A PentictonA resident in B.C. has issued a warning to others after getting caught in a new and advanced phone purchase scam.
Almost two months ago, Nadine Meagher got a phone call from someone claiming to be a Best Buy representative.
She said, “They asked if I wanted to upgrade my phone at a better plan and it sounded great.”
“So, I agreed, and they said it would take a few days for the phone to be delivered. It arrived on a FedEx truck.”
However, when the phone arrived, Meagher found it was not the one she had ordered.
She then called the number to report the mix-up and followed the instructions to send the phone back to who she thought was Best Buy.
She said, “They told me not to worry, they sent out 55 wrong packages due to a glitch in the system. They were going to send a UPS label to my Gmail, so I printed it, took it to the local UPS Store, sent it back and they would send me the correct phone.”
“I did all that, but I didn’t get the proper phone after a few days, so I called the number. They disconnected me, I couldn’t call that number anymore. Then I realized it was a scam.”
Months later, Meagher is still dealing with the aftermath of this scam.
The scam has been reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Agency and Penticton RCMP. Meagher has been in contact with Fido and Best Buy since February.
“I’m worried about the UPS label, it has my signature. They have my name, driver’s license, address, ordered the phone under my name and sent it to my address. I stupidly sent it right to them,” said Meagher.
“Then I searched for Best Buy at that address and realized it doesn’t exist. It’s very frustrating because I’m worried about what else they can do with my information. And I’m still being billed from Fido.”
According to RCMP, scams like this have become more frequent and sophisticated.
Cpl. James Grandy, a spokesperson for Southeast District RCMP, said, “If you receive a suspicious call like this, you can hang up and report the incident to the local police.”
He added, “Scammers are becoming more complex with what they’re asking and how they’re trying to obtain this information. But they’re all typically trying to get personal and banking information, which should not be provided over the phone.”
Meagher is now cautioning others about potential scams, and advises that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
“I am pretty aware of scams and pretty smart, and they still did this to me,” she said. “I worry about vulnerable people like seniors who need a new phone or want to upgrade and then fall for this.”
