Handy Traits in a Digital Age
By Lee Ruggles
A CAUTIONARY TALE
I open my email.
From Marcia:
“Hello. Hope you are doing good today. Can I ask you for a favor?
Thanks. Marcia”
I reply:
“Sure! Fire away.”
Marcia:
“I am sorry to bother you with this mail. I need to get an iTunes gift card for my niece. It’s her birthday but I can’t do this now because I’m currently traveling and I tried purchasing it online but unfortunately no luck with that. Can you get it from any store around you? I’ll pay back as soon as I am back. Let me know if you can handle this.
Thanks. Marcia”
Me:
“Yes. Do you need it mailed?”
Marcia:
“Thank you very much. The total amount needed is $400. $100 denominations. You don’t need to mail it. I need you to scratch the back of the cards to reveal the PIN, then take a snapshot of the backs and send that to me. I can forward it to her.
I owe you. Thanks.”
Me:
“OK.”
____________
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Marcia is a friend and during this time of being so separated from almost everyone else on earth, being able to help her out was such a small thing to do. She’s not very tech-savvy, so her not being able to buy something online wasn’t far-fetched at all. Done.
Then I called her.
“What are you talking about, Lee? I would never send an email like that!” My heart sank. It was a phishing scam. I received three other similar emails from women I know. They all had had their emails hacked.
Marcia felt so bad that she said she’d send me the $400. I hesitated, but she reminded me that she could well afford it.
I filed a report with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). I’m sure I’m only one of hundreds, if not thousands, who have been scammed like that. I spoke with the credit card company. It wasn’t used illegally, so the couldn’t challenge the charge. I contacted Apple. They commiserated, but really couldn’t do anything about it except ask me to send the emails to their phishing report email.
I did get Marcia’s check and paid my credit card bill. I plan to make small donations to charities in Marcia’s honor, eventually adding up to $400.
I suspect that sometimes I’m so hungry for human contact that I behave like a puppy eager to please, willing to help whenever I’m asked. I spoke with the manager of the store where I bought the gift cards to suggest that when someone, especially a little old lady or man, purchases more than a couple of gift cards that the clerk casually ask if it’s someone’s birthday or other special occasion. The customer may tell a story about why they’re buying so many cards. Or not.
I just got an email from my niece. She said she needs another set of cards—$500. She wants to use it for an off-sale purchase of an iPad please let me know if you can help me get them again. I will repay you $950 once I return.
Guess who did not respond.
Photo by Chris Yang on Unsplash
