I Fell for a Credit Card Scam
I did not want to tell this story because I got ashamed after falling for it but I am sure someone out there might learn from the cheap scam.
The Scam Detective
On a normal day, I am usually the one advising others on how to stay away from scams. I have friends who whenever they come across a message shared and links, will send it to me to check it for them if it is a scam and I am always damn good at it. To add to my scam detective skills, I was once sent an MLM scheme and I pointed out that it was a scam and it would crash and within two weeks, it crashed. The reason I am telling you all this is to explain that despite my abilities, I still fell for a scam.
The Scam
Some weeks ago, while at home, I received an SMS, telling me that my address was wrong and that I should update my address on USPS, or else my package would be delivered late or at a later date. Surprisingly, I had bought something on eBay and I was expecting it that day or the next and without a thought, I who usually checks all links, went ahead and clicked the link without checking and it took me to a website with the exact design as USPS. I went ahead to fill in my address and the next page came up that I had to pay $0.3 for the delay in my head, that was nothing and I filled in my credit card details and an OTP was sent by my bank and I filled it as well, only to receive an email 1.5 minutes later that my card has been successfully added to Apple Pay 😆.
You Got In a Mess, Now Find a Solution
I immediately suspected foul play. I did not pay with Apple Pay nor did I add my card to a new iOS device. Well, I immediately went to my bank app and locked the card. I was also contacted immediately by Bank of America, which came as a surprise to me as to how quickly they had detected the scam on their end without me reporting it. They reached out to me while I was locking the card(roughly three minutes after the incident) and asked me if anyone had contacted me about a certain shipping and I was stunned. I was instructed to destroy the card and that a new one would be shipped to me.
Aftermath
I was very pissed after realizing what had happened and how badly I acted without verifying the link I clicked. Someone used a .online domain to fool me and I did not realize it. I was silly and they played me badly. My main issue is that I do not still know where someone got the info that I was expecting something I bought and used that to attempt to steal from me.
Conclusion
Be safe before you fall like me(though I did not lose a dime 😃). Take care of yourselves.
