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Scam Artists Abuse Relay Call Services to Defraud Mid-TN Businesses
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| 01/26/12 |
[January 26, 2012 - Nashville, TN] Your Better Business Bureau has issued numerous warnings to businesses in the Middle Tennessee area regarding suspicious relay calls. This week the scammers are targeting automotive and tire repair shops.
Most recently, the consumer/scammer contacted a local automotive/tire repair company via email, asking seemingly innocent questions about the business. The business then asked the consumer to call for more information. Then the scammer, posing as a deaf person and hiding behind an IP Relay operator, said that he lives in the area but is out of state on vacation and his car is broken down. The scammer said to the business owner (through the Relay Operator) that he wanted to have the car towed from the vacation spot to their shop for repairs, BUT the tow company does not accept credit cards. The scammer offered to give the repair shop manager a credit card number and asked the shop to wire $3,000.00 to the tow company. The local business owner we talked with wwas suspicious but also concerned that this was a deaf person needing help.
If the business owner had honored the wire funds transfer request, he or she would have later discovered the credit card provided was fraudulent and the business would be out the cash they wired. Luckily, the business owner contacted the Better Business Bureau for advice before wiring any funds through Western Union, as the scammer had requested.
What Can We DO?
No matter how obvious it is that a call is a scam - a relay operator is prohibited by federal law from interfering with a call in any way. Throughout the call the operator is supposed to act entirely neutral and to perform as a switch or wire/machine like role no matter what they have to repeat in the communication. Businesses should take caution when they receive requests through a relay call - DO NOT AGREE TO ANY WIRE TRANSFERS BACKED BY CREDIT CARDS.
Know the red flags, and educate every employee about the many ways your business can be the victim of a scam artist.
- The caller is using the relay operator. That makes it almost impossible to track down if it turns out to be a scam.
- The person placing the credit card order insists that the tow fee be paid immediately. They could be trying to get the funds BEFORE the card is reported stolen.
- The person placing the credit card order wants to arrange for pickup with a delivery service but have you pay for the delivery service in advance
- More than one credit card number is given to pay for the purchase.
To avoiding falling victim to the scams looking for you, Start your search With Trust by visiting www.Nashville.BBB.org
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When in Doubt, remember to check with BBB for information on businesses you can TRUST by visiting
ABOUT BBB:
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