BBB Warns of fraud, possibly due to massive breach

[Chris Walsh <chris () cwalsh org>]

Via http://www.bbb.org/us/article/widespread-harassment-from-phony-debt-collectors-raises-concerns-of-mass-da-11792


Widespread Harassment from Phony Debt Collectors Raises Concerns of
Mass Data Breach

8/3/2009

Scammers have Social Security and bank account numbers, home addresses
and employer information

Arlington, VA – August 3, 2009 – Better Business Bureau is issuing a
national alert today about phony debt collectors that are calling
consumers nationwide and claiming that they have defaulted on a payday
loan and will be arrested if they don’t pay immediately. Claiming to
be lawyers, the scammers say they are with the “Financial
Accountability Association” or the “Federal Legislation of Unsecured
Loans” and are equipped with a disconcerting amount of personal
information about their potential victims.

“Because the scammers have so much information about potential
victims, BBB is concerned that this may be the result of a data
breach,” said Steve Cox, BBB spokesperson. “Thousands of people may
have had their personal information compromised, and given the
scammers’ tactics, it appears that those who have previously used
payday loan services could be particularly at risk.”

According to reports received by BBB and posted online, the scammers
accuse the victim of defaulting on a payday loan and claim they are
being sued. The phony debt collector threatens that, if the victim
doesn’t pay as much as $1,000 immediately via wire or by providing
bank account or credit card numbers, he or she will be arrested and
extradited to California within the hour to stand trial. The scammers
often have the victim’s Social Security, old bank account numbers or
driver’s license numbers as well as home addresses, employer
information and even the names of personal friends and professional
references.

[...]
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