Sorry English is my second language.
Last month (November 2017), I decide to apply to online consolidation loan through Lending Tree. I got aprove by company call GE Money and received a call from them. The company requested my credit card information and bank account. I was confuse about the requested but they said they will paid the cards directly and need the account for auto debit. I was confuse why they wont deposit the payment in my check account so I can paid the card myself and they told me in past people do not use the money for that and is required by federal standards for them to paid the card themselves.
On Wednesday before Thanksgiving they actually paid all my cards. So far things good in my end. Then the scam started. They request 30% of the payment back because they did the payment for credit score to improve so the loan will approve (this should be my first red flag). They requested for me to purchase gift cards using one of the cards because I did not have the money. I did the purchase for 1000.00. Next day they they keep asking for more and told them the payment has not clear and won't clear until Tuesday. The person who use the name of Oscar Mendez end up cleaning my checking account and purchasing 1600 in another card without my autorization. Chase cover some auto debits for me but I also now I have the accout negative. Also all the payment got to my cards got return because they use a ghost account. The credit cards freeze all my accounts because of the return payment and using ghost account. Day after I explain over and over and no result. At moment I do not any money to cover my bills and I am now two month behind in rent and bills. I also cannot paid my art show fees for the follow winter months.
As I file a police report the people keep calling telling me that will refund the money and not file a police report. I did file the police report.
At this point since my income come from me doing art fairs and saling my art work and not having income to cover the fees and my current bills I am reduce beg for help because I am about to become homeless. My family do not have the money to help me at this point neither.
Few days later they call me again trying to repeat the entire process again using another bank located in Central Penn. This time I google the place and call them directly from the website.
I started a GoFundme and if your prefer my PayPal account is oscar@lpstudios.net (LP Studio).
https://www.gofundme.com/i-fall-for-a-scamneed-help
I will try to attach the police report and auto Transcript that iPhone does for messages that I got from them.
Maybe the most important thing is trust your instinct because it felt weird through the entire process.
Thank you
Comments
I've been following this thread a bit.
After reading comments such as "never answer your phone without caller ID etc. I felt a need to speak up.
I ALWAYS answer my phone. Usually I don't even look at the caller ID.
I always check my emails and rarely get spam.
Why?
Because I live in such a way to reduce the scammers and waste, in the first place. I'm a bit of a privacy advocate. I don't give out my cell phone number without a valid reason. Same with my primary, email address. Even when I do give them out, the recipient is read "The Riot Act" on how to handle them. If a company disseminates or uses them in unsolicited contacts them, without my approval, I forever cease doing business with them. Furthermore in some cases I will prosecute. I have won nice money doing thus.
When filling out forms that require this type of information and I know it is not needed, I fill in fictitious data.
I rarely do online business involving use of sensitive information. If I must it is done where I have already visited with / met the entity in person and I am positive of the site I am logged into and I use a protected connection, such as VPN.
Furthermore I have an extra account, for such activities. It is a debit account with almost nothing in it. When I am going to use it, I transfer the amount I want into it, then do the transaction. Any hack on that account will net them almost nothing.
Any larger monetary transactions are NEVER handled online.
My banks and investment brokers know my voice (and I know them), have passwords in addition to their own security that I Demanded be added.
I can not say I've never been scammed... my ex-wife scammed me very well, but that is a different type.
In this world, as it is changing quickly, we need to be proactive. Whatever security is out there, add your own extra layer.
However don't bury yourself, being afraid to answer phones, view emails, or do business. Instead control the environment you do such in.
I boldly walk those streets at night, not afraid but aware and prepared.
I just want to put this update: I am assuming this will go for while now. Yesterday they try it again but this time I did not answer the call or return the call. It was clear a scam artist because this time I know I had not place a loan request over 30 days.
Kathleen I was planing to give it rest for a little while because Xmas is this weekend. I do have stuff to do because middle of next month I need to drive to Florida. Thank you
Oscar, give yourself a break. Many of us are just sorry that you got nailed, and I promise you that most of us realize that it could happen to us, too. No point in being down on yourself, you have enough other stuff to do. :). This is meant in the best possible way.
By the way it still does not change the fact that I am beyond angry with myself that I let this happen to me.
Reid: I been target from Fraud since the Target and Home Depot deal. I been hit with charges in my accounts at twice a year. Everything you guys point and assume I do not do I am actually do. This is the only time I actually contact me directly while I was doing the loan. The reason I wait until November to ask for the loan it was because I want to monitor and be careful I did not fall for a scam. Guess what I did fall for scam and the only reason it was not worst is because Red flags start popping up.
I check all my accounts in daily bases. There is no malware in my phone or computer. I close both old accounts. The only payments I have automatic is health and car insurance. If you think I been emotional about it maybe I am because this happen a month ago I have explain this issue over and over. Nothing it gonna change the fact I screw up and let myself get screw up. I paying deep price for the mistake on my part and everything that had been mention it had been cover. At this point all my credit had been frozen. None of my cards can be use for any type of purchase for next year. I have to option to keep like for years to come. I only using a brand new checking account and now when I get a call I respond I need to call you back to the number I have in file.
I ask for financial help because I did not have any choice in matter but to ask for help and that happen last week which was three after the entire problem happen. I honestly would not ask if I could because the respond and stigma that comes with that. Last summer a friend was joking talking about the same issue and I honestly was hoping it wont happen to me and it did. I really appreciate the input and not being ungrateful but do not beat dog when he is down.
Oscar:
Put your emotions and pride aside for a minute and listen to me. Your problems may be far from over. As I previously pointed out, your iphone or computer or both may be infected with malware that will only lead you into your next trap. If they are infected, every password you type in may be intercepted. Every financial site you attempt to access may be redirected to scam sites. These devices need to be cleaned or reset, assuming that they were involved in connecting you to the scam artists. In addition, the bad guys sell each other lists of who fell for their scams, because they know that the easiest people to scam are those who have already been scammed. So for years you will be the target of every scam imaginable. You need to be very, very, very careful and implement every defense and piece of advice given to you. Use maximum security practices on everything and be super-suspicious. Learn about scams and how to avoid them. Keep your credit files locked. Etc.
Barry; the transcript is done by iPhone and do not answer the phone. They actually paid all the cards but it was not five days later that I notice they use ghost account. I guess I stupid according to lot of you so I guess I deserve it.
I feel bad this happened to you. I guess a lot of people gave you advice on where you were not careful, from the poor wording on the messages, caller IDs , to they initiated the call. I guess you didn't know the basic rule of...... never give any information to anyone that contacts you first....... especially on line. I also never answer the phone. You must have a caller ID that I recognize or your doomed to leave a message on my answer machine.
Jacki Bilsborrow the way the scam work one of card wont eat that cost. I been hit with fraud in my cards before but not like this. I am stock with that one. How Chase cover draft I am stock with them even I said not to do that. The way they did it it froze my credit so the only good thing since I wont be able to use my cards it will help to me eliminate the credit card debt which was not high in comparison to avg.
I will said this I did my best to be responsible and careful about doing this. Somehow I fall for it. For anyone even imply the opposite is hard to read. I guess that those comments are expected. Asking for help for something like this is not easy and I am shame that came down to this.
So the people that help I am grateful.
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