COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — An imposter scam is making the rounds, aimed at AT&T and Direct-TV customers.
The call promises to save you hundreds of dollars on your phone and TV service, and the deal ends up costing you much more.
A voicemail said:
I am calling you from AT&T/DirectTV to let you know that your existing account is qualified for 50 percent off. Kindly call us back at 888-866-2082.
That’s the voicemail left on the phone of NBC4s Jennifer Bullock. Instead of calling the number the voicemail provide, she reached out to AT&T directly. Bullock went directly to the source and used AT&T’s official website to contact customer service.
After mentioning the message and the discount, Bullock ended up speaking with the Director of Corporate Communications, who confirmed that the deal was a scam.
Here’s how it works: According to AT&T, the scammer pretends to be a representative for the company and convinces you that you are eligible for a promotion. If you pay in advance, perhaps, with a prepaid card.
To make it seem more legitimate, if you provide enough information, they can make fake payments to your account. You’ll initially see the credit, except the payments never go through. The credit is removed, and you end up paying.
Remember, a legitimate company will never ask you to make a payment with a prepaid card. They’ll also never ask you for immediate payment using other methods like your checking account, a debit, or credit…
