It's a scam costing hundreds of people thousands of dollars. Women claiming to be from AT&T ripping 200 people off for more than $670,000. Five women have since been arrested in connection with the scam. This is how it worked, the women would call saying they needed immediate payment by credit card, or the victims would lose their phone service.
They would then use the credit card information to purchase vehicle, furniture, and pay their bills. The suspects were living entirely off their victims. Citi-Group fraud investigators first suspected the scam. They tipped off postal inspectors who learned the suspects were using the personal information they had stolen to order new credit cards. The women have all plead guilty in the case.
Experts say to protect yourself from scams like this, never give out your personal information over the phone unless you initiate the call. Also, if a company calls you claiming problems with your account, ask for a number, hang up, and call back.
