PITTSBURGH — A phone scam posing as a free upgrade offer from AT&T has left consumers facing unexpected charges and account issues.
Scammers have been contacting individuals, claiming to be from their cell phone provider’s loyalty department, and offering a free phone upgrade.
“Because they knew so much about me, I felt comfortable, and I trust AT&T,” said Stephanie Ross, who was targeted by the scam.
Ross received a call from an unknown number claiming to be AT&T, offering her a free upgrade. She was asked to read back a code sent to her phone, which allowed the scammers to access her account.
After receiving a phone that was supposedly part of the upgrade, Ross was instructed to return it using a shipping label sent from an iCloud account. This raised her suspicions, and upon visiting an AT&T store, she discovered additional lines had been added to her account.
Security expert Willis McDonald explained that scammers often buy personal information cheaply and use it to appear legitimate. He noted that giving out verification codes can complicate the process of resolving scams with service providers.
AT&T eventually removed the fraudulent lines from Ross’s account and acknowledged the incident as a sophisticated scam in a statement.
Ross warns others to be cautious of similar scams. “You really just honestly do not think it could happen to you and trust me, it can happen to anyone,” she said.
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