Better Business Bureau serving Canton Region and Greater West Virginia offer tips and advice for consumers to avoid fraudulent practices.
This phishing scam looks like an honest mistake, but it’s not.
BBB.org/Scam Tracker is getting reports of phony emails that appear to be receipts for a new iPhone … that you didn’t buy. Scammers are hoping you’ll panic and contact them to correct the “error.”
How the scam works
You receive an email saying you purchased a new iPhone, and your Amazon account, bank account or credit card will be charged. But you didn’t buy a new phone! Eager to reverse the charge, you call the customer service number included in the email. The email may even specifically say: “Didn’t make this purchase? Contact us at…” or “If you feel you are receiving this message in error, contact us immediately.”
When you call the number, you speak to a helpful customer service representative who says they can fix the problem. However, you must act immediately before the charge posts to your account.
One consumer reported the following: “I called the number to get a refund. I told them there wasn’t purchase on my account for $999.00, and they told me it wouldn’t show up for 24 hours and that’s why I need to cancel it right away.” The scammer asked the consumer to download an app as part of the refund process. When the consumer refused, the scammer hung up on them.
Con artists also told victims that their accounts had been hacked. In…
