Description

I was logging into my prime amazon TV channel on my smart TV. A pop up came up saying there was a problem and I needed to call the # on the screen. So I did. It was answered as though someone from Amazon. He told me my Amazon account had been hacked and there had been purchases made of $1,300 for a laptop and $1,400 for Bitcoin and he was going to walk me thru getting rid of those charges. First he had me give him lots of personal info, name, address, etc. Even had me make out some sort of online form. After that my prime TV channel began working so I could log in. He said he had fixed that while I made out the form. So he seemed legit at this point. Then he told me that since the purchase's were made in the states, the laptop, and the other had been made internationally, the bit coin, that I would have to do somethings that would seem odd but it was the only way to remove those charges from my Amazon account. He said I would need to drive to a store, Family Dollar in Milo Me., alone, and follow his instructions once there. He told me to not speak to anyone else while in the store for security purposes and to pretend I was on the phone with a friend and to call him Steve. Once I the store he told me to purchase 2 gift cards both for $350 each. He said the gift cards would be used in various ways to clear my account. Seemed fishy to me but he did turn my Amazon prime channel on so I was sure he was legit. Family Dollar couldn't make 2 back to back purchases for the same exact amount so he told me to make one of them for $400 instead of $350. I purchased the cards and he told me to go back out to my vehicle making sure no one could see what I was doing. He then said to take the strips off the back of the gift cards and read him those numbers, which I did. He then told me to drive back home. Once I was home he said he had good news and bad news. The good news was the $1,300 lap top had been removed from my Amazon account but the bad news was that the $1,400 bit coin purchase had been made internationally so to clear that one we would have to do something different. He said I would need to apply $1,000 to my Amazon account to start the process. I told him I had no access to $1000, that we live off a limited income and are both on disability. He then asked if I could borrow it from a relative or friend. He said we would only need the $1,000 for a couple of hours and it would be reimbursed just like the $750 spent on the gift cards. I emphatically told HIM I had no way of getting that $1,000. He said he was sorry to hear that because without it he could not remove the $1,400 bit coin purchase and would also have to cancel out the $1,300 lap top purchase that we had just finished and that cost me the $750 in gift cards so I would loose that now as well. At this point I was crying. He put me on hold several times.to.see what he could do and then finally said he would have to call me back. He called again a few minutes later and said he worked out the $1,300 lap top charge after all and I would be reimbursed my $750.00 for the gift cards, and he was throwing in an extra $125.00 from Amazon as an apology for the hacks having gone through their system. He said that would take 1-3 days to show back up in my bank account. I told him I needed it sooner than that and he said e would do all he could to expidite it and if he could expedite it he would call me back. So we hung up again. This time I immediately called my bank just to make sure all seemed OK with my account. Once I explained to the bank what was going on they explained to me I had been scammed. I was somewhat doubtful of this because the guy had had control over my Amazon prime TV channel, being able to lock me out of it and turn it on, so he had to be from. Amazon, right? Plus who ever heard of a scammers reaching you through a TV? I sure hadn't. So the bank shut my card off so he couldn't use it anymore and began their investigation into what had been going on. While I was still on the phone with the bank the scammer was already calling again. When I answered he said he was calling me back b/he was able to expidite the $750 to my bank account after all. I could get it that day, but there was a problem. Some sort of block from the banks end of things. I then told him I knew he was a scammer. He freaked out denying it. He said all sorts of things that really made him seem from Amazon and reminded me again that he had turned my channel on, so he claimed those things proved he was from Amazon. He stressed that he could not reimburse the $750 due to some block at the bank. I told him the card had been shut off so he couldn't access it anymore. He freaked out again, telling me how much he was trying to help me and he even offered to enter into a 3 way call with my bank to prove who he was. He said it was important for my reimbursement for that card to be reactivated. Finally some suspicion was forming inside me and I asked him what he would say to the bank woman on the 3 way call. He said he would say nothing, he would only listen, and I would need to pretend he wasnt on the line. Red flags were flying at this point. I told him I would not do the 3 way call but I would call my bank again and tell them what he was telling me and if it was legit, the card would be turned back on and if not it wouldn't. He agreed to call back in 10 minutes. I did call my bank again and she assured me that no matter what he said, it was a scam and that he was trying to run the card over and over for purchases, Some over $500! That he wanted it reactivated so he could use it again. Again he was calling me back when I was still on the phone with the bank. When I answered him I told him, **** you *******! You have gotten all you're getting from me! Don't ever call me again! Then hung up. Have not herd from him again. My bank has restricted my account and deciding what they will and will not do as far as reimbursing me. I'm told that because I purchased the gift cards, it may be impossiable. I have the gift cards and the receipts for them here and the phone # he called me from if those are any help. We cannot afford to loose that amount. Without it we can't even pay rent this month among other important bills. More charges were made to my card than I was even aware of, he was purchasing the whole time I was on the phone with him. I am still in shock that he could control my prime TV channel. Seems to me that because of that Prime should be held at least partially responsible. All this happened yesterday Oct. 10, 2023