I just received an email from Bank of America, text below:
We noticed suspicious activity on your account from an unrecognized device IP : 128.149.XXX.YYY on November 20, 2014. This may have been you via a mobile device or other devices. To avoid online banking activities suspension within 24 hours, please click our secure web and verify your identity by linking Bank of America IP:
www.bankofamerica.com/secure/
For your security, we have temporarily blocked access to online banking account activities update and notification until you verify your identity with us. This is simply for your safety online, after your account update normal banking activities will resume.
Security Checkpoint: This email includes a Security Checkpoint. The information in this section lets you know this is an authentic communication from Bank of America. Remember to look for your SiteKey every time you sign in to Online Banking.
Bank of America Email, 8th Floor-NC1-002-08-25, 101 South Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28255-0001
Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender
© 2014 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved
How do I know this is a scam? Because I’ve never had an account with BoA and don’t do any banking online.
Is there a central site to report these scams?
p.s. Don’t give anyone your personal identity/info/anything at all, online without knowing exactly with whom you’re dealing
T'is the season
Lots of this going on all the time but it seems more so in the holiday season.
No bank that I know of would send you any type of notification via email.
automated spam war
From Wikipedia:
“Email spam has steadily grown since the early 1990s. Botnets, networks of virus-infected computers, are used to send about 80% of spam. Since the expense of the spam is borne mostly by the recipient, it is effectively postage due advertising… According to the Message Anti-Abuse Working Group, the amount of spam email was between 88–92% of email messages sent in the first half of 2010.”
This reminds me of a great movie, The Matrix. The warring machines are up and running and we are fast becoming the spoils of their epic combat! Get to know your spam filters and how to use them. My ISP does a fairly good job of destroying most spam before it reaches me. Good to know that some of the machines are on my side!
Andy
other phone scams
For the last year or so, I get automated phone calls from a pleasant sounding woman promising me a reduce credit card rate from my credit card company. After her spiel, she asks you to press “1” and you can talk to someone. Being curious, I pressed one and was connected to a man who proceeded to promise me a low rate, but I had to divulge my credit card number. He told me he represented my credit card company, had all my financial info in front of him, and all I had to do was provide my credit card number. He sounded convincing, and I can see someone falling for his schtick. I hung up.
I have also gotten calls from the “IRS” demanding financial info as they insisted I was delinquent in my taxes. I hung up.
And the other day I got a call from someone saying they represented Microsoft and were looking for some “bug” on my computer. Now this person was quite laughable and it must have been his first day on the job. He spoke with a pronounced Indian accent and said he was calling tom Mountain View, CA. He demanded my email address and my credit card number. Quite the hustle. I hung up.
All these calls came on my “hardline” and not my cell phone.
Be careful out there…..
my sister fell for this bug...
My sister fell for this “there’s a bug on your computer”. They got on her computer and took over. I told her it was a scam and she “freaked” because it all sounded so reasonable. they extracted $350 for their service and she had to change all her bank, credit card etc numbers. She’s a smart and careful woman…they appealed to her concern for her computer.
I too have been getting the “IRS” and finally begged (please, please,please) the man with an accent to take me off the list. He seemed a bit surprised by the begging…:) I know I said please way too many times and he knew I wasn’t going to stop begging. I invite you to try it it’s fun.
A woman named Carol called me recently and I went along with it but then began my own reasonable rant about not knowing her and how I was not sure if I wanted to hear the rest of her spiel~ she was a little surprised/silenced by my friendly approach.
All these strangers wanting something.
My experience has been that
My experience has been that it’s better to not engage in any type of conversation with these scammers. Just because you asked someone to take you off their calling list doesn’t mean it will happen. Your number will just be passed on to the person sitting in the seat next to him. If I see a number I don’t recognize I don’t answer the phone – particularly if it’s an unfamiliar area code or it starts with 888. I don’t need these idiots to waste my time.
If it’s legitimate they’ll leave a cohesive message and I can call them back or not. Generally if you don’t answer they don’t leave a message because there’s no way for you to call them back.
"Vindows" Technical Dep't.
@ 7:50 AM I got a delightful call from a woman with an accent, claiming to be from the “Vindows” Technical Department, telling me how badly AFU my computer was.
These people have no shame.
As the above post indicates, these scams can be lucrative.
At least they could pronounce Windows correctly.
One year later
Same “Vindows” Technical Department, this time at 7:25 AM December 12.
What's the phone for, really? A possible strategy.
There was a Vermont farmer who just ignored the ringing of his telephone. When asked why he didn’t answer he replied, “I put that phone in for my convenience, not someone else’s.”
This Might Help You...
https://www.bankofamerica.com/privacy/online-mobile-banking-privacy/email-fraud.go
I hope that helps you!
Yet Another, Today
“This is an automatic message by Navy Federal Credit Union Billing Team
“Starting from November 26 2014, Our bank introduces new authentication
procedures in order to better protect private information of our account holders.
Please note that accounts that are not reviewed within 48hrs are subject to termination.
“To avoid service interruption kindly click here to update your records
“Thank You.
Navy Federal Credit Union.”
Never even heard of that place before!
Even on Turkey Day
Dear Chase OnlineSM Customer :
We noticed suspicious activity on your account from an unrecognized device IP : 12.19.211.14 on November 27, 2014. This may have been you via a mobile device or other devices.
We have temporarily blocked access to online banking account activities update and notification until you verify your identity with us. This is simply for your safety online, after your account update normal banking activities will resume.
To avoid online banking activities suspension within 24 hours, please click our secure web and verify your identity with Chase by clinking on chase IP:
http://www.chase/infosecureip/
Thank you for being a Chase customer. We appreciate your business.
Sincerely,
Chase Online Banking Services
Robocalls
I get at least 3 per day despite being on the “do not call” list, and additionally, despite robocalls actually being illegal.
There’s simply no enforcement. Most of these calls originate outside of the country.
Salvation
I have a friend who has devised an interesting strategy. If he gets a real person, he asked if the person has been “saved” and then starts reading bible passages.
He claims the “aggressors” can’t wait to cut him off.
Here's another
Here’s another idea
http://800notes.com/videos/qNUE602EhQA/tom-mabe-pranks-telemarketer-with-fake-death-scene
Better and better
These guys are getting better. I just got a call from the “Chiefs of police” asking for donations.
A mechanical sounding voice asked questions and responded to my answers. I think they were using voice recognition software.
It was pretty impressive, but they still didn’t get any donations.
Hmmm...
A call from Robocop?