topic Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000 in Community Chat

Woman scammed for $51, 000

Goodie2shoes — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 03:44:20 GMT

I'm not sure if I should feel sorry for her or not but it's sad that people can get taken so easily. Help me understand it please. So the news here reports a elderly woman got a call from the "Geek Squad" (they had her on TV back to the camera and no name given because she reported being so embarassed that this happened to her) The "Geek Squad" told her there was something wrong with her computer and she needed to shut it down but to fix it they needed her to send them GIFT CARDS and she obliged and sent them a little over $51,000. Now she is just devastated and embrassed that she sent them money she worked hard for over the years and planned to enjoy her retirement with. The first phrase that came to my mind was "you can't fix stupid" She filed a police report but you know she will never get any of her money back. I will say I am sorry she went through this terrible thing and hope the scammer gets whats coming to him or her !

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

RoughDraft — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 03:49:10 GMT

$51,000 to REPAIR her computer and she didn't think that was strange?

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

Snowpuppy — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 03:54:17 GMT

Some people live their cul de sac life in their La Z Boy and never want to experience anything else. They do as they are told with no questions.

It had to have taken her days or weeks to access that kind of cash and buy those cards. Most have a small upper limit.

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

scatcat — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 03:55:05 GMT

Who sold her $51k in gift cards?

This scam has been going on for many years and all major stores are on the look out for excessive gift card buying.

A woman I know bought $1k in gift cards at the local grocery store. When she came back for another $1k the manager stopped her and told her she was being scammed.

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

Goodie2shoes — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 04:16:36 GMT

@RoughDraftwrote: $51,000 to REPAIR her computer and she didn't think that was strange?

Isn't that crazy ??? wouldn't you think she would have questioned that?? The darn computer didn't cost that much !!! She was a elderly lady, she could only say she was so embarassed and just wanted to warn others. Sad !!

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

SandySparkles — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 05:28:50 GMT

Bless her heart! My heart goes out to her.❤ Her capacity to reason is certainly impaired, but I hope that her story will help prevent others from becoming victims of this predatory scam.😐

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

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Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

Pook — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 07:56:28 GMT

She could have just got a new computer - why pay $51,000 to fix the one she had? Who pays for anything with gift cards ?

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

Cakers3 — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 09:44:51 GMT

@Goodie2shoes

She did repair her computer for $400+ and the next day received a called from the "Geek Squad" telling her she was due a refund. Since the call came from the repair shop (or so she thought) she thought the call was legit.

She hesitated but gave her bank info so that the refund could be deposited.

Then she was told a mistake was made and had to send gift cards to give the $$ back.

The $51,000 was not all gift cards; there were wire transfers for cash, too.

At least she came forward to warn others and I would think Geek Squad and the repair shop would want to know how somebody was able to obtain that info, too.

Unless it was an employee, this repair shop was obviously hacked, too.

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

Ainhisg — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 09:56:25 GMT

My mom had a college degree and taught school for 40 years--very intelligent woman. She kept a journal, and one time, she wrote about my niece calling and needing money wired to her down in Florida, because she was in jail. Oldest scam in the book. But as my mom got older, her reasoning abilities decreased as she was starting to get mild cognitive impairment. Thank goodness she didn't know how to wire money, but she actually believed it was her granddaughter. I just happened to stumble upon the entry when I was out there cleaning her house. So the lady in the story may be starting to lose some of her mental faculties. It's easy to judge people, but when you've had a loved one get into (or almost get into) a situation like this, it's easy to see how it could happen.

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

jackthebear — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 10:12:18 GMT

@Cakers3 wrote:
@Goodie2shoes

She did repair her computer for $400+ and the next day received a called from the "Geek Squad" telling her she was due a refund. Since the call came from the repair shop (or so she thought) she thought the call was legit.

She hesitated but gave her bank info so that the refund could be deposited.

Then she was told a mistake was made and had to send gift cards to give the $$ back.
The $51,000 was not all gift cards; there were wire transfers for cash, too.

At least she came forward to warn others and I would think Geek Squad and the repair shop would want to know how somebody was able to obtain that info, too.

Unless it was an employee, this repair shop was obviously hacked, too.

current scam outlined on youtube

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

CrazyDaisy — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 11:03:05 GMT

@scatcat wrote:
Who sold her $51k in gift cards?

This scam has been going on for many years and all major stores are on the look out for excessive gift card buying.

A woman I know bought $1k in gift cards at the local grocery store. When she came back for another $1k the manager stopped her and told her she was being scammed.

Have to agree. My parents friends went to send money via Western Union. The conversation with the teller seemed off so she suggested calling police to check it out for them. It was a scam.... Places seem to be looking out for the elderly and these scams.

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

Desertdi — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 11:04:47 GMT

It happens every day. An old high school pal of mine recently bought 100 IBM typewriters for $5 each. He rented a storage unit to keep them in, until he could sell them. He "thought" he could make about $50,000.

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

50Mickey — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 11:11:18 GMT

If she is savvy enough to use a computer it is hard to understand why she fell for this scam. I can't believe that anyone would think gift cards are a legitimate form of bill paying. And one post said

some of the money paid was with money wires. This is not easy to do.

I just bought a $50 Amazon gift card in a store last week and I had to sign that I was not under pressure to purchase this. And this was for $50.

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

CalminHeart — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 12:10:07 GMT

We don't know the woman's intellectual or mental status.

We also don't have details on what the scammer said to the woman.

She's elderly so I would give her a break on being so judgemental.

I take care of my 90 yr old dad. I've talked to him til I'm blue in the face to hang up on scam calls. It took a couple of years but he now hangs up on all of them.

Now that I'm close to 70, I am recognize that my body and my quick thinking is a tiny bit slower than it used to be. My phone has a scam alert on it and I just ignore those calls then block. I'm very active and do a lot to keep my brain functioning but age eventually affects everyone if we live long enough.

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

manny2 — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 12:31:05 GMT

The scammers are so good at what they do they can talk any age into doing this. I have seen it first hand many times.They use all different tactics to get what they want. By the time people realize what they have done it is too late, and they are embarrassed.

Don't be so quick to judge.

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

millieshops — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 12:42:04 GMT

@RoughDraft do we know if they asked for all that money at one time or was this an ongoing scam?

she would have had to be deep into dementia not to recognize a scam of that magnitude if they started with that number

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

Patriot3 — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 12:42:44 GMT

I feel so sorry for the elderly who can't reason very well and get caught in these scams. How can those scammers live with themselves. It is positive that they have no conscience.

I feel so blessed that I am still able to reason and be logical. Thank God!!

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

violann — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 12:42:46 GMT

@manny2 wrote:
The scammers are so good at what they do they can talk any age into doing this. I have seen it first hand many times.They use all different tactics to get what they want. By the time people realize what they have done it is too late, and they are embarrassed.

Don't be so quick to judge.

I agree with this. While we all work or worked, and manage our finances as intelligently as we are able, "scammers" "earn" their livings by investing their time in ways to cheat the ignorant/innocent.

If "scammers" out their enthusiasm and creativity into honest education and occupations, they could probably live comfortably on their honesty.

The old motto "Cheaters NEVER prosper" isn't such a good fit in these times.

Re: Woman scammed for $51, 000

millieshops — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 12:46:00 GMT

@Pook scammers do. They sell the cards to others at a discount. Easy to do when they have no money of their own involved.