Costco Shoppers - Scam Alert

Fx51LP308

Fx51LP308

Old Salt
Full Member
Minuteman
    • Apr 8, 2021
    3,952
    5,862
    Tampa Bay, FL
    #1
    They damn near got me!

    I received an email from what looked like Costco, asking me to take part in a survey for which I'd receive a "membership renewal" plus a free Ice cream maker. Stupid me, I should have realized it was a scam, but since my Costco membership renews at the end of this month, and it was only $10.95 shipping, I though I'd try it.

    WRONG! I should have known it was fake as it wasn't the standard Costco email address I use for their purchases. The "membership" was to a fitness center in California and had nothing to do with my Costco membership.

    I called my bank immediately and killed the transaction. I should have realized it was fake as my bank declined it the first time I tried it. Well, my bank took care of it without any loss on my part. My old card is disabled. I'll get a new card in 4-6 business days. I don't need it right now so that's good.

    Stay alert folks! If it can happen to me, it can happen to you! :mad:
     
    • Like
    Reactions: MarshallDodge, Redlion, Bobalos and 3 others
    #2
    Yep, youo've got to look at the senders address. I get that sit al the time, they're as bad as the scumbag scammers on here.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: lash
    #4
    I get Costco emails every now and then, since I’ve never set foot in one I always know it’s a scam. They use it as a very common ploy.

    Rule of thumb, ANY email that asks for login info or a type of payment is a scam, right along with anything for free for filling out a survey as that’s the typical “If it sounds too good to be true…”.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Snipe260 and oneshot86
    #5
    I use email aliases for all my 'providers'. When I get an email, I look for the send to address. If it doesn't match, then I know 1 of two things happened; 1) The provider sold their email list to another provider (grounds for getting fired), or 2) it's spam from somewhere else.

    Easily 90% of my spam comes from the email address I gave to LinkedIn.

    Things that make you go 'Hmmmmm'
     
    • Like
    Reactions: lash and MO Fugga
    #8
    P-Squared said:
    I use email aliases for all my 'providers'. When I get an email, I look for the send to address. If it doesn't match, then I know 1 of two things happened; 1) The provider sold their email list to another provider (grounds for getting fired), or 2) it's spam from somewhere else.

    Easily 90% of my spam comes from the email address I gave to LinkedIn.

    Things that make you go 'Hmmmmm'
    Click to expand...

    I have my own Internet domain. With that, comes the ability to create an unlimited number of email addresses, similar to your "aliases." And it actually worked in this case. I just didn't recognize it. I was busy thinking it might be a way to get a free Costco Membership renewal, given my Costco membership expires at the end of this month. WRONG! That mistake won't be repeated again.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: MO Fugga
    #9
    MO Fugga said:
    Shame on you. Now some poor Indian can't afford any kiddie porn tonight.
    Click to expand...

    I don't think this scam got all the way to India. California, yes, but not India. And the Indian scammers wouldn't settle for just $10.95. They want 1000 times that. That could also be why it seemed OK to me, as it was only $10.95 to ship the ice cream maker that I don't think would ever be shipped. Now, maybe if I contacted them to complain about the failed shipment, I'd get sent to an Indian Scam center, but I would not let it get that far. I'm embarrassed as Hell that this one got as far as it did.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: MO Fugga
    #10
    always go directly to the purported company's website, NOT via clicking on an apparent link. easy to just be complacent and click though if the email looks authentic.
     
    #11
    Fx51LP308 said:
    And the Indian scammers wouldn't settle for just $10.95. They want 1000 times that.
    Click to expand...
    The $10.95 makes it so folks don't question it as hard. Their volume of emails are probably in the millions a day.

    Depending on the source, somewhere to the tune of 50-150 billion spam emails go out every single day. If they have a hit rate of 0.01% gullibility on the low side of that number, for $5 each, that's $25M a day.

    Scam spam exists because it makes money.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: oneshot86 and MO Fugga
    #12
    Redmanss said:
    The $10.95 makes it so folks don't question it as hard. Their volume of emails are probably in the millions a day.

    Depending on the source, somewhere to the tune of 50-150 billion spam emails go out every single day. If they have a hit rate of 0.01% gullibility on the low side of that number, for $5 each, that's $25M a day.

    Scam spam exists because it makes money.
    Click to expand...
    And 11 bucks in India makes you a baller for a week.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Redmanss
    #13
    I got caught by a highway video toll scam once. I had just a couple days previously been through the tollway that the scammer referenced and I was crazy busy and flustered at the time.

    Luckily, the "scammer" turned out to be my employer's cybersecurity spooks, so all I had to do was sit through a 1-hour how-to video on phishing and pass the 10-question quiz.
     
    • Haha
    Reactions: Redmanss
    #15
    Redmanss said:
    The $10.95 makes it so folks don't question it as hard.
    Click to expand...

    Like I didn't. I should have.

    Redmanss said:
    Their volume of emails are probably in the millions a day.

    Depending on the source, somewhere to the tune of 50-150 billion spam emails go out every single day. If they have a hit rate of 0.01% gullibility on the low side of that number, for $5 each, that's $25M a day.

    Scam spam exists because it makes money.
    Click to expand...
    'Yes, it does.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Redmanss
    You must log in or register to reply here.

    Similar threads

    cuirc
    No Scamming here
    Replies
    3
    Views
    536
    Nik H
    Nik H
    pangris
    Craddock Precision 6 rifle, 6.5 Grendel test day - Pangris 13.9" Mod 1, 14.5" Mod 2, and 18" RTR
    Replies
    17
    Views
    2K
    pangris
    pangris
    obx22
    Things to watch out for in your new gun…
    Replies
    1
    Views
    718
    RTH1800
    R
    LuckyDuck
    A question for the SH Brain Trust...
    Replies
    27
    Views
    1K
    TheBigCountry
    TheBigCountry
    Longshot231
    The Bottle Base Challenge
    Replies
    2
    Views
    415
    jbell
    jbell
    Top Bottom
    Back
    Home
    Forums
    Merch
    Alerts