Costco Shoppers - Scam Alert

[Fx51LP308]

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!

 

[Maggot]

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.

 

[Fx51LP308]

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.

And I would have done that this time, but since my real Costco membership is to expire at month's end, I didn't think it through. Lesson definitely learned!

 

[Redmanss]

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…”.

 

[P-Squared]

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'

 

[TicTacTex]

I bet they get Sleepy Joe on that one every time.

 

[MO Fugga]

Shame on you. Now some poor Indian can't afford any kiddie porn tonight.

 

[Fx51LP308]

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'

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.

 

[Fx51LP308]

Shame on you. Now some poor Indian can't afford any kiddie porn tonight.

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.

 

[davsco]

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.

 

[Redmanss]

And the Indian scammers wouldn't settle for just $10.95. They want 1000 times that.

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.

 

[MO Fugga]

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.

And 11 bucks in India makes you a baller for a week.

 

[Gemsbok]

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.

 

[Redmanss]

And 11 bucks in India makes you a baller for a week.

Not quite, but we paid our Indian guards $1700/mo in Afghanistan and they were very happy with the money they were making.

 

[Fx51LP308]

The $10.95 makes it so folks don't question it as hard.

Like I didn't. I should have.

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.

'Yes, it does.