S/O Beggars, Moochers and Scammers

[Harriet Jones]

This scammer needs to try a little harder.  This is the entire email I just received:

I am Capt.Rivera a US Army in Afghanistan i need your help for safe keeping of two military trunk boxes

[Seven Ate Nine]

Not a "scammer" the way that some of these stories are, but still enough to make me 

I belong to several local mom 2 mom facebook groups.  Most of them allow people to post home business sales stuff (Mary Kay, Pure Romance, etc) which annoys me some, but I just scroll past.  A few weeks ago, someone posted a message along the lines of:

Hey moms, who's tired of all this cold?  We should have a girls night in!  Come to my house at X day and time, and we'll have snacks, chat, and I'll give everyone facials!

Being the skeptic that I am, I clicked on her profile.  Consultant for Arbonne.  Girls' night in... right.

[ladyknight1]

I know someone who does that for her lingerie, skin care products and scrabble item sideline. I just ignore everything she posts.

[Katana_Geldar]

Got another scamming call from the ATO today, I hate that they have my name. This time they hung up after my earful.

[Yarnspinner]

Hope I didn't post this before, haven't been able to find it, so here goes....

This past summer my father was visiting and there was a phone call from a breast cancer organization.  Dad pledged to send them $XX and they thanked him profusely.  They called back that night and got me and gave me their spiel and I decided, okay, in honor of my beloved stepgrandmother who died twenty plus years ago, that I would also contribute $XX. 

I thought it was odd they called twice in one day, but--maybe two different volunteers crossed wires.

Then they called at the end of the week because they hadn't received our donations yet.  THEN they called the following week to thank us for our donations and wanted to know how much more they could put us down for THIS week.  I told them to stop calling and went and looked their organization up.

Surprise.  They are, unfortunately, legit...but only on a superficial level.  Approximately 10 cents of every dollar goes to people who need help with their cancer treatments.  The rest is all for the organizers who "help" those victims of cancer.

Next time they called I told them to take my name off their list.  They said they would.  They called back for my father (who had returned home by then.)  I told them to take HIM off their list as well.

It didn't stop them.  They sold our names (and my phone number) to other organizations who call for all kinds of cancer victims, the police and so on.  When one group called to ask for my Dad, I told them he had died, just to see what this guy would do.

"Oh, well, maybe you'd like to help our cause...."  and they just steamrolled over my words....I finally took a deep breath and said  "You clearly do not understand a word I have said and I have no desire to continue this conversation" and hung up on them.

They have switched tactics now, sending me envelopes detailing how my generosity helps so many in need....yeah, no.  It all goes in the shredder now.

[MrTango]

They have switched tactics now, sending me envelopes detailing how my generosity helps so many in need....yeah, no. It all goes in the shredder now.

Just be sure they didn't include something in the envelope that might harm your shredder.  There's a religious one that sends "angel coins" which are cheap gold-colored coins about the size of a quarter.  I'm sure they're made of really cheap metal, but they might still damage a shredder's teeth.

[Katana_Geldar]

There were some people collecting for a charity in our shopping centre recently, DH and I wanted to get home so we went to the other side of a stall to avoid them. One guy purposely went over to us to try and get us to donate. He got the cold shoulder.

[Elfmama]

Next time they called I told them to take my name off their list.  They said they would.  They called back for my father (who had returned home by then.)  I told them to take HIM off their list as well.

It didn't stop them.  They sold our names (and my phone number) to other organizations who call for all kinds of cancer victims, the police and so on.

As soon as they go into their spiel, I just interrupt and say "I'm sorry, but we do not respond to any telephone solicitations at all.  But have a nice day." And I hang up without giving them a chance to reply.  The telephone is for YOUR convenience, something YOU pay for -- why let a telemarketer hold it hostage one second longer than necessary?

[Miss Misery]

Here's a new one I got in my e-mail:

Eviction notice,

Hereby you are notified that you have to move to another
location from the currently occupied premises within
the next three weeks.

Please find the lawsuit details attached to this letter.

If you do not move within this period of time,
we will have no other alternative than to have you
physically removed from the property per order of the Judge.

If we can be of any assistance to you during your relocation,
please feel free to contact us any time.

Will someone help me move? 

[Fliss]

A rapper in LA wants me to come and be his PA! I'm sooooo excited!

[oz diva]

Next time they called I told them to take my name off their list.  They said they would.  They called back for my father (who had returned home by then.)  I told them to take HIM off their list as well.

It didn't stop them.  They sold our names (and my phone number) to other organizations who call for all kinds of cancer victims, the police and so on.

As soon as they go into their spiel, I just interrupt and say "I'm sorry, but we do not respond to any telephone solicitations at all.  But have a nice day." And I hang up without giving them a chance to reply.  The telephone is for YOUR convenience, something YOU pay for -- why let a telemarketer hold it hostage one second longer than necessary?

I have a friend who runs a charity. I just tell them that I will be donating to her instead. I know that every cent I donate goes to the kids in need, not to the staff. (as there aren't any paid staff).

[Katana_Geldar]

DH and I volunteer to raise money for charity as part of the 501st. So we feel a bit better about saying no.

I also dislike solicitations for ongoing donation.

[MommyPenguin]

I got a call from the political party that we sort of align with, but strongly disagree with the direction they've been going lately.  They called to ask for a donation.  I had *so* much fun telling them exactly how I thought they were going wrong and why we wouldn't be donating until they fixed it.  Just kept talking right over the telemarketer, then hung up when I was done.  Doubt it will do anything, although you never know (they record the calls), but it felt good.

[BB-VA]

Next time they called I told them to take my name off their list.  They said they would.  They called back for my father (who had returned home by then.)  I told them to take HIM off their list as well.

It didn't stop them.  They sold our names (and my phone number) to other organizations who call for all kinds of cancer victims, the police and so on.

As soon as they go into their spiel, I just interrupt and say "I'm sorry, but we do not respond to any telephone solicitations at all.  But have a nice day." And I hang up without giving them a chance to reply.  The telephone is for YOUR convenience, something YOU pay for -- why let a telemarketer hold it hostage one second longer than necessary?

I do the same, but I also throw in "This number is on the federal Do Not Call list.  Please do not call again as you will be subject to a $100 fine."  Seems to have worked so far....

[Runningstar]

There are so many panhandlers out on the streets at many traffic lights where you have to wait a long time for the light to turn green.  They all carry foldable cardboard signs that say homeless, or will work for food/hungry, etc.  They then walk down the line of traffic with sad faces asking for handouts.  It isn't that I am against helping someone out, but that they are there everyday and I am very suspicious that they are just scammers.  One intersection has a panhandler in each direction and so I pass by them twice.  They keep an eye out for police and quickly fold their sign when they spot police.  On my way to and from appointments I now pass up to six a day.