A Chicago couple, on their way into a Target on the city's north side, was approached by two men who asked if they would donate to help them bury their brother.
Feeling charitable, they agreed to donate $20. The men, though, wouldn't take cash - it was easier to keep the funds all in one account. The couple hesitated, but went ahead with trying to make a payment by credit card.
The first red flag acted on should have been when the bank blocked the transaction, but the husband already had his cell phone out, so he offered to use Apple Pay. The men agreed that would work out well.
When the transaction went through, the husband noticed that $4,500 had been taken out, not the agreed upon $20. He chased the men down, and after a harrowing series of events where he managed to get into their car, only to be thrown out as the car pulled away, the thieves escaped.
Tap-to-Pay Scams
This type of scam is called Tap-to-Pay. Many smartphones now have a feature that lets owners pay in stores by tapping their phones against payment terminals or other smartphones. The problem is, the phone that pulls the funds from the other phone sets the price.
Scammers on the "terminal" end can set any amount they want.
Other types of tap-to-pay scams can include a stranger asking to use your phone to make a call or to give you his phone number (think someone in a bar you met who wants to ask you out). Once your phone is in his hands, he can swipe to instant payment apps, like Apple or Google Pay, and send himself money.
How to Protect Yourself
Always be cautious when someone asks you for money, particularly in public spaces. If he won't accept cash, walk away. You can lie if you must and say you don't have any money transfer apps set up.
Don't loan your phone to someone you don't know, particularly if you have a Paypal, Venmo, Apple Pay or Google Pay app on the device.
Make sure all of your payment apps have two-factor authentication or require a face or fingerprint to open.
Sign up for alerts for credit cards, bank accounts, and payment apps.
Make sure your phone is always updated with the latest security patches.
Monitor your accounts often.
If you are scammed, report it to the Federal Trade Commission's consumer fraud site: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
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