Hello lovelies, how is everyone doing? Did anyone miss me? I got too busy between last weekend and today.
Hey guys, when you don't see me, tag me to pull me down here š
. When I am not here, I miss a whole lot of update, friends and catching up.
But am here now, š how have you guys been? What's up?
I stormed in and found this prompt from @hivelearners, so let's dig in.
IT'S ABOUT FRAUD!.
Scammers seem to be everywhere, and what surprises me is how cunning they can be. I often wonder if there's a school where they learn these tricks. They have different tricks.
Some years before he died, they targeted my Dad using my name, and they succeeded. I thought that was the last my family will hear from them but I'd like to share another encounter I personally had with one scammer in recent times.
Two years ago, I went to my hometown during the festive season. I carried my ATM card because I didn't want to be stranded in the village.
Unfortunately, my card stopped working. My ATM pin mysteriously stopped functioning, which could have been quite frustrating if not for my elder brother's help. He was visiting with his family and came to my rescue.
I asked him to give me cash whenever I needed it, and I'd transfer the money back to his account. He saved me from embarrassment in the village that year.
When I returned, I planned to go to the bank and report the issue. But surprisingly, a "concerned banker" called me. I thought this was fortunate because I believed he was there to help. But I was wrong. He was a bad guy.
"Madam, we've been trying to reach you, but you haven't been answering. Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Who am I speaking with?" I inquired.
He introduced himself as Mr. Felix from my bank. He knew my name, my bank, and even asked if my address was still accurate. I insisted he tell me who he was and the reason for his call.
He claimed to be a bank employee and said they'd noticed issues with my ATM card. I calmed down and agreed to let him help with the ATM problem.
He then asked for my ATM pin, and it suddenly dawned on me that he might not be a "concerned banker." I wondered why he needed my ATM pin.
Before I could respond, he repeated his request, "Hello, are you still there? Can you quickly provide me with the ATM pin?"
I decided not to share my pin and told him I'd rather go to the bank to report the issue in person since he was at the bank. I explained that I preferred to meet him there.
He became angry immediately, saying, "Go to the bank now if you like, I can see you have enough money to waste on transportation," and he hung up.
I was terrified. I knew I didn't have much money in that account, but I worried that during our conversation, he might have hacked my phone.
I rushed to the bank and reported both the hometown incident and the scam call. The banker asked for my ATM card, and I gave it to him. He requested my account number and opened my account page.
To my surprise, he informed me that the ATM card linked to the account was a Mastercard, not the Verve card I had given him.
I felt pretty foolish then. The ATM card I'd taken to the village was an old one I had lost and found after getting a new one. However, the new card was attached to a different account.
I was relieved to learn that my ATM card and account were safe, the scammer didn't succeed. I promptly disposed of the old card to prevent any future mix-ups.
THE EFFECT
As I mentioned, I have no idea where scammers learn their craftiness or how they knew I was having ATM card problems. But the experience made me more cautious.
I shared stories with friends and made a resolution never to share personal information over the phone. This newfound vigilance has helped me identify other scam calls and avoid falling for their tricks ever again.
This is my entry into @hivelearners contest. Thanks for the prompt. I am glad to participate .
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