Scammers Rejoice!
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Worse: they ring you, and then immediately start asking you to answer security questions to prove who you are. :doh:
OriginalGriff wrote:
take a trip to a branch instead
Good luck with that - even before Covid, branches were vanishingly rare. My branch got turned into a PizzaHut, and they didn't even tell me. I think I'll just stick with Neil's letter to the bank manager[^]. :)
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined." - Homer
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When I talked to the banks CC Fraud department that was her first question - by UPS or Fedex - and was shocked that it was just in a plain B of A envelope. An unnecessary bulk mailing when they could have done it properly, when they issued replacements for expiring cards that require calling them to activate it. If you don't call from the phone number they have on file you get bumped to a live person for a bit more of an interrogation. So, why snail mail? My hypothesis is they save money on each mailing by sending it that way. Apparently they're upgrading all the cards (this one wouldn't expire for 2 3/4 years). I don't generally consider "quick and reliable" for "safe and secure . . . and reliable". The market in RF-Proof wallets is not needed for the magnetic strip or chip. So - if in close enough proximity to a (portable) scanner in a scammers position you may be close enough to charged for something. For that matter, since my card was mailed 'active', clever scam would be to take allied bank mail from mailboxes for a day or so - then, unopened, try to tap and go with it. After a sufficient number of purchases you put it back in the mailbox. How would the proper owner know until the bill comes? Dispute (local) charges on a card you already use locally? And you never reported it stolen? I'm not sure I'd believe you.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
The worst thing is the RF Protection wallets that are fabric with 'RF strips' embedded you just need to scan them at High power to get the relavent information out.
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Yeah - here we think totally alike. Anyone, even the pharmacy for renewals, that calls me asking for personal information doesn't get it. I try to get them to prove who they are - asking them for information . . . you know how that works out. Banks haven't done this but the pharmacy "time to renew" prescription service asks if it's me (or Mrs) and then want me to give them the full birthday. So now, an unknown caller who knows my name has my date of birth . . . brilliant. What gets me is that you cannot seem to get them to understand how bad these things are. No wonder hacking and fraud are so lucrative.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
W∴ Balboos, GHB wrote:
What gets me is that you cannot seem to get them to understand how bad these things are. No wonder hacking and fraud are so lucrative.
That's because at best you're talking with a minimum wage slave in a domestic call center. Typically limited education and thus probably unable to understand what you're complaining about in the first place; with zero ability to effect changes on one hand and whose compensation/continued employment is contingent on running you through the script as fast as possible with zero digressions on the other.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt
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So I just got off the phone with Bank of America because they sent me a replace card (unasked for) with the same card number, expiration data and CVV code. It came "Ready to use" - no activation required. In regular mail in an envelope with their logo on it. The replacement card was issued for "tap-and-go" = and added feature which I do not want. It's a security risk and I don't want to buy an aluminum wallet and walk around with a Faraday Cage in my pocket. Customer service didn't seem to get the point and just kept telling me it came activated because it's a replacement of the same card. Finally, I got her to put me through to the fraud people. The lady was astonished. It didn't come UPS or Fedex - just dropped in the mailbox. She's made a report (for whatever that will be worth). These tap and go cards? Someone could intercept the mail or even take it from the mailbox. Use it without even opening the envelope and eventually return it to a (public) mailbox for re-delivery. If they kept it to local stores and smaller purchased, who'd notice. In less than a month we've had this and Ally Bank sent not mail to us with my wife's SSN pre-typed in - for all the world to see and steal. WTF? The scammers really don't need the extra help, but, I'm sure they're grateful.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
I bought the Mylar RFID "envelope"/cardholder. I put it in my wallet, and my card slides into that. Yes, my newest card came with this chip (unrequested). They did the same crap with the Passports, which is how I learned about those shielding envelopes. Imagine being in a foreign country, and someone sitting outside with a directed antenna, pinging you and getting your passport details (some fields are encrypted, but your country of origin was not when I looked into it)!
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So I just got off the phone with Bank of America because they sent me a replace card (unasked for) with the same card number, expiration data and CVV code. It came "Ready to use" - no activation required. In regular mail in an envelope with their logo on it. The replacement card was issued for "tap-and-go" = and added feature which I do not want. It's a security risk and I don't want to buy an aluminum wallet and walk around with a Faraday Cage in my pocket. Customer service didn't seem to get the point and just kept telling me it came activated because it's a replacement of the same card. Finally, I got her to put me through to the fraud people. The lady was astonished. It didn't come UPS or Fedex - just dropped in the mailbox. She's made a report (for whatever that will be worth). These tap and go cards? Someone could intercept the mail or even take it from the mailbox. Use it without even opening the envelope and eventually return it to a (public) mailbox for re-delivery. If they kept it to local stores and smaller purchased, who'd notice. In less than a month we've had this and Ally Bank sent not mail to us with my wife's SSN pre-typed in - for all the world to see and steal. WTF? The scammers really don't need the extra help, but, I'm sure they're grateful.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
I needed my wife's SSN one day, and when I asked, she just said "Google it!" :laugh:
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W∴ Balboos, GHB wrote:
What gets me is that you cannot seem to get them to understand how bad these things are. No wonder hacking and fraud are so lucrative.
That's because at best you're talking with a minimum wage slave in a domestic call center. Typically limited education and thus probably unable to understand what you're complaining about in the first place; with zero ability to effect changes on one hand and whose compensation/continued employment is contingent on running you through the script as fast as possible with zero digressions on the other.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt
Mostly - you're right. In the case of Target, not only are you correct by their phone system seems to almost invariably route you back to the same department. The several people I spoke to, only two, deliberately, all had the same accent although I couldn't quite place it. Their job seems to be 'just make it right' and be done with it (a bit of an improvement over your worst-case scenario which is all too common). Champaions, heretofore, in my experience for meeting and exceeding your expectations in terms of useless were Virgin Mobile and Roku. Each with their own delightful nuance to bring "sunshine" to your day.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
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I needed my wife's SSN one day, and when I asked, she just said "Google it!" :laugh:
Did it work?
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Did it work?
I didn't try Google. Looked it up in my encrypted password app. We've all been hacked.
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I needed my wife's SSN one day, and when I asked, she just said "Google it!" :laugh:
+ for that !
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
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So I just got off the phone with Bank of America because they sent me a replace card (unasked for) with the same card number, expiration data and CVV code. It came "Ready to use" - no activation required. In regular mail in an envelope with their logo on it. The replacement card was issued for "tap-and-go" = and added feature which I do not want. It's a security risk and I don't want to buy an aluminum wallet and walk around with a Faraday Cage in my pocket. Customer service didn't seem to get the point and just kept telling me it came activated because it's a replacement of the same card. Finally, I got her to put me through to the fraud people. The lady was astonished. It didn't come UPS or Fedex - just dropped in the mailbox. She's made a report (for whatever that will be worth). These tap and go cards? Someone could intercept the mail or even take it from the mailbox. Use it without even opening the envelope and eventually return it to a (public) mailbox for re-delivery. If they kept it to local stores and smaller purchased, who'd notice. In less than a month we've had this and Ally Bank sent not mail to us with my wife's SSN pre-typed in - for all the world to see and steal. WTF? The scammers really don't need the extra help, but, I'm sure they're grateful.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
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WHat gets me is when I ring the bank they ask me security questions - very understandable. But when they ring me (and particularly their fraud department) they get very snotty about being asked to prove they are who they say they are. To the point where I refuse to deal with them and take a trip to a branch instead.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
Call them back to verify that it was them that called you. Don't use the number that the caller wants you to dial.
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So I just got off the phone with Bank of America because they sent me a replace card (unasked for) with the same card number, expiration data and CVV code. It came "Ready to use" - no activation required. In regular mail in an envelope with their logo on it. The replacement card was issued for "tap-and-go" = and added feature which I do not want. It's a security risk and I don't want to buy an aluminum wallet and walk around with a Faraday Cage in my pocket. Customer service didn't seem to get the point and just kept telling me it came activated because it's a replacement of the same card. Finally, I got her to put me through to the fraud people. The lady was astonished. It didn't come UPS or Fedex - just dropped in the mailbox. She's made a report (for whatever that will be worth). These tap and go cards? Someone could intercept the mail or even take it from the mailbox. Use it without even opening the envelope and eventually return it to a (public) mailbox for re-delivery. If they kept it to local stores and smaller purchased, who'd notice. In less than a month we've had this and Ally Bank sent not mail to us with my wife's SSN pre-typed in - for all the world to see and steal. WTF? The scammers really don't need the extra help, but, I'm sure they're grateful.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
