Cyber For Everyone

Outsmarting the Jessica Scam: A Cautionary Tale of Phone Fraud

• Sumit • Season 1 • Episode 5

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Have you ever wondered how easily trust can be manipulated over the phone? Today, we unravel the shocking tale of David, who innocently falls victim to the notorious Jessica scam. Through a seemingly routine call, David finds himself entangled in a web of deceit, losing his hard-earned savings in the blink of an eye. Join us as we dissect this sophisticated con, revealing the tactics scammers use to prey on fear and urgency. We promise you'll walk away with vital knowledge to shield yourself and your loved ones from similar schemes.

We delve into the psychology behind these scams, emphasizing the importance of skepticism and vigilance when dealing with unexpected calls. Learn how to identify red flags and protect yourself from becoming the next unwitting target. By sharing David's harrowing experience, we aim to raise awareness and encourage proactive measures against these cunning fraudsters. Remember, your best defense is to hang up the phone and stay informed. Tune in, stay alert, and become CyberEvident.

Speaker 1:

Hi everyone, welcome to CyberEvident. This is a non-profit initiative to spread cyber awareness and help in rituals, small businesses and communities. In today's episode, we're diving into a scam that's making the rounds, the so-called Jessica scam. It was a regular Tuesday afternoon around 3pm, the sun was creeping through the blinds and David just brewed himself a coffee. He was sitting at the couch and scrolling through the emails. The room was quiet, with a little bit hum of a ceiling fan. The life was good until the phone rang Unknown number. Normally David would ignore it, but today something made him pick up.

Speaker 2:

But today something made him pick up.

Speaker 1:

Jessica's voice was smooth, professional, the kind of voice you hear in customer service advertisements. David, in his mid-30s, had been saving for home and had recently applied for a loan. His guard lowered slightly. Oh yeah, I did apply. Is there an update? David thought that this is just a routine call Some few security checks and he will get his loan approved. But little did he know that he is walking into a well-crafted trap.

Speaker 2:

Yes, we just need to verify a few details before we proceed. Can you confirm the last four digits of your social security number?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, sure, it's 2487.

Speaker 2:

Great, and your banking account is still linked to Tasmania Bank, ending in 5678, correct?

Speaker 3:

Yep, that's right.

Speaker 1:

Jessica was reeling him in slowly, but then she dropped the bomb. Oh, wait.

Speaker 2:

This is strange. Before proceeding with your loan, I need to check something. Have you logged into your account from New York today?

Speaker 3:

New York? No, I live in California. Why?

Speaker 2:

There's been an unusual login attempt on your account from a device in New York and hold on. Oh no, I see a pending $4,500 wire transfer. Did you authorize this?

Speaker 3:

Well, what? No, that wasn't me. Oh, my God, is someone hacking my account and just like?

Speaker 1:

that Jessica triggered a perfect storm Fear, urgency and panic. David was in fight mode or in flight mode? His rational thinking is gone.

Speaker 2:

Okay, don't worry, I can freeze your account immediately, but I need to verify your identity again for security purposes. I'm sending you a one-time verification code. Please read it back to me.

Speaker 3:

Okay, wait, a second Quick. I just got it. The code is 619204.

Speaker 2:

Perfect, that's all I needed. Your account is now safe, david. You'll receive an email confirmation shortly.

Speaker 1:

But his account was not safe. David had just given the only thing Jessica needed to steal every dollar he had.

Speaker 3:

All right, let's see. Wait what $4,500 transferred out. How is that possible?

Speaker 1:

And just like that it was all over Jessica gone. The money also vanished, has been sent into a crypto account, can't be retrieved. It can't be traced. Cameras prey on fear. They pretend to help while they are robbing you blind. So the only thing that you need to do is hang up the call. What if you were in david's shoes? Would you have realized it sooner or fallen for the scam?

Speaker 1:

David was scammed because he trusted the caller. He believed in the fake urgency. But the biggest red flag where he should have realized is that banks will never ask for your one-time passport over the call. If someone does, they are definitely scamming you. They are definitely scamming you. So next time, if you get into this situation, the best thing to do is hang up the call. I'm going to repeat it Next time, if you get any call asking for a one-time password on your phone, the best thing to do is hang up the call. Share this episode with your friends and family, because the next person Jessica calls could be someone you know. Stay alert, stay informed, stay cyber, evident. Follow us for more episodes and hit the bell icon.