Scammed

[losangelescalifornia]

What is the name of your state?

 

[ajkroy]

Try responding to this post, but don't use the 'preview' function.

 

[losangelescalifornia]

ok ...

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Try responding by actually asking your question.

 

[losangelescalifornia]

I’m a scam victim: On June 18th I rec’d a call from people claiming to be from Social Security Administration. They said that my SS# had been compromised, that it had been illegally used in Texas, so they were going to have to freeze all of my credit accounts and my bank account for 60 days. They told me to buy gift cards in the stores where I have credit as a means of holding onto my money in case my cards and bank account were cancelled. So I bought $5000 of gift cards in one store and $1000 worth in the other. I didn’t plan to use them: I thought I was transferring my credit to the gift cards. I do not know what to do now? I’m on a fixed income (SSI) and need to resolve this issue because I don’t’ know how I’m going to pay for these? …

 

[cbg]

https://oig.ssa.gov/newsroom/scam-awareness

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Have you provided anyone with the card numbers of the gift cards?

 

[losangelescalifornia]

I bought gift cards from both Target and JC Penney ~ i only gave them the numbers to the Target gift cards which were only in the amount of $1000 ...

 

[losangelescalifornia]

The call was very genuine sounding and because I've had problems before with people using my credit card numbers illegally, I was very upset when i got this call, which i thought was real ...

 

[Zigner]

The call was very genuine sounding and because I've had problems before with people using my credit card numbers illegally, I was very upset when i got this call, which i thought was real ...

The Social Security Administration will never call you in this sort of situation.

 

[losangelescalifornia]

i know that now ... i spoke with the real SS office ...

 

[quincy]

The call was very genuine sounding and because I've had problems before with people using my credit card numbers illegally, I was very upset when i got this call, which i thought was real ...

Contact JCPenney and Target to inform them you are the victim of a gift card scam. Cancel the gift cards and get replacement cards with different numbers.

http://jcpenney.com

http://help.target.com/help/

Or visit Customer Services in your local stores.

 

[ajkroy]

It isn't anything to be ashamed of. NPR just did an entire series about otherwise-aware seniors who are scammed just like this. Do you have any family members to help you manage your money to prevent such a situation arising again?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Also, if you bought the gift cards with a credit card contact your credit card company immediately.

 

[losangelescalifornia]

I've never had trouble managing my money ~ the problem is that my Bank of America credit cards have been replaced many times (and suddenly) because, as they told me at the time, there was the possibility that my card# had been gotten ahold of by someone illegally, so I would be sent new cards. So when i got this fake "social security" call, i automatically responded as before but in this case it wasn't a matter of credit cards but of my social security number, which is something very basic, so i became very worried, and my actions were based on that ...