Beware the Scams!

Dear Readers:

I know we’ve all heard this before, many times.  But, when it actually happens to you – me – it makes all of the warnings worth while.  Below, I’ve placed a copy of an e-mail that I received, this week.  I’ve redacted portions of it for privacy; basically, it is a copy.  And, I have added some comments of my own in caps.

I belong  to a wonderful organization called P.E.O.  This organization is very involved with the education of young women; in fact, we have a college called Cottey; a college with students who attend.  The person who wrote this scam clearly knows something about our organization and thought that I would fall of the request in the scam.  It clearly was written by someone whose native language is not English.  I’ve underlined areas that were jump-off-the-page questionable.  I hope that this is all clear and my reporting of it is not confusing.  Bear with me, please.

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Subject:	P.E.O Pick-Up at the Store
Date:	Sun, 30 Jul 2023 17:56:49 +0100
From:	LiXXXXXXX <chapterXXXXXX@gmail.com>
To:	MY E-MAIL WAS CORRECT

Hi Marj, please confirm if you’re available via email?I need your assistance with this task, hopefully you can still include me in your plan for the day. I’ve been given this task before and I’ve left it for so long and I was just reminded about it today and I’m currently not available to get it done myself.    VERY SUSPICIOUS INFORMATION.

I need you to help get some gift cards and send them to me,  WRONG PUNCTUATION, POOR SENTENCE STRUCTURE.  Our State P.E.O is giving out gift cards to some Cottey students and the state president pleaded with me to help oversee it.

I have the list of recipient email addresses for the students that I will email the gift cards to.    GIFT CARDS CANNOT BE E-MAILED; IF THEY ARE SENT TO THE PERSON SENDING THE E-MAIL!  I just need your help to pick up the gift cards at the store.  I WAS BEING ASKED TO PICK CARDS (WORTH MONEY) AND SEND THEM TO THE SCAM SENDER.   I will provide you with the type of gift cards and the amount of each, let me know if you can get this done and get reimbursed ASAP so I can give you the necessary details.

I can do just emails for now, my phone screen is damaged and I haven’t gotten it back from fix.  A FIX – WHAT DOES THAT MEAN???  CLEARLY, SENDER DOES NOT WANT ME TO CONTACT MY P.E.O. PRESIDENT FOR CONFIRMATION.   I will be expecting your response soon. Thank you.

Lovingly in PEO,

LIXXXX

LiXXXX

3344 XXXXXXX NOT HER ADDRESS; NOT A COMPLETE ADDRESS,; DID NOT INCLUDE ANY CITY, STATE, OR ZIP.

cccccccc@gmail.com  NOT HER E-MAIL ADDRESS

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THE THOUGHT HAS ALSO OCCURRED TO ME THAT THE E-MAIL CAME TO ME ON SUNDAY.  SUNDAY, THE DAY WHEN PEOPLE ARE OCCUPIED WITH CHURCH, ETC., AND OFFICES AND OFFICERS, AS WELL AS COLLEGE OFFICES ARE PROBABLY NOT AVAILABLE FOR CONFIRMATION.

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Our organization’s computer specialist made necessary contacts and verified that this e-mail is a scam, asking members to beware of this e-mail and others like it; she subsequently sent out an e-mail about it to all members, as well as contacting our State president so that the college could be contacted.

This is a good lesson for us all.  With the world as connected as it is, with the new developments in AI production that can mimic everything (including personal voices and appearances, etc.), and with many of us being of age that we want people to be honest, it can be easy for us to misread what is sent to our e-mail, in telephone calls, and by U.S. mail that we receive.

Please be vigilant.  Ask questions.  Ask the police, if necessary.  Ask. Ask. Ask.

Just a note:  Just one day after the e-mail, I received a letter by U.S. mail service, allegedly from my local ACE hardware store.  It told me that I would be in line for a 50 reward, if only I’d go to the web and log into a website and click on a certain link.  Interestingly enough, the letter was addressed to my late husband.  I took the letter to my ACE store and talked with the people there who verified that it, too, was a scam.  Again.  Ask – never stop asking!

ANOTHER NOTE:  THE STATE P.E.O. OFFICE JUST SENT OUT AN E-MAIL WARNING ALL MEMBERS IN THIS STATE THAT THE SCAM REQUESTING BUYING OF CARDS FOR STUDENTS SHOULD BE DELETED AND NEVER RESPONDED TO!

Be Safe and Be Well

The Cranky Crone

Thoughtful comments are appreciated.