jun 12
Hi Sid... I'm really not sure how do they get all the info.. I was there for mere 30 min... Customer Care is my speciality. These guys call for candidates under the same pretext. They offer huge salaries too.. I did not accept it, coz I found it hideous... I can not imagine me calling any innocent fellow and exploiting him.. I was scared to write here, but my conscience wouldn't allow me to be silent... I'm not sure, if I'm in danger or not..
@Sanitary (3968)
• Singapore
25 Jun 12
Scams are everywhere, so long we are true to ourselves, we have nothing to fear. So what if FBI or even the president were to call us, we can always sit down, have a good talk, face to face. FBIs are not the most powerful people in the world nor in the states, so why be scare if they were to call? That's how scammers succeed in getting their targets, they prey on our fears, once we let our guard down, we listen to whatever they say, by then it's too late. It's good that you shared your story here, didn't join them as one of the scammers.
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
26 Jun 12
Hi... Good to read from you after so long. FBI isn't the most powerful nor CIA. But these agencies have authority and ability to go through peoples' profiles.. They can amend lives, if they sense real fear to the nation's security. I'm talking about the real ones. The fear springs in many minds when they receives such calls is due to the same factors that I explained.
But, of course, if you have not done any wrong, you should not be scared. Yet, people are scared. I know a guy who has worked there in the past. He tells me that people would cry and beg to leave them alone. This is the most hideous scam, I've ever come across...
@jkct02 (2874)
• Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
23 Jun 12
This method of operation to cheat money is quite common nowadays. There were a few cases that were busted by the police here in Malaysia. In one case, the masterminds came from Taiwan. They rented a bungalow, installed multiple telephone lines to set up a calling center, recruited people from mainland China for their accent to work as their operators. They prepared scripts for the operator to follow to talk to would-be victims. All their targets were Chinese staying in mainland China. They go to a foreign country to set up an operation to cheat their own country men.
The operators were categorized into beginner,intermediate and advance class. The beginner was to do the 'fishing' by either doing a random call or calling to numbers they acquired thru illegal means. If their target is hooked, the victim will be passed to the intermediate class to follow up to push the victim into the trap. The advance class will be the one that instructed the victims ways to deposit their money to the criminal's bank account.
Don't be panic when you get a call from someone who claims they are the FBI or the police investigating your finance, or says that you have failed to pay tax. Just answer it by asking which police station should you go to 'surrender' yourself. Sadly many have been cheated and it is still happening.
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
24 Jun 12
Oh Kat, that was a bad thing to happen. I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure you'll not fall prey to it again. Also please ignore if you receive a call, where the caller claims he's from police or FBI or income tax dept. They might accuse you or put a harsh claim and then ask for settlement money.... Just ignore 'em... Personally, I'd just laugh at 'em... Take care...
@Kat1023 (42)
• Canada
24 Jun 12
Thank you mr_pearl and to other fellow mylotters for your advice of how to be aware of scams. I've been recently scammed over the phone, she told me that I won the promotional pricing for a 13 day trip to floria, the vacation package is valued at $3000 and now I only had to pay $576 USD. I thought that it was a great deal, so I give them my visa card number and authorize the charge. Now that I think about it, i was so stupid. Cuz after I research on that company on the internet, i found out that it was a scam. Now i can't get my money back and don't have a trip. After this, i know to never give out my card number over the phone, and to just say "i'm busy" then hung up the phone when i get another calls like this.
