‘I fell for it,’ cries man after losing $12k during a trip to the ATM – a ‘Good Samaritan’ used a fake card technique
ONE scam victim thought his perpetrator was being helpful; three days later he had lost thousands.
Don, from Dedham, Massachusetts, around 30 minutes outside of Boston, was swindled out of his money after his ATM transactions went awry.
WCVB5Don lost $12,000 in an ATM debit card and stolen check scheme; he is still fighting to get his money back[/caption]
WCVB5Megan Bates was using a Bank of America ATM in East Boston when her perpetrator struck in a very similar manner to Don’s[/caption]
He was using a Bank of America ATM in the parking lot of a CVS when he began having some trouble with his transaction.
“I think it might have been my ATM card was getting stuck,” he explained to local ABC news affiliate WCVB.
That was when the person who would later steal from him offered some help.
While the man “helped” Don, the fraudster actually swapped out the struggling customer’s debit card with a decoy.
Don, not thinking much of it and assuming the transaction just was not going to work, went on with his day without thinking twice about the authenticity of his card.
That was until he noticed $12,000 missing from his account.
Upon further investigation, the thief had completed three different transactions at three separate banks to claim his haul, cashing checks against his bank account.
After his run-in, the man says he learned a valuable lesson.
“I guess you have to be very, very vigilant,” said Don.
The issue is, that it is difficult to be careful when you do not know what to look out for.
“Of course, I thought I was [careful],” Don reflected.
NOT THE FIRST TIME
Don’s story is, unfortunately, not a unique one, as another person fell victim to a similar scheme in the area.
Megan Bates was using a Bank of America ATM in East Boston when her perpetrator struck.
She said that it happened when she was trying to withdraw cash for lunch.
After finishing her transaction, a man approached, claiming that her transaction had not closed.
Pretending to help her, like what happened with Don, the man was able to snag her debit card and replace it with a fake.
I fell for it. I don’t know why I fell for it
Megan BatesScam Victim
Just like Don’s thieve, Bate’s scammer made transactions at three different Bank of Americas at a total of $12,000.
“I fell for it. I don’t know why I fell for it,” Bates said.
Upon hearing Bate’s debacle, Don was dismayed to hear it was not a one-off crime.
“I never realized what was going on, and I guess she didn’t either,” Don said.
Bates had the full $12,000 restored to her account and Don is still waiting to hear if he will be afforded the same reconciliation.
Robert Siciliano, an identity theft and cybersecurity expert claims that this scheme is likely part of an organized crime group.
“There’s no question about it, this is part of an organized crime ring,” Siciliano said.
He expressed that the checks cashed against the victims’ accounts were stolen and “could have been from anybody.”
Bank of America has yet to respond to a request for comment by The U.S. Sun.
Bank tips for avoiding scams
As scams become more sophisticated with the use of artificial intelligence, it is important you know how to spot a scam:
Be skeptical of online deals that seem too good to be true, especially on social media.
Scammers will often use tactics to make you panicked so you make quick decisions – be cautious if you are told to take immediate action and verify who has contacted you.
Chase Bank warns customers to “never return any unexpected funds without calling Chase first.”
Never send money to someone you have only spoken to online or by phone as this is likely a romance scam.
Unless you 100% know who you are talking to, never give someone remote access to your device.
Never accept help from strangers at an ATM and always be vigilant when making withdrawals.
Do not send money or click any links indicating that you have won a prize.
Source: Chase.com
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