S/O Beggars, Moochers and Scammers

[Twik]

It's interesting thinking about how the scammers sit around creating variations of existing scams. "Let's see, we've got the 'you've got millions!' scam, and the 'we're the FBI/Police/whatever, and you must do what we say' scam. Hey! Let's put them together! It'll be twice as effective!"

[Coralreef]

It's interesting thinking about how the scammers sit around creating variations of existing scams. "Let's see, we've got the 'you've got millions!' scam, and the 'we're the FBI/Police/whatever, and you must do what we say' scam. Hey! Let's put them together! It'll be twice as effective!"

"And to make sure everything is clear, we'll translate the thing with some online site.  Easy,peasy!"

[HGolightly]

We got a call tonight from a representative from "our bank".  They were pretty clever for using a number one digit off from the bank's actual number and it came up on caller ID as "ABC" instead of A Banking Company. Of course when our actual bank calls us, they ask for us by name and not by asking "who am I speaking to?".  They are pretty good and I imagine have been, sadly, effective at ripping people off.

[gramma dishes]

We got a call tonight from a representative from "our bank".  They were pretty clever for using a number one digit off from the bank's actual number and it came up on caller ID as "ABC" instead of A Banking Company. Of course when our actual bank calls us, they ask for us by name and not by asking "who am I speaking to?".  They are pretty good and I imagine have been, sadly, effective at ripping people off.

Did you notify your real bank about this?

[HGolightly]

We did! They gave us the number of the national anti fraud line to report it. One of the local radio stations have a Scam Line to get word out that DH emailed last night.

[RubyCat]

I've got a moocher story that's kind of sad.

Dh is a carpenter. He has a "friend" who is a bit of a loser - can never seem to hold a job for more than a couple of months but it's always somebody else's fault. Friend's wife has MS who had been having increasing difficulty carrying laundry from the basement. Dh said that if friend bought the material he would do most of the labor. Friend bought a few items on the list but then would keep making excuses until dh would give in and go buy the stock himself or pull from his own supplies. Dh resented it but felt so bad for the wife. Meanwhile friend has all the latest electronics and bought new motorcycle, so priorities, not money was the issue.

A couple of years later, friend started talking about wife needing a ramp to the house.  Although dh hated to do it, he told friend to call him when he had all the stock ready. He never did. Wife got her ramp so we guess that friend found somebody else to supply it.

[MrTango]

We got a call tonight from a representative from "our bank".  They were pretty clever for using a number one digit off from the bank's actual number and it came up on caller ID as "ABC" instead of A Banking Company. Of course when our actual bank calls us, they ask for us by name and not by asking "who am I speaking to?".  They are pretty good and I imagine have been, sadly, effective at ripping people off.

My response to that question would be: "You called me, you should know who I am.  Who are you?"

[Lynn2000]

Sometimes I get phone calls where they say, literally, "This is your credit card company," or "This is your insurance company." Not the company's name. I'm always like, yeah right, and I hang up. Either it is a scam, hoping to catch people who use a variety of companies, or someone at my actual company is not very professional.

[Katana_Geldar]

A kick starter that had the organiser disappearing has ended up in court.

http://slashdot.org/story/201527

[andi]

We just got a reminder at work about the toner/copier one. Evidently someone was "gotten" and it cost the company a bundle.

This just after our mandatory training video on security.

[WolfWay]

We got a call tonight from a representative from "our bank".  They were pretty clever for using a number one digit off from the bank's actual number and it came up on caller ID as "ABC" instead of A Banking Company. Of course when our actual bank calls us, they ask for us by name and not by asking "who am I speaking to?".  They are pretty good and I imagine have been, sadly, effective at ripping people off.

My response to that question would be: "You called me, you should know who I am.  Who are you?"

My usual response to "Who am I speaking to?" is "Who are you looking for?". That seems to frustrate the ones that don't know my name, enough that they often hang up on me.

Me: Hello.
Caller: Who am I speaking to?
Me: Who are you looking for?
Caller: Who am I speaking to?
Me: Who are you looking for?
Caller: <click>

[ladyknight1]

I received a call at my office line with a strange number. I answered with my nameless greeting (for the scammers) and it was a man with heavy Arabic accented English. He asked for me by name, then told me my tuition waiver wouldn't cover my honors thesis hours. Well, at least he wasn't a scammer!

[Coralreef]

I'm now getting scam emails in italian.  I'm international people! 

[artk2002]

We got a call tonight from a representative from "our bank".  They were pretty clever for using a number one digit off from the bank's actual number and it came up on caller ID as "ABC" instead of A Banking Company. Of course when our actual bank calls us, they ask for us by name and not by asking "who am I speaking to?".  They are pretty good and I imagine have been, sadly, effective at ripping people off.

My response to that question would be: "You called me, you should know who I am.  Who are you?"

My usual response to "Who am I speaking to?" is "Who are you looking for?". That seems to frustrate the ones that don't know my name, enough that they often hang up on me.

Me: Hello.
Caller: Who am I speaking to?
Me: Who are you looking for?
Caller: Who am I speaking to?
Me: Who are you looking for?
Caller: <click>

After the 3rd or 4th telemarketing/scam call in a day, I sometimes get a bit snippy.

Caller: "May I speak to the homeowner?"
My: "Only if you can ask for him by name. Bye" *click*

[Redneck Gravy]

If I get someone on the phone that I'm not quite sure what they are really looking for (scammer or just slow to get to the point) I use an alias.

One time had someone call and get my alias name then two hours later someone showed up for an appointment they had with Alias.  No such person here.  Hmmm.... it was an insurance salesman