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Here's how to Steer Clear of the Bill-Payment Scam That is Luring People With Savings

The I-team issued a warning, advising caution against con artists who pretend to be a helping hand when it comes to paying bills.

BY KRITIKA BHATIA

PUBLISHED JAN 26, 2024

Elgin resident Mohammad Mazher fell into the trap and was scammed and lost $13k in the 'Bill Pay Scam'|Pexels

Elgin resident fell prey to a bill-paying scam

The digital world and technologies are on the rise and this has given scammers an open hand. Con artists are not just defrauding companies but also individuals by tracking their day-to-day activities and appearing before them in times of crisis. The same thing happened with the victim of a bill-paying trap who ended up losing $13,000 to a fraudster, as per ABC News. After the scam came to light, the I-team issued a warning to everyone, advising caution against these con artists who pretend to be a helping hand when it comes to paying bills.

Scammers frauding people by acting as if they really want to help them pay the bills.|Pexels — Scammers are frauding people by acting as if they really want to help them pay the bills. (representational image) |Pexels

Don’t fall for the trap, it's a scam

Inflation is on the rise and everybody is worried about bills. So was Mohammad Mazher, an Elgin resident. He was frustrated with the high prices, and said "his bills were piling up." All of a sudden, he started getting texts and calls from a complete stranger who reached Mazher on WhatsApp. The man convinced Mazher that he could help him settle and reduce his bills which would include everything his credit card, electricity, water, and other bank-related bills. Mazher had to pay them 60% of his bills and they would reduce his bills by 40% which was the deal. Afterward, the fraudsters asked Mazher to visit a website where he could take the deal to 'lower the bills.'

Fraudsters are relentlessly looking for victims and are curating traps but beware don't fall for these luring scheme, it's a huge trap|Pexels — Fraudsters are relentlessly looking for victims and creating traps |Pexels

How did Mazher get scammed?

Mazher fell for the scheme and ended up losing $13,000. He told the authorities how he got trapped in the whole scheme so that others could protect themselves from such scams. The scheme was if he accepted the deal, his bills would be paid off and it actually worked. However, when he checked after 3-4 days, the site would show that the amount was not paid and it got canceled. This thing went on until he realized that he was being scammed and had lost $13,000 while his bills were still unpaid.

It can be really frustrating as well as saddening to be victim to a money-losing scheme and not getting any funds back|Pexels — Losing money to scams is highly frustrating (representational image) | Pexels

Ways to save yourself from these scams

The fraudsters are continually evolving and upskilling themselves and finding more refined ways to steal money. You can save youreself from these scammers by following the tips below.

Be extra cautious if a stranger reaches out and claims to be from a particular company. Check its source and authenticity. Conduct background verification and your own research on the process. Don't feel pressurized and never pay any amount upfront.

Don't be a victim, instead stay informed and follow preventive measures and your will never be scammed|Pexels — Don't be a victim, instead stay informed and follow preventive measures and you will never be scammed. (representational image) | Pexels

Connect with the official customer care number of the company to check if any such agency or person has been authorized for this service. Ask the concerned person to reach out to you through the official email id. If any such company exists, do not forget to read the reviews about its services.