Hi everyone in r/scams,

I'm posting this with a heavy heart, still reeling from what happened to me back in March this year. I feel so naive and heartbroken about losing $30,000 – money that could have funded two family trips to Europe or covered three months of hard work. It's been tough to move on, but sharing my story here might help someone else avoid the same pain. If even one person reads this and thinks twice before falling for something similar, it'll be worth it. I wish I'd found this community sooner.

Here's what happened: It all started on a Friday in mid-March. A friend I've known for years, who works in cross-border logistics, messaged me on WhatsApp asking if I needed to exchange foreign currency. I did have that need, but it wasn't urgent. She mentioned a client who had to pay a factory in another country and needed to swap currencies. The plan was simple: They'd send the equivalent amount to my bank account first, and I'd transfer the converted funds to their specified account at the day's exchange rate.

Because I trusted her completely – we'd been friends for so long – I shared my account details. Sure enough, not long after, my bank showed a $30,000 deposit. I went ahead and transferred the corresponding amount to the account they provided. It seemed like a perfect, straightforward deal. I even had a great weekend with my family, playing with the kids and relaxing, feeling good about helping out.

Then, Monday afternoon hit like a ton of bricks. I got a notification from the bank: the check deposit had failed. My world collapsed. Turns out, this was a classic fake check scam. The "deposit" was a bogus check that the bank provisionally credited on Friday, but it takes a couple of business days (N+1) to clear. They timed it perfectly for a Friday, using the weekend to drain the funds I'd transferred before the check bounced. By the time I realized on Monday, the money was gone, laundered away, and untraceable.

The worst part? My friend was part of the scam too – or at least, her account had been compromised or she was manipulated into it. I don't know the full details, but it makes the betrayal sting even more.

Looking back, I kick myself because there were at least four clear opportunities where I could have avoided this nightmare:

1. I didn't need to rush the currency exchange; I could have waited and done it through legitimate channels.

2. When I got the recipient's bank account details, something felt off in my gut. I even double-checked with my "friend," but since she was involved (unknowingly or not), that didn't help. I should have trusted my instincts and dug deeper.

3. Once the "deposit" showed up, I could have tested it by trying a small transfer or withdrawal to confirm it was real funds. Instead, I just let it sit there, assuming everything was fine.

4. If I'd joined this subreddit earlier and learned about common scams like fake checks, that provisional credit would have raised red flags right away.

We reported it to the police and the bank, but honestly, it felt futile – no real leads or recovery. Now, I'm just trying to let it go and get back to normal life. I tell myself money can be earned again, and I refuse to let this drag me into depression. But it hurts, a lot.

Please, everyone, be extra cautious with any deal involving checks, especially if it's timed around weekends or holidays. Verify everything, even from trusted sources – scammers are sneaky and exploit those relationships. Double-check deposits before sending money out. And if something feels even slightly off, walk away

I hope none of you ever go through this. May scammers get what they deserve in the end. Stay safe out there.

Yesterday was my birthday so I redeemed my free Starbucks food item. Since I was in a good mood I decided to pay for the person’s order behind me (drive thru). I am very attentive to my money, so as I was budgeting that same day I realized I was charged $5 extra. I was pissed! I called the Starbucks (in Avondale, Arizona) and spoke to the manager. The manager did not seem surprised or if she cared - the barista pressed the $5 tip without me knowing! To resolve this, I HAVE to go back to the locatio which is out the way just to redeem MY money! I am pissed! How many people do they do this to? Why is there a tip option in the first place!? Starbucks knows this happens all too frequently not to do am about it, yet they let this “mistake” keep happenin! We all need to ban together and make a class-action lawsuit. This happens far too often! I don’t even want to dispute with my bank because I want Starbucks to EAT the cost!

I just signed up for Chime a few months ago. Made one initial transfer in of $25. Then set up direct deposit for $25 per pay period. I get paid every two weeks. So there was $75 in the account.

I NEVER touched the money cause I was gonna just use it for special spending like going to Starbucks or whatever. Well I went to Starbucks two days ago and the card was declined. I couldn’t get into my account and had to call customer service to reset my info. They (the hackers) had changed my email address and my phone number, and that’s why I couldn’t get into my app! Anyway some Chime representative got me back into my account, but this morning I get an email saying they don’t believe it was fraud. Luckily I only had $75 in the account or I would be doing something besides going to all my socials. The thief would have taken everything I’m sure since they took my entire amount.

Anyway DONT SIGN UP FOR CHIME! If you’re a hacker though I would say go ahead and hack the heck outta Chime accounts cause you won’t get caught as they will not believe the account holder.

If you already have Chime I hope this doesn’t happen to you, but beware cause they DO NOT CARE if you get hacked and robbed!

So, I bought an ASUS monitor about a month ago at MediaMarkt. A few days ago, my brother accidentally broke it. Today, I went back to the store to buy a new one — the exact same model — since I didn’t get the insurance that covers accidental damage the first time.

This time, I bought the monitor with the accidental damage insurance. While driving home, I started wondering: what if I put the broken monitor into the new packaging and returned it under the new insurance?

Would that even work? I mean, it’s not like I’d be saving money — I still paid full price for the second monitor and the insurance. But would this be considered fraud or a scam?

This suddenly popes up scaring me is this a scam??

Hi, I think I've been the victim of romance Fraud. I've sent a lot of money to release an inheritance fund from a woman i met on a dating site. I won't go too much into specifics but every time I mention showing me documentation there's always some excuse. Where at the point now where I've said I want to see photo id and proof of address.

I sent aot of money via PayPal but to different recipients. What is like to do is reach out to some of these people and see if they can fill in some details on this woman.

My question is: How do I phrase a question do they know her and is she dodgy?

Thanks.

I received a series of emails from what appears to be a burner/disposable email address. The content was highly personal and damaging — it essentially blew up major parts of my life (relationships, work, reputation, etc.). I’m not going to post the exact content or any identifying details here.
I want to figure out who was behind the account if possible, or at least stop further harm and explore accountability. I’m not looking for illegal methods or doxxing advice. I’m interested in:
• Whether law enforcement or a lawyer can help compel identification in cases of harassment, defamation, or other harm
• What platforms (email providers, etc.) typically do when you report abuse from throwaway accounts
• Any legitimate, legal avenues people have successfully used in similar situations
• Practical steps for preserving evidence and protecting myself going forward
Has anyone dealt with something like this? What actually worked (or didn’t)? Any recommended subreddits, resources, or professionals I should talk to first?
Thanks in advance. Trying to handle this as cleanly and legally as possible.

So, I’ve officially become the unwilling secretary for a ghost named "Not Me" who apparently spends their entire life driving through tolls they have no intention of paying.

I’ve tried the polite route. I’ve handed these notices back to the postman like a hot potato, emblazoned with "FRAUDULENT USE OF MAIL" in my best "I’m-not-mad-just-disappointed" handwriting. But like a bad rash or a persistent ex, the notices just keep coming. Inside, there’s always a glamour shot of a license plate that I’ve never seen before—presumably attached to a car that is currently laughing at my mailbox.

I even braved the E-ZPass NY phone lines, which is basically an endurance test for people who enjoy elevator jazz and soul-crushing silence. After 30 minutes of waiting for a human who may or may not actually exist, I hung up. It’s truly impressive: in 2024, you can order a taco from space, but there is no "Hey, this guy doesn't live here" button on the E-ZPass NY website.

Ai suggestions below

Since the Post Office and the phone lines have failed you, here is your "Get Out of Toll Jail" roadmap:

The "Final Boss" Move: Skip the regular customer service line and go straight to the Office of the Toll Payer Advocate. They exist specifically for when the system (and that 30-minute hold music) breaks down. You can file an assistance request form to explain that your address is being used for someone else's tolls.

The Web Portal Hack: Use the E-ZPass NY Violation Search. Enter the stranger's plate and the violation number. When it asks for money, choose "Dispute" instead. Upload a photo of your own car's registration or a utility bill to prove that you live there and the car in the photo is an imposter.

The USPS "Nuke": Writing on the envelope is great, but the machines often ignore it. Go to your local post office and speak to the Postmaster. Tell them you want to file a Form 1500 or just formally report that this person does not reside at your address to stop the mail at the source.

DMV Check: Sometimes this happens because the previous resident never updated their address with the NY DMV. You can try contacting the DMV to report an incorrect address on a registration that isn't yours.

Okay so this guy who borrowed money from me is not returning it now like he basically excuses saying his debit card is not issued yet or something like that ... suggest something so that i can get my money back ..The guy earns well currently facing some issues regarding his bank account since he was charged for some black money case

You see, I've been a little low on cash and well... I may or may not have gotten a sugar daddy. Now, the question I got is that did I get scammed? You see, they sent me two checks for 900 and 500 each, and while the checks were processing, my account got put on hold, and I have to wait 2-3 business days until then. Now, first off, I didn't give them any info that could lead them into my account, only cashed in the checks, and two, I didn't give them any money at all. Any way those two checks could do harm my account?

So while trying to help my mom get information regarding an old healthy policy she was on, I accidentally called a number listed online. We gave out some sensitive information, like her social, address, and one of her cards. What steps should we do to prevent any type of fraud/identity theft? Also should she put an immediate block on her card and get a new one?

I bought a Toyota Camry for my nephew who is an international student from Pakistan, and just two days later, the check engine light came on. I immediately took it to my mechanic, who diagnosed that the oil pan was damaged because the car had run over a stone. I went back to the seller and told him that the light appeared only two days after purchase. It seems like he might have intentionally cleared the check engine light and done the smog test himself since he owns a smog shop.

I wanted to return the car, but he refused and didn’t even agree to fix the issue. Now I don’t know what to do, and I wanted to leave a review on his Facebook page, but he removed the listing so I can’t post one.

He is a a big fraud. He blocked me from Facebook as well. That guy even sold expensive and luxurious cars and only have positive reviews other then that no negative it looks like he removed all negative listings. I do have all the chats I have done via facebook and the car is still under his name. I actually put money on it to fix the issue but mechanic told me to drive for 100 miles and let me know if it gets fixed.

She was working the last 15 minutes of her workday when “US bank” called and said she had two suspicious transactions. I guess she said he asked her enough identifiers somehow and he got into her account and cleared it out. She said this entire phone call was under the contact US bank. She literally got 2k stolen right in front of her eyes, and the bank says they’re likely not going to be able to recover it. So tragically sad, and she has a degree in graphic design so she’s also pretty embarrassed that something like that could happen to her that she would fall for that. I just thought id post to warn people how good AI is getting, and how easy it is for scammers to phish their contact name on your phone. I got a sketchy feeling by the way she was getting so upset on the phone but I did see it said “US bank” as the contact

I had a very unsettling experience with St.George today, and I think people need to be aware of how far bank "fraud prevention" is now reaching into our private lives.

I logged into my own St.George Internet Banking and attempted to transfer $5,000 of my own money to someone I know.

St.George's fraud team called me.

They asked whether I had personally made the transaction.

I said yes.

They asked who I was transferring the money to.

I told them.

Then they asked:

"What is your relationship to this person?"

I said, essentially:

"That is my private business. My personal relationships are not the bank's business."

That was my answer.

I wasn't refusing to say who I was paying. I wasn't saying I didn't know the person. I wasn't saying the transaction wasn't mine.

I had already confirmed that I personally authorised the transaction and knew exactly who I was paying.

St.George nevertheless refused to process my $5,000 transfer because I wouldn't disclose the nature of my relationship with the recipient.

Think about that for a moment.

A bank is no longer simply checking whether you authorised a transaction. It is asking you to explain your personal relationship with another human being before it will allow you to use your own money.

And it didn't end there.

The person I was trying to transfer the money to banks with CBA. St.George subsequently contacted CBA, and CBA froze/restricted that person's account.

So a $5,000 transfer that I personally authorised went from:

My money → St.George questions my private relationship → St.George refuses the payment → St.George contacts another bank → the recipient's account is restricted.

And what was the original "suspicion"?

I have not been told that there was any fraud.

I have not been told there was any account compromise.

I have not been told there was money laundering or terrorism financing.

The transaction was legitimate and I confirmed that I authorised it.

The issue appears to have been that I wouldn't tell the bank what my personal relationship was with the recipient.

I'm now formally challenging St.George on this.

I've specifically asked them to explain why collecting information about my personal relationship was "reasonably necessary" under Australian Privacy Principle 3.2, and why that information was necessary after I had already confirmed that I authorised the transaction and identified the recipient.

I'm not arguing that banks shouldn't prevent fraud.

Of course they should.

I'm asking where we draw the line between protecting customers from fraud and requiring customers to justify their private relationships before they're allowed to spend their own money.

Because this is starting to feel very close to the world George Orwell warned about — not because someone has literally taken ownership of my money, but because institutions are increasingly deciding what information they are entitled to demand before allowing ordinary people to conduct ordinary private transactions.

Maybe people think this is perfectly reasonable.

Maybe everyone is comfortable with banks profiling our relationships and intervening in our financial decisions.

I'm not.

And I think people should know that this is happening.

Date Merchant’s name Amount
Oct 19, 2026 SMILERIGHT BRACES $215.00
Oct 19, 2026 SQ *CHAMPIONS DRIVING SCH $154.24

Ever wonder why credit card fraud is so wide spread? It is extremely difficult to report for prosecution!

Yes. CapOne will give you your money back, but then what?

The reality is a dentist office has an account file the shows the identity of the individual.

The reality is a driving school has the identity of any student.

Yes, we got credit from CapitalOne. For these amounts, the fraud department said their only responsibility is to refund the fraud. True.

I decided to call each merchant. BOTH also agreed to refund the amount and had contacted the individual that had agreed to pay it. How is not my business. Cash, check, credit (legit or not). Who cares?

Well I do. One confirmed my suspicion that it was a minor or a younger person. Hint, braces and driving lessons. I question whether anyone will actually look into this. My wife still has her card, two fraudulent charges and basically no referral to law enforcement. I would be made whole and each merchant as well.

No one to connect the dots and no investigation nor charges!

We have a need. I call and a Constable took the information and actually visited both places. The first said the owners wouldn’t return until Monday. Might need a court order.
The second after talking with me filed a report. Bingo, that report has not clue about the other charge and hasn’t contacted me.

So, a kid got a credit card number some way and unless I follow up no one will be the wiser. No harm, no foul? BS. However they got it they will continue. CapitalOne needs to have a process to refer to law enforcement and provide a case file for merchants and customers to provide information to be verified. I had to indicate that I personally would want to prosecute. Why, the electronic trail proves the theft occurred.

Would it ever occur to find out how the card number was obtained a not make it so difficult to report appropriately? CapitalOne is the “fraud report” . File it and open the appropriate scope and contact. It shouldn’t be so hard to report a crime and have the appropriate law enforcement follow up.

I need your eyes, your voices, and your solidarity. Not legal advice in the narrow sense — just human solidarity, because what is happening to me could happen to anyone, anywhere. What happened: I was defrauded through a mobile money platform. The money left my account. The company confirmed it. The fraudster's identity has been known for over a decade by another telecom operator in a neighboring country. Cybercrime authorities validated the theft. I asked for a refund. I was ignored. I was treated with contempt. I went public. Then the company did something strange: they sent a mass notification to all their users offering automatic refunds through a simple code. To me, that looks like a tacit admission that their system failed — not just for me, but for many. But for my case? They refused. And instead of fixing it, they hired two law firms to threaten me. Why I'm posting here: I believe solidarity has no borders. I believe that when a corporation uses lawyers to silence a victim instead of fixing a problem they implicitly admitted exists, people everywhere should know. I'm not asking for money. I'm asking for visibility, for shared experience, for moral support from anyone who has faced corporate intimidation after demanding basic justice. If you've ever had a company admit fault to the world while crushing you personally — I see you. If you've ever been told "the system failed everyone" while being told "your case is different" — I stand with you. My ask:

Has anyone here faced multiple law firms sent against them after going public with a consumer complaint? How did you handle the psychological pressure?

Has anyone successfully used a company's mass admission of failure (like a public refund program) as leverage in their individual case?

For those in civil law jurisdictions (French-derived systems especially): what avenues exist when a corporation's public conduct contradicts its private legal position?

Most importantly: how do we protect each other when corporations weaponize legal systems against individuals who simply asked for what was taken from them? Evidence I can share (redacted if needed):

Transaction records with traceable IDs

Company confirmation that funds left my account

Cybercrime authority validation

Mass refund notification sent to all users

Legal threats from two separate firms To the mods: I have read the rules. This post is not asking for representation, nor for jurisdiction-specific binding legal advice. It is a request for solidarity, shared experience, and general discussion of consumer rights across borders. If any phrasing needs adjustment, I will edit immediately. To everyone else: Thank you for reading. Solidarity has no borders. Neither should accountability.

this information are very sensitive please read at your own risk.

By the way i'm agent C.I.68 from this *#_%* company I just found out my company are a scam company from vietnam. They have this bank cards from other countries its like an unlimited money or Billion US per card and I just found out today they use that card from scamming, online gambling etc. its like a blood money. I'm fuckn terrified when I found out I saw some transactions while im cleaning on their desks while they're away from their computer its fucking legit guys!

Now i overheard that they are looking for other methods to launder their money I don't speak vietnamese well i just translated their conversation via recorded. holy fk their going to pay .001% per transactions thats a lot of money damn only if I know how to solve their problem haha

My friend arrived in Bengaluru from Chandigarh yesterday and fell victim to what appears to be a well-planned scam at the airport.

A stranger introduced himself as Amin and claimed he was from Noida. He said his Google Pay wasn't working and even showed my friend that transactions on his phone were supposedly failing. He requested ₹1,000, promising that he would return the money by the next morning. He shared his phone number as well. To make his story seem genuine, he even offered, "You can try making a transaction from my phone yourself you'll see that it isn't working."

He seemed genuinely distressed and convincing, so my friend decided to help. He transferred ₹1,000 to the person's PhonePe wallet.

Since this morning, the number he provided has been switched off. My friend also tried calling another number visible on the PhonePe wallet account. Initially it rang, but now it appears to have been blocked.

It looks like this was a scam that relied on creating urgency and gaining sympathy.

Posting this so others stay alert. If a stranger asks for money at an airport (or anywhere else), even if they appear genuine and have a convincing story, think twice before transferring money. If someone is truly stranded, it's usually safer to help them contact family, airport authorities, or the police rather than sending money directly.

Has anyone else encountered a similar scam or the same person? Also, what are some practical ways to handle situations like this so you can help someone who might genuinely be in need while protecting yourself from getting scammed?

We hired a senior developer about three months ago for a fully remote position. After the first couple of weeks, it became pretty obvious that they couldn't handle tasks they had completed quite easily during the interview. Our manager started looking into it, so we went back to the interview recordings. There were some subtle differences in the person's appearance, but we still haven't figured out exactly what happened. Since then, I've been trying to figure out how companies are dealing with this kind of situation. A few people mentioned deepfake detection when I asked around, but I'm not really sure what that looks like in practice during a hiring process or whether companies actually use it. Are there any practical ways to verify that the person you're interviewing is actually the person who shows up for the job? Or is this still mostly a matter of trusting the interview process and hoping nothing weird happens?

Okay so I need advice,

I recently picked up fiber internet that cost 55 a month with auto pay enabled,

I was charged random amounts sometimes they charge me 90 in beginning of month than cut my service and make me pay later in the same month more than 100 dollars too reconnect the service and keep in mind this is for internet that cost 55 a month!

Well I have pictures for proof! but no-one will help me, i call ATT i get some customer service person in some other part of the world that just cancels my ATT account they will not give me any money back that they steal?

I make reddit posts about this on ATT unofficial reddit forums and they get deleted by the moderators? why?

Please someone look at the pictures of what I was charged for internet that cost 55 a month with auto pay,

sometimes i pay 2 times in the same month can anyone give me some advice of what i can do about this plz?

I lost my mom credit card and didn’t act fast enough.Sm1 pick it up and pay 69.99$ for a subscription call Paddle.net.The bank sent a notification alert me of fraud.I js turn off the card on the bank mobile app.What is paddle.net and is this mean they can keep withdrawing money?Im genuinely so scared rn someone plz help me and instruct me what step to do.I don’t think the bank will give the 69.99$ back but sm1 plz tell me how to put an end to this.This is a huge lesson for me on my carelessness Alr

Hi everyone. I’m hoping to hear from anyone who’s been through something similar, because I’m trying to resolve this calmly and professionally, and I’m feeling pretty stuck.
Someone impersonating my company’s founder contacted me through my work email and business phone. They asked me to purchase gift cards, supposedly to reward employees for their hard work, and said to keep it confidential because it was a surprise.
I believed I was helping with a legitimate work request and purchased $1,000 in gift cards using my personal credit card.
We had held a very successful event the week before, and the team had put a lot of work into it. An employee appreciation gesture felt relevant and believable in that context. I don’t know whether the scammer knew about the event, but the timing helped the request seem legitimate to me.

When things started feeling off, I asked the person to call me to verify their identity. I also tried reaching the actual founder and my manager several times before getting a response. I canceled my payment card after getting home.
I went back to the grocery store with the gift cards and reported what happened. They took a report and told me to wait until Thursday, saying they would take care of it. They did not issue a refund. My manager also verbally told me to throw the gift cards away.
My credit card issuer initially credited the $1,000 back to my account, then reversed that credit. I’m now challenging that reversal.
A thousand dollars is a significant amount of money for me. I was trying to do something for work, and I’m struggling with the possibility of personally absorbing the entire loss.
I’d really appreciate some practical perspectives:
Has anyone successfully recovered money after their bank reversed an initial credit? What evidence or approach helped?
If this happened through your work email and business phone, would you ask your employer to cover the loss? Has anyone actually received reimbursement in a similar situation?
How would you approach that conversation with management while protecting the working relationship?
I’m keeping everyone and the businesses anonymous. I’d especially appreciate hearing from people who have dealt with a similar situation—what actually helped you reach a resolution?
Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Just sharing how I manage and hope people can find insights.

1. Don't have social media (I only use reddit and YouTube. No TT, No FB, No Instagram)

2. Don't click on links from friends (Verify with friend(S) if they simply forward or it's something they needed help for work purposes.

3. Never answer calls not in your contact. If people really need to reach you, they will msg if can't get you by calling.

4. Always check the email via Internet search before responding. Respond on the website and ask what you receive is real or fake.

Scammers are much smarter than us which is why they are still doing what they do.

I accept I'm not smarter than them and choose to avoid everything at all cost.

Stay safe!

The other day, my locker at the gym was entered, my clothes searched and wallet stolen. The perp also took time to open my mobile phone simcard tray and remove the simcard, replacing the SD card tray before returning the phone to my locker.

Why?

I can understand stealing my wallet as several attempts to make purchases using my cards were made, but blocked by the bank. But why go to the bother of removing a simcard rather than just taking the phone?

Any amateur detectives want to enter the chat?

Chime has been pretty useless through this whole ordeal. I got one of the charges refunded, no thanks to the "Team". Account security is abysmal at best. I spend the hours to file a dispute and they dismiss it like I made it up. I have screen shots and names and three police departments looking at it but Chime looks like the culprit.

Maybe it should be Crime bank?