Almost everyone has either been scammed or almost been scammed — and unfortunately, scammers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. And no matter how intelligent you are, scammers are getting craftier on how they steal your money.
And that’s what almost happened to Cabel Sasser, a tech guru who founded his own software company.
This past Friday, Cabel tweeted out his experience when he almost gave a scammer his debit card pin code over the phone.
Cabel banks with Wells Fargo and shared with his followers that he received a 1-800 number call from the back of his card. Seems legit right? Stay with me…
“I almost just got scammed hard: a cautionary tale. So, I got a call from the 1-800 number on the back of my ATM Card: Wells Fargo. I answered, and a Fraud Department agent said my ATM card had just been used at a Target in Minnesota, was I on vacation? Ugh.”
The caller on the other line said that Wells Fargo would issue him a replacement but first, they needed a few key details before moving forward…
“So the card-replacement dance began. “Is the card in your possession?” It was. The agent asked for the CVV code to verify I had it. After verifying, he offered to expedite a replacement. First, he had to read some disclosures. Then he asked me to key in a new PIN.”
So Cabel picked a random pin and entered it, verifying it once again. And then — the caller asked Cabel to key in his current pin. Before saying anything, Cabel paused.
“Don’t you… know my PIN?” Cabel asked the caller. To which the voice on the other end replied, “It’s just to confirm the change. I can’t see what you enter.”
Cabel shot back saying, that as the caller was the bank — that the caller could see what he enters as presumably, they should already have his pin. And then things got even MORE creepy when the caller verified Cabel’s last four digits of his social security number.
“Only the IVR system can see it. Hey, if it helps I have all your account info up… to confirm, the last four digits of your SSN are XXXX, right?”
Thankfully, at this point — Cabel listened to his gut and decided to hang up, even though the last four digits were correct.
“Apologizing for my paranoia, I had an idea: “Hey sir, I’m super, super sorry, but something feels weird. I’ll call you back at the number on the back of my card, and we can finish this up. Is that ok? Sorry again. Anyone, in particular, I should ask for?” Cabel asked.
SEE ALSO: This Is How Scammers Are Stealing Your PIN Number At The ATM
To which the caller replied yes, another agent would get to Cabel. Cabel then called Wells Fargo back and was informed that no one used his card at Target.
The most terrifying part of the fraudulent agent’s shtick was how he led Cabel through all the appropriate steps and convincingly.
Thankfully, Cabel had his wits about him and did not give out his pin.
Snaps for Cabel.
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