Blog Post  Phone Refund Scam

Our Office hears about a variety of scams on a regular basis so we’re never surprised to learn about the different ways scammers will attempt to trick people.

A recent scam that was brought to our attention involved a money refund. A caller claiming to be from a company called Technician Inc. randomly called a couple and informed them that the company had erroneously provided a refund of $3,000 meant for someone else into their bank account. The caller then requested the victim wire transfer the money to a specific bank account.

The couple questioned the authenticity of the call so the caller offered a solution: provide remote access to their online banking accounts and he could show him the funds. Fortunately, the couple realized everything about this call was suspicious and hung up.

If you receive a call similar to this remember:

• If a company accidentally refunded money to a wrong account, they would contact the bank not the account holder.
• Your bank would never give the company your contact information and make you settle the situation.
• Never wire money to someone you don’t know. It is nearly impossible to get wired money back, even if you are the victim of a scam.
• Never allow someone remote access to your computer or provide them with information about your bank accounts.
• Report the call to your financial institution, your local police department, and to our Office.
• Discuss next steps with your financial institution. They may suggest closing current accounts and opening new ones, or changing log-in information for online banking profiles.