I wrote a letter to Gerald McRaney (Jameson's "older brother" on Simon & Simon) a few weeks ago, but never got a response.  I'm thinking of writing to Jameson's publisher and seeing if I can get his address from them.  Hopefully I can.

Well, that's my news for right now.  I'll talk to y'all later.

C

I also got a couple of e-mails that I though might interest some of you.  I’m sure everyone knows to be aware of anyone trying to scam them, but I just thought I’d post these warnings.

WARNING…New Credit Card Scam.

Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA &MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you’ll be better prepared to protect yourself.

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from “VISA”, and I was called on Thursday from “MasterCard”.

The scam works like this: Person calling says, “This is (name), and I’m calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460 Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I’m calling to verify This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona?” When you say “No”, the caller continues with, “Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, ju st under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?”

You say “yes”. The caller continues – “I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security.

You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. “Do you need me to read it again?”

Here’s the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then says, “I need to verify you are in possession of your card”. He’ll ask you to “turn your card over and look for some numbers”. There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers’ that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he’ll say, “That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?” After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, “Don’t hesitate to call back if you do”, and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to our card.

Long story made short – we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the ca rd. Don’t give it to them. Instead, tell them you’ll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you’re receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you’ll see charges for purchases you didn’t make, and by then it’s almost to late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a “Jason Richardson of MasterCard” with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn’t let him finish. I hung up! We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening.

To stop this from happening to you: Ask the caller for their telephone number and extension and tell them you will immediately call them back.  When you call back, make sure the phone number actually goes to the credit card company.  DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR PIN. On Visa and Mastercard, the PIN number is on the back of the card and is usually printed on the signature line.  On American Express, the number in on the front of the card and is printed above and to the right of the account number.  DO NOT GIVE OUT THESE NUMBERS.

 

Pass this on to all your family and friends. By informing each other, we protect each other.

———————————————————————-

Credit Card Fraud

A man went to the local gym and placed his belongings in the locker.
After the workout and a shower, he came out, saw the locker open, and
thought to himself, “Funny, I thought I locked the locker. Hmmmmm.”
He dressed and just flipped the wallet to make sure all was in order.
Everything looked okay – all cards were in place. A few weeks later
his credit card bill came – a whopping bill of $14,000! He called the
credit card company and started yelling at them, saying that he did
not make the transactions. Customer care personnel verified that
there was no mistake in the system and asked if his card had been
stolen.

“No,” he said, but then took out his wallet, pulled out the credit
card, and yep – you guessed it – a switch had been made. An expired
similar credit card from the same bank was in the wallet. The thief
had broken into his locker at the gym and switched cards.

Verdict: The credit card issuer said since he did not report the card
missing earlier, he would have to pay the amount owed to them. How
much did he have to pay for items he did not buy? $9,000! Why were
there no calls made to verify the amount swiped? Small amounts rarely
trigger a “warning bell” with some credit card companies. It just so
happens that all the small amounts added up to big one!
——————————————————————-
SCENE 2. A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his
credit card. The bill for the meal came, he signed it, and the
waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along.

Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket.
Funny enough, though, he actually took a look at the card and, lo and
behold, it was the expired card – of another person! He called the
waitress, and she looked perplexed. She took it, apologized, and
hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man. All
the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong
expired card at the counter cashier, and the counter cashier
immediately looked down and took out the real card. No exchange of
words — nothing! She took it and came back to the man with an
apology.

Verdict: Make sure the credit cards in your wallet are yours. Check
the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or
whenever the card is taken away, for even a short period of time.
Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at
it, “assuming” that it has to be theirs. FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, DEVELOP
THE HABIT OF CHECKING YOUR CREDIT CARD EACH TIME IT IS
RETURNED TO YOU AFTER A TRANSACTION!
———————————————————————–
SCENE 3: A friend went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order
that he had called in. He paid by using his Visa Check Card which, of
course, is linked directly to his checking account.

The young man behind the counter took the card, swiped it, then laid
it on the counter as he waited for the approval — pretty standard
procedure. While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started
dialing.

The customer noticed the phone because it was the same model as his,
but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then he heard a familiar
click that sounded like his phone sounds when he takes a picture. The
clerk returned his card, but kept the phone in his hand as if he was
still pressing buttons. Meanwhile, the customer was thinking: “I
wonder what he took a picture of,” oblivious to what was really going
on. It then dawned on him: the only thing there was his credit card,
so now he began paying close attention to what the guy was doing.

The kid set his phone on the counter, leaving it open. About five
seconds later, the familiar chime sounded that says a picture has
been saved.

Now he stands there struggling with the fact that this boy just took
a picture of his credit card. Yes, the kid played it off well,
because had they not had the same kind of phone, the customer
probably would never have known what happened.  Needless to say, he
immediately canceled that card as he was walking out of the pizza
parlor.
——————————————————
All I am saying is, be aware of your surroundings at all times.
Whenever you are using a credit card, be alert, and don’t be
careless. Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing
when you are using your card. Be aware of cell phones, because many
have a camera phone these days.

When you are in a restaurant and the waiter/waitress brings your card
and receipt for you to sign, make sure you scratch the number off the
restaurant copy. Some restaurants are using only the last four
digits, but a lot of them are still putting the whole thing on there.
Believe me, being the victim of credit card fraud is not fun. The
truth is, they can get you even when you are careful, but don’t make
it easy for them.

FORWARD THIS TO YOUR FRIENDS. LET’S GET THE
WORD OUT!  ALWAYS BE ALERT AND AWARE.

So, please, everyone, please watch the people who are near you at the store, at restaurants, etc., and be careful who you talk to on the phone!  You never know when you might be a potential victim of one of these scams!

Ciana