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Victim of Scam While Undergoing Cancer Treatment Shares Experience
A woman from Maple Ridge, British Columbia, is expressing her frustration and embarrassment after falling victim to a scam that cost her thousands of dollars while she was in the midst of cancer treatment.
Jackie Johnson recounted her feelings of helplessness during her difficult time as she underwent chemotherapy. “I felt helpless because of where I was at,” Johnson shared. Sitting in the hospital, she found it impossible to physically visit her bank to verify her fears about her account being compromised.
In the thick of her treatment, Johnson received a phone call from someone claiming to be Joseph, a representative from her bank’s fraud department. He informed her that her credit card was being used in Alberta without her knowledge.
“He was calling to see if I was in Alberta using my card or if there were indeed fraudulent transactions occurring,” Johnson explained.
After confirming she was not in Alberta, Johnson recalled that Joseph reassured her that the bank would never request personal information or banking codes. However, she recognized the caller’s skills in persuasion. “I know these guys know how to talk,” she observed.
As the conversation progressed, Joseph claimed he needed to send her a one-time verification code. While the code appeared on her phone, Johnson’s suspicion lingered, prompting her to say she would hang up and call the number on the back of her bank card instead. Joseph quickly countered by asking her to check her phone, asserting that it was indeed the same number from which he was calling. This moment led Johnson to lower her guard, as the number matched that of her bank.
Ultimately, Johnson was persuaded to divulge her personal banking information, which enabled the scammer to withdraw $4,700 from her account.
“It just makes me angry,” she lamented, reflecting on the loss.
Impact on Personal Life
Johnson also shared the emotional toll the scam took on her, especially after friends, family, and co-workers had recently organized a fundraiser to support her family during her battle with cancer. “I felt like I flushed everybody’s hard-earned money down the toilet,” she said, emphasizing the generosity of others who aimed to assist her during a challenging period.
She learned that because she had provided her PIN, recovering the funds was going to be complicated, leaving her feeling like a victim of her own trust. Although Johnson tried to verify the call’s authenticity during the conversation, she now recognizes the importance of simply hanging up and visiting the bank in person for clarification.
“I’ve learned my lesson, and I hope other people learn from my mistake and just hang up the phone,” she advised.
The Nature of Spoofing Scams
In a statement regarding Johnson’s experience, Sgt. Shiv Gill, who oversees the financial crime unit at the Vancouver Police Department, explained the concept of spoofing. “Spoofing is where typically a fraudster takes a phone number that actually exists, using sophisticated internet masking techniques to impersonate that number,” Gill stated.
He added that scammers can easily mimic calling from recognized institutions, such as banks or police departments, making it difficult for individuals to discern legitimacy. The use of VPNs and other internet technologies often complicates efforts to track down such fraudsters.
Gill echoed Johnson’s advice, strongly recommending that anyone receiving unsolicited calls requesting money or personal information should immediately hang up and verify by contacting their bank directly.
“These individuals are skilled in creating convincing narratives, making them sound genuine,” he remarked. “In our busy lives, we must take the time to address such situations personally with our financial institutions.”
Johnson concluded her reflections on the situation by advising others to adopt a more cautious approach. “Go to your bank physically, speak to someone, and act quickly if you suspect any misconduct,” she emphasized.
Source
globalnews.ca