New Scam Alert

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

Just wanted to give a heads up on a new scam in the form of an email that I received this morning. It was the Credit Boreau (note spelling), stating my horrible credit rating, delinquent accounts, etc. If I didn't pay the $12,300 to them immediately, then they were going to go after my nursing license.  My retired friend in Illinois received similar a week or so ago, and laughed. I did the same, as my credit is excellent, etc. Just wanted to put this out here to help anyone who may get one. Other than bad spelling in name and [email protected] email and website, it looks legit to anyone who doesn't know any better or not paying close attention. No, the credit bureau cannot take your nursing license, and they don't contact you via email. Scammers, nothing nice to say, I'll leave it at that 

[toomuchbaloney]

It's the modern era of conmen, grifters and charlatans.  In this country alone there are tens of millions of people conditioned to believe stuff without actual evidence.  

[Davey Do]

Some years ago, I received a call from someone identifying themselves as a representative of the IRS informing me that I owed a penalty on back taxes. They threatened me with an arrest by a law enforcement officer if I didn'tt pay the penalty, something like $2,000.

Although shaken, I said I'd take my chances, they said law enforcement would arrest me within the next two hours, so just to be on the safe side, I informed my lawyer. She said not to worry, it was a scam because the IRS contacts people in such situations by the postal service, not by telephone calls.

An acquaintance got shaken when he received a similar threat at work, and gave his checking account information.

Ew. Like TMB said, there are those who believe stuff without actual evidence.

Another time, I received a telephone call from someone saying they were from Social Security and said my SS number had been used in some illegal practice.  I asked them what my SS # was and they said they couldn't release that information to me.

Right.

They did offer to identify me by my birthdate which was one day off, so I just said, "That's not my birthday, so you've got the wrong person".

Legitimate sources have tried to find out if I'm the Davey Do born sometime in 1974. I have a distant cousin with the same name, so it was probably him who they were looking for. They were very polite, thanked me for my time, and said they'd take my number off of their search.