Two parts to this story: the fraud, and then the hack, which could mean I am digitally compromised and others should be cautious about online dealings with me.
First) I was recently contacted on Facebook by a woman who claimed to play AD&D when I asked her. But she wanted to send me software (called Cashepp) that would allow her to transfer money to my bank account so she could use the Internet from Germany to allow her to play AD&D with at least audio, not just text. (I told her Discord allows voice chat, perhaps the most important fact here, for this forum) There were so many reasons to say no. Let me count some of the ways...
First, she said she needed a voucher to have voice chat (presumably videochat, too) while in Germany. (She said she is in Germany, as implied, but in the United States Navy.) She said she did not have to pay much (and I could not understand her well because of her accent) but had just bought $500 worth of vouchers. I find it hard to believe vouchers are needed in Germany for the purpose.
She asked for my banking information. No way. No how. Not giving that out.
I have encountered similar fraud before. I thought I had been hired for job doing data entry at home. The company sent me an advance check. On the advice of relatives, I checked with my bank. They said it was drawn on a nonexistent account, and that they would have tried to claim I owed them money. I voided the check.
She got so many details wrong about her story. For instance, when it was 3:30 PM for me (Eastern Standard Time, in Maine, USA), she said it was the middle of the day there. In Germany, it would have been about 8:30 PM (dusk at least there).
She initially contacted me from someone else's Facebook account, saying she just knew his password. She did switch over to her own account supposedly, although not on video.
Second) The next day, we got a call supposedly from Microsoft but from our own phone number (a landline) saying our IP address is compromised and that it and our license (?) needs to be changed. That was several days ago. We still have not been able to contact our telephone company, by phone or email, suspicious in itself. (They also provide our internet service). The sheriff dispatcher said it is called spoofing (which does sound reasonable, but I am not satisfied about this). The phone/Internet service is not in my name and I cannot afford to help pay it, so I cannot proceed further. So far, no one else seems to really take this seriously.
The coincidence of these two events is unnerving to me. The fact that it was in a context of arranging a game, and that I did tell her the Discord software does allow voice chat, I felt I should warn others about this.
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Game: D&D 4e or 5e Group type: Online / Face-to-face / either Experience: a few years off an on Location/Timezone: EST, in Maine, USA Schedule: mostly evenings EST Roles sought: Player, Discord: BoinsterPsi#9024 Game style: (usual, with +2 to +7 level adjustment, depending on group) strategy player and power gamer
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Two parts to this story: the fraud, and then the hack, which could mean I am digitally compromised and others should be cautious about online dealings with me.
First) I was recently contacted on Facebook by a woman who claimed to play AD&D when I asked her. But she wanted to send me software (called Cashepp) that would allow her to transfer money to my bank account so she could use the Internet from Germany to allow her to play AD&D with at least audio, not just text. (I told her Discord allows voice chat, perhaps the most important fact here, for this forum) There were so many reasons to say no. Let me count some of the ways...
Second) The next day, we got a call supposedly from Microsoft but from our own phone number (a landline) saying our IP address is compromised and that it and our license (?) needs to be changed. That was several days ago. We still have not been able to contact our telephone company, by phone or email, suspicious in itself. (They also provide our internet service). The sheriff dispatcher said it is called spoofing (which does sound reasonable, but I am not satisfied about this). The phone/Internet service is not in my name and I cannot afford to help pay it, so I cannot proceed further. So far, no one else seems to really take this seriously.
The coincidence of these two events is unnerving to me. The fact that it was in a context of arranging a game, and that I did tell her the Discord software does allow voice chat, I felt I should warn others about this.
Game: D&D 4e or 5e
Group type: Online / Face-to-face / either
Experience: a few years off an on
Location/Timezone: EST, in Maine, USA
Schedule: mostly evenings EST
Roles sought: Player, Discord: BoinsterPsi#9024
Game style: (usual, with +2 to +7 level adjustment, depending on group) strategy player and power gamer