

So how can you protect yourself? He recommends checking the companies you deal with and being aware of the ways they interact with you. While cellphone fraud has been going on for years, Downes says that this method, exploiting the security measures against the victim, is new. If you suspect fraud, Verizon recommends contacting them directly at (800) 922-0204. No one is safe from spam: AT&T CEO gets spam call alert on his Apple Watch during a live interview
#Anydesk scammer free#
"As fraudsters gather more private information from the dark web and create more authentic looking fake identification, our teams at Verizon are always working to stop these criminals who impact about 7,000 customers every month."įighting robocalls: Verizon adds free 'Call Filter' feature in bid to fight robocallsĪvoiding tax scams: Phishing calls from IRS running rampant this tax season. Unfortunately, it’s a harsh reality that bad actors are always looking for ways to engage in fraud and identity theft," Verizon spokesperson Steve Van Dinter said in a statement provided to USA TODAY. "We recognize that the privacy and security of information is of paramount importance to our customers. Luckily, in this case, the Verizon store noticed how quickly the account changed and notified the police allowing both suspects to be apprehended while they were in the store. They'd have to pay taxes and some fees in the store on a new device purchase but could otherwise leave you footing the majority of the bill while they sell the device for a profit. Once they have that PIN, they can reset the password, make themselves a "master account user" on your account and otherwise do what they want, including forwarding calls or going into a store and buying devices as that primary user.
#Anydesk scammer verification#
By giving them the PIN over the phone the scammer exploits the password reset verification system that Verizon has put in place to confirm that you are you. If you call back, the fraudster says they will send you a personal identification number, or PIN code, that they will want you to tell them. "That's a bad number, so basically if you respond to that email you are going to get the bad guy," Downes says. Tim Downes, detective sergeant for the department's economic crimes unit, says Ramsey's scheme started with getting the victim's email address and sending his target a false message impersonating Verizon saying that there was fraud on the account with a number to contact. Berry was trying to purchase a single phone that was valued at $1,250 or March 21, police told USA TODAY. Ramsey was trying to buy two iPhone XS Max phones valued at $1,200 per device on March 26. Clearwater Police Department tells USA TODAY that the victims were unrelated, however, the department is not sure if there is a link between the two cases. The two scammers, Ah'jhzae Diamondric Artag Berry and Keith Ramsey, had apparently tricked two unsuspecting victims in an attempt to purchase new devices on the victims' accounts.īoth scammers were busted at the store after Verizon alerted local police to the irregularity. That was a lesson learned in Florida last month after two different scammers tried to buy phones at a Clearwater, Florida, Verizon store. If someone calls you pretending to be from your cellphone carrier and asks for a verification code, don't give it to them. Watch Video: Don’t fall for these common phone scams
