Life’s Unexpected Test Part I
Recently I was thrown a proverbial curve ball, and it has taken awhile to get to a point of wanting to share about it via a computer electronically. There has been many emotions and anxiety along with both inner and outer obstacles.
It happened one morning after checking a money platform. There was a transaction that stated money had already been sent to a company that I did not authorize, and another was going to be sent unless I refused it which I did. On the entry was a phone number and that is where a journey began.
Now let me say I did not ever see this platform as being different from a traditional bank in several ways. That said, the phone call to the number on the payment unknowingly was to a scammer and one who I spoke with two separate times over a two-day period.
The guy said the right things intertwined with other things that laid out the multilayer fraud. From saying about the importance of a VPN in one breath to accessing my computer, emails, and documents. Please note no client information was accessed as the password for that system was not saved in my computer.
Now at the same time as these things were occurring, my nervous system was in overdrive and what I now recognize as at an unregulated state near the panic point. Upon getting off the first call, I:
reported a debit card stolen,
froze my credit with the 3 bureaus,
set up alerts and
for the first time looked at my bank account and saw several transactions
During the second call - he had set up a time to call me back to notify me of the progress in correcting my record, the guy went deeper with the asks along with continuing to require things that made me uneasy on several levels and those that made sense. Unless you have had training in these types of communication tactics, you may have found yourself like me trying to find my way out and wondering what was real.
And due to a recent experience with Toyota’s connected app with their security technical team asking that I email my full contract to show vehicle ownership to set up the app which the salespersons repeatedly stated was necessary, it maybe didn’t feel quite as extreme of an ask. That along with the fact the phone number I had to call with Toyota was linked to a TAI Leasing company which I learned after some online research was connected to the actual brand there were a lot of uncomfortable feelings and anxiety, and it turned out okay. So, what is to say one is legitimate and one not?
And after the second call, I began thinking I wanted to make sure that the phone and texting security numbers were associated to the actual platform. As we know big companies and those with customer service areas have many different phone numbers.
I found a number online, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. Was the number I found online factual? Yes! That is when I learned that I was a victim of identity theft. Let me say this, the words alone created an anxiousness to form. And I learned:
The guy had gone as far to open a credit line in my name through the platform which I then got closed by talking immediately with the credit line bank which now is in the process of a 45-day review.
I also contacted my bank’s fraud department and had them block any transactions for the platform at the company level. (Note: It can be done at both a person level and company level.)
He had racked up $1500 worth of charges through transactions to my bank. This is under a 60-day review.
Part of the scam is they open a line of credit, then send money to both known and unknown people who use the platform. When the people receive the money, they can choose to refund it which somehow goes to the scammer.
I had two people I know ask if I sent them random money. All transactions to:
people were under $100 for odd amounts (like $23.24, $31.32, etc);
the bank were just under $500 and there were three
I tell you this to alert you to what it can look like. We learn so often what will not happen perse, however in the working through of this process, i can tell you it depends on the company and what they have experienced too as to what will be asked on the search for answers.
Stay tuned for the second part next week.
