A fake Verizon fraud call can feel real fast, especially when official-looking texts start landing on your phone.That is what makes this scam so dangerous.
The caller creates panic, pushes you to "verify" your identity and then uses your own reaction against you.Chuck from New Braunfels, Texas, reached out after a frightening close call."I usually am pretty savvy when it comes to scams, but I almost got fooled by a fake Verizon fraud investigator.He tricked me into giving him access to my account through text verification...
he ordered an upgrade to my daughter's phone, which she would never do without me.In the end, thank God I figured it out and got a hold of the real Verizon fraud and stopped him before something bad happened.
If there is any more information I can give to help someone else, let me know."Chuck's message should make all of us pause.He knew scams were out there.
He still almost got caught because this one moved quickly and looked so convincing.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportADT DATA BREACH EXPOSES CUSTOMER INFORMATIONA Texas Verizon customer says a convincing fraud caller nearly hijacked his wireless account by directing him through real security alerts before he stopped the scam.(Photo by Zamek/VIEWpress)Chuck says the call came in around 7:15 p.m.
The man on the phone claimed he worked for Verizon's fraud department.He gave a name, "John Rodriguez," along with the phone number 1-888-269-xxxx.That detail made the call feel more official.
So did the extra pieces the caller supplied.Chuck says the scammer gave him a fraudulent number and a cancellation number.That is a common move in account takeover scams.
The criminal gives you enough "case details" to sound legitimate.Then, while you feel like you are dealing with a real fraud alert, the scammer quietly tries to get control of your account.The messages Chuck received appeared to involve Verizon account security.
One said there was a request to authenticate from the Verizon website.It...