The Scammers Have Apparently Moved On From Bitcoin — Now I’m Getting My Watch Repaired

Well, the scammers are branching out.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've apparently purchased Bitcoin, renewed Geek Squad protection multiple times, and been invited to Facebook events celebrating these financial accomplishments.

Today, we have something new.

Apparently, I'm getting a watch repaired.

I received an email from something calling itself Watch Repairs USA Customer Care with the subject:

“WATCH REPAIRS USA - Repair #”

Repair number what?

Excellent question.

There isn’t a repair number after the #.

We're off to a strong start.

Thank You for My Payment!

The email proudly announces:

“Your Payment Receipt.”

It then thanks me for my payment and says work on my watch will now begin.

Wonderful!

Except for one minor detail:

I DIDN'T SEND THEM A WATCH.

According to the email, I'm getting a battery replacement for $29.99, plus $30.00 for shipping.

That's some serious shipping for a watch battery.

The transaction information also has some interesting details.

Name: blank.

Address: United States.

That's it.

Apparently, somewhere among approximately 340 million people, there's a watch heading my way.

Good luck, FedEx.

My Favorite Part: “Total $.”

The email lists:

Subtotal $29.99
Shipping $30.00
Total $

That's right.

No number.

Just a dollar sign.

I appreciate a company that lets me use my imagination.

Maybe the total is $59.99.

Maybe it's $5,999.

Maybe they're waiting for me to choose.

This is less of a receipt and more of a financial Mad Lib.

But Don't Worry — There's a Refund Button!

Naturally, the email includes a section titled:

“Request Refund.”

How convenient.

If I didn't complete this transaction, all I have to do is click the nice “Claim a Refund” button.

And that's exactly where my scam radar starts screaming.

An unexpected purchase.

A transaction I don't recognize.

Incomplete information.

Then a convenient button offering to fix everything.

The objective is familiar even though the packaging has changed:

Make me worried about money and get me to react.

This One Is More Interesting

What makes this message different from the recent Facebook event scams is that it looks much more like an ordinary business transaction email.

There's a logo.

There's a payment section.

There's a repair breakdown.

There's shipping information.

There's contact information.

There are links at the bottom.

It has all the ingredients that can make someone think:

“Wait...did I actually order this?”

And that's why unexpected transactional emails deserve a few extra seconds of thought before clicking anything.

A professional-looking email isn't proof that the transaction is yours.

I'm Still Not Clicking

My approach hasn't changed.

If I receive an email saying I've been charged for something I don't remember buying, I won't click the refund button in the email right away.

First, I'll independently check my credit card or bank account.

If there's no charge, there's nothing to refund.

If there is an unauthorized charge, I'll contact the financial institution using contact information I obtain independently—not whatever is presented in the suspicious message.

The important thing is to avoid letting the email dictate what I do next.

That's exactly what these messages are designed to accomplish.

My Imaginary Spending Is Getting Out of Control

Let's review my recent financial activity according to my inbox:

Bitcoin.

More Bitcoin.

A mystery subscription.

Geek Squad.

More Geek Squad.

And now...

A watch battery.

My imaginary self is apparently terrible with money.

Imaginary Niel has excellent diversification.

Cryptocurrency.

Technology services.

Luxury accessories.

It's practically a portfolio.

I'm just waiting for tomorrow's email:

“Congratulations! Your $799 annual yacht maintenance plan has successfully renewed.”

That'll be disappointing.

Mostly because I don't have a yacht.

Although, based on my inbox, apparently I might.

The Scammers Missed Me — Apparently My Geek Squad Membership Renewed Again

I was starting to get worried.

It had been an entire week since someone invited me to a Facebook event announcing that I had supposedly purchased something I didn't purchase.

Was I no longer desirable to scammers?

Had they moved on?

Did Karen, Taiba, Callie, and Princess Manahil have a group chat where they decided I wasn't worth the effort?

Thankfully, my fears were put to rest today.

They're back.

This afternoon, I received another Facebook event invitation. This one came from the wonderfully named “Hxer Ahver.”

Hxer has invited me to:

“Payment Confirmation: $439.99 Auto-Renewal for Geek Squad Tech Support…”

Oh good.

Geek Squad again.

My Computer Is Apparently VERY Protected

Last week, Princess Manahil informed me that I had supposedly renewed my Geek Squad protection.

Now Hxer Ahver says I've done it again.

At this point, my computer should be the most protected in North America.

I'm expecting Geek Squad employees to start physically guarding it.

One by the monitor.

One near the keyboard.

Another stationed outside my house.

For $439.99, somebody better be watching the perimeter.

There is, of course, one tiny problem:

I didn't buy this.

Just like I didn't buy the Bitcoin.

Just like I didn't authorize the mystery subscription.

Just like I didn't purchase the previous Geek Squad protection.

My imaginary credit card has apparently been having an incredible summer.

And Once Again, I'm Invited to Attend

The brilliance of this particular scam remains my favorite part.

It's being delivered as a Facebook event invitation.

That means underneath a message claiming I've been charged $439.99, Facebook politely asks:

“Tell them if you can make it.”

And then gives me three options:

Going

Maybe

Can't Go

I appreciate the flexibility.

After reviewing my calendar, however, I'm going to have to select:

Can't Go.

I'd love to attend my $439.99 fraudulent Geek Squad auto-renewal, but unfortunately I have plans that afternoon.

Maybe next year.

Meta Is Still Warning Me

Just like the previous scam invitations, there's a warning sitting right at the top:

“Meta did not send this event invitation. Please be cautious when clicking on links or providing personal information.”

That's probably worth reading.

The clever part of this scam is that the notification itself can arrive through Facebook's event system. That gives the garbage in the invitation a little borrowed legitimacy.

You see a familiar notification.

You see Facebook.

You see a large dollar amount.

You see “Payment Confirmation.”

And the scammer hopes you panic before stopping to ask the most obvious question:

Why in the hell is Geek Squad notifying me about a $439.99 auto-renewal through a Facebook event invitation?

Geek Squad isn't throwing me a party.

The Scam Social Calendar Continues

So let's update the guest list.

Previously, I had:

Karen: Bitcoin purchase.

Taiba: Another Bitcoin purchase.

Callie: Mystery $398.99 subscription.

Princess Manahil: Geek Squad protection.

And now:

Hxer Ahver: Another $439.99 Geek Squad renewal.

I'm beginning to see a pattern.

The names change.

The dollar amounts change.

The supposed purchases change.

But the objective remains remarkably similar: make the recipient believe money has been charged, create urgency, and get them to react before they think.

That's why I don't use the contact information contained in suspicious messages.

If a message says there's a charge on one of my accounts, I'll independently open the company's official app or website and check the account myself.

No panic.

No mystery phone numbers.

No handing over account information.

Please don't attend Facebook events celebrating purchases I didn't make.

See You at the Next One

At this point, I don't think this is over.

We've done Bitcoin.

We've done subscriptions.

We've done Geek Squad twice.

I'm curious what I'll apparently purchase next.

A $799 Norton subscription?

A $1,200 iPhone?

Extended warranty coverage for a car I don't own?

Whatever it is, I have only one request for the scammers:

Please check my calendar first.

I'm getting really busy declining all these invitations.

Apparently My Scam Social Calendar Is Getting Pretty Full

Well, this is getting ridiculous.

Yesterday, I wrote about the collection of scam emails I've been receiving disguised as Facebook event invitations.

Apparently, I had purchased Bitcoin. Twice. I had also supposedly paid for a mysterious subscription.

Today, I received another invitation.

At this point, I don't know whether I'm being scammed or whether I'm just incredibly popular.

This latest invitation comes courtesy of someone named Princess Manahil, who has graciously invited me to an event involving:

“Geek Squad Annual Geek Squad Tech Support 1 Year | Amount $370.39 has been auto debited…”

Catchy event name.

I'm not sure who's handling marketing for this gathering, but it needs some work.

Going, Maybe, or Can't Go?

Once again, because this is being delivered as a Facebook event invitation, I get three wonderful choices:

Going. Maybe. Can't Go.

I'm going with Can't Go.

Not because I'm busy.

Not because I have another engagement.

But because I DIDN'T BUY GEEK SQUAD PROTECTION.

The invitation claims that a Geek Squad PC protection renewal is complete and that I need to take “immediate action” by calling the conveniently supplied telephone number if I want to cancel.

Interestingly, the email can't even seem to decide how much I supposedly spent.

The event title says $370.39.

The description says the Geek Squad protection renewal is $489.39.

Apparently, even my imaginary purchases are experiencing inflation.

Yesterday Bitcoin, Today Geek Squad

What I find interesting is how quickly the product changes while the basic scam stays almost the same.

Yesterday:

PayPal! Bitcoin! Hundreds of dollars! CALL NOW!

Today:

Geek Squad! Computer protection! Hundreds of dollars! CALL NOW!

Tomorrow?

Who knows?

Maybe I'll receive an invitation informing me that I've purchased a 12-month extended warranty for a submarine.

The important part isn't what they're pretending I bought.

The important part is the urgency.

There's supposedly a large charge.

I supposedly need to act immediately.

And—how convenient—there's a phone number waiting for me.

Once Again, Meta Is Basically Waving a Red Flag

At the top of the email is this warning:

“Meta did not send this event invitation. Please be cautious when clicking on links or providing personal information.”

That's not exactly subtle.

When the platform delivering the invitation is essentially saying, “Hey, you might want to be careful with this thing,” perhaps calling the mystery phone number isn't the best next move.

And that's what makes these messages interesting.

The surrounding email can look legitimate because it is tied to an actual Facebook event invitation. The scammer doesn't necessarily need to spoof an entire email from scratch. Instead, the scam message is stuffed into the event information.

The legitimate notification becomes the delivery vehicle for the garbage inside it.

My Rule Remains the Same

If I receive an unexpected message saying I've been charged hundreds of dollars, I won’t call the number provided in that same unexpected message.

If it's supposedly PayPal, I'll go directly to PayPal.

If it's supposedly my bank, I'll go directly to my bank.

If it's supposed to be Geek Squad, I’ll look up the legitimate company contact information and check there.

I'm not calling Princess Manahil's Urgent: Please Call Us Immediately Refund Department.

So, let's update my scam social calendar:

Karen: Bitcoin — Can't Go.
Taiba: Bitcoin — Can't Go.
Callie: Mystery subscription — Can't Go.
Princess Manahil: Geek Squad — Can't Go.

Four invitations and I've declined every one.

At this rate, the scammers are going to stop inviting me to things.

And frankly, that would hurt.

Congratulations! I’ve Apparently Bought Bitcoin, Paid a Mystery Subscription, AND Been Invited to a Scam

I have exciting financial news.

Apparently, while minding my own business, I purchased hundreds of dollars in Bitcoin.

Twice.

I also paid $398.99 for a subscription I don’t recognize.

I had no idea I was this financially active.

Even more impressive: all of these transactions were announced to me through Facebook event invitations.

Because when I think PayPal fraud department, naturally I think:

“Going” — “Maybe” — “Can’t Go.”

Nothing says urgent financial security alert quite like being asked whether I can attend my own fraudulent Bitcoin purchase.

The Scam That Keeps Inviting Me Places

Over the past couple of days, I've received several emails that look like Facebook event invitations.

The first one came from “Karen White.”

Karen apparently invited me to:

“PayPal BTC Auto Debit Card Alert | $689.99 has been debited for your Bitcoin purchase!”

Well, Karen, thank you for thinking of me.

The invitation then gave me the traditional Facebook choices:

Going
Maybe
Can’t Go

I'm going with Can't Go.

I have plans that evening.

Also, I DIDN'T BUY ANY BITCOIN.

Then another invitation arrived.

This time, my host was “Taiba Tauba,” inviting me to essentially the same $689.99 Bitcoin extravaganza.

Same general story. My bank account had supposedly been used fraudulently, and I needed to call a phone number to straighten everything out.

At this point, I'm beginning to feel bad.

Karen invited me.

Taiba invited me.

I'm turning down everybody.

This is going to destroy my social life.

Then the Scam Learned Spanish

Later, I received another invitation from “Callie Cardona.”

For reasons unknown to me, Facebook presented much of this invitation in Spanish.

“Callie Cardona te invitó al evento…”

Apparently, my scam has gone international.

This time, it wasn't Bitcoin.

The subject announced:

“Notice: Your Subscription Payment of $398.99 was Paid.”

What subscription?

No clue.

Perhaps it's the premium membership to the People Who Keep Calling Random Phone Numbers From Scam Emails Club.

I was provided a phone number to call if I didn't recognize the transaction.

And that's the whole point.

They Don't Really Want the $689.99

The scammer isn't necessarily trying to convince you that you've already lost $689.99.

They're trying to make you panic about losing $689.99.

You see “PayPal.”
You see “Bitcoin.”
You see “$689.99.”
You see “fraudulent transaction.”

And then you see a phone number.

The hope is that your brain skips right over:

“Wait a minute…why is PayPal notifying me about financial fraud through a FACEBOOK EVENT INVITATION?”

…and goes directly to:

OH CRAP! CALL THE NUMBER!

Once you call, the scammer has you engaged. That's when they can try to obtain personal information, financial information, account credentials, remote access to your computer, or convince you to move money.

The fake transaction is the bait.

Your panic is the hook.

Facebook Even Warned Me

One of the funniest parts is that the emails themselves contain a warning:

“Meta did not send this event invitation. Please be cautious when clicking on links or providing personal information.”

That's a fairly significant clue.

It's basically Facebook standing in the background waving its arms:

“WE DIDN'T SEND THIS! DON'T BLAME US!”

The scammers appear to be exploiting legitimate event/invitation functionality to get their message delivered. That can make the email look more convincing because portions of the message may actually come through Facebook's notification system.

But a legitimate-looking messenger doesn't make the message legitimate.

If somebody tapes a fake IRS notice to a Domino's pizza box, it doesn't mean Domino's is collecting your taxes.

The Biggest Red Flag? The Phone Number

All three messages are designed to get me to do essentially the same thing:

Call a phone number.

No thanks.

If I receive an unexpected notice about a PayPal transaction, I won't call the number provided by the person saying my money is disappearing.

I'll open PayPal myself.

If it's supposedly my bank, I'll use my bank's official app, website, or the number printed on the back of my card.

If there's a $689 Bitcoin purchase, I'll handle it through the financial institution.

And if there isn't?

Congratulations.

I just saved myself from attending Karen's Bitcoin party.

Scam Rule of the Day

Unexpected messages involving money deserve skepticism—especially when they create urgency and immediately tell you whom to call.

Don't use the phone number in the suspicious message.

Don't click its links.

Don't give anyone a verification code.

Don't install software because the friendly “fraud department” representative tells you to.

And please don't give someone remote access to your computer so they can “process your refund.”

Verify the alleged transaction independently.

As for my three invitations?

Karen: Can't Go.
Taiba: Can't Go.
Callie: No asistiré.

Finally, I'm multilingual.

Scamming, Site Traffic, and an Open Invitation

I’m aware that maintaining even a small online footprint can expose me to hacking, scams, and other security risks. That’s why I regularly monitor my site’s traffic, metrics, and visitor demographics.

When people hear the phrase “online scamming,” Nigeria may be one of the first countries that comes to mind—fairly or unfairly. This morning, I noticed repeated activity from the same IP address, geolocated to Nigeria.

Of course, an IP location isn’t always accurate, and someone’s country doesn’t prove malicious intent. Still, the activity caught my attention.

So, if you’re the person behind those visits: What brought you to my site? What are you looking for, and how can I help?

Let’s bring your intent to the surface. It could lead to an interesting conversation—and perhaps even an opportunity we can monetize together.

Post your contact information at NielFlamm.com/blog or email me directly at niel@nielflamm.com.