Don’t fall for this costly scam: How a “compromised device” alert stole $45,000 from a couple!
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In a world where technology is supposed to make our lives easier and safer, it's a harsh reality that the same advancements can also open the door to new forms of crime.
For one retired couple, a seemingly helpful alert spiraled into a nightmare, leading to the loss of their $45,000 retirement savings to ruthless scammers.
This cautionary tale is not just a story of deception but also a wake-up call, especially in the senior community, who may be more trusting of authority figures and less familiar with the cunning tactics of modern-day thieves. What do you need to watch out for?
It began innocuously enough: a warning popped up on the man's iPad, claiming his device was compromised. “It just said I was compromised and I should get a hold of the bank right away,” said the victim.
Concerned, he called the number displayed on the alert, expecting assistance. He ended up on a call with someone whom he believed to be a bank executive.
Instead, he found himself speaking to a con artist masquerading as a bank executive. The scammer spun a tale of hacked accounts and urgent action needed to safeguard the couple's funds.
Despite initial skepticism, the scammer's persuasive skills led the 73-year-old man from Ohio to visit two banks and withdraw a total of $45,000.
The scammer's instructions were clear and manipulative: “Don't say nothing to anybody or anything because somebody at the bank could be compromised.”
Under this pretense, the victim lied to bank tellers, claiming the cash was for a car purchase. The final act of the scam took place in a parking lot, where the victim handed over his money to a man posing as a bank executive.
It was only when the scammers reached out for more money that the victim realized he had been duped.
A police complaint was filed, and the hope now rests on video surveillance to catch the thief.
The man expresses, “I really hope he doesn’t scam anybody else. I hope he doesn’t get into anybody like this because this is just awful, this is terrible to do to somebody.”
This incident is far from isolated. In 2023, the Federal Trade Commission reported that bank impersonation via text message was the most-reported scam, with losses doubling from the previous year to a staggering $330 million.
These scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often leveraging artificial intelligence to create more convincing deceptions.
Meanwhile, a 69-year-old woman from Philadelphia lost $40,000 and her pets because of a romance scam on Facebook.
Source: The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel / Youtube.
As members of The GrayVine community, we must be vigilant and informed to protect ourselves and our hard-earned savings. Here are some essential tips to help you spot and avoid scams:
1. If an online deal seems too good to be true, especially on social media, it probably is. Always approach with skepticism.
2. Scammers use urgency to cloud your judgment. Take a breath, and verify the identity of anyone urging immediate action.
3. Financial institutions like Chase Bank advise customers to verify any unexpected funds before taking action.
4. Be wary of sending money to someone you've only interacted with online or by phone, as it could be a romance scam.
5. Never grant remote access to your device unless you are absolutely certain of the person's
identity and legitimacy.
6. Exercise caution at ATMs and avoid accepting help from strangers.
Source: KVUE / Youtube.
7. Ignore prompts to send money or click links claiming you've won a prize.
8. Report these scams to authorities like the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Also read: Divorced and duped–This woman left her husband and lost $800,000 to a man she thought was Brad Pitt
Have you or someone you know been targeted by a similar scam? What measures have you taken to safeguard your savings? Join the conversation below!
For one retired couple, a seemingly helpful alert spiraled into a nightmare, leading to the loss of their $45,000 retirement savings to ruthless scammers.
This cautionary tale is not just a story of deception but also a wake-up call, especially in the senior community, who may be more trusting of authority figures and less familiar with the cunning tactics of modern-day thieves. What do you need to watch out for?
It began innocuously enough: a warning popped up on the man's iPad, claiming his device was compromised. “It just said I was compromised and I should get a hold of the bank right away,” said the victim.
Concerned, he called the number displayed on the alert, expecting assistance. He ended up on a call with someone whom he believed to be a bank executive.
Instead, he found himself speaking to a con artist masquerading as a bank executive. The scammer spun a tale of hacked accounts and urgent action needed to safeguard the couple's funds.
Despite initial skepticism, the scammer's persuasive skills led the 73-year-old man from Ohio to visit two banks and withdraw a total of $45,000.
A retired man and his wife lost $45,000 of their retirement savings to scammers after receiving a compromise warning on their device. Image source: Rich Bowlin / Youtube.
The scammer's instructions were clear and manipulative: “Don't say nothing to anybody or anything because somebody at the bank could be compromised.”
Under this pretense, the victim lied to bank tellers, claiming the cash was for a car purchase. The final act of the scam took place in a parking lot, where the victim handed over his money to a man posing as a bank executive.
It was only when the scammers reached out for more money that the victim realized he had been duped.
A police complaint was filed, and the hope now rests on video surveillance to catch the thief.
The man expresses, “I really hope he doesn’t scam anybody else. I hope he doesn’t get into anybody like this because this is just awful, this is terrible to do to somebody.”
This incident is far from isolated. In 2023, the Federal Trade Commission reported that bank impersonation via text message was the most-reported scam, with losses doubling from the previous year to a staggering $330 million.
These scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often leveraging artificial intelligence to create more convincing deceptions.
Meanwhile, a 69-year-old woman from Philadelphia lost $40,000 and her pets because of a romance scam on Facebook.
Source: The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel / Youtube.
As members of The GrayVine community, we must be vigilant and informed to protect ourselves and our hard-earned savings. Here are some essential tips to help you spot and avoid scams:
1. If an online deal seems too good to be true, especially on social media, it probably is. Always approach with skepticism.
2. Scammers use urgency to cloud your judgment. Take a breath, and verify the identity of anyone urging immediate action.
3. Financial institutions like Chase Bank advise customers to verify any unexpected funds before taking action.
4. Be wary of sending money to someone you've only interacted with online or by phone, as it could be a romance scam.
5. Never grant remote access to your device unless you are absolutely certain of the person's
identity and legitimacy.
6. Exercise caution at ATMs and avoid accepting help from strangers.
Source: KVUE / Youtube.
7. Ignore prompts to send money or click links claiming you've won a prize.
8. Report these scams to authorities like the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Also read: Divorced and duped–This woman left her husband and lost $800,000 to a man she thought was Brad Pitt
Have you or someone you know been targeted by a similar scam? What measures have you taken to safeguard your savings? Join the conversation below!
