Raleigh family scammed for $1,800 after scammer pretending to be police officer
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- Опубликовано: 16 дек 2022
- A Raleigh family is out more than $1,800 after falling for a scammer pretending to be a Raleigh police officer.
Full story: www.wral.com/you-think-you-re...
Travis Beaman recently got a call while at work from a Raleigh Police Department phone number, and the person on the other end said that officers were on their way to arrest him because he had hit a vehicle in a parking lot and left the scene.
"The person knew his name, my name, our address, gave our address, gave his work and his work address," Beaman's wife, Danielle Beaman, said Thursday. "It sounded believable." Travis Beaman was told he could pay $1,800 to avoid arrest.
“I think fear overcame rationalization in the moment," Danielle Beaman said.
Even though he hadn't been in an accident, she said her husband got scared and downloaded the popular cash app Zelle, which was used to transfer $900 from his bank account to "police." With the sounds of police scanners in the background, the "police officer" then told him to withdraw another $900 from an ATM and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM inside an e-cigarette shop in Durham.
"As soon as the transaction was over, they hung up the phone," Danielle Beaman said. "He immediately called the number back [and] got the actual Raleigh Police Department, and they just told him, 'You have been scammed. Sorry. File a report.'"
Travis Beaman was so ashamed that he didn't tell his wife what happened for two days.
"I was like, 'Are you serious?'" she said. "'How did you not know that was not real?' And he said, 'I just didn’t want to get in trouble.'"
The Beamans tried disputing the transaction with USAA, but because the funds were "sent to the recipient as requested," the bank declined to return the funds.
"It sucks, but it is what it is," Danielle Beaman said.
She shared the story to warn others against falling for scammers.
"You never really think it’s going to happen to you. You think you’re smart enough that it’s not going to happen," she said.
"I don’t want some other poor family to get conned out of the same thing here at Christmas. I just think it’s pretty crappy," she added. "We are going to function and keep going, and, hopefully, it’s just going to bless us in other ways down the line."
Police said people need to remember these three don'ts to avoid phone scams:
Do not give personal information after an incoming call
Do not be fooled by what scammers know about you
Do not pay for something you didn’t do or want
If you are at all suspicious, hang up and call the agency or company directly.
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Nope, wouldn’t have done it.
That's sad.🥺
She didn’t need to get scammed at all.
This scam has been going on for a long time... as long as the Windows Alert scan. Just a different method of delivering money. If a cop is asking you to green dot or Zelle you money, report them to the SBI.
Educate yourselves people. Even if you think it could never happen to you. I had a scammer call me once to say I had a warrant out for my arrest I laughed so hard he got pissed and asked if I thought it was funny. I said yes I do. I told him since they were to lazy to come and get me I'll come to you. He said that wasn't necessary, all I had to do was pay over the phone. I told him no, I'll come down in person 'cause want a receipt and to look at the warrant in person. He hang up lol. He spoke pretty good English, with no foreign accent.
🤦🤦
I ALMOST got GOT!
Got what?
@@AK-47ISTHEWAY lol “played” “finesse” “bamboozled” “hoodwinked” “GOT”