The narrative describes a series of interactions with scammers who attempted to defraud the speaker by pretending to be from Norton Security. The scammers tricked the speaker into believing they had accidentally overcharged their account and needed to be refunded. They instructed the speaker to connect to a virtual desktop and provide them with access to their computer, which the speaker did. The scammers then used this access to gather information about the speaker, including their full name, birthday, and phone numbers.
The scammers also pretended to be a senior executive named Mike Tyson, transferring the speaker between different individuals in the scam. The scammers used the speaker's information to make it seem like they were legitimate, asking for a passcode to verify the speaker's identity. The speaker was initially unsure of the passcode, but was eventually given the answer by the scammers.
The speaker was then instructed to send a large sum of money to the scammers, which they did. After the transaction, the scammers claimed they would refund the speaker's money. The speaker was skeptical but complied, sending the scammers gift cards.
The speaker then reached out to a community of people who help victims of scams, known as "Scammer Payback". They shared their story and were offered help. The community members were able to recover the money the speaker had sent to the scammers, and the speaker was given a check to make up for the loss.
The speaker was also given advice on how to avoid falling for scams in the future. They were told to step back and take a breather if they feel pressured or involved in a situation that doesn't feel right. If they have any doubts, they should stop the process and call a legitimate number to verify the situation.
The speaker was also given advice on what to say to the scammers if they had the opportunity. They were encouraged to express their anger and disappointment towards the scammers, and to let them know that they hope the scammers never rest well at night.
The speaker was also touched by the support they received from the community. They felt a sense of warmth and camaraderie, and were grateful for the help they received. The speaker expressed a desire to contribute to the community in the future, to help others who may fall victim to scams.
1. The speaker is attempting to save two possible victims of scammers.
2. The speaker found the scammers' computers while deleting a few files.
3. The scammers were using the fake names "John Smith" and "Pinky" or "Sunny".
4. The scammers were working from home in Goa, India.
5. The scammers were using the Norton and Geek Squad refund scams.
6. The speaker was transferred several times during a call with the scammers, including a call with the senior executive Mike Tyson.
7. The scammers used a passcode "Mango" for the refund process.
8. The scammers had the victim's personal information, including their location, full name, birthday, and contact details.
9. The scammers had the victim's history and logins on Chrome, which might show AWS logins.
10. The scammers had the victim's Telegram conversations where they were getting calls and passing them to another person named "Pinky".
11. The victim was asked to pay back a sum of money, which was later revealed to be a scam.
12. The victim was offered a check to make up for the scam, which the victim accepted.
13. The victim was offered a chance to share their story to help others from making the same mistakes.
14. The victim was asked to listen for red flags during the scam process, such as pressure or feeling too involved.
15. The victim was asked to stop the process if they felt something was wrong, and to take a breather to process their thoughts.
16. The victim was asked to leave a voicemail for the scammer, expressing their feelings and hopes for the scammer's future.
17. The victim was told about a community of people who care for innocent people who have been victimized by scams, and who contribute money to restore the victims.
18. The victim was overwhelmed by the kindness and support shown to them by the community.