Just now I got an email that the Docusign signatures are complete. Click to see them. The email came from someone with a Comcast address, and not a business. No accompanying note. I haven’t used Docusign for anything recently, so I will delete. But I could see someone falling for it. I wonder what that one is all about.
Why? I had a bank account at A physical bank location 20 years ago and had a problem with my account. They told me to call the 800 number to solve it. I closed my account a week later. I only bank online nowdays.
You calling their 800 number is different then getting a Text or email from an unknown source telling you to contact them at "X."
I just wish more companies right hands knew what their left hand is doing. The amount of confusion when you call the "known number" from your card or bank website or paperwork when you call to say I got a notice, I want to know if it's real is disappointing. Usually you end up on hold for a long time, sometimes bounced between departments.
Wouldn't you just ignore those? You just login to your account. They will send a secure message if there is anything you need to know about.
Given the dozens of emails I get a day related to scams, I would be going into the branch every day if I did this.
I ignored a private call once (caller ID is better now, at the time it just said private call). I was at work. It was the ER department at the hospital - they left a message telling me they had my daughter, she'd been hit by a car after she got off the school bus. Bad Mom day. But makes me angry. We have to do all this stuff because of the dishonest people out there.I also work in financial services, and I didn't reply to a phone call from American Express a few years ago. I didn't respond because there were no texts, e-mails, or messages on my account sign-in about potential fraud. When I did talk to someone at American Express, my initial comments assumed the person was a scammer.It turned out that a card had been stolen from the mail, and was indeed being used. It all got straightened out, but American Express did a terrible job of notifying me only by phone about the situation.
I feel like at this point that I need at least two different types of notifications or messages (phone / text / email / account message) before I'll respond to anyone about potential fraud. A phone call proves nothing.
In the Bay Area, Chinese language spam/threats leave msgs all the time. I got 2 a few days ago. I say threats b/c I once asked somebody what those msgs say and I was told "Your relative in China is in trouble with the CCP. If you don't want your relative to disappear, send money to us now." But it is all Chinese to me
futurism.com
I actually have DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY. I have confirmed it is durable. I could rant on forever, starting with if it's a durable power of attorney, why is it only titled 'power of attorney' forcing me to do some homework. I had to make a few calls, and had someone with a law degree concur, but I am now confident it is durable. A few years ago, she was worried she had no one to take care of her estate when she passed. I told her I would, if she'd leave me enough money to take care of things (funeral expenses, really) that I'd take care of things. We went to the senior help center in her city and got free legal advice: Power of Attorney (durable), Healthcare Power of Attorney with Living Will, and a Will. Thank goodness!
And the reason it keeps happening, nobody gets caught, nobody pays restitution, nobody goes to jail. It's much like the timeshare relief companies, change names, change numbers, change states and nobody gets caught, nobody pays restitution, nobody goes to jail. Little cost, all profit.
The problem is that most of the scammers are outside the US and outside the US law enforcement jurisdiction.
I agree with you, but...my scammer is local. However, she is incredibly smart. I have never met her. Her FB profile is completely gone now, when I first became aware of her (April 2024) she had one. She stayed with the person she scammed for 'a few days' while she got herself on her feet. I suspect at that time she scoured the apartment for account info and balances. This operation worked like this: '401K with big bucks' -> distributions transferred to Bank 1, some withdrawals made from Bank 1, additionally some big Cashier checks written to the victim -> Cashier checks deposited into Bank 2 (where SSN and pension checks are also deposited). $80-$500 (usually $2xx) ATM withdrawals with some inperson cash withdrawals from Bank 1 and Bank 2. Run out of money -> go back to the 401K. I have never met her, I have never witnessed her receiving cash, there are no bad checks involved here. It is a victim willingly handing over cash to the scammer. Bank 1 confirmed that the victim is in the vehicle going through the ATM, the picture is not good - they can't identify the driver or plate on the car (but implied perhaps with a court order or request from law enforcement, they can do better).
It sounds like a situation where you might need to hire a private investigator to have them watch and get you some more details.
nypost.com
Agree, except I think I've stopped it. I needed the private investigator sooner. I don't want to make the mistake of thinking I'm smarter than the scammer, but I think I'm covering bases pretty well. Now I probably need to worry more now about her safety. I've talked with her apartment manager (sadly it's the 4th one since I got involved (so yes, I asked them to let me know if they saw anything concerning, and have done that with each new manager)). The apartments are an over 55 living place, but they have no cameras. I am in discussion with them, some residents don't want them. I can put a ring facing in to her apartment (it can't face outward, no recording of hallway activities or conversations). Since the scammers take her off-site or meet her in the parking lot, a ring on her apartment does no good. She wants to continue to live there, but we've talked about moving her closer to me (into assisted living). That will likely happen at some point anyways. Now it'll probably be rather sooner than later.
Interesting article, thank you. Maybe I should contact that lawyer! However...it circles back to she can do what she wants to with her money. APS and the police need to put more teeth into this stuff (to support the banks). Also, even though I have DPOA, the financial institutions want to have their own POA type documents notarized before adding me as POA. I believe 100% to protect themselves (then they don't have to worry about interpreting each individual POA). I guess I can understand that (but a PITA for me).Exclusive | NYC granny loses life savings to online scam — and she’s placing the blame on banks: lawsuit
86-year-old Upper East Sider Nina Mortellito withdrew approximately $700,000 for the sick scammers, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Kudos to you for trying so hard to save this woman from herself!
