Victim Location 20164
Total money lost $325
Type of a scam Advance Fee Loan
I had applied for a loan via MoneyMutual, and a few days after my initial application, I received a call from CA Installment Loans. They offered a ridiculously low interest rate for a short term loan, somewhere around 8%, so frankly, I should have had my radar on, but being desperate, I didn’t question it as much as I should have. When it came time to finalize, they said that in order to borrow, I needed either a co-signer who had an account with the same bank I did, or I needed to pay an insurance fee. It sounded like GAP insurance for a car loan, and I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of having to tell someone I was applying for this loan, so I agreed. They said that the payment needed to be made using an iTunes card, which should have stopped me in my tracks, but again, desperation. I found the money, bought the card, and paid, thinking I was in the clear. I was then transferred to a second officer, who said that I would need to pay bank transfer fees in the amount of $225, using more iTunes cards. I have no idea why I didn’t immediately think scam, but I went along. I just got off the phone with a third officer, who said that I needed to pay the taxes on the loan to the tune of $450. At this point, they are asking me to front $775 on a short term loan. I pointed out that if I had that much cash easily on hand, I wouldn’t have needed the loan to begin with, and that I had never heard of having to pay taxes on a loan, particularly before the loan was received. I’m guessing I would have had to pay with more iTunes cards, but I am writing this rather than getting them.