$35,000 Scam: How does this still happen?

[Always Sunny]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#187863

I don't care how "reputable" the company (name) involved sounds...how in the hell does anyone still fall for this one? Revenue Canada is a legitimate organisation, but it sure didn't mean that iTune scam from the last year wasn't total BS.

Tens...of...thousands.

At what point does your BS detector go off when someone, anyone, asks you to input tens of thousands of dollars worth of iTunes gift card info.

Unless that request comes with a photograph of my entire family at gun point, bye!

[GordonH]

Still far to many people are gullible, its up to family & friends to educate those in their circles. Teach them what to look out for and not to get sucked into a scam.

[Symbonite]

Some people still use the Optical Drive (DVD Drive) as a coffee holder.

[JayByrd]

The article starts by saying the guy granted the thief access to the computer. The way it's written makes it sound like the guy then bought the iTunes cards himself, but maybe the thief did the purchase, without the victim realizing, and the victim simply provided the info needed for the transaction? Once someone has access to your computer, I imagine it wouldn't be hard to slip something like that by them, especially if they didn't really understand what they were looking at. Not to mention, the stuff on screen may not have been in English. I can't pass judgment on this fellow without more details on exactly how this went down.

I received remote access tech support from Microsoft a few years ago. I'm no expert but I have used a PC in my home for over 20 years. While I would have been wise enough not to provide banking info, I didn't know exactly what the tech was doing to solve my problem. Someone who knows much less than I might have been pretty easy to fool.

[Always Sunny]

^^^^By the sounds of the article, and the news report I heard on the radio, the victim himself purchased and entered the thousands of dollars worth of iTunes cards. The theif gaining access came later and resulted in several thousand more being drained from Bank accounts.

"the complainant granted the fraudster access to his computer and was convinced to purchase tens of thousands of dollars in iTunes cards, then enter the information into his computer"

While the theif gained access, it reads as though the victim completed the iTune portion of the scam.

[JayByrd]

"the complainant granted the fraudster access to his computer and was convinced to purchase tens of thousands of dollars in iTunes cards, then enter the information into his computer"

While the theif gained access, it reads as though the victim completed the iTune portion of the scam.

Yes, and I have some trouble with this part. Slight changes in wording can make huge differences in meaning. Castanet reporters have mislead me too many times for me to take an article with such little detail to be correct. Regardless, this fellow is out a ton of money and will likely never get it back.

What does one do with thousands of dollars worth of iTunes credit? Re-sell it I guess? I don't imagine scammers do this to build a skookum music & movie library. Can you buy stuff other than digital media from iTunes?

[W105]

the only way I can see this happening is if this person entered all his info the first time and the scammer clicked on "don't ask me again" and kept on making purchases..and this person did not logout of the itunes store..

[lightspeed]

A fool and his money are easily parted.

Online and email scams prey on the weak, gullible, stupid, greedy, and lazy.

I've won the Ethiopian and Nigerian lottery numerous times, but never cashed in.

[Atomoa]

What's the difference between this scam and a senior spending 18K at Andres Audio for "the ultimate home entertainment package" when they were only looking to replace their 28" Sony CRT ?

People are easily separated from their money for a variety of reasons.

"Whoa whoa whoa - are you sure you want to spend that much money?" said no salesmen ever.

I know of a gentleman who has a head injury and is addicted to buying antiques as well as being a hoarder. I also know that the people selling him these antiques know he is of limited capacities but continue to make the sales. Profit is a dirty business.