Have you received a call or voicemail that says ‘A pre-authorized purchase of a PlayStation 5 bundle has been made from your Walmart account’? The message claims that a PlayStation 5, along with special accessories, has been ordered from your account and urges you to press a number to speak to customer service to cancel the transaction.
Question: Is it true that a PlayStation 5 has been purchased from my account, and should I follow up on this claim?
Investigation Findings: This type of message is commonly referred to as a “order confirmation scam“. In reality, the scammers have not made any purchase and are attempting to trick you into providing personal information or to press certain buttons that could lead to fraud.
Answer: The Walmart PlayStation 5 Order Calls & Voicemails are a fraudulent scam. 💡 To protect yourself from such scams, do not respond to these calls or voicemails. Always verify any such claims by contacting Walmart directly through official channels. It’s also wise to report these calls to the authorities and block the numbers on your phone.
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🚨 Is the Walmart PlayStation 5 Order a Scam?
Yes, the voicemail or calls claiming that you ordered an expensive PlayStation 5 bundle from Walmart that you need to cancel are indeed scams. 🚫 If you’ve received such a voicemail or call, exercise extreme caution. The offers are manipulative and are designed to instill urgency, misleading you into pressing a button to speak to a so-called customer support representative.
A Walmart PlayStation 5 Order Scam Call (Transcript):
Hey, this is Emma from Walmart. A pre authorized purchase of PlayStation five with special Edition and Pulse 3D headset is being ordered from your Walmart account for an amount of $919.45. To cancel your order or to connect with one of our customer support representatives, please press one.
hello this is Karl from Walmart a pre-authorized purchase of PlayStation 5 special edition with pulse 3D headset is being ordered from your Walmart account for an amount of $119.45 to cancel your order or to connect with 1 of our customer support Representatives please press 1 thank you
hey this is Amelia from Walmart a pre-authorized purchase of PlayStation five with special edition and pulse 3-D headset is being ordered from your Walmart account for an amount of $919.45 to cancel your order or to connect with one of our customer support representative please press one
This scam involves fraudsters impersonating Walmart customer service, claiming they have a record of a high-priced purchase from your account. However, legitimate consumer protection agencies and security experts confirm that these claims are fraudulent. No real purchase exists; the communication is designed to scam you out of money or personal information. Scammers send these voicemails and calls broadly, hoping to ensnare unsuspecting victims.
The fraudulent voicemails and calls often claim they have your order details and threaten to proceed with the order unless you act quickly. They provide a number for you to press to contact them and set a deadline to increase the urgency and pressure.
Unpacking the Walmart PlayStation 5 Order Scam Tactics
Research has demonstrated that in this scam, although each message or call may differ slightly, they often involve consistent elements designed to mimic legitimacy. For instance, scammers frequently use common names such as “Emma”, “Karl” or “Amelia” and maintain the same voice across different calls. All messages aim to create a sense of urgency, a tactic specifically designed to pressure potential victims into making hasty decisions.
The scam calls come from a wide range of phone numbers, utilizing caller ID spoofing techniques to evade detection and make it challenging for victims to block subsequent contacts. Furthermore, the strategy of frequently changing numbers complicates efforts for victims to track the origin or report the fraud accurately.
Overall, this scam uses sophisticated methods to mimic legitimate business tactics while exploiting technological tools to maintain a relentless and deceptive campaign against potential victims.
🚩 Red Flags to Watch Out For:
To protect yourself, be aware of these warning signs of the scam: 🔍🛡️
- 📧 Expensive purchases: Unexpected calls or voicemails about expensive purchases you didn’t make.
- 💸 Immediate Action Required: Requests to press a button to connect with customer support immediately to cancel an order.
- ⏳ Urgency and Imposed Deadlines: These messages impose a tight deadline to pressure you into acting hastily, using fear of being charged for a purchase to coerce you into connecting immediately.
- 🔄 No Evidence of Actual Purchase: The calls provide no real evidence or documentation of the purchase.
- 👤 Anonymity of the Contact: Scammers use various phone numbers and provide minimal or no contact information, making it difficult to verify the source.
- 🔗 Suspicious Claims: Be skeptical of any communication that makes extraordinary claims about purchases and demands immediate interaction.
💡 Never respond to such calls or press any buttons they request. Additionally, ensure your personal information is secure. If concerned, monitor your financial accounts closely for any unusual activity.
🕵️♂️ How the Walmart PlayStation 5 Order Scam Work
The Walmart PlayStation 5 order scam is a fraudulent activity that involves unsolicited voicemails and calls claiming you have ordered an expensive PlayStation 5 bundle from Walmart. It’s essential to recognize how this scam operates to protect yourself. 💡🔐
🚨 Impersonating a Legitimate Company
This scam involves callers like “Emma”, “Karl”, or “Amelia” from Walmart, falsely stating that a PlayStation 5 has been ordered through your account. They misuse Walmart’s reputable name to appear credible and trick you into believing the call is legitimate.
🔗 Consistent and Repetitive Contact
Victims often receive these fraudulent calls multiple times, from different numbers, making it hard to block and ignore. The frequent contacts are designed to create urgency, pushing you to act hastily.
🎭 Use of Pressure Tactics
Scammers employ pressure tactics by insisting the purchase is pre-authorized and urging you to “press one” to cancel or confirm the order. This is a trick to make you engage with them or even transfer money under the guise of cancelling a non-existent order.
📥 Harvesting Personal Information
Once engaged, they may ask for personal details, supposedly to verify your identity or manage the supposed order, with the real intent of stealing your sensitive information.
🕳️ Financial Loss and Disappearing Act
If you follow through with their requests, you may face financial losses either through direct fraudulent charges or by providing information leading to identity theft. Once they obtain what they want, the scammers typically cut off communication, leaving victims defrauded and without recourse.
By recognizing these tactics, you can better defend against this and similar scams. Always verify any claims about unexpected orders through official company channels and report any persistent fraudulent calls to the appropriate authorities.
📌 How to Report Walmart PlayStation 5 Order Scam Calls and Voicemails
If you receive a call or voicemail claiming you’ve ordered an expensive PlayStation 5 bundle from Walmart, be cautious — it iss a scam. Reporting it can help you stay safe and protect others. Here’s the simple way to report these scam calls and voicemails:
🔍 Spot the Scam Call or Voicemail
Identify any call or voicemail that seems suspicious, especially those that claim a pre-authorized purchase has been made on your account and ask you to press a button to resolve the issue.
👉 Use Your Phone to Report
Most phones allow you to report a call or voicemail as spam or scam directly from the call log. Press and hold on the scam call or voicemail entry to access this feature.
🚩 Pick the Report Option
Choose the appropriate option to report the call. This could be “Report as Spam” or “Block & Report Spam”.
📱 Tell Your Mobile Company
For voicemails, inform your carrier directly through their customer service about the scam.
🔗 Tell the Authorities
Report scam calls and voicemails to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at [ReportFraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov). You can also contact local or state consumer protection agencies to report this activity.
🛡️ What to Do Next
If you’ve responded to the scam by providing personal information, monitor your financial accounts closely for any unusual activity. Consider changing your passwords and alerting your bank to potential fraud.
✔️ Finish Reporting
Ensure you complete all steps as advised by your phone carrier, the FTC, or local government agencies to fully report the scam.
Here’s the updated text formatted to match the details of the Walmart PlayStation 5 Order Scam Calls & Voicemails:
Threat Summary
| Name | Walmart PlayStation 5 Order Scam |
| Type | Phishing, Impersonation Fraud |
| Scam Text Content | Hello this is [Caller’s Name] from Walmart. A pre-authorized purchase of PlayStation 5 with special Edition and Pulse 3D headset is being ordered from your Walmart account for an amount of $919.45. To cancel your order or to connect with one of our customer support representatives, please press one. |
| Scammers’ Contacts (Numbers) | Various spoofed numbers |
| Targeted Information | Personal details (name, account details), financial information |
| Harm | Financial loss, potential identity theft |
| How It Spreads | Unsolicited phone calls and voicemails from varied phone numbers |
| Scammer’s Methods | Impersonating Walmart customer service, creating urgency to act on a fake order, coaxing victims into pressing buttons or calling back to steal information or money |
| Variations | Amounts may vary slightly, use of different contact numbers and caller names (commonly “Emma”, “Karl”, “Amelia”) |
| Protection Tips | Verify any unexpected orders directly through official retailer websites or customer service numbers; do not press any buttons or return calls from unknown numbers regarding financial transactions |
| What To Do If You Receive A Scam Call | Do not interact with the call or voicemail; verify the authenticity of the claim through official Walmart contact means; report the incident to authorities and your phone carrier |
| Reporting Info | Report suspicious calls to your phone carrier; inform the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov; consider filing a police report if significant financial loss has occurred |
😱 What to Do If You’re Targeted by the Walmart PlayStation 5 Order Scam
If you’ve received a call or voicemail claiming you’ve ordered an expensive PlayStation 5 bundle from Walmart, it’s crucial to handle the situation wisely. Here are the steps to protect your personal and financial information effectively.
🔐 Do Not Interact
Do not press any buttons during the call or call back the number, as this can lead to more scam attempts. If you suspect your information might be compromised, consider changing the passwords for your online accounts, especially those linked to financial services.
👀 Verify Through Official Channels
Check directly with Walmart through their official customer service channels to verify if there was an actual order placed. Keep an eye on your bank statements and credit report for any unauthorized transactions.
📞 Contact Walmart and Financial Institutions
Inform Walmart about the fraudulent call using their official contact details, not the number from the call. Also, notify your bank and credit card issuer to watch for suspicious activities on your accounts.
🔒 Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Set up two-factor authentication on all your important accounts. This security measure adds an additional layer of protection, making it harder for scammers to gain access.
🚫🔗 Inform Your Contacts
Alert your friends and family about the scam. Warn them about the tactics used and advise them to be cautious with similar unsolicited calls or messages.
📝 Document the Scam
Keep records of all communications related to the scam, including any caller ID information, the time of the call, and what was said. This documentation can be crucial for reporting the scam to authorities.
👮♀️ Report to Authorities
Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your local consumer protection office. Reporting these incidents helps prevent others from falling victim to similar scams.
📘 Stay Informed and Educated
Stay updated on common scam tactics and learn how to protect yourself from new and emerging threats. Being well-informed is a crucial defense against scams.
🎯 Conclusion
The Walmart PlayStation 5 Order Scam Phone Calls and Voicemails are a phishing scam. The fraudsters behind this scam use the name of a legitimate company, Walmart, to send messages claiming you’ve ordered an expensive PlayStation 5 bundle. What is their goal? To provoke you into pressing a button to connect with “customer support” or to cancel the supposed order. This can lead to you sharing personal information or inadvertently authorizing payments.
It’s important to understand that legitimate queries about orders or purchases usually come from recognizable and verifiable communications, not unsolicited calls or voicemails with urgent requests. If you receive an unexpected call about a major purchase, it’s key to verify its authenticity by contacting the retailer directly using contact information from their official website, not numbers provided in the unsolicited call.
Avoid responding directly to these calls, and inform your friends and family about these scams. Securing your personal information and being skeptical of unsolicited communications can significantly protect you from such scams. 🛡️
