Woman confuses caller, avoids SEC phone scam

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A woman's quick thinking kept her from becoming a victim of identity theft and losing thousands of dollars.
 
Claudia Chindamo said she received a call telling her she had won an award.
 
She said she was suspicious and turned the tables on him.
 
"I was on my way to work and I got a phone call," Chindamo said. "He stated my name. I said, 'Yes, how can I help you?' He said we are the SEC, we have that information."
 
Chindamo said she asked the man why he was calling her.
 
She said he responded by saying, "You have selected to be called because you have been awarded something."  
 
That award was allegedly coming from the Securities and Exchange Commission, an agency that regulates investments.
 
"I could not understand why a regulatory body like the SEC would be calling me," said Chindamo.
 
She said her caller ID indicated the call was coming from the 202 area code in Washington, D.C.  
 
"When did you know it was a scam," Channel 9 anchor Jorge Estevez asked Chindamo.
 
"He seemed to be getting nervous every time I asked him a question," she said.
 
She said she continued to ask him questions like how he got her number, where he was located and how could she know the call was legitimate.
 
Chindamo said the caller kept stumbling over his answers and when she asked for a supervisor, he put her on hold and never returned.
 
She said she is now concerned for other senior citizens who might not pick up on the scam.
 
"If somebody else was listening to this phone call they might fall for it and get ripped off," said Chindamo.
 
Chindamo said when she called the SEC, someone told her this type of call has been happening around the country and they took down her information.

WFTV