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Overdue account scam hits Marble Falls Library Thrift Store mailing list

Marble Falls Library Thrift Store officials say they’ve had a couple of customers report getting emails supposedly from the thrift store regarding unpaid accounts. However, the thrift store doesn’t use accounts for any of its sales and hasn’t sent out these emails. If someone receives such an email, thrift store officials urge them not to click on the link in it and definitely don’t pay any money. Call the store at (830) 693-5120 if you received such an email or if you have questions about a Marble Falls Library Thrift Store email. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton

Marble Falls Library Thrift Store officials say they’ve had a couple of customers report getting emails supposedly from the thrift store regarding unpaid accounts. However, the thrift store doesn’t use accounts for any of its sales and hasn’t sent out these emails. If someone receives such an email, thrift store officials urge them not to click on the link in it and definitely don’t pay any money. Call the store at (830) 693-5120 if you received such an email or if you have questions about a Marble Falls Library Thrift Store email. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton

EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON

MARBLE FALLS — The email comes across as the Marble Falls Library Thrift Store just trying to clear up a customer’s overdue account. The message asks the customer to click on the link and settle up via PayPal.

“But we don’t use PayPal,” thrift store manager Virginia Cervantez said. “We don’t even have accounts (for customers). You come in, you pick something, and you pay for it here.

“We don’t have accounts for customers, and we don’t send out bills by email,” she added.

However, at least two customers on the thrift store’s email list have reported getting the notice regarding their “accounts.” One apparently requested the patron pay $2,000 via PayPal to settle the bill.

Fortunately, Cervantez said, neither patron took the bait, but she fears others might get the notice and, thinking it’s legitimate, click on it and pay the amount.

“We don’t send out emails like this,” the manager said.

The emails look as if they come from the Marble Falls Library Thrift Store. One email starts with a greeting to the patron followed by, “Payment for the following invoices have been made to your account. For further details contact: Accounts Payable.” Then, there’s a link to a piano tuning company for “Invoices-Overdue.”

At bottom of the email is “Many Thanks. marble.librarythrift.nctv.”

“We have nothing to do with any piano tuning company,” Cervantez said. “I don’t know anything about it.”

If anyone gets a similar email representing itself as being from or associated with the Marble Falls Library Thrift Store, Cervantez urged them not to click on the link and definitely not to provide any money via PayPal or other method.

“It’s not from us,” she said. “If you have a question about an email, call us first.”

PayPal Inc. also cautions consumers through its website (paypal.com) about these spoof emails. Some of the common frauds mention that “Your account is about to be suspended,” “You’ve been paid,” and “You’ve paid too much.”

The FBI also lists a number of common fraud schemes on its website.

If someone suspects they have been victimized by email or any other fraud, they should contact their local law enforcement agency and report it. Also, never give credit card information, passwords, or other sensitive information to unsolicited callers or in a reply to an unsolicited email. If you have a concern, hang up or don’t click on any links. Then, contact the organization the caller or email is attempting to represent.

“We don’t want people to think this is coming from us,” Cervantez said, “because it’s not.”

Call the thrift store at (830) 693-5120 if you have an questions regarding Marble Falls Library Thrift Store emails.

daniel@thepicayune.com

1 thought on “Overdue account scam hits Marble Falls Library Thrift Store mailing list

  1. Phone call scams are ringing more often at this time—WHATEVER YOU DO DO NOT answer to calls that don’t have recognizable numbers—and if you DO pick up the phone do NOT answer them when they say they are I TECH– NOR Microsoft. Hang up immediately. And DO NOT answer your phone when no name appears in the name place.AND DO NOT click on sites on your computer like the ones in this article becausetThey can freeze your computer. A friends computer repairman had to work for an hour to get this trash and trouble off of her computer—and there was no help from the local police for it is not their jurisdiction–nor the FCC. SAFE is a mysterious word.

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