This thread is a warning to all WickedFire members - I guess it should be a no-brainier but sometimes we forget. The following story took place at the Fairfield, CT Verizon Wireless Store
Long Version (Short Below):
I upgraded this week to the new Verizon Blackberry Tour from the storm. My sales guy was very helpful through-out the process and moved all my contacts/data for me. Little did I know he was double copying the numbers - which explained the 25+ minutes it took to copy over my contacts and limited number of emails.
The very next morning my grandmother (Yes I am only 22) got a call from the "Toronto Sheriff's Department. A sheriff announced that I had gotten intoxicated while partying with my friends in Canada and was arrested. I needed help posting bail so I could get out. They even put "me" on the line. They knew my full name, birthdate and my BUSINESS (this is key) billing address.
The most interesting fact...she got this phone call on a DEDICATED emergency number that she gave ONLY to her 5 grand children. Her own children do not even have this number nor do ANY of her friends - and sure enough it was stored as "ICE grandma" in my phone - bad decision on my part.
"I" gave her a sob story about the conditions of the jail and the sheriff gave her a strict list of orders which involved going to the bank, withdrawing cash and wiring it from her local Walmart. She made sure not to "tell mom or dad" - just as she was told to do.
She complied quickly (she's 78 years old and losing it) and proceeded to call me AFTER she sent the money, asking I call her back when I was in the country. Obviously I was perplexed by this question and quickly figured out what happened. I had her report to her police department and report the case. Luckily the idiot Walmart worker (who I am now grateful for) got caught up in a "personal phone call" and didn't send the $2,900 wire. My grandmother did get her money back.
Short Version:
While visiting the Fairfield, CT Verizon Wireless store, an employee double copied my contacts and sold/gave them to scammers who nearly scammed my aging grandmother out of $2,900. This employee now still has all of my contacts and information which he is probably selling to rogue mobile advertisers.
Let this story be a warning to you. Secure your phones.
DO NOT let Verizon Wireless or any other cellphone company employees transfer your contacts or make backups.
Do not let your phone leave your site while in the hands of a Verizon employee or any other cell phone company employee.
DO warn your loved ones, especially grandma, grandpa, aunt and uncle about scams like this.
Do Change contact names from "grandma" to Jane Doe - or whatever their name is.
DO have a "password" or some system to identify yourself to anyone you have stored in your phone with the prefix/suffix "ICE"
Even if your contacts are double copied and NOT sold to scammers - they are still being sold to mobile advertisers for a few bucks under the table.
Nick
Long Version (Short Below):
I upgraded this week to the new Verizon Blackberry Tour from the storm. My sales guy was very helpful through-out the process and moved all my contacts/data for me. Little did I know he was double copying the numbers - which explained the 25+ minutes it took to copy over my contacts and limited number of emails.
The very next morning my grandmother (Yes I am only 22) got a call from the "Toronto Sheriff's Department. A sheriff announced that I had gotten intoxicated while partying with my friends in Canada and was arrested. I needed help posting bail so I could get out. They even put "me" on the line. They knew my full name, birthdate and my BUSINESS (this is key) billing address.
The most interesting fact...she got this phone call on a DEDICATED emergency number that she gave ONLY to her 5 grand children. Her own children do not even have this number nor do ANY of her friends - and sure enough it was stored as "ICE grandma" in my phone - bad decision on my part.
"I" gave her a sob story about the conditions of the jail and the sheriff gave her a strict list of orders which involved going to the bank, withdrawing cash and wiring it from her local Walmart. She made sure not to "tell mom or dad" - just as she was told to do.
She complied quickly (she's 78 years old and losing it) and proceeded to call me AFTER she sent the money, asking I call her back when I was in the country. Obviously I was perplexed by this question and quickly figured out what happened. I had her report to her police department and report the case. Luckily the idiot Walmart worker (who I am now grateful for) got caught up in a "personal phone call" and didn't send the $2,900 wire. My grandmother did get her money back.
Short Version:
While visiting the Fairfield, CT Verizon Wireless store, an employee double copied my contacts and sold/gave them to scammers who nearly scammed my aging grandmother out of $2,900. This employee now still has all of my contacts and information which he is probably selling to rogue mobile advertisers.
Let this story be a warning to you. Secure your phones.
DO NOT let Verizon Wireless or any other cellphone company employees transfer your contacts or make backups.
Do not let your phone leave your site while in the hands of a Verizon employee or any other cell phone company employee.
DO warn your loved ones, especially grandma, grandpa, aunt and uncle about scams like this.
Do Change contact names from "grandma" to Jane Doe - or whatever their name is.
DO have a "password" or some system to identify yourself to anyone you have stored in your phone with the prefix/suffix "ICE"
Even if your contacts are double copied and NOT sold to scammers - they are still being sold to mobile advertisers for a few bucks under the table.
Nick