The man told her she had to stop the 'hack' by purchasing Apple gift cards. The numbers on the back would 'block' the thieves, and he'd 'deposit money' into her bank account to cover the cost.
Trying to return a product to Etsy before going to the hospital for surgery, the Oakley woman fell prey to a phony customer service phone number.The federal government reports scammers stole a record $8.8 billion from their victims last year -- a full 30% more than in 2021.
Tracy Jones was already under stress, about to go into the hospital, and trying to finish some business beforehand. She found a phone number online and thought she was talking to a real customer service agent. She wasn't. Jones just wanted to return some grilling baskets she had purchased online. They arrived dented and crushed.Jones said she went online and searched "Etsy customer service" on Google and called the first number she saw.A man on the phone said he would give her a refund but first, she had to download an app on her phone.
"He sent me to Lowes first. He said, 'I've deposited $1,000 into your account ... and when you get the gift cards you need to sit in the car so you can use Lowes' Wi-Fi and you take a picture of the receipt,'" Jones said. The man told her to hurry and later, as she was about to undergo surgery, there was another text. There was a problem. The card numbers were supposedly not blocking the hackers. She had to buy more cards.Jones came home with a stent in her heart, and then, a metaphorical knife.
Now the scammer goes for her phone. The man wanted her to download "AnyDesk," an app that would let him take control of her phone. We clicked off.ABC7 reached out to Etsy but has not heard back. To make sure you are calling a real number for a company, go to the real company website.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
7 On Your Side catches scammer in the act after he drains woman's bank accountThe man told her she had to stop the 'hack' by purchasing Apple gift cards. The numbers on the back would 'block' the thieves, and he'd 'deposit money' into her bank account to cover the cost.
Read more »
Survivalists face off against northern Saskatchewan in History Channel series AloneIn the reality series, which airs Thursdays, 10 contestants are dropped near Reindeer Lake. Whoever lasts the longest wins $500,000.
Read more »
Low air quality: Why the Northern U.S. is dealing with so much smokeSmoky conditions have blanketed much of the northern U.S., creating air quality alerts and conditions unhealthy to some individuals.
Read more »
Gurnee police say black bear sighting reported in northern suburbGurnee police said they got a report of a possible bear sighting Wednesday morning.
Read more »
Flash flood warnings in place for burn scars in northern ColoradoThunderstorms are hitting the Front Range, with hail and heavy rain reported in areas north and south of Denver.
Read more »
Lightning sparks 3 small wildfires in Northern California forestThe fires, located in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest near the city of Big Bar, had a low rate of spread, officials said.
Read more »