S/O Beggars, Moochers and Scammers

[alkira6]

I was rear ended yesterday around 3pm.  I started getting calls from ambulance chasers at 8am this morning.  I am having quite a bit of fun leading them on and then telling them that the person who hit me is uninsured and works at the children's museum.  They can't hang up fast enough after that. 

Also - First, there where no injuries.  The girl who hit me was texting while driving, which is why she apparently "didn't see me" sitting at a red light.  Her car was crunched like a tin can.  My car had minimal damage (a bumper and rear cargo door need replacement).   I am probably a bad person for this, but I pulled a piece of her car from my rear bumper and kept it as a trophy.

[Amara]

Have I mentioned how envious () I am of all of you who are eligible for millions of dollars--and for just such a small handling fee!-- and cruises and such? I don't get any of those. 

However ... never fear. I have just received a notice from Verizon, my service provider, that apparently "the credit card we have on file for your Verizon Wireless service was declined when we attempted to bill you for your most recent service fees."

Well, aren't they kind. They even sent me a link to click on where "I could verify my account activity" and "once my payment information is updated you will be charged immediately as soon as payment is received."

They are apologetic about the inconvenience, of course, and let me know they appreciate "your support in helping us maintain the integrity of the Verizon Wireless system."

Aww, what a shame. While I am with Verizon I am not with Verizon Wireless, of whom I have never heard. I'm going to decline the privilege.

[gramma dishes]

Have I mentioned how envious () I am of all of you who are eligible for millions of dollars--and for just such a small handling fee!-- and cruises and such? I don't get any of those. 

However ... never fear. I have just received a notice from Verizon, my service provider, that apparently "the credit card we have on file for your Verizon Wireless service was declined when we attempted to bill you for your most recent service fees."

Well, aren't they kind. They even sent me a link to click on where "I could verify my account activity" and "once my payment information is updated you will be charged immediately as soon as payment is received."

They are apologetic about the inconvenience, of course, and let me know they appreciate "your support in helping us maintain the integrity of the Verizon Wireless system."

Aww, what a shame. While I am with Verizon I am not with Verizon Wireless, of whom I have never heard. I'm going to decline the privilege.

Also nice of them to charge you after they've received payment!!   

[pierrotlunaire0]

Years ago, I received a call at the DMV.  Customer was asking if she had left her wallet behind when she had been in earlier, and yes, we had found it.

She comes in the next day, and I verify that the license in the wallet was hers.  She is all smiles until she opens the wallet.  Where is her $500 in cash?  (There was maybe a dollar in it). 

Ma'am, I'm sorry but the only thing we really looked for was your ID.  We didn't take anything out of it.

"I had $500 in cash which I was going to use for Christmas shopping!"

I looked at her for a second, and then calmly said, "Then you need to contact the police and file a report."  She crumpled and left without a further word.  I don't know if she had planned a scam all along, or was just taking advantage of a situation, but we never heard from her or the police.

[Sirius]

Not a scam, but amusing nonetheless:  A couple of days ago we got a letter from the IRS saying that we owed them 1 cent, but they waived it because it was such a small amount.  How this happened:  I wrote a check for our estimated taxes for (say) $400 instead of $401, and I did this in early 2013.  Because our $1 was two months late we were penalized 1 cent.  It cost more than that to mail us the letter. 

[alkira6]

Not a scam, but amusing nonetheless:  A couple of days ago we got a letter from the IRS saying that we owed them 1 cent, but they waived it because it was such a small amount.  How this happened:  I wrote a check for our estimated taxes for (say) $400 instead of $401, and I did this in early 2013.  Because our $1 was two months late we were penalized 1 cent.  It cost more than that to mail us the letter.

After being audited in college (  crackdown on student loan fraud)  I was owed .23.  I made them write me a check.

[staceym]

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

this might be bad; but a coworker and I set up a fake voice mail.  The coworker is male and we used him to set up the voice mail.  So all calls asking who handles..blah blah blah go straight to this voice mail.

It's amusing some of the responses I get when I tell them he is unavailable (whether gone, not in, in a meeting, didn't answer his page, etc.).  Some tell me oh, that's okay I'll just send him an email - alrighty then  .  The one that I cracked up on was when the person told me they had is cell phone number and will just call him there 

[Redwing]

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

I've been getting them in French for weeks.  On my work email.  At the police department.

[doodlemor]

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

I've been getting them in French for weeks.  On my work email.  At the police department.

You could copy and paste them into google translate.  I doubt that the Montreal police would send emails in French, but it might be interesting to find out what these emails say.

[Twik]

I'm pretty sure the Montreal PD would send emails in French. It's an official provincial language, and the preferred one of the government.

[doodlemor]

I'm pretty sure the Montreal PD would send emails in French. It's an official provincial language, and the preferred one of the government.

Thanks, Twik.  I didn't realize that. 

Since that is the case, Redwing, unless there is something about the emails that appears salacious I stand by my advice to google translate them and find out if they could be important.

[pierrotlunaire0]

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

I've been getting them in French for weeks.  On my work email.  At the police department.

I took this to mean that Redwing's work email was at the police department, not that the email was coming from a police department.  It would be funny if a phishing email was hitting a police email.

[Redwing]

The French emails are coming to my work email and I do work for the police.  They are not from any police agency.  My rudimentary knowledge of French from high school has enabled to me to determine that.  I'm sure I'll get another.  I've gotten three so far.  I believe I posted one several pages back.

Also, you'd be astonished at how many of these phishing emails I do get on my work email.

[Bexx27]

Years ago, I received a call at the DMV.  Customer was asking if she had left her wallet behind when she had been in earlier, and yes, we had found it.

She comes in the next day, and I verify that the license in the wallet was hers.  She is all smiles until she opens the wallet.  Where is her $500 in cash?  (There was maybe a dollar in it). 

Ma'am, I'm sorry but the only thing we really looked for was your ID.  We didn't take anything out of it.

"I had $500 in cash which I was going to use for Christmas shopping!"

I looked at her for a second, and then calmly said, "Then you need to contact the police and file a report."  She crumpled and left without a further word.  I don't know if she had planned a scam all along, or was just taking advantage of a situation, but we never heard from her or the police.

  What did she think was going to happen? You'd just hand over $500 out of your pocket/register on her say-so without getting the police involved? I would love to know what some of these people are thinking (not much, I suspect).

[wolfie]

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

this might be bad; but a coworker and I set up a fake voice mail.  The coworker is male and we used him to set up the voice mail.  So all calls asking who handles..blah blah blah go straight to this voice mail.

It's amusing some of the responses I get when I tell them he is unavailable (whether gone, not in, in a meeting, didn't answer his page, etc.).  Some tell me oh, that's okay I'll just send him an email - alrighty then  .  The one that I cracked up on was when the person told me they had is cell phone number and will just call him there 

So to get out of having to do work you set up a fake account and just send people to that? I would be so mad if I was a customer and found out that instead of handling my issue you just sent me to the equivalent of the dead letter office.