Stine Writing and Miniatures

From my desk: 10/31/2025

Happy Halloween!

Earlier today I got a text message from Wells Fargo saying that my account may have been compromised and did I make a purchase for $750 in upstate NY. It said press 1 for yes, 2 for no. I pressed 2 and sent.
I got a call later this evening. I did not recognize the number so I didn’t answer but it called me back immediately, so I had to answer. You see, I have PTSD because of past events that have been horrible. One of those was the year I didn’t hear my phone ringing. When I finally did, I found out Lindsay had been in a bad car accident. Thank God she was fine but she was so upset that I didn’t answer the call when she needed me. So, anyhow, when a number tries to reach me and it seems urgent, I have to answer.
So…anyhow, the guy tells me he is calling from Wells Fargo about that charge earlier today. He asked if it was me and I said no. He mentioned a few other charges that were flagged on my account, none of which I authorized. He then told me he needed to shut down the access to my account and then asked me to enter my username to activate a reset type of thing….Well, you know where this is going. I didn’t trust him and said so but he kept saying that he didn’t have access to the information I was entering, which is why it is automated so no one can just get me info. Then I saw that my message said “Read”. Then he asked me what my birthday was. I didn’t know why but I told him then I started getting really nervous. I told him I didn’t trust the call and I hung up.
I immediately called Wells Fargo and they shut down all access to my account and agreed that the phone call was a scam.
I blocked the number on my phone, the one the guy had called from, then called him back. He answered, “Hello” and I said who is this? He automatically went into the “ma’am, this is Wells Fargo…” Well I told him he was full of shit and a scammer and he yelled at me to stop and just listen to him, that it was not a scam. Well I hung up. I wanted to keep calling back but figured I was better off just leaving it all alone and be happy nothing was actually hacked.

14 comments

  3. Scammers prefer phone calls because they allow for immediate psychological pressure, real-time manipulation, and the use of voice to build trust or create a sense of urgency. Phone scams enable them to impersonate authority figures, bypass online security like multi-factor authentication, and gather personal information to commit identity theft or financial fraud. The phone’s interactivity also makes it easier to employ tactics like “spoofing,” making a call appear to be from a trusted source. 

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  4. People are horrible. Most are good natured and decent, but more and more coming across as shallow and not giving a #%^% about anything but scamming others. I’m glad you called Wells Fargo. Leave it at that. And next time you get the urge to answer a text/phone call (and can’t stop yourself) say hello then hang up. That number will be in your phone forever and you won’t need to wonder who it is.

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    • My husband and I went to this International Living conference thing and there was this company there called RPost. What they said is that what scammers are doing now is calling and taking your voice to make AI sound like you so they can access information. I’m not sure how it works exactly as I never planned on learning scam techniques but its scary how its getting worse and worse.

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  6. Freakin scammers! They almost got me today! I got a text from a number I didn’t recognize, saying that there is a problem delivering my package, and to click a link to update my details, well, I don’t click links, and so I didn’t, but I’m not expecting any packages, so I think they were scammers! Glad you didn’t get hacked!

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