Tag Archives: fraud

if it seems too good to be true, it probably is…scam goop….

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File under things that I don’t normally do but so many people actually DO do: clicked on an Instagram ad and got scammed. Two small amounts – one charge $9.95 and a second charge for $9.85.

I looked at the ad without my glasses on, and I will admit I was tired. But I have been seeing this ad over and over again, and I thought it was legitimate. I never tried Goop products by Gwyneth Paltrow, and I thought essentially what I was looking at was a sample box and I thought well that’s a great way to try the products.

Only when I hit the submit button, after clicking through, I realized that it wasn’t going to the company known as Goop.

As I was frantically looking up the number to call to block the transactions, my bank texted me to let me know that these were suspect charges on my credit card. Next, I replied quickly enough to the first text they sent for the first transaction which I think was $9.85 but I didn’t reply quickly enough to the second text which was $9.95.

By this point, I had my glasses on and I called my credit card company’s fraud department. They acted immediately, but I am without my card probably for a few days. I then spent two hours of my life that I will never get back getting everything done. Part of the problem is you no longer get US customer service for the majority of credit card and bank customer service. And I had very nice people with a VoIP line that wasn’t great and a slight language barrier.

I had to get through a couple of people to get them to understand that I was able to quickly grab a couple of screenshots and I wanted to send it to them so they knew what the fake company was.

Now look, I realize (as my husband also pointed out) that most of the time they don’t really care about any of that because as quickly as these companies are set up and shut down, they are just set up again. But I am a former compliance officer, so I think it’s important to follow through on these things and it’s my money most importantly. Sorry not sorry I am not giving any shekels to scammers if possible. And I found the fake website that while on Instagram was cloaked to look like the Goop website.

And yes, I am going to tell you who the credit card was with. It’s with Wells Fargo. I have had that card forever, since I worked for their predecessor, Wachovia/First Union. They have always had excellent credit card services. And they were great today, but I did have a slight language barrier and the additional issue with their VoIP line not being terrific. I realize the companies are trying to cut costs by having call centers in other countries, but there’s something to be said about being able to converse in a stressful situation with someone who literally speaks your language, and not only your language, but perhaps even your regional dialect.

Now I also sent screenshots and everything to Gwyneth Paltrow‘s company Goop, not that I expect them to respond or give a damn, but I hope they do.

I am not someone who gets taken in by these things, and this one was clever enough and quick enough that it almost got me. So I’m just letting you my readers know about my experience so especially if you see this ad or something similar pop up, you know either to report it or just scroll past.

Have a good evening.

dumbest credit card thief…ever

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The above arrived today via UPS. My husband had to bring it in because I can’t lift anything heavy right now.   It was from Mieli.

We opened the packing box . It came shipped to me in my married name, and billed to me in my married name . A very expensive vacuum cleaner.

Only I did not order one.

I thought it was a present from one of my family members for some reason so I called Mieli to find out who it was from.

The customer service lady sounded confused. Told me that I ordered it. And I said “How would I have ordered it ?”

“With a credit card.”

Ding ding ding. All of the alarm bells go off in my head. I said to the woman can you please tell me the credit card number. She gives me my Visa number.

I don’t use it very often. And the only time I had used it recently was for a meal (not grocery but take-out) delivery service and I had ordered fruit from a grower in Florida.

Oh and did I mention I’ve had this Visa card so long it was in my maiden name? Yet this vacuum cleaner came addressed to me in my married name. I do not know honestly how this ended up on my doorstep because I am not a customer of Mieli.

So I initiated a fraud investigation and claim with my credit card company. They suggested I call Mieli back and initiate a return of this gold plated vacuum cleaner. So I did that. And the customer service lady said she would email me some number and I got off the phone.

Then lightbulb went off. How could she email me? I’ve never purchased anything from this company nor received anything from this company as a gift or even seen a catalog from this company.

So I called Mieli back again. I told them I wanted a copy of the original receipt but I also wanted to know right now what was the email address used to fraudulently purchase this item? They gave me the email address.

If your email address is thunt031@comcast.net you had better run. A fraud department is hot on your trail.  And quite possibly the police as that is my next call.

My bank theorizes that somebody was supposed to call the Mieli back and change the delivery address or call UPS to change the delivery address and screwed up and didn’t. Or maybe they were just going to show up and steal it from my porch.

I also went through all of my transactions on this card which aren’t very many because I don’t use it very often.

I am quite sure my Nancy Drew activities have exhausted my poor credit card bank. But I was also able to give them the little detail that the phone number used was close to but not my home phone number.

Oh and did I mention that I think this was purchased on Black Friday? I didn’t do any physical or virtual shopping on Black Friday. And a $500 vacuum cleaner is not something I’m going to buy.

So chalk this up to a learning curve and it could’ve been worse. I am very grateful that my bank is so on the ball. But Fa La La it’s the holidays so be careful where you use your card