Okay, Something Weird Just Happened

[Deep State Witch]

My husband got a call from someone at U.S. Bank asking if he had recently opened an account (he hadn't). Someone had opened an account with his name and SSN. They cancelled all of the charges and shut the thing down. Then, they transferred him over to a rep at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, who was saying that our regular card had been accessed today, and there were multiple pending charges on it. So, I'm sitting here reading DU on my computer and called up our bank's website. These "pending charges" were not there. The guy from the CPFB wanted to help us to close our account so that we wouldn't have to pay these fraudulent charges. I told him thanks, but I prefer to deal with my bank's fraud protection department. He was really kind of pushy about wanting to help us close the account, but I finally told him thanks but no thanks.

Now, I'm not born yesterday. If there was any kind of fraudulent charge on our credit card, our bank's fraud detection service would have alerted me pretty quickly. We were just at two protests this afternoon, and hadn't used the card. Besides, CPFB was taken over by DOGE, and I don't think that their people are back to work yet. I'm wondering if someone from DOGE is going around trying to close people's bank accounts because of some kind of perceived fraud?

[Oneironaut]

1. That just sounds like a normal scam, tbh.

The person who called and the "Consumer Financial Protection Bureau" person were likely scammers.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. That IS weird. I have no idea what is going on here. I'd be cautious if I were you. nt

[Deep State Witch]

13. Very Much So

Especially since we had just been at a local Hands Off protest. I locked my credit card just to be sure.

[johnnyfins]

23. Most CreditDebit cards have a temporary or

Conditional lock that you can control through an app.

My debit card is ALWAYS locked. I unlock it right before a purchase and lock it right away when done.

[Tickle]

30. I didn't know you could do that? thanks NT

[johnnyfins]

43. Yep. Depends on how robust your bank's

App is. All of the online bank debit cards have them. Venmo, Chime, Cashapp.

[Lonestarblue]

3. More likely the DOGE teenage criminals are running their own freelance scams.

They now have access to all our personal data and the 19-year-old has participated in internet scams in the past.

[2naSalit]

12. DING DING DING!!!

Last edited Sat Apr 5, 2025, 06:46 PM - Edit history (1)

That would be my first guess.

[Deep State Witch]

15. Yep

I wouldn't put it past some little DOGEbag to be running scams.

[yellow dahlia]

26. That was my first instinct. Data breach by the hacker boys?

The worst case scenario we have been worried about. Hmmm.

[BonnieJW]

27. Very strange

This week, when I've opened the app to my bank, they text me a code to enter. That hasn't happened before. It happened when I went into my Fidelity account too. I think the little dogebags have been busy.

[Meowmee]

38. When I log on to any financial accounts

I am always given a security code which I can get either by text or I can have them call me on my landline. But I set it up that way in advance. It wasn’t something that was just done by chance so, if I were you, I would call those accounts and ask them if that is a new security measure they have added.

I also change passwords fairly frequently and or never save them on my computer, they’re written down on paper for those accounts. I did save it for one account last time because I always have such a hard time logging on, but I still get the text from them however, I think I’m going to change that and just change the password again and have it only written on paper now with everything going on.

One of my accounts also asks me at least one of my security questions every time I call them if I speak to someone.

I also never use their app if they have one.

[Ms. Toad]

42. That's pretty standard on financial apps,

and a lot of other apps are adding it as well. I hate it, but it has nothing to do with doge.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

31. Wouldn't surprise me one bit!!

[cachukis]

4. On your toes.

[multigraincracker]

5. On incoming calls, I like to ask the caller if I can call them right back at the number on my caller ID.

Anyone can spoof any number. Then you can call them right back if it is legit. If not you will get a message like this number is not in service.
I do this often and those legit callers understand when I call them back.

[CloudWatcher]

37. Not good enough

Just because they answer the phone when you call them back at the number ... does not mean they are legit! All it means is that they have a phone number and are not spoofing caller id.

Better rule of thumb: never give any information to people that call you. If there is an issue, call them at their published number (and only deal with companies you know to trust).

Friend was scammed by people claiming her computer was infected. She looked up the company and it all seemed legit (the phone number matched). Fake company, fake website, real phone number.

[Meowmee]

6. I think it was just a normal scam too.

The best thing to do would’ve been to tell them you don’t want to talk to them. And then call up the number for the bank online and inquire about it. I hope you didn’t give them any of your information when they canceled the account.

[Deep State Witch]

17. They Didn't Cancel the Account

And we didn't give them squat. They had a lot of information about him anyway.

[Meowmee]

19. I thought you said they canceled it

Anyway, good thing you didn’t give them any information. I would call that bank by looking up their phone number online and tell them you were scammed by somebody representing them. And then report it to whatever agencies it should be reported to.

[Meowmee]

36. How do you know they really had the information

For instance did you ask them what his Social Security number is etc. otherwise they could just have been lying.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. When they ask for information

I either say 'if you're calling from ...... then you already have my information" at which point they hang up, OR I feed them bogus information, just make it up on the spot, OR I scream loudly and hang up.

The chiefs of police and solar install guys have been calling about 8 years. Their automated caller gives a *beep* when I answer, so I hang up. Very tired of all of them. Phone has to go.

[central scrutinizer]

21. I say, " hang on, I'll need to look it up"

Put the phone down and go about my business. Eventually they hang up.

[JI7]

8. Sounds like the usual scams with intent to get your info

Just make sure you have your own number and other contact info for whichever companies you do business with and if you get any message about fraud call the numbers you have.

[applegrove]

9. I hate **** like that.

[Progressive dog]

10. Just a normal scam.

but wait till DOGE gets all our info from the government.

[multigraincracker]

11. About 9 out of 10 of those calls will have a South Asian accent.

They always put a Mr in front of my first name.
If it is a local area code, I ask them to look out the window and tell me what the sky looks like. I get a bunch from my doctors office and I know everyone that works there and I always ask to put Sue on or Ken.

Most of the latest ones claim to be some insurance provider trying to give me a free knee brace. I say I don not need one, I run 5 miles a day and my knees are fine.

[Deep State Witch]

18. And The Guy Did.

He did have a South Asian accent. Thanks.

[calimary]

39. That's some good advice there, multigraincracker!

Thanks!

[Ms. Toad]

14. Not weird at all.

Just your garden variety phishers.

[Celerity]

16. Scam, ignore it. nt

[eppur_se_muova]

20. DOGE almost certainly leaks like a funnel. Expect lots more personal data to be available to scammers.

This will be a New Golden Age for them.

[Shipwack]

22. Just to clear one thing up...

Did they just say that someone used your husband's SSN, or did they actually prove they knew it?

If they latter, freeze your credit report ASAP.

Lots of good advice in this thread.

[Meowmee]

35. That was my thought was there proof they really had that information etc.

[GiqueCee]

24. It would not be unreasonable...

... to suspect that anyone working for DOGE is just as fundamentally dishonest as Eloon himself, and working a side hustle. Or maybe just giving the whole balance from someone's account to the Chainsaw Nazi and getting a taste in return. If it involves Musk in any way, assume the worst.

[ToxMarz]

25. It's a scam

The first person who called you wasn't from US Bank and the person HE transferred you to was his partner in crime, not the CFPB. They were just trying to get you frightened enough, and trusting enough of them, to let your guard down and give them enough personal information and account access 'to help you' so they could REALLY steal your money.

[xuplate]

28. Not necessarily DOGE

I have encountered this scam a couple of times before DOGE was even a twinkle in Musk’s eye.
In my case they were in text form not phone calls. Like you my first thought was where is the trigger happy fraud unit. Also, like you I logged onto my account and there were no pending charges. Good of you to draw attention to this scam. Now check my credit card billings more frequently.

[Evolve Dammit]

29. JHC. We are into an era where we don't know who to believe. The "security" norms have been diminished. n/t

[birdographer]

32. We had a similar thing happen

I was busy with something and so my husband took the call and went from there. He is very naive and very unaware of how scams work and so on. I think they might have managed to get $36k out of him if I had not finally stepped in when it all was taking too long for a fraud call.

I think he learned about phone scams, but he doesn’t seem to understand not to click on links in an email from a stranger, and NEVER give your username and password to anyone, much less over the phone.

This is why I no longer go on the solo short getaways that I used to, which I loved. I can’t trust him to keep our money safe. Big sigh.

[Zackzzzz]

33. Good catch.

Everyday of the week we get calls on our private landline.
Some callers know my first name.
I am offered special benefits on programs I don't have.
One of the calls was a call to donate to the fire dept.
We are the fire dept in our little community.
I did get a call from a 'grandson'? who was in a terrible accident.
He begged me to send him money for the ER. I don't have grandson.

They want information to take what is yours..... They want it all.

[Skittles]

34. as soon as he got that call he should get the name of the person calling

then call the bank and ask to speak to that person

[Aussie105]

40. When the bank is contacted by one of us on a matter . . .

they go through a whole lot of questions to confirm we are actually who we say we are.

Fair enough, but it still leaves a bad taste, and I have no qualms in applying the same level of distrust if 'they' cold call me.
Asian accent, background noises - conversation killers!

Only one card here, debit, I check balance and transactions daily. No problems yet, but I'm on the alert.

Got to ask though, if a scammer obtains enough details from you to close an account, are they smart enough to be able to funnel the balance into their own pockets? Maybe that is where the scam is?

[womanofthehills]

41. I got a text supposedly from PayPay that they were questioning a payment on PayPal

Went over to PayPay website- no payment listed there.

Question every text - the scams are off the wall. I have gotten 4 calls pretending to be my grandson in trouble needing money fast. My grandson grew up in NM and one guy pretending to be my grandson- had a super heavy NY accent.