The calls may sound like they are from the Stamford-based internet, cable TV, streaming, and mobile service.
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They even have the same voice, the same music, and the same prompts as the real calls.
It is an alarming good very persuasive imposter spoof.
It's brand new, so new in fact when we called our friends at Spectrum Communications Tuesday night, they said 7 On Your Side is the first outlet to call and alert the company.
This is happening in our region and there have also been a few cases last month in California. The scam is successful because it works really well.
Here is how the scam works...It targets existing customers who signed up for the service.
About a week goes by after installation and then you get multiple and repeated calls day after day offering a huge savings, 50% off, because the imposter alleges Spectrum has a deal with Apple TV. The scammer says if you pay with an Apple card you can get three years of service for half-off the normal price.
What's strange in the call is that the grammar is off, but only subtly.
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In another version, they allege that you are late paying your bill.
Nina Pineda even tried calling back the fake number and they really made her work for her "discount."
They put her on hold a lot, verified a lot of facts, and didn't even take the fake phone number she tried to offer them at first. Once she gave a real phone number they said she was eligible for a deal through Spectrum and Target. To save thousands, all she had to do was go to CVS and get two $250 Target gift cards. Pineda got in a fight with the fake rep.
Here is how to hack the hackers:
- Call customer service on your bill
- Pay in person
- Never pay with gift cards
- Beware of spoof numbers
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