Look for Scams — How I Almost Lost $1800

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Abstract

ime when the iPhone 15 wasn’t out yet) and two years of free internet service if I paid $900 upfront.</p><p id="d1d5">It sounded too good to be true, but they explained it as prepaying for two years of internet to get a free iPhone.</p><p id="56b5">They insisted I pay using a Target gift card.</p><p id="14fe">Despite our doubts, my husband and I agreed and bought the gift card, then shared the details over the phone. But they claimed there was a problem with their system and asked us to buy another$ 900 gift card, promising to refund it along with the iPhone.</p><p id="fe1b">Alarmed but still hoping for the promised rewards, we purchased another gift card. Yet again, we found ourselves in the same situation — the caller citing issues with their system. That’s when reality hit hard.</p><p id="c5e8">We had lost $1800, which was a huge blow, especially given the other issues we were facing that month.</p><p id="bc86">Feeling lost and robbed, we took immediate action. We reached out to our credit card company, explained the scam, and filed a detailed complaint.</p><p id="a373">Desperate for answers, we approached Target, hoping they could trace th

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e transactions. Dishearteningly, even they couldn’t provide a solution. Seeking justice, we reported the scam to the police, discovering that these scams are unfortunately common.</p><h2 id="6533">How we got our money back:</h2><p id="5e40">Luckily, we had used an Apple credit card to buy the gift cards. We immediately contacted Apple, explained the scam, and filed a dispute. During the investigation, we didn’t have to pay the credit card bills. After a month, the issue was resolved, and we didn’t have to cover the fraudulent charges.</p><h2 id="d3c2">Lessons Learned:</h2><ul><li>Never trust requests for payment via gift cards.</li><li>Always verify before sharing personal or financial details.</li><li>If a deal seems too good to be true, question it. Businesses need profits, so excessively cheap offers often indicate a scam.</li><li>Trust your instincts; if something feels off, it probably is.</li><li>Stay cautious and alert, especially in unexpected situations.</li></ul><p id="b316"><i>Join my <a href="https://maryammerchant.medium.com/subscribe">email list </a>to get valuable content in your inbox whenever I publish.</i></p></article></body>

When in doubt check it twice before giving any details

This story dates back to the mid-year of 2023, but I feel it’s important to share so that others might avoid falling victim to a similar scam and stay safe.

It was around mid-year when already things were not working in our favor. It made me overwhelmed, my mind was filled with emotions, and at that time unexpected scam happened.

One day, I got two missed calls from an unknown number, along with a voice message claiming to be from our internet provider, offering a new scheme with fantastic benefits.

Curious, I called back….

It turned out to be a big mistake, but I learned a crucial lesson.

On the call, they promised an iPhone 14 (it was the time when the iPhone 15 wasn’t out yet) and two years of free internet service if I paid $900 upfront.

It sounded too good to be true, but they explained it as prepaying for two years of internet to get a free iPhone.

They insisted I pay using a Target gift card.

Despite our doubts, my husband and I agreed and bought the gift card, then shared the details over the phone. But they claimed there was a problem with their system and asked us to buy another $900 gift card, promising to refund it along with the iPhone.

Alarmed but still hoping for the promised rewards, we purchased another gift card. Yet again, we found ourselves in the same situation — the caller citing issues with their system. That’s when reality hit hard.

We had lost $1800, which was a huge blow, especially given the other issues we were facing that month.

Feeling lost and robbed, we took immediate action. We reached out to our credit card company, explained the scam, and filed a detailed complaint.

Desperate for answers, we approached Target, hoping they could trace the transactions. Dishearteningly, even they couldn’t provide a solution. Seeking justice, we reported the scam to the police, discovering that these scams are unfortunately common.

How we got our money back:

Luckily, we had used an Apple credit card to buy the gift cards. We immediately contacted Apple, explained the scam, and filed a dispute. During the investigation, we didn’t have to pay the credit card bills. After a month, the issue was resolved, and we didn’t have to cover the fraudulent charges.

Lessons Learned:

Never trust requests for payment via gift cards.

Always verify before sharing personal or financial details.

If a deal seems too good to be true, question it. Businesses need profits, so excessively cheap offers often indicate a scam.

Trust your instincts; if something feels off, it probably is.

Stay cautious and alert, especially in unexpected situations.

Join my email list to get valuable content in your inbox whenever I publish.