MasterCard Phone Scam in Pennsylvania

Earlier this week, a friend from Pennsylvania posted on a social networking website her experience with an automated credit card phone scam:

"I was told by an automated system that my Master Card had been frozen. I was to enter my Master Card number to unlock it. Of course, it wasn't from a bank, and I don't have a Master Card, but I decided to play along."

During the phone call, the scammer's automated system asked for the credit card number, expiration date, and three-digit security code. (Don't worry. To learn a little more about the scam, my friend entered random numbers to these inquiries.) Then, it asked my friend to enter her Social Security number. She promptly hung up. My friend reported in her status message:

"BTW, anyone who gets one of these calls: 832-548-4155. It was fielded through "Texas", so - it's probably offshore."

My friend was wise to recognize the scam immediately and end the phone call. Consumers should confirm the identity of phone callers before disclosing any information. If you aren't satisfied with the caller's responses, definitely don't disclose any personal information, and end the call.

A quick online search confirmed that the phone number has been used by scammers. MasterCard advises its cardholders to report scams and fraud:

"MasterCard will never solicit personal or account information from a cardholder and we suspect that the information you received is fraudulent. Consumers should always safeguard their personal information and refrain from responding to suspicious email/phone scams."

Consumers experiencing like this one should submit compalints to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and to the local consuemr affairs agency in their state. If you disclosed your real credit card number, then you will need to monitor your statements for fraudulent charges.

If you disclosed your Social Security number, then you will probably need to monitor your credit reports for fraudulent entries. If you lost money or experienced other fraud, then you may also have to file a report with the local police department in your town. If you aren't sure what to do next, you may find the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) helpful. This nonprofit provides advice and resources for victims of various scams.

Have you received one of these automated phone calls? Please share below your experience and how you responded.

[Editor's note: I have no affiliations with ITRC or any agencies mentioned above. Nor have I received any compensation for mentioning them. Simply, I like what they do and they are good at what they do.]