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Am I being scammed?

GretschWretch

GretschWretch

Supporting Member
Dec 27, 2013
12,449
25,120
East Central Alabama
#1
This morning I found in my e-mail something from this sender
">"FedExShipping..." <[email protected]>, purporting to be a notification of impending delivery and requesting a customs fee of $1.95. I went through the sequence of steps and got as far as filling in my personal information in the boxes, but then common sense took over and I did not submit the information but instead closed the e-mail. But it got me thinking.

I do have a weekend bass purchase through Reverb on which I am awaiting delivery, but it ships out of Moultrie, GA, and why would there be a customs fee on an item shipped from one adjacent state to another? And what kind of customs fee is a charge of only $1.95? And that sender address was starting to look suspicious.

So I logged into FedEx.com and ran my tracking number through their system. FedEx
could find no such number in their files. So, is this a scam, and did I compromise my personal information by filling in the boxes even though I did not hit "Submit"?
 
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#3
More than likely you are fine seeing as how you didn’t send it, but it never hurts to keep an eye on all of your financial assets, including credit history, bank accounts, any equity accounts, credit cards, etc. Can’t be too careful these days.

Was the purchase made from a reputable seller or business? Are you sure the item was shipping from the next state over? I ask because my wife purchased a necklace from an online retailer and found out later that it was shipping from Australia and thus paid more for shipping than it was worth and waited 14 weeks for it arrive. I make her wear it every time we go out to dinner cuz I’m such a nice guy.
 
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#4
GretschWretch said:
So, is this a scam, and did I compromise my personal information by filling in the boxes even though I did not hit "Submit"?
Click to expand...
i don't know if you were "compromised" but i've gone as far as you did, didn't hit submit, and was overcome with the same "common sense" (scared :poop: - less! :laugh: ).

my wife and i have been so inundated with scam "emergency notices" that i've learned to smell them coming...

logos that scammers have used on us include:
- UPS
- USPS
- FedEX
- paypal
- ATT
- amazon
- SSA
- and maybe a few others (?)

i got another one this morning from "amazon," in this case a repeat (from a different scammer than last time) --- "your account has been locked for suspicious activity" --- "follow this link now to unlock your account."
 
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#5
levis76 said:
More than likely you are fine seeing as how you didn’t send it, but it never hurts to keep an eye on all of your financial assets, including credit history, bank accounts, any equity accounts, credit cards, etc. Can’t be too careful these days.

Was the purchase made from a reputable seller or business? Are you sure the item was shipping from the next state over? I ask because my wife purchased a necklace from an online retailer and found out later that it was shipping from Australia and thus paid more for shipping than it was worth and waited 14 weeks for it arrive. I make her wear it every time we go out to dinner cuz I’m such a nice guy.
Click to expand...

Here is the item.


Black jack (Matsumoku) Country gentleman 60’s 70’s Walnut
Sold!

Colby's finds and treasures
 
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#6
Just as a follow-up and a word of warning. Even though I did not "submit" my personal information, somehow the scammer obtained it anyway and made a charge on the card today. Fortunately my credit union's fraud protection unit caught it and tipped me off. The transaction was cancelled and my card expunged. I will be sent a new card. So it looks like scammers do have a way to harvest our information even if we do not submit it.

My Reverb transaction from the 25th did go through and will be honored, which to me is a big deal because of the nature of the purchase.
 
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#7
sleddogn said:
thats a scam not related to your reverb purchase, nothing from reverb would say this and that email addy is just fake fake fake
Click to expand...
That's the biggest clue. That email address just screamed illegitimate.

GretschWretch said:
Just as a follow-up and a word of warning. Even though I did not "submit" my personal information, somehow the scammer obtained it anyway and made a charge on the card today. Fortunately my credit union's fraud protection unit caught it and tipped me off. The transaction was cancelled and my card expunged. I will be sent a new card. So it looks like scammers do have a way to harvest our information even if we do not submit it.

My Reverb transaction from the 25th did go through and will be honored, which to me is a big deal because of the nature of the purchase.
Click to expand...
I was afraid that may have happened. Glad your CU's fraud department caught it and was able to limit the damage.
 
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#11
SPAMSCAM.png
 
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#13
It's only a scam if you pay the fee , otherwise it's a exercise in creative writing and a referendum on the human condition in regard to curiosity . Hay . FedEx wouldn't scam me out of $1.95 ....would they ? Now that I got that out of my system , I am looking to sell some shares in this bridge I own in Brooklyn ........any interest ?
 
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#14
If the email address is from anyone other than who they are pretending to be it is a scam. Also might want to put a credit alert on your credit with the three big companies (equifax, trans union and I for get the third). Is completely free and they notify each other so you only have to sign up with one of them. Lasts a year and creditors are required to call you to verify that it is actually you if credit of any type is applied for. Takes just a couple minutes and is a good safeguard incase they try anything else.
 
#17
GretschWretch said:
This morning I found in my e-mail something from this sender
">"FedExShipping..." <[email protected]>, purporting to be a notification of impending delivery and requesting a customs fee of $1.95. I went through the sequence of steps and got as far as filling in my personal information in the boxes, but then common sense took over and I did not submit the information but instead closed the e-mail. But it got me thinking.

I do have a weekend bass purchase through Reverb on which I am awaiting delivery, but it ships out of Moultrie, GA, and why would there be a customs fee on an item shipped from one adjacent state to another? And what kind of customs fee is a charge of only $1.95? And that sender address was starting to look suspicious.

So I logged into FedEx.com and ran my tracking number through their system. FedEx
could find no such number in their files. So, is this a scam, and did I compromise my personal information by filling in the boxes even though I did not hit "Submit"?
Click to expand...
Of course it's a scam. You're OK if you didn't sumbit anything.
 
#19
GretschWretch said:
Just as a follow-up and a word of warning. Even though I did not "submit" my personal information, somehow the scammer obtained it anyway and made a charge on the card today. Fortunately my credit union's fraud protection unit caught it and tipped me off. The transaction was cancelled and my card expunged. I will be sent a new card. So it looks like scammers do have a way to harvest our information even if we do not submit it.
Click to expand...

TeaTime said:
Absolutely untrue - there are a few different methods of collecting form input before submission.
Click to expand...
Yep. If you follow a link to a website and start filling out a form, they are most likely capturing keystrokes long before you hit Submit. Your browser can also provide a wealth of information to the scammers.

There are things you can look for in the email headers and URL links that would give away the scam attempt, but not everyone knows what to look for. The best advice is never respond to "emergencies" and always always always be suspicious.
 
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#20
GretschWretch said:
Just as a follow-up and a word of warning. Even though I did not "submit" my personal information, somehow the scammer obtained it anyway and made a charge on the card today. Fortunately my credit union's fraud protection unit caught it and tipped me off. The transaction was cancelled and my card expunged. I will be sent a new card. So it looks like scammers do have a way to harvest our information even if we do not submit it.

My Reverb transaction from the 25th did go through and will be honored, which to me is a big deal because of the nature of the purchase.
Click to expand...
The timing from your purchase to that scammer's email was coincidental and unfortunate for you.

And yes, web pages are capable of collecting your data and sending it to a server without you actively submitting it.
 
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