# I just got an e-mail from the Best Buy fraud department **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 20, 2003, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068 "2003-06-20T02:51:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/1 "2003-06-20T02:51:43Z")
Kind of weird. This is what just came in my e-mail a few minutes ago: Dear customer, Recently we have received an order made by using your personal credit card information. This order was made online at our official BestBuy website on 06/19/2003. Our Fraud Department has some suspicions regarding this order and we need you to visit a special Fraud Department page at our web store where you can confirm or decline this transaction by providing us with the correct information. Your e-mail address has been taken from National Credit Bureau. Click the link below to visit a special Fraud Department page to resolve the cause of the problem. [BestBuy.com/fraud\_department.html](http://BestBuy.com/fraud_department.html) * * * ## ORDER# 1095619 - STATUS: SUSPENDED ITEMS PURCHASED ## Item No: 73890 CDA-9815 In-Dash CD Player/Ai-Changer Controller Price: $387.65 Qty: 2 Total: $775.3 The order listed above has not yet been processed. The reason for the delay in processing your order is: - UNVERIFIED SHIPPING ADDRESS - Information provided: Shipping [street address deleted] Staten Island, NY 10306 United States phone# 206 [phone number deleted] ## In our effort to deter fraudulent transactions, we need your help in providing us with the correct information. Your prompt response is needed to avoid any unauthorized charges to your credit card. Click the link below to visit a special Fraud Department page to resolve the cause of the problem. [BestBuy.com/fraud\_department.html](http://BestBuy.com/fraud_department.html) Yet when I hovered the arrow over the links, they said www.hypermart… Normally, I click off crap like this, but an e-mail talking about possible identity theft did catch my eye, and make my heart feel like it just pumped a big jolt of fresh blood to my body. So I go to google, and type ““best buy” fraud department.” Just to see what their link would be. The very top links said this: News: (E-mail scam makes Best Buy scramble) - BusinessWeek - 5 hours ago (Best Buy or Biggest Scam?) - [InternetNews.com](http://InternetNews.com) - 8 hours ago Try Google News: (Search news for “best buy” fraud department or browse the latest headlines) (Rip Off Report: Best Buy ripoff consumer rip-off fraud Roanoke … Category) The paranthesis are mine, and indicate links. Clicking the [middle link](http://siliconvalley.internet.com/news/article.php/2224731), I get a report that this is indeed a fraud, that Best Buy has placed a pop-up to warn people about it, and that it has been sent to e-mails around the world. It does not say what happens when you click the links. Has anyone who got this spam tried? ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/2 "2003-06-20T02:53:46Z")
I am clueless why the smiley appeard in my post. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/3 "2003-06-20T02:59:49Z")
The [first link](http://www.businessweek.com/technology/cnet/stories/1019192.htm) explains better. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/4 "2003-06-20T03:09:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Road Rash \* > \*\*I am clueless why the smiley appeard in my post. \*\* Because you typed a colon then a capital D with no space between them. All the smileys are simple combinations like that. So, with a space: D. Without a space:D. ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/5 "2003-06-20T03:14:09Z")
The smilie showed up because you have a “:D” but didn’t disable smilies. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/6 "2003-06-20T04:50:14Z")
**Road Rash** , please don’t post specific addresses and phone numbers. Some poor unsuspecting person could get a barrage of unwanted and annoying phone calls. Although the address is Staten Island and the area code is Seattle . . . it could be some private individual’s phone number. (I’ve also fixed the smilie problem in your OP.) * * * **Cajun Man** ~ SDMB Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/7 "2003-06-20T04:59:56Z")
I don’t usually fall for crap like this, but I clicked on one link and was sent to an obviously non-Best Buy associated website. I hope I didn’t allow a virus into my machine. Grr. ---
**Author:** ![Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satisfying_Andy_Licious)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/8 "2003-06-20T05:41:20Z")
This is being widely reported as an identity-theft scam. It’s slick, but simple precaution should tell you not to give away info like this to people you don’t know. And why would they need your info anyway in a case like this? The plain old confidence tricksters have simply adopted their tactics to the internet. ---
**Author:** ![NormanConquest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@NormanConquest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NormanConquest)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/9 "2003-06-20T05:43:18Z")
I got the same e-mail… I picked it up as a scam in two seconds; the link went to [http://www.your-instant-credit-reporter.org](http://www.your-instant-credit-reporter.org) , or something, not [BestBuy.com](http://BestBuy.com). I e-mailed Best Buy the message, having not heard of this as a new scam. I went back and looked. The site asked for your name, phone, address, e-mail, Social Security number (!), credit card numbers, and more… I filled it all out with “fsckscammers@you.suck” and the like. It took me a while to get a valid credit card sequence, though… damn, a cheap internet fraud with CC# checking. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/10 "2003-06-20T12:49:36Z")
Go to [bestbuy.com](http://bestbuy.com), and a big popup and banner announce this as being a scam. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/11 "2003-06-20T12:51:18Z")
Grr, that’s what I get for posting when tired - between all of the links and cut-and-paste I missed the little bit at the bottom of the OP that mentioned that **Best Buy** is also telling people about it. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/12 "2003-06-20T13:07:31Z")
Yea, I got one too, and nearly fell for it. The links in mine LOOKED like regular links (underlined, blue), but pointed at some other site, which I (fortunately) checked. Still very, very slick. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/13 "2003-06-20T14:04:01Z")
I got a very similar e-mail last week, only mine was supposedly for e-bay. The visible text for the link was “[www.ebay.com/somethingorother](http://www.ebay.com/somethingorother)”, but the actual link went to some anonymous dotted number addie. I forwarded it to ebay and got a “form letter” response that didn’t really say much of anything other than, yea, it’s a scam. I think the moral of the story is, never _ever_ believe an email that says “verify your account” or “verify this fraud” or whatever, and _always_ check your status bar for where a link actually goes and not what it says on the page!! ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/14 "2003-06-20T15:22:13Z")
Yeah, I got an email from Best Buy this morning warning of the scam (I get Best Buy’s New Movie Tuesday emails, so this made sense). They’re making a better effort than either eBay or Paypal have ever made to warn people of the scam. ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/15 "2003-06-20T15:29:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Road Rash \* > \*\*Your e-mail address has been taken from National Credit Bureau. > \*\* 😕 😕 😕 Why do they put in these obvious tipoffs? Because someone might wonder how they got their email address (because someone _else_ apparently made the order)? If someone were to think that hard about it, then naturally wouldn’t they wonder how the “National Credit Bureau” (snicker) would’ve gotten their email address? ---
**Author:** ![Mooney252](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7c8e57/32.png) [@Mooney252](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooney252)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/16 "2003-06-20T16:52:57Z")
It made David Emery’s Urban Legend alert this morning: > **[Humor & Whimsy](https://www.liveabout.com/humor-4687973)** > > Indulge your curiosity and have a little fun with these stories about the weird and the wonderful. With articles on aliens, cats, cartoons, and hoaxes, this collection is guaranteed boredom-basher. ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/17 "2003-06-20T18:56:26Z")
We got something like that last night, and it seemed pretty obviously to be a scam. The first thing we did was call Best Buy (using a phone number off of their web page), and about 2 or 3 menu choices in, they tell you that this scam is going around, not to respond to it, and they’re in the process of taking legal action. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/18 "2003-06-20T19:10:31Z")
It’s at [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/bestbuy.asp) too. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/19 "2003-06-20T22:17:02Z")
“Go to [bestbuy.com](http://bestbuy.com), and a big popup and banner announce this as being a scam.” Yep, I saw that too, but I also got email from BB about this thing. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/20 "2003-06-21T03:57:36Z")
I’m a regular eBayer and received a notice from PayPal™ advising that my account was deemed to be inactive if I didn’t provide updated information. The email asked for my account name (which they have) my password (which they have) credit/debit card information (which they have) and the ATM/debit card PIN (which they don’t have). The whole thing seemed odd, although the PayPal™ logo and typeface was legit. I emailed PayPal™ and was told that the email did not come from them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068.md?page=2)