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Thread: Yet another scam

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    trenton, new jersey
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    7,867

    Yet another scam

    Hi PT friends -
    We all know that scams are running rampant these days so I'm giving all of you a heads up and I hope a laugh with this one.

    I got a phone call this afternoon, the caller had a very heavy foreign accent. He told me he was from the federal government and said I was selected to receive a $9,000 federal grant because I pay my bills on time and I don't have a criminal record. That's not something the feds would do so I terminated the call right there. A little while later I went to the call list on my cell phone, found the phone number and tried to call back just for grins. A message came on saying this number doesn't accept incoming calls. That may be so but this didn't feel right at all.

    Even though Mike and I laughed over it, my fear is for those who will fall for it.
    FIND A PURPOSE IN LIFE.....BE A BAD EXAMPLE

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
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    Boy, you'd sure have to be gullible for that! Hopefully no one will fall for it!
    I've Been Frosted

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    8,585
    We have a Panasonic phone that we can program to block up to 250 phone numbers. It has been a God-send. Whenever one of those calls come through, I just program it to be blocked - because you know they won't take one "no" for an answer. We can also block all calls from "private", "out of area", or "unavailable".

    When one of those numbers call, we hear one ring - and then nothing. The calling party just gets disconnected.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    I'm eloping tomorrow in Las Vegas!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    I'm so happy, how come no one gives a s*it? Oh well, never mind.

  6. #6
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    Thanks SO much! Back at ya! Bye forever.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Illinois, USA
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    28,379
    Quote Originally Posted by mon View Post
    I'm eloping tomorrow in Las Vegas!
    Wait, what? Tomorrow is today now. What did I miss?

    And Momcat, what was the catch to "get" that $9,000? Good for you for spotting a hoax.!
    Praying for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine, and around the world.

    I've been Boo'd ... right off the stage!

    Aaahh, I have been defrosted! Thank you, Bonny and Asiel!
    Brrrr, I've been Frosted! Thank you, Asiel and Pomtzu!


    "That's the power of kittens (and puppies too, of course): They can reduce us to quivering masses of Jell-O in about two seconds flat and make us like it. Good thing they don't have opposable thumbs or they'd surely have taken over the world by now." -- Paul Lukas

    "We consume our tomorrows fretting about our yesterdays." -- Persius, first century Roman poet

    Cassie's Catster page: http://www.catster.com/cats/448678

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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    20,164
    Quote Originally Posted by mon View Post
    I'm eloping tomorrow in Las Vegas!
    Congratulations, mon! Best wishes to you and your sweetie.

    I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?"
    Death thought about it.
    CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.

    -- Terry Pratchett (1948—2015), Sourcery

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Delaware, USA - The First State/Diamond State - home of The Blue Hens
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    Quote Originally Posted by mon View Post
    Thanks SO much! Back at ya! Bye forever.
    Dear Mon,

    Seriously - if you would post and start an appropriate thread, you just might get a response. You eloping has nothing to do with any scam...........or does it?????

    And if I remember correctly - you posted a "bye forever" once before, when you got up on your high horse with that attitude of yours. You're a grown woman - start acting like one, rather than a spoiled brat kid. Sheeeeesh..........

    And if you don't know how to start a new thread with an appropriate subject title - why not just ask?????????
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Wolfy ~ Fuzzbutt #3
    My little dog ~ a heartbeat at my feet

    Sparky the Fuzzbutt - PT's DOTD 8/3/2010
    RIP 2/28/1999~10/9/2012
    Myndi the Fuzzbutt - Mom's DOTD - Everyday
    RIP 1/24/1996~8/9/2013
    Ellie - Mom to the Fuzzbuttz

    To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
    Ecclesiastes 3:1
    The clock of life is wound but once and no man has the power
    To know just when the hands will stop - on what day, or what hour.
    Now is the only time you have, so live it with a will -
    Don't wait until tomorrow - the hands may then be still.
    ~~~~true author unknown~~~~

  10. #10
    Okay, I'm confused.

    Posting something like that in a thread about scams almost guarantees that:

    a) No one will believe you

    and

    b) No one is going to comment on the announcement because they think it's part of the scam thread.
    The one eyed man in the kingdom of the blind wasn't king, he was stoned for seeing light.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    trenton, new jersey
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    Well, tonight I got another call from some guy saying he's with the federal government and this time my grant amount from the Federal Reserve is $10,000! He said the money doesn't have to be paid back and I can use it for anything I want as long as it's not something criminal. This guy never said I was picked because I pay my bills on time and don't have a criminal record. This time I decided to listen to the entire pitch. He gave me an ID number then said I could get the money by direct deposit to my bank account, apply it to my credit card or I could pick it up at a Western Union office. My response was "This sounds like a scam" and his response was pretty evasive. He then said the amount will be kept on a prepaid card for 5 years if I change my mind. Strange, they never asked for me by my name (never gave it to them or any identifying or personal information)

    This time I wrote down everything he said then I called the Trenton police to report it. Within a half hour, 2 police officers came here. They took my statement about both calls then said they have this on file with the police because I called it in. One of the officers said these scammers often call seniors and retired folks because they tend to be easy marks. He also said these scammers are extremely difficult to catch especially since they know all the techno tricks to hide their tracks. The police said if they call again don't answer since I wrote down the number that came on my caller ID. They both emphasized that if anyone shows up at my house about it to call 911 immediately.
    FIND A PURPOSE IN LIFE.....BE A BAD EXAMPLE

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Delaware, USA - The First State/Diamond State - home of The Blue Hens
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    Wow Eileen - these scammers are getting really bold. I've never had a phone call from any, but I also had my land line disconnected well over a year ago - too much money for nothing. I have my cell, and that's enough for me.

    As far as the number that they use to call you - well that might be a problem to just not answer. I'm pretty sure that they have many different lines, so recognizing an incoming call from them might not be as easy as it sounds.

    I'd just hang up once they started to spew their line of bull. When I still had the house line and got a telemarketing call, I gave them an unwanted response. I kept one of those very loud personal security alarms at the phone, and they would get a good dose of that piercing siren. I KNOW that hurt their ears - big time. A police whistle works good too. They tend not to call back for more!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Wolfy ~ Fuzzbutt #3
    My little dog ~ a heartbeat at my feet

    Sparky the Fuzzbutt - PT's DOTD 8/3/2010
    RIP 2/28/1999~10/9/2012
    Myndi the Fuzzbutt - Mom's DOTD - Everyday
    RIP 1/24/1996~8/9/2013
    Ellie - Mom to the Fuzzbuttz

    To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
    Ecclesiastes 3:1
    The clock of life is wound but once and no man has the power
    To know just when the hands will stop - on what day, or what hour.
    Now is the only time you have, so live it with a will -
    Don't wait until tomorrow - the hands may then be still.
    ~~~~true author unknown~~~~

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
    Posts
    20,164
    Oh, that's a good idea about the whistle for those callers! Thank you, Ellie.

    I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?"
    Death thought about it.
    CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.

    -- Terry Pratchett (1948—2015), Sourcery

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Westchester Cty, NY
    Posts
    8,738
    You should let any caller you don't know roll to voice mail. Chances are scammers won't leave a message.

    It's rare for them to show up in "real" space, but if you see anything suspicious calling 911 isn't a bad idea.
    I've been finally defrosted by cassiesmom!
    "Not my circus, not my monkeys!"-Polish proverb

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    trenton, new jersey
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    Quote Originally Posted by smokey the elder View Post
    You should let any caller you don't know roll to voice mail. Chances are scammers won't leave a message.

    It's rare for them to show up in "real" space, but if you see anything suspicious calling 911 isn't a bad idea.
    Thanks, Smokey the Elder. That's exactly what the police told me to do when they were here last night should they try to call again. I'm also going to record the date and time should they try to call again. As for anyone connected showing up at my door, the police told me to call 911 if that happens. I hate to sound paranoid and think it's highly unlikely they'll come but I'll only answer the door if my son or a friend is here.
    FIND A PURPOSE IN LIFE.....BE A BAD EXAMPLE

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