# I just got an e-mail from the Best Buy fraud department

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068>\
**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:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/21 "2003-06-21T12:55:28Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> I emailed PayPal™ and was told that the email did not come from them.

I did the same. Then I notified the FBI. Never heard back from them, but I assume they collect this sort of thing for possible prosecution.

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**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/22 "2003-06-21T16:28:24Z")

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The fact that the link they gave out has BestBuy capitalized should be a good tipoff. No company would do this, intentionally. Spammers without a keen grasp of Internet standards would.

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**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/23 "2003-06-21T19:31:47Z")

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Got it too, didn’t fall for it. What was interesting was that the site linked in the email at [hypermart.net](http://hypermart.net) or wherever had the BestBuy sidebar, and all of the links worked to real BestBuy pages. It was shockingly slick, and I imagine quite successful. So it will be done again and again and again. Just keep on being vigilant, I suppose.

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**Author:** ![FairyDust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@FairyDust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyDust)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/24 "2003-06-22T01:22:40Z")

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[An article](http://www.sacbee.com/content/business/tech/story/6894512p-7844063c.html) about this scam appeared in my local paper.

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**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-got-an-e-mail-from-the-best-buy-fraud-department/183068/25 "2003-06-22T01:28:42Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by danceswithcats \*  
> **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).**

And which they couldn’t possibly need, and can’t possibly confirm, unless they were to try it out themselves at a bank or in purchases or something.

It seems so obvious to me, yet I can imagine how some folks would think that a PIN is some sort of universal password like a SSN…

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