SAF Wednesday E-Brief - 05/30/2007 (Plain Text Version)
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Scammers Try Duping Florists
There's something irritating in the air lately, and it's more than just the late-spring pollen: At least two florists have used common sense -- and well-founded caution -- to thwart thieves' efforts to steal their credit card and identity information. A man claiming to represent a credit card company recently called Rhonda Little of Millinocket Floral Shop in Millinocket, Maine, telling her that her cards' authorization codes may have been compromised. The contact number he gave Little connected her to a credit card processor in Mexico -- one that had never heard of the caller. From there, Little reported the incident to her credit card processor. "The security team called me back and told me they were [already] aware of this gentleman," she says. Charlie Moran from Evergreen Florist in Lindehurst, N.Y., also reported being contacted over Mother's Day weekend. "He said the credit card machine was down, and he wanted me to read him the last five transactions that went through," says Moran, who did not give out his information. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Moran and Little reacted appropriately. The bureau's tips on avoiding similar scams include: • Never provide credit card numbers or other credit card account information, or provide any private financial or personal information to anyone who contacts you by phone. Your credit card company or other financial institution will never ask you to provide your account number over the telephone if they are initiating a call to you regarding your account.
Heard about a potential credit card scam in your area? E-brief editors want to know! E-mail vmachir@safnow.org --Vanessa Machir
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