S/O Beggars, Moochers and Scammers

[staceym]

Staceym, how thick is your parents' driveway?  We did get ours done later, and it's 4-5 inches thick.  If your parents' is much thinner, then they got scammed.

their drive is actually pretty short (enough for 1-1/2-2 cars); but a small additional spot enough for one car - I'm not sure how thick it is; fairly thick and it has been almost two years and has held up under two winters; so I think they are okay.

[helixa]

Here is the news article on the glass diamonds lady.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=24131698

Glass Diamonds Lady struck again!
And this time she had an accomplice, and they got $5k
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24228879&nid=960&title=woman-loses-thousands-of-dollars-in-fake-diamond-scam&fm=home_page&s_cid=featured-4

Very lucrative "job" I guess....$12,000 US in two weeks.

I don't get it.  Why would you buy a diamond off the street?  At least go with the seller to a jewelry store to verity that the diamond is real before forking over thousands of money.

That's why so many people accused the first scammed lady of being "in on it," not really scammed but made it look like she was, to prey on the public's goodwill.

Now that a second lady has fallen for the scam, I have to wonder if people are going to accuse this victim of being "in on it" too.

I don't think they were buying the diamonds, but the scammer left them as collateral for the loan, or promised more in return in the second scam. They mostly used a sob story to con fellow Hispanic women.

[helixa]

Here's one I am wondering about:

My Mom once got a spam that had been spoofed to look like it came from one of my e-mail addys - a rather old one on Yahoo!, actually, that I recently revived for wedding planning. I changed my password and didn't think too much on it.

However, she keeps occasionally getting spam/scam e-mails that say they're from my first & last name (say, Jedi Kaiti), but with a wholly different e-mail address - usually Yahoo! it seems, but I'm not 100% certain on that. The thing is, she is the ONLY person getting these (or at least to have mentioned it to me), and come to find out today, she's gotten some similar ones purporting to be from one of my cousins, as well!

I'm a little baffled - it can't be that someone got my contacts from that account, there are only 2 in there, neither of whom are Mom. Maybe they scraped info out of the sent mail folder, but then why haven't my DF, MOH, or officiant gotten these emails - to say nothing of photographers and other service providers I've been corresponding with.

I'm a little confoosled.

My mom's gotten two emails recently - one labeled to look like it came from my brother, and one labeled to look like it came from me. Thankfully mom noticed that the emails are different from the ones we use (and why on earth would we email her when we're both in the house with her?).

I've gotten a couple of these recently.  It does worry me a bit - they will be coming "from" my aunt or friend but with the wrong email address.  They ALSO use my first name in the email title.  And this has been to my work email no less.

They're even getting the SPELLING of my name right - and it's an odd one!

I've had these exactly! Coming from my DH my BIL and his wife, which has made me wonder if they got the information from a genealogy site, as it's the main common link between all of us electronically.
The name the email is from is correct but the email address itself is wrong (yahoo from memory, I've deleted them all though) and my name is correct. They usually just contain a single link. It could either be for malware, or simply an ad-click scam I guess.

[CakeBeret]

I'm trying to figure out what the scam here is.

I bought my car from a dealership a few years ago. Ever since then I've been getting emails, letters, and postcards saying that they are "soooo desperate" for my car and they would love to buy it back for about 50% more than what I owe on it. They always say that they will pay cash, it doesn't have to be a trade-in. Now I'm sure that if I had a limited-edition Maserati it might actually be in such high demand, but I actually have a 2009 Sentra. So I'm sure no one is desperate for it.

I usually say "yeah, sure", roll my eyes, and chuck the mail. But I'm not clear on what they're expecting to happen. Is it all a ploy to lure me to the dealership? Are they going to try and hook me with a new car and then give me a much lower trade-in on my car? I've always wondered what would happen if I walked into the dealership and tried to get the high cash amount they keep offering me, and refused to even look at other vehicles.

[RebeccainGA]

I usually say "yeah, sure", roll my eyes, and chuck the mail. But I'm not clear on what they're expecting to happen. Is it all a ploy to lure me to the dealership? Are they going to try and hook me with a new car and then give me a much lower trade-in on my car? I've always wondered what would happen if I walked into the dealership and tried to get the high cash amount they keep offering me, and refused to even look at other vehicles.

Yes, it's a ploy - and if you went in and didn't look at another car, they'd find a reason not to give you the deal. In many areas, used cars are holding their value so well, and are in such demand, that they are worth enough to justify that extra $$ from the dealer. Many folks are preferring used because of the economy, either not wanting to spend the money, not able to get financing, or don't want to drive something flashy when others can't.

I get them ALL THE TIME. Even since we moved. On my 2006 Kia van. If they're that desperate for a car that old, makes me wonder what they'd offer me for my 1997 Camry!

[nuit93]

Depends on the vehicle.

My b/f has a Ford Ranger that he's constantly getting requests to buy back, since 1) Ford is discontining that model and 2) they're REALLY popular.

[violinp]

I usually say "yeah, sure", roll my eyes, and chuck the mail. But I'm not clear on what they're expecting to happen. Is it all a ploy to lure me to the dealership? Are they going to try and hook me with a new car and then give me a much lower trade-in on my car? I've always wondered what would happen if I walked into the dealership and tried to get the high cash amount they keep offering me, and refused to even look at other vehicles.

Yes, it's a ploy - and if you went in and didn't look at another car, they'd find a reason not to give you the deal. In many areas, used cars are holding their value so well, and are in such demand, that they are worth enough to justify that extra $$ from the dealer. Many folks are preferring used because of the economy, either not wanting to spend the money, not able to get financing, or don't want to drive something flashy when others can't.

I get them ALL THE TIME. Even since we moved. On my 2006 Kia van. If they're that desperate for a car that old, makes me wonder what they'd offer me for my 1997 Camry!

Someone who goes to my church got a Tesla Roadster second - hand for $45,000. No, that was not a typo.  It's a fair price, since that's half its selling power, but that seems an awful lot for a used car, even if it is powered by lithium - ion batteries.

[siamesecat2965]

I'm trying to figure out what the scam here is.

I bought my car from a dealership a few years ago. Ever since then I've been getting emails, letters, and postcards saying that they are "soooo desperate" for my car and they would love to buy it back for about 50% more than what I owe on it. They always say that they will pay cash, it doesn't have to be a trade-in. Now I'm sure that if I had a limited-edition Maserati it might actually be in such high demand, but I actually have a 2009 Sentra. So I'm sure no one is desperate for it.

I usually say "yeah, sure", roll my eyes, and chuck the mail. But I'm not clear on what they're expecting to happen. Is it all a ploy to lure me to the dealership? Are they going to try and hook me with a new car and then give me a much lower trade-in on my car? I've always wondered what would happen if I walked into the dealership and tried to get the high cash amount they keep offering me, and refused to even look at other vehicles.

Or the ones who say they will give you x dollars for your trade in, no matter WHAT it is. haven't quite figured that one out yet. 

and the ones who say you owe on your old car, no problem!  And I don't think a lot of people understand that just means they roll what you owe on old car into the new loan, and not that they will forgive your loan.

[magician5]

I've heard that the less reputable used car dealers (the ones who advertise "Bad Credit? No credit? No problem!") attract hapless lower-class buyers (people who have run out of choices) and insist that loans be paid in cash at the dealership. Then when the customer is late with a payment or defaults (as is likely) the vehicle is repossessed and the sad cycle begins all over again. In addition, there are innumerable tricks to make a faulty vehicle look much better than it really is, and sell it at an inflated price.

[Lorelei_Evil]

Here is the news article on the glass diamonds lady.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=24131698

Glass Diamonds Lady struck again!
And this time she had an accomplice, and they got $5k
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24228879&nid=960&title=woman-loses-thousands-of-dollars-in-fake-diamond-scam&fm=home_page&s_cid=featured-4

Very lucrative "job" I guess....$12,000 US in two weeks.

I don't get it.  Why would you buy a diamond off the street?  At least go with the seller to a jewelry store to verity that the diamond is real before forking over thousands of money.

That's why so many people accused the first scammed lady of being "in on it," not really scammed but made it look like she was, to prey on the public's goodwill.

Now that a second lady has fallen for the scam, I have to wonder if people are going to accuse this victim of being "in on it" too.

I don't think they were buying the diamonds, but the scammer left them as collateral for the loan, or promised more in return in the second scam. They mostly used a sob story to con fellow Hispanic women.

They struck again yesterday.  Gullible trusting people.

[Jones]

I saw that! Ugh!

[KimberlyM]

Awesome!  I just won a BMW and $50,000!  How cool is that, I don't even remember entering...

BMW LOTTERY DEPARTMENT
ROCKVIEW, ARKANSAS. 49812
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Dear Winner,

This is to inform you that you have been selected for a prize of a brand new 2012 Model BMW 7 Series Car and a Check of $500,000.00usd from international programs held on the 1st section 2013 in the UNITED STATE OF AMERICA.

The selection process was carried out through random selection in our computerized email selection system (ESS) from a database of over 250,000 email addresses drawn from all the continents of the world which you were selected.

The BMW Lottery is approved by the British Gaming Board and also licensed by the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR). To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact our fiduciary claims department for more information as regards procedures to claim your prize.

Name: Mr. David Burt
Email: david.burt01@outlook.com

Contact him by providing him with your secret pin code Number BMW:2551256003/23. You are also advised to provide him with the
Under listed information as soon as possible:

1. Name in full. 2. Address.
3. Nationality. 4. Age.
5. Occupation. 6. Phone/Fax.
7. Present Country. 8. Email address.
9. pin code Number BMW:2551256003/23

Dr. Darl Servey
THE DIRECTOR PROMOTIONS
BMW LOTTERY DEPARTMENT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

[Amara]

Wow, how kind of them to be sure to let you know that Arkansas is in the United States and that your check was won from "international programs held on the 1st section 2013." I am sooooooo envious.

[esteban]

You loss posting that here.  I already claimed the car and the cash using that secret PIN.  Don't you know you aren't supposed to share them.  I'll be out driving in style in just a short amount of time (as soon as the check for the taxes clears, for whatever reason they can't take it out of the $50k I have to send it to them)

[snowfire]

and the ones who say you owe on your old car, no problem!  And I don't think a lot of people understand that just means they roll what you owe on old car into the new loan, and not that they will forgive your loan.

There was a dealership busted a few years ago in my area who was doing this.  Not only did they not tell people that what they owed on the trade in was being rolled into the new car loan, they were not paying off the loan on the old car.  Poor schmucks were then stuck with the original loan on a car that they no longer had in their possession, but the inflated loan on the new car.