Steven Fields uses Cash from Inheritance Scam to Dispute Bank Error

Bank withdrawal of cash (source: Morguefile)

If a bank puts money into your account by accident or error, it is still not yours.

Bank Error in Your Favor, Collect $31,000

Steven Fields of Hull, Georgia, has learned this the hard way. On March 7, 2014, the First Citizens Bank made a bank error, and put $31,000.00 into his bank account on accident. It was supposed to go into the other Steven Field account - same name, different customer.

Cash from Inheritance Scam

Steven Fields, the 18 year old customer, learned that he had become $31,000.00 richer, so he decided to spend his extra cash. He spent $5,000 on his debit card, and pulled out $20,000 in cash in a matter of 10 days. The bank asked Steven Fields to return the money, but he claims that the money was a direct deposit for his inheritance from his grandmother's estate, and that he didn't owe any cash back to the bank. He said they were mistaken, this was his money, and there was no bank error.

Steven Fields said he would provide proof that the money was really his inheritance. To date, Steven Fields has not provided this evidence, nor has he returned any of the $31,000 in cash.

Gawker.com has made Steven Fields "Hero of the Year." For what - stealing money, that wasn't his?

It is Illegal to Keep Cash Put into Your Bank Account by Accident

Steven Fields has no case if he knew that this money was not his. However, if he pleaded ignorant, he may get off without going to jail. If money is delivered to you by accident, it is still not yours.

To keep $100,000 would be an automatic felony in most states. According to this Mainstreet.com article, the state of Georgia could charge Steven Fields with a felony.

It certainly does not help his case that he took the money out and then lied about where he got it from. This was not cash from his grandmother's inheritance.

Apple iTunes Phishing Scam Email about App Purchases Made by a Minor

Apple iTunes gift card

Email from Apple iTunes about App Purchases Made by a Minor:

Dear iTunes account owner,

Apple is committed to providing parents and kids with a great experience on the App Store. We review all app content before allowing it on our store, provide a wide range of age-appropriate content, and include parental controls in iOS to make it easy for parents to restrict or disable access to content.

We’ve heard from some customers that it was too easy for their kids to make in-app purchases. As a result, we’ve improved controls for parents so they can better manage their children’s purchases, or restrict them entirely. Additionally, we are offering refunds in certain cases.

Our records show that you made some in-app purchases, and if any of these were unauthorized purchases by a minor, you might be eligible for a refund from Apple.

Please follow the steps below to submit a refund request:

• Find your in-app purchase records. Check your email for iTunes receipts or use a computer to sign in to your iTunes account and view your Purchase History.

• Use this link to submit your refund request to Apple.

• Provide the requested information and enter “Refund for In-App Purchases made by a minor” in the Details section.

Apple will review your request and contact you via email about your refund status. All refundrequests must be submitted no later than April 15, 2015.

If you have any questions or need further assistance with your refund request, please contact Apple.

To learn more about parental controls in iOS, please see this article.

Thank you.

App​le Note from Blog Post Author: Never click on any links contained within an email. Legitimate companies will not encourage you to visit their website with a link via an email. Links in the above email message have been removed for your safety. This email from Apple in regards to purchases through iTunes looks very suspicious as being a phishing scam email. Do not enter your credentials into any website claiming to be from Apple. Image credit: Flickr Creative Commons; by mightykenny --------------------------------------------------------------------- App Store Email Scam #2 Subject line: RE; [ Confirmation Purchase ] [ App Store ] : Your payment has been submitted and being process [ Thank You ] Monday, October 29, 2018. Dear ! Customer,    Thank you for your shopping on iTunes App Store! Merchant Name: iTunes Store! Amount: $12.99 More details about your transaction are included as attached file PDF in this mail. Thank you for using our service.  Thanks, Apple. Support screenshot below: Editor's note: Never click on or open any attachments on scam emails, even if they appear to be harmless.

Google Drive Phishing Scam from Rev. Dr. Karen

Fake Google Login used for Phishing 

Beware of the Google Drive phishing scam. One is particular going around is from a Rev. Dr. Karen.

What does Google Drive have to do with Rev. Dr. Karen?

The email says that it is urgent, under the name of Rev. Dr. Karen. The email says she is "serving humanity spiritually" and gives a phone number to call.

The message reads:

Hello,

Kindly click the link to view the document I uploaded for you using Google cloud drive.

{Link here}

Thank you.

The signature section of the email has a quote from Mother Teresa.

How the Google Drive Phishing Scam Works

The email appears to be a link that connects the email recipient to a Google Drive doc, but the link redirects you to a webpage that is hosted on one of Google's servers. However, it is not operated by Google. Do not be fooled by the SSL encryption that makes this phishing scam look authentic.

When the user enters their information into the page, it is then stored in the hacker's database for retrieval.

Symantec points out on their blog that Symantec users are protected against this particular phishing threat.

Protect Yourself Against Compromised Google Servers

First of all, never click on any links contained within an email. If you need to go to a website, then go there directly and log in. Never use a link contained within an email. Doing so puts your security credentials at risk for phishing scams. Don't ever open documents or files attached to an email from someone you don't know.

Google has not commented on how or why their servers are being compromised, and how hackers gain access of their servers.

Boy with Cap Gun Fails in Victoria, Australia Convenient Store Robbery

Boy wearing black mask attempts robbery Victoria, Australia

Steve Ewart refusing to give boy money at the register

A Boy with Cap Gun Fails in Victoria, Australia Convenient Store Robbery, thanks to employee Steve Ewart.

A Victoria, Australia convenient store robbery was thwarted in March 2014, when a teenage boy was refused by the convenient store employee, Steve Ewart. This particular convenient store in Victoria, Australia has been robbed four times in the past year and six months.

Victoria, Australia Police investigating the attempted robbery believe that the teenage boy came into the store earlier that day to "case" the store before attempting the robbery.

How the Attempted Robbery in Australia Went Down Under

When the boy entered the store, he was wearing a black mask and a brown tee shirt red letters on the front. There was no clerk at the register, so he waiting at the register, with the mask already on.

Then Steve Ewart came to the register. The boy then pulls out a plastic bag and tells Steve to fill it with money, putting his hand on the fake gun tucked into his pants. When Steve Ewart says, "nope," the boy pulls out the gun and points it at Steve Ewart's face, sideways. Right then, Steve knows that this was not a real gun, but only a cap gun or replica.

The boy said, "Give me all your money." Steve Ewart replied: "It's not going to happen." The boy pulled out his toy gun. Steve Ewart said again, "It's not going to happen."

The boy then said, "Do you want to test me, mate?"

Steve Ewart then said, "It's still only a cap gun, I'll test you all day."

The boy realized that the convenient store clerk had got the best of him, so he left without stealing anything.

The security camera in the store caught it all on tape, although there is no audio available.

You can watch the attempted robbery below.

Steak bought from a Tampa, FL Wal-Mart laced with LSD

Steak (source: Flickr; by tarale)

Steak bought from a Tampa, FL Wal-Mart laced with LSD

A family in Tampa, FL get sick after eating bottom round steak bought from Wal-Mart laced with LSD. Rosado and Ronnie Morales, and their two daughters (ages 6 & 7) fell ill after eating the LSD-tainted steak.

After the parents started hallucinating and experienced shortness of breath, they called 911.

They all drove to St. Joseph's Hospital, as directed by the 911 operator., where they received medical treatment.

What does LSD stand for?

LSD is a hallucinogenic drug, and stands for lysergic acid diethylamide.

How did the LSD get into the Steak?

The Hillsborough County medical examiner did confirm that the Tampa, FL Wal-Mart steak was contaminated with LSD.

Authorities are wondering how LSD got into the Tampa, FL Wal-Mart steak, as it would have had to have been put into the steak by someone that handled the meat. They have removed the family oven as evidence to test for LSD. The bigger question is how the LSD retained its drug-like properties after being cooked at high temperatures.

At what point did the Tampa, FL Wal-mart LSD contamination happen?

The family maintains that they have no idea why or how their Wal-Mart steak contained LSD.

Wal-Mart states that they get their "meat already prepared and packaged from suppliers" and therefore have no clue how the LSD got into the steak. In other words: "we didn't do it, so don't sue us."

A Wal-Mart spokesman issued a statement: "We're just very grateful that the family appears to be okay."

If your food makes you hallucinate...

There is an important moral to this story to be learned: If you ever start hallucinating after eating food, call 911 immediately. It may be laced with LSD.

Tennessee Handyman Jerry Breedlove Scams Collierville, TN Residents

handyman advertisement (Flickr CC; by Orin Zebest)

The Handyman Scam by Jerry Breedlove

If you live in Collierville, TN, don't get scammed by the handyman, Jerry Breedlove.

He created a fake invoice for over $3,000 for materials that he never purchased.

Stop Jerry Breedlove from Scamming Collierville, TN Residents

One woman, Linda Corti, is taking the matter into her own hands. She purchased the website jerrybreedlove.com in an attempt to stop the fake handyman from scamming people out of money.

Jerry Breedlove scammed Ms. Corti out of $3,054.75.

She hired the handyman to install recessed lighting, but the job never happened. Conveniently, Linda Corti had already paid Jerry Breedlove the money, and then he disappeared. She never saw him again, and he didn't return any of her phone calls.

Linda Corti took the false invoices back to Graham's Lighting store because the invoice was on their letterhead. Graham's Lighting said that the items on the invoice were never purchased from their store, and the invoice was fake. The owner of Graham's Lighting, Bob Myers, was furious that Jerry Breedlove would do such a thing.

The website jerrybreedlove.com says: "Do not hire Jerry Breedlove as your contractor"

Was there Resolution to the Jerry Breedlove Scam?

Since this scam has taken place, an investigator tracked down handyman Jerry Breedlove and Breedlove made a confession. "Yes, sir, I admit that I did that...I had a situation that I couldn't control at my house, and I was wrong...and she'll get payments every week until that there is paid for, sir."

This news story was reported by WMC-TV Action News 5 on February 28, 2014.

Have you been scammed by this handyman?

Update: According to readers, Jerry Breedlove has been spotted and working out of the state of Mississippi. This blog encourages all readers to research all handymen and contractors before hiring them. Consider using Angie's List to find out more information on them. Protect yourself from getting scammed.