An elderly Ontario man’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a phishing scam in which he lost $25,000. He now shares his story to warn others.
Charles Gibbs, 83, bought a printer at his local Best Buy in early April. He was having trouble setting it up, so he decided to turn to Google Geek Squad, a branch of Best Buy with tech professionals available to offer on-demand electronic support.
The Georgetown, Ont., resident said that when he typed “Best Buy” and “Geek Squad” into Google, a website appeared that appeared to be the right one. It had the Best Buy logo, the address of the nearest store and a phone number.
But the website was a parody. Phishing scams occur when criminals disguise information such as email addresses, phone numbers, and website URLs to convince a target audience that they are the legitimate source. Phishing scams often seem valid at first glance.
When Gibbs called the number listed on the website, he was surprised to be told there was a refund waiting in his account.
“I thought it seemed a little strange, but again it’s Best Buy and Geek Squad and I was the one who found the number and called them,” Gibbs said, adding “he said I would get a refund of $349.”
Gibbs was told to process the refund, they needed his banking information and when he said he didn’t do online banking they told him they would help him set it up.
That’s when the person on the phone said he had made a mistake and put $10,000 in Gibb’s bank account, money that would have to go to the bank and be returned to him.
“He said, ‘You’re going to have to go to the bank and pay this money back, and if you don’t, they’re going to charge you with fraud,’” Gibbs said.
Gibbs said what occurred was a series of trips to his bank and a Bitcoin machine and what appeared to be failed attempts to return the money. In the end, Gibbs had been scammed out of $25,000.
“In the end, when they told me that I had to pay even more money for the currency conversion, I thought that was enough and I didn’t give them more. While it was happening, it was almost like I was in a trance and I kept thinking that I was the one who called Best Buy and Geek Squad and that they are reputable companies,” Gibbs said.
In a letter to Gibbs, Best Buy said that “we are constantly working with authorities to counter these fraud attempts. Those who perpetrate these frauds are people outside of our organization.”
A Best Buy spokesperson also told CTV News Toronto in a statement: “We thank this customer for reporting this incident and are sorry to learn that they have been a victim of criminal activity. Fraud prevention is a national and global issue and we are working closely with authorities and other retailers to address it.”
“Best Buy Fraud Prevention has a security team that works directly with federal authorities and other retailers. “We have signs on gift card displays to warn customers of potential fraud, and our employees receive training on warning signs for customers who may be victims of a scam.”
The spokesperson also said: “If you are pressured to act quickly, it is probably a scam. Do not open email attachments or click on links unless you are sure they come from legitimate sources. Also, be wary of emails and text messages that ask you to “verify” personal information online. “Most legitimate companies will never ask for personal information this way, including Best Buy.”
Francis Syms, a technology expert and associate dean at Humber College, said criminals are getting better at spoofing websites to make them look real and providing phone numbers that may also look real but go directly to a criminal organization.
“It’s quite sophisticated nowadays. They take you to a fake website and convince you that they are that organization,” Syms said, adding “My recommendation is to always be suspicious, because the scammers are out there and they are working to trick you.”
Syms said don’t just Google a company, always go to their official website. Be wary of rewards or cashback offers, don’t give out your personal information, bank or credit card numbers, and use antivirus software.
Gibbs said once he got caught up in the scam, he found it difficult to think clearly and wanted to share his story to warn others.
“I’m really upset, but my main reason is to let other people know that you have to be careful when you go to a website because it could be a fraudulent number,” Gibbs said.