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I consider myself Internet savvy and equally knowledgeable about how scammers typically operate and how to avoid becoming a victim. For instance, when I received a voicemail stating that I was required to report to my county jail — or wire money to the following account — because I had unpaid traffic violations, I laughed it off as ridiculous.
Similarly, when I receive texts stating that the post office is attempting to deliver a package, but I must click the link to confirm delivery, I know it’s a scam. But I recently got scammed by someone impersonating an agent at “Verizon” — my cellphone carrier.
They got me because I ignored a couple of red flags due to the sophistication of the scam — here’s how it went down. My phone rang, and the display listed the incoming call as from “Verizon.” When I answered, the “agent” said they were calling because they suspected fraud on my account and asked if I had placed two orders totaling $2,400. I said no.
They then sent me a verification code through the Verizon app to sign in with and change my password. This is why I believed it was Verizon calling.
A verification code sent via the app is the standard method Verizon uses to verify your authenticity as the account holder. I’ve called the company many a time, and before they will speak with me about my account, I’m always required to sign into the app and give them the authentication code they send. This is a trusted process, and the only reason I stayed on the call.
After I changed my password — which is what ultimately gave the scammer access to my account — they said one of the orders was being sent to an unverified address, so they flagged it as fraudulent and canceled it. They said the other order was being sent to my billing address on file, but they’d send me a UPS return label to use since I didn’t place the order. I asked why the order couldn’t just be canceled instead of shipped to me, and the scammer couldn’t really explain. That’s when I became suspicious.
The scammer spoke fast, creating a sense of urgency. When I asked clarifying questions about what had happened and their proposed response, they spewed legalese-sounding answers and talked in circles about the process to rectify the situation and protect my account going forward.
Exasperated and confused, but lulled into a false sense of security all at the same time because they were communicating with me via the supposedly secure app, I finally realized something was off and abruptly ended the call. Right after, I got an order confirmation email from Verizon for an Apple Watch.
I still don’t understand how the scammer hacked the Verizon app to communicate with me and view the new password I set. An actual Verizon agent couldn’t explain it to me either. It was the sophistication of the scam that tricked me into initially complying with the imposter agent, and there were two glaring red flags that I ignored because I thought I was talking to a legitimate representative.
Here's more on what to do if you've been the victim of a scam.
First, I know better than to stay on a phone call or respond to an email or text telling me I’ve been scammed. The best course of action is to disregard these attempts to access personal information and contact the company directly to report any suspected fraudulent activity.
I immediately called Verizon and reported the whole ordeal. They canceled the fraudulent order for the Apple Watch, and no harm was done in the end, aside from my bruised ego.
Second, I know better than to ignore fast double-talking designed to create a sense of urgency and confuse me into compliance. I initially ignored a scenario that didn’t make sense until the nonsensical finally registered as fraud to me.
Long story short, the scammer accessed my account with my help, placed an order to be sent to me and was hoping I’d use their return label to “return” the product. It would not have been returned to Verizon but to the scammer, and just like that, they would’ve had a new Apple Watch. Nuts! Frustrating. Disheartening. However, it could have been avoided if I had stayed calm, refused to participate, and called Verizon directly to check on my account. No access would have been gained to my account, and no fraudulent orders would have been placed.
Live and learn, I guess. I hate that as a society we must stay vigilant about being scammed but the reality is it’s the world we live in. Even the savvy can fall prey to tricksters as their schemes evolve and become harder to spot.
Remember to question everything and always proceed with caution when it comes to your personal information. The only sense of urgency we should respond to is the urgency to protect our personal information until we’re 100 percent certain it’s safe to disclose it.
Have YOU ever been the victim of a scam? Let us know in the comments below.
Jade Schulz
