Spotted a scam? Tell us about it.

[kathytwoponies]

Red Cross has hundreds and hundreds of volunteers. The administrative costs include storage of emergency supplies and training. I see folks ding larger organizations all the time. Now a cancer organization that only spends 4% of the take on research is suspect. (There is one, but you can double check any legitimate charity on Charity Navigator). Most take a reasonable percent to make things happen. Red Cross is reputable, that's why I volunteered there to help with the fire emergency shelter and the fire prevention activities in my town.

[kathytwoponies]

did you give her the info? If so, first thing to do - contact your credit bureaus (all 3) and your banks. Get a freeze on your credit. Yes, it will cost a little, but save you many thousands.
Contact your bank.
Contact your credit card company.
Above all, contact the FTC with any info you have about them, and contact the IRS asking for a fraud letter.
I would also spring for an Identity protection service. (My info got hacked 5 different times through no fault of mine, so I monitor it like a hawk.)

If you didn't give any info, good for you, that makes it better. Be aware that if you did give them anything you may start getting more scam calls. I'm so sorry, but that's true. (It happened to my mom.)

[kathytwoponies]

You know, some of us are here trying to protect our loved ones from being hurt. You know perfectly well that complaining about an AARP article is not a scam. YOU are getting in the way of us trying to figure out how to help our families on this scam related page, but instead you are whining and complaining instead of reporting a link that doesn't work. Does that make YOU a scammer? No, it makes you mean or lazy. But it doesn't make you a scammer.

[Gdnr]

Here is the scam:  https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2014/can-this-be-used-reused-quiz.html?cmp=EMC-DSO-...

It just doesn't work.  Pleassew add this to your list of scams.

[michaeld507004]

WELLS FARGO BANK ATM MALFUNCTION STEALS WELFARE AND DISABILITY MONEY ON 12/2/17! RENT IS NOW OVERDUE, FOOD CANNOT BE PURCHASED, WELLS FARGO HAS NOT RETURNED THE MONEY, NOR WILL THEY EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR ATM'S ERROR! Here are the details of Wells Fargo's responses: https://tcom10.wixsite.com/wfargonightmare https://twitter.com/Tcom08740 Please help by retweeeting so that others are made aware and are able to avoid this bank.

[octavia84]

If you did not send them money, do not do anything. Block the call so they cannot contact you and change your e-mail account. If you sent them money, note the day amd time they called and try finding the phone number in your call history. You can ask your phone provider to help. Then, together with the address/way you sent them money, take the information to the police and file a complaint. The police department will guide you to how this complaint is handled.

Thanks for sharing.

[ch40972525]

Name: Heather Johsonwall from Humanity of Empowerment, supposedly home office in VA.

Asked for name, date of birth, email, next of kin, place of employment...said she would help get me a Grant from Government, once she had all this information, she started asking for $1000.00 & up for FREE GRANTS. I couldn't find any legit information through BBB, & now I don't know what to do.

[remlod]

Received a text message from "Chase Bank" telling me my debit card has been frozen due to suspicious activity and I should call a number listed to verify.

Called the number and got a response identical to the legit number.  When the electronic system asked for my SSN I hung up and called the number I had listed for Chase.

Got the same introduction and pressed 0 to get a human.

Explained what had just happened and discovered my Debit Card was not frozen and there had been no activity since the last transaction several days before.

At the suggestion of the Chase Rep I deleted the text message, did not record the requested phone number.

These scammers have duplicated the legitimate Chase phone protocol and are obviously phishing for SSN's.

DO NOT give your SSN to anyone that calls you.  Hang up and call a trusted number to verify who you are speaking to.

[GailL1]

@abmicro839

Although the deductions are NOT tax deductible usually, sometimes news cast or local newspapers might run a story about a person or family who need a "hand up" and they or some other entity have established a GoFundMe account.

After checking out the story, people can make donations to these specific GoFundMe account.

This is just another way of helping a person or family - remember banks use to set up accounts for them where donations could be made.  This is just the 21st century way.

[abmicro839]

Watch out for fraudulent donation scams. You will hear or read about a tear jearking story on an online site to try to get you to donate. Sometimes it is via phone call. These scams run amuck after a disaster (like in Florida and Texas, and the recent California wildfires.)

Only donate to well established organizations like the Red Cross. OK, organizations have an administration expense, buy at least you know the donation will go to your cause and it is tax deductable.