I was a Scam Victim

[w132141w]

In April of 2020, I was the victim of a scam. My smartphone was hacked. I got a message: "Call Google Support Immediately". I called them. They told me to buy GooglePlay gift cards and that they would refund me. I bought them. I gave them the codes. They told me to buy more. After purchasing

$5,000. in gift cards, I learned it was a scam. I've only got $400. back.

Warning: If someone asks you to pay them using gift cards, don't buy them. It is a scam.

Thank you for reading this.

Bill

[BonnieE394164]

That's horrible! I understand it though!! I changed my number acouunts, bank, everything pretty much and have police feds and attorneys involved now. It's bizarre!

[fffred]

@w132141w 

What an awful experience, Bill. You have my sympathies. It is really outrageous how scammers abuse people.

The "gift card" ploy is a well known thing and is a red alert right there.

Thanks for sharing your story. I'm sure people will take this to heart and learn from your own unfortunate experience.

[nctarheel]

I don't understand with all the scam warning information out in the public domain how someone can still fall for the "gift card" ploy.....but they do.

There was a minister here locally that was led to believe that he owed money to the IRS. He was on the phone with an IRS impersonator for 9 hours as he went from store to store buying gift cards and giving them the codes to cash those gift cards. He lost $16,500!!!!

I can't fathom how he spent all those hours believing he was talking to a government agency.