S/O Beggars, Moochers and Scammers

[rose red]

I just got an email from "Becky" with the subject line telling me that her husband is not home *wink.*  With a heading like that, I'm afraid to open it, but wonder what the scam is.

[zyrs]

I just got an email from "Becky" with the subject line telling me that her husband is not home *wink.*  With a heading like that, I'm afraid to open it, but wonder what the scam is.

If it's like the other emails, she wants you to buy a membership to watch her webcam - she gets all your credit card info if you do.

[Morticia]

I just got an email offering me a share  (18.6 million) of a fund for victims of disaster. The disasters included "internet or email scams". 

[ladyknight1]

We moved in August 2011. Before moving, I researched all ISP's available, their rates and whether or not a contract was required.

Through my work, I received a great monthly rate on company C. No contract, no deposit, and we pay $90 for digital cable and their second tier internet per month with no service charges ever.
Company A didn't offer high speed internet or television service at our place, and their slow internet was $100 per month plus a $250 deposit and a two year contract.
Company B offered high speed internet and cable for $150 per month, with a two year contract and a $100 deposit.

I went with company C. I get mail from both companies A & B and satellite television companies offering me great low rates, when they can't beat what I have and require contracts!

[LEMon]

I just got a spam/scam email from "The King of Narnia." WOW.

Bet it's Edmund.

LOL!

HIGH KING Edmund.

I thought Peter was the High King.

[ladyknight1]

This would be listed under Scammer Fail:

Right before Christmas, a package was delivered to me at home. From Apple. My DH was there and asked if I had ordered anything. Nope. So, I opened it up. It was a Mac Book Pro laptop. I was confused, DH wondered aloud if it was a gift from my stepmom (she gave DD an iPad last Christams). I said I wasn't that good this year, besides all our computers are Windows. The packing slip didn't indicate who paid for it.

So, I called Apple, and asked them. They said MyName ordered it. Umm, no I didn't. How was it paid for? With this credit card, and he read off my credit card number! Ack! He had my name and address, but a different email address. The Apple CSR and I discussed the situation. He recommended that I call my credit card company, then the police, then back to Apple.

I called the CC company, they cancelled the transaction and my card. They sent a new card the next business day. The police came and took a report. I gave the trooper a copy of the pack list and the print out showing the cost of the item. He told me not to hold my breath on him finding the person.

Then back to Apple to return the laptop. They emailed me a return shipping label.

What kind of idiot steals a credit card, goes shopping, and then has the stuff shipped to the real CC holder's house?

That happens a lot in my area, the thief usually lies in wait on the delivery day.

[squeakers]

I just got a spam/scam email from "The King of Narnia." WOW.

Bet it's Edmund.

LOL!

HIGH KING Edmund.

I thought Peter was the High King.

I think the High King Edmund is from the movie. http://forum.narniaweb.com/viewtopic.php?p=126899

[otterwoman]

This would be listed under Scammer Fail:

Right before Christmas, a package was delivered to me at home. From Apple. My DH was there and asked if I had ordered anything. Nope. So, I opened it up. It was a Mac Book Pro laptop. I was confused, DH wondered aloud if it was a gift from my stepmom (she gave DD an iPad last Christams). I said I wasn't that good this year, besides all our computers are Windows. The packing slip didn't indicate who paid for it.

So, I called Apple, and asked them. They said MyName ordered it. Umm, no I didn't. How was it paid for? With this credit card, and he read off my credit card number! Ack! He had my name and address, but a different email address. The Apple CSR and I discussed the situation. He recommended that I call my credit card company, then the police, then back to Apple.

I called the CC company, they cancelled the transaction and my card. They sent a new card the next business day. The police came and took a report. I gave the trooper a copy of the pack list and the print out showing the cost of the item. He told me not to hold my breath on him finding the person.

Then back to Apple to return the laptop. They emailed me a return shipping label.

What kind of idiot steals a credit card, goes shopping, and then has the stuff shipped to the real CC holder's house?

That happens a lot in my area, the thief usually lies in wait on the delivery day.

Me again, that would not have worked in this case. FedEx had called the day before to make sure that someone would be here to sign for the package. Besides, I live in the woods. The only people who can find us are FedEx, UPS, USPS and the Jehovahs Witness.

Now, if the thief had ordered an iPad, I would have considered it a sign from the gods and kept it.

[Shea]

Haha - I just got one. I answered even though the name on my caller id was gibberish and i didn't recognize the number. It was some guy, who could barely speak English, calling about my "microsoft windows computer" nice try since they don't really make computers, and I know its a scam. I just said, hey, I know this is a scam, goodbye and hung up.

Yeah, I got that one a couple of weeks ago. I laughed, told him I knew very well he wasn't from Microsoft, and hung up.

[Outdoor Girl]

Got the air duct cleaning one again last night.  I just don't understand why they don't take my name off their list.  Every time they call me, I hang up as soon as they say their name.  So they are just wasting their time (and mine).

(I've tried polite; I know just hanging up is somewhat rude.  With the frequency these people call me, it's a whole lot less rude than what I really want to do.  And it saves on my blood pressure.)

[Lorelei_Evil]

Anyone get the chimney sweep or just me?  He's nice enough, but he goes on and on and on.  I live in an apartment, no chimney here. 

[siamesecat2965]

We moved in August 2011. Before moving, I researched all ISP's available, their rates and whether or not a contract was required.

Through my work, I received a great monthly rate on company C. No contract, no deposit, and we pay $90 for digital cable and their second tier internet per month with no service charges ever.
Company A didn't offer high speed internet or television service at our place, and their slow internet was $100 per month plus a $250 deposit and a two year contract.
Company B offered high speed internet and cable for $150 per month, with a two year contract and a $100 deposit.

I went with company C. I get mail from both companies A & B and satellite television companies offering me great low rates, when they can't beat what I have and require contracts!

 

Slightly OT, but I have my rental insurance, and had my car insurance with a large, national, company. I was however, able to swtich my car insurance to a company only in my state, and you can only get if your company or you have some "in" with the state small business association. and beacuse they aren't open to everyone, their rates are cheap. way cheaper than any other company, and the coverqage is good. but every time i ahve to call or renew my rental, they ask about auto, and I tell them if you can beat my current co, sure, but as soon as they hear who it is, they say, nope, sorry.

I just wish i  could get my rental from them, but they are selective, and won't insure multi-unit dwellings.

[nutraxfornerves]

Internet romance scams - hold your wallet. From the San Francisco Chronicle. Interesting reading.

This is an interview with "Kim Garner, vice president of global security and investigations for the money transfer company [Money Gram]."

Some interesting statistics:
• In 2011, people were bilked out of $50 million [in the US] - the average victim lost nearly $9,000
• the age of victims ranges from 45 to 65
• 40 percent are men and 60 percent women
• Money Gram has set up a fraud detection system. If it's triggered, the staffer stars talking to the consumer. In the last 2.5 years, using this system, Money Gram has kept $220 million from being sent to scammers.

The most common scam:

That the person is working overseas as an engineer or on an oil rig and hasn't been paid. So the person asks for a loan. The other one we see is the person who poses as a gemologist and has all his or her money wrapped up in gems and needs a loan to pay customs, or to come for a visit. Sometimes the money is needed to cure a sick child or relative.

[Seven Ate Nine]

[SNIP]
 The only people who can find us are FedEx, UPS, USPS and the Jehovahs Witness.

That is hilarious.  When we moved, I was sure that the only people who would willingly come down our driveway would be people that we expected (Aside from living in the middle of nowhere, I live on a "flag lot" with a really long driveway).  I was a little surprised (and a bit creeped out) when I came home the other day and found a "Watchtower" shoved halfway through my door.

[JenJay]

This morning I got a call from my credit union's automated system notifying me that three separate purchases, totaling nearly $1k, had been made to an online toy store and did I authorize that? Um, no. 

Yesterday I bought my son two video games for his birthday through amazon. One was directly from them but the other is through another online retailer and I'm thinking somebody swiped my card number. I tried to call the bank but of course they're closed due to the holiday. We were able to track down the number for reporting fraud so we did that, transactions are refused and the card is canceled. We also tried to call the customer service number of the online toy store to notify them not to ship the orders but they're closed, too. We'll call everyone again first thing in the morning.

I want to ask them for the name and address the items were to be shipped to. Will they tell me? I think I have a right to know, as I was the one charged, but I don't know how that works. I've never been stolen from before. I'd really like to track this jerk down and turn him/her in if possible.