My New Blog

“The Holiday Season is just a little bit down the road and the bad
guys are already trying to get free stuff by using your credit.

This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the
information, except the one piece they want.

Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have
it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA &
MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to
protect yourself.

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from "VISA", and I was
called on Thursday from "Master Card".

The scam works like this: Person calling says, "This is (name), and
I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My badge number
is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and
I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (
name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99
from a Marketing company based in Arizona ?" When you say "No", the caller
continues with, "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a
company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next
statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that
correct?"

You say "yes". The caller continues - "I will be starting a Fraud
investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1-800 number
listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security.

You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives
you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?"

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then
says, "I need to verify you are in possession of your card." He'll ask you
to "turn your card over and look for some numbers." There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers'
that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you
sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The
caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller
the 3 numbers, he'll say, "That is correct, I just needed to verify that the
card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have you rcard. Do you
have any other questions?" After you say, "No," the caller then thanks you
and states, "Don't hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the
Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA security
Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase
of $497.99 was charged to our card .

Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA
account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the
3-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don't give it to them. Instead,
tell them you'll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their
conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on
the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If
you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a
credit. However, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for
purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost too late and/or more
difficult to actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call
from a "Jason Richardson of Master Card" with a word-for-word repeat of the
VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up! We filed a police
report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they are taking several of
these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this
scam is happening.

Please pass this on to all your family and friends. By informing
each other, we protect each other.”

Having been around selling real estate in the mid 1980s I recognize the characteristics of a slow market but also of the buyers who buy in a slow Florida real estate market.

Surprise,  They actually were some of the smartest and made some of the most profitable purchases I've seen in my 21 year real estate practice!  Sure, they didn't make big paper or real profits right away but they did something absolutely successful. They held on to the properties for several or more years.  These were people who loved SW Florida and it's beaches, waterfront, or outdoor lifestyle.  The bottom line is they enjoyed the property and the lifestyle it allowed them to live. And many of them have even today quadrupled their money or more! 

I also worked with fearful buyers in the 80's who just expected bad things to happen to their property values and were held back by friends and family who told the "You shouldn't be buying property way down in Florida... followed by a litany of their preconceptions of "Florida".  Some of those fearful or swayed buyers, I never saw again but enough came back again and again through the 80's and 90's and shared with me that they should have bought back then but now the market had gotten too expensive and they would "wait 'til next year".

This time around will be no different. The only question remains is         Which one will you be?