Some time ago I had several rants and raves about a credit card scam that was costing me around £125 and a whole load of stress on the stressometer. At long last it seems to have been sorted out. I might add that there was no correspondence, only a credit on the card. I am presuming this means that the fraudulent company have been debited for the fraudulent amount.
Does this mean that I am no longer in danger of something similar happening? Sadly not, every mailbox seems to contain some scam or other. In addition, websites are offering special offers and “too good to miss” free trials of products. I have come to the conclusion that my spam programme is not working as well as it should. The real worry is for the the true elderly-elders……… it’s all too easy to lose concentration, press the wrong button and boom……. credit card details have gone zooming to a load of crooks.
I’m doing my best to be more careful. The main thing to do is to stay away from the computer and online bargains when one is either overtired or looking for retail therapy as a means of cheering up a bad day.
The lessons to be learned are summed up as follows:
- Take no notice to long, involved letters in bad English purporting to have large sums of money to pay into your account.
- Especially if the above are from Nigeria.
- Never give out credit card details for free offers that look too good to be true. They probably are too good to be true.
- Don’t sign up for trials of products.
- Never give your full details for companies you don’t know.
- Don’t click on clickables, even if it purports to come from a bank or company you know. Close down the website and contact your company direct.
Can you think of any other things to be wary of online?
Good lessons we should never have to worry about being taught by bad people. But it is life, isn’t it? We must teach our children (and ourselves) to trust people ….. but only within tight limits. sigh.
I NEVER buy anything online that I haven’t gone looking for myself. I pay by Paypal.
All my retail therapy happens in the flesh, in a lovely little shop in Ludlow or Shrewsbury – there isn’t much of that anyway, because I now buy very little of anything I don’t need anyway, unless it’s books or music.
There is a nasty scam around where the caller/emailer says they have knowledge of a computer fault. Don’t fall for it! They just want access!
Thank you for your lovely compliment on my blog. I write exactly as I speak and think, and push publish without prior editing. It’s what comes of a) being a foreigner, who has to be forgiven for her foibles (she can’t help it, you know, she’s a foreigner), and b) the fact that I am now far too advanced in years to worry much about what people might think. Apart from not wanting to hurt anyone, of course.
I am with Friko. I use Paypal or my Amex card. I pay $5 per month for protection against scams. When I shop, I often use Amazon.com and pay though them if the item is from a supplier. I am super conservative. At least you got a credit. Congratulations.
Hi and thanks so much for commenting on my blog today. I love to get new friends via the blog.
You have a very interesting blog and I read back over your entries. First I’d like to say that I can’t wait to get the book that you recommend “The Enemy of the Good”. It sounds like one I’d really enjoy.
As to your entry today I agree with everything and it’s really fairly easy to see the scam simply by the poor english that’s used. Of course this is not always the case but
it’s a tip-off. I have to censor my comments now because I was getting some crazy things and I’ll bet I reject at least 4 a day. Do you have the same problem?
That’s it for now but I will definitely be back.
This is such sage advice:
“The main thing to do is to stay away from the computer and online bargains when one is either overtired or looking for retail therapy as a means of cheering up a bad day.”
Another thing to watch for online is the little square to check or button to click that says something like: Remember me on this computer.
My Amazon Chase credit card has a service I signed up for, whereby they robot-call me whenever there has been online action on my card. So far, the alerts have been actual charges by me.
Sometimes I fantasize about living at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, away from it all!