[Scams] Random Scamdomness

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:11 pm

Just a heads up on one that I almost started to almost fall for.

I got a text with a tracking number asking me to confirm my address. I'm always getting texts with tracking numbers from strange companies thanks to Kickstarter. And it just so happens that I'm waiting on a package or two from overseas. I clicked the link, then immediately closed it before it loaded with a "Hang on, wait a sec..."

And yeah, some quick research shows that it's a scam to collect credit card info (probably in the form of a claim for a customs/VAT fee.)

Clicking random links with proper security software is generally safe, and I'm not concerned about having done so (most scam links - as with this one - are to sites that try to trick you into volunteering info), but it's still not a good idea.

I wanted to offer a heads-up given that a lot of people here also get strange tracking numbers from strange companies.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:31 pm

I keep getting calls from the same asshole (always from a different number) who always asks for the same person (let's say that's Fred). If I somehow pick it up because I'm expecting a call, he asks for Fred. If I say it's the wrong number he immediately launches into asking for a donation to some police organization. Fortunately as soon as I hear "Fred" I hang up and block the number.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:32 pm

The other day I got a package from Amazon that I didn't order. Some cheap little plastic bows for little girls hair. I think it's some kind of scam that involves getting a better feedback rating from Amazon. Didn't cost me anything tho.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:35 pm

I like the way Indian scammers have names like Steve, Zack, and Kevin.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:37 pm

Jaymann wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:31 pm I keep getting calls from the same asshole (always from a different number) who always asks for the same person (let's say that's Fred). If I somehow pick it up because I'm expecting a call, he asks for Fred. If I say it's the wrong number he immediately launches into asking for a donation to some police organization. Fortunately as soon as I hear "Fred" I hang up and block the number.

I get a variation of that when they say (laugh) "I was just getting ready to hang up."

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 5:36 pm

dbt1949 wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:32 pm The other day I got a package from Amazon that I didn't order. Some cheap little plastic bows for little girls hair. I think it's some kind of scam that involves getting a better feedback rating from Amazon. Didn't cost me anything tho.

Sort of. It's yours to keep, but on Amazon's official record, there was a sale. It wasn't a sale to you (or tied to your account), but it still registers as a sale. As such, the person who 'purchased' it (who then gets their money back under the table, minus a fee) can write a 'legitimate' five-star review. It isn't really dangerous. It's a scam from the seller toward Amazon (and thus impacting any future customers with fake ratings.)

If you want to address it, you can go here.

Scuzz · Post by **Scuzz** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 6:34 pm

dbt1949 wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:32 pm The other day I got a package from Amazon that I didn't order. Some cheap little plastic bows for little girls hair. I think it's some kind of scam that involves getting a better feedback rating from Amazon. Didn't cost me anything tho.

Do they look good in your hair?

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 6:36 pm

Yes. Needed more than one tho.

Scuzz · Post by **Scuzz** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 6:39 pm

In the last couple months we have been getting the phone calls telling us our non-existent auto warranty is expiring and we need to re-up. We are getting the "your Amazon" credit card has been used blah blah blah, well, we don't have one. And we are getting more calls from questionable charities than I could count.

I think my just hitting 65 has kicked in all the senior citizen scams as well.

We no longer answer our land line (not sure why we even have one) unless we know who it is. If it is legit they will leave a message.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 7:15 pm

Scuzz wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 6:39 pm In the last couple months we have been getting the phone calls telling us our non-existent auto warranty is expiring and we need to re-up. We are getting the "your Amazon" credit card has been used blah blah blah, well, we don't have one. And we are getting more calls from questionable charities than I could count.

I think my just hitting 65 has kicked in all the senior citizen scams as well.

We no longer answer our land line (not sure why we even have one) unless we know who it is. If it is legit they will leave a message.

My land line is all crap or scam calls except from my mom. I keep it because my internet/cable/phone package is cheaper than dropping the service plus I can call my cell phone when I lay it down somewhere in the house...

I started getting a call that sounds like a real person by the way they carry on a conversation. "Hey this is Steve, I may have the wrong number, I was looking at a listing for your land and as a real estate agent I'm interested in buying it, give me a call...." Got the same call a week later with exact same wording so it is just a recording. Not sure of the angle of the sales pitch. Maybe an agent just hoping to get lucky with someone wanting to sale.

Hipolito · Post by **Hipolito** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 8:08 pm

I'm addicted to the kitboga YouTube channel where he baits scammers. Hearing the scammers yell their heads off and lose their minds is like ASMR to me.

Scuzz · Post by **Scuzz** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 10:07 pm

Lassr wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 7:15 pm
Scuzz wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 6:39 pm In the last couple months we have been getting the phone calls telling us our non-existent auto warranty is expiring and we need to re-up. We are getting the "your Amazon" credit card has been used blah blah blah, well, we don't have one. And we are getting more calls from questionable charities than I could count.

I think my just hitting 65 has kicked in all the senior citizen scams as well.

We no longer answer our land line (not sure why we even have one) unless we know who it is. If it is legit they will leave a message.
My land line is all crap or scam calls except from my mom. I keep it because my internet/cable/phone package is cheaper than dropping the service plus I can call my cell phone when I lay it down somewhere in the house...

I started getting a call that sounds like a real person by the way they carry on a conversation. "Hey this is Steve, I may have the wrong number, I was looking at a listing for your land and as a real estate agent I'm interested in buying it, give me a call...." Got the same call a week later with exact same wording so it is just a recording. Not sure of the angle of the sales pitch. Maybe an agent just hoping to get lucky with someone wanting to sale.

I am listed as a contact for a partnership that owns some industrial property. I inherited 8% of the company when my dad died and in putting my name on it somehow I became the contact. Anyway, I recently received a call almost word for word like the one you got. He left the message on our machine.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 10:29 pm

One of my clients sent me an email a few months ago. She had promised her niece a nice birthday gift but forgot to buy it, and now she was getting on a plane to Aruba, so would I mind buying an Amazon gift card and sending it to the young lady? She'd pay me back right away! It was a little more convoluted than that, and it did come from her legit email address, so I scratched my head over that one for a few minutes.

Yeah, she got hacked. That email must've gone out to all of her contacts.

Grifman · Post by **Grifman** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:03 pm

Jaymann wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:31 pm I keep getting calls from the same asshole (always from a different number) who always asks for the same person (let's say that's Fred). If I somehow pick it up because I'm expecting a call, he asks for Fred. If I say it's the wrong number he immediately launches into asking for a donation to some police organization. Fortunately as soon as I hear "Fred" I hang up and block the number.

The police fundraisers are among the worst - only about 5 to 10% of the money raised actually goes to whatever purpose they are supposedly raising money for. Most of it just goes to make more calls.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:04 pm

dbt1949 wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:32 pm The other day I got a package from Amazon that I didn't order. Some cheap little plastic bows for little girls hair. I think it's some kind of scam that involves getting a better feedback rating from Amazon. Didn't cost me anything tho.

Yeah, that's likely it. Reminds me that years ago, my Dad received hair products in the mail. Was quite random, since he really has no use for hair products, and it was from a fairly big mail order company. For several months up to a year following the order, the company would hound us to pay up as we acted like we were keeping it rather than return it.

Grifman · Post by **Grifman** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:07 pm

Funny, I just checked my spam folder today (do it about once a month) and included were:

1) You've just won the Publisher's Clearing House! (bogus email address)
2) A consignment worth $100,000 is sitting in a port somewhere waiting for me
3) I can't believe I got another "Nigerian" scam email but there you have it
4) Got an email stating that I was keylogged while visiting a porn site and unless I send them $2500 they would send a copy of what I was watching to all my contacts (their proof was an old password I no longer use on any sites of importance)
5) Someone wants to send me several hundred thousand in crypto for reasons.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:15 pm

I crack up when I get the one where they say they have video of me pleasuring myself while visiting porn sites and they'll release it to my contacts if I don't pay them in Bitcoin.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:22 pm

Be like Sukarno. Ask for extra copies.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Thu Dec 23, 2021 12:47 am

Grifman wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:07 pm Funny, I just checked my spam folder today (do it about once a month) and included were:
4) Got an email stating that I was keylogged while visiting a porn site and unless I send them $2500 they would send a copy of what I was watching to all my contacts (their proof was an old password I no longer use on any sites of importance)

Hilariously enough, the first time I saw that one, it didn't even include a password, or even a payment address. Epic FAIL!

Grifman · Post by **Grifman** » Thu Dec 23, 2021 12:48 am

Lassr wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:15 pm I crack up when I get the one where they say they have video of me pleasuring myself while visiting porn sites and they'll release it to my contacts if I don't pay them in Bitcoin.

Heh, they always say that I have good taste!

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Thu Dec 23, 2021 11:25 am

Grifman wrote: Thu Dec 23, 2021 12:48 am
Lassr wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 11:15 pm I crack up when I get the one where they say they have video of me pleasuring myself while visiting porn sites and they'll release it to my contacts if I don't pay them in Bitcoin.
Heh, they always say that I have good taste!

Yep, I think I recall that line also. I tried to go back and find the emails in my trash but I think I permanently deleted those emails.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Thu Dec 23, 2021 1:31 pm

For several years, I've been getting calls (and texts) on my cell number from a debt collection agency, FDR Ltd. If you look them up, they claim to be legitimate, but there are also tons of complaints on the BBB, because apparently there are scammers posing as them. It's funny because they're the only number that calls regularly. I don't use my phone all that much, but when I do, I'm almost guaranteed to have a missed call from them regularly. Got a new phone recently, and sure enough within a day of use, they called. I wasn't able to block them with my old phone, but new one labeled it as spam and was able to block it easily. Don't even own a credit card or use the bank they say I owe.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Thu Dec 23, 2021 8:27 pm

My phone (T-Mobile) has a pretty good blacklist, about 90% of the calls I receive are tagged "Scam Likely" and I do not answer. Only one of those calls proved to be a false positive (they left a legitimate VM).

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 4:11 pm

Good times in 2022. The carrier blacklists may very well be circumvented now. It seems that call scammers have stepped up their game. I noticed I was getting a lot of calls recently from people's names from actual phone numbers. I reported it to my employer's risk management team as a possible threat on Tuesday. I just got confirmation that this is a new car warranty related phone scam. They are stuffing people's real names/numbers into the caller id fields to try to defeat the 'Scam Likely' type warnings that the carriers have started to use.

Edit: One thing to look for is 'Verified Caller' markings. The difference is that the caller won't be verified in this case because the call isn't actually originating from the actual user. This presents an opportunity for the carriers to catch up in short-order.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Fri Jan 07, 2022 4:14 pm

All unknown callers are considered guilty until proven innocent.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Wed Jan 19, 2022 5:46 pm

I got this one today:

(Pause - there is always a pause) Hello "customer." We have noticed some suspicious activity on your Amazon account...[click]. Not only was I aware of this scam, it was on a new number I had never given to Amazon. In fact I have never given them any number.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Wed Jan 19, 2022 6:15 pm

Yeah, we got that one too, twice in one day in fact, and both with different numbers. They're getting more sophisticated though. The one we got said, 'We noticed some suspcious activity on your credit card attached to your Amazon account, then it lists an amount over a $1000 for something called a 'Wifi 11 Pro' whatever that is.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Mon Feb 28, 2022 11:30 am

I have been getting text messages that are variations of:

From USPS. We will return your package that arrived on xx/xx/xxxx unless you update your address information by going to: scamaminute.com.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Mon Feb 28, 2022 1:38 pm

They must have been an early adopter to get such a sweet url!

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Thu May 30, 2024 3:28 pm

That's a new one. I don't know what the scam was, but I'm pretty sure it was one.

A guy called, and said he was with an organization related to neurological diagnostics, and that he needed to fill out a survey to forward to my primary care physician in order to confirm neurological testing. The caller was clear and well-spoken with no trace of an accent (and yeah, I know that may come off as a bit racist, but the overwhelming majority of scam calls I've gotten were either voice synthesizers or had very, very thick accents with spotty English - it's a genuine red flag, unfortunately.) It just so happens that I have a neurological exam coming up in just a few weeks Coincidence? Sold data related to search results? Medical records leaks?

First red flag: He called and asked for me by name, but didn't say who was calling. Professionals, especially medical professionals, don't do that.

In any case, I didn't recognize the name of the organization (and the place I'm going for my exam is an internationally-known name), so I asked him to confirm. He repeated the name, and I still didn't recognize it. He tried to jump straight into the survey questions, but I put him on the spot - he was sending this to my PCP, so I asked him who that was. He checked his records, and came up with a street name that had nothing to do with her (he got the state wrong, too - he gave the state I live in, while my PCP is out of state.) He tried to start the survey questions again, and I said, "You'll have to forgive me for being suspicious, but..." and he hung up, pretty much confirming that he was up to nogoodery.

In retrospect, there was another big red flag that I didn't notice until after: He started trying to discuss matters of medical import with me without confirming my identity. Had he been working on behalf of either my PCP or the specialist I'm seeing, or of my insurance company, I'm pretty sure he'd be crossing the line on HIPAA.

I don't recognize the scam, but hey - nice try.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Thu May 30, 2024 8:57 pm

I got a new one a few weeks ago. A text from someone random asking if I wanted to sign up for temu with their referral so that we could make money together. Reported and blocked straight away.

gilraen · Post by **gilraen** » Fri May 31, 2024 5:10 pm

The number of potential "pig-butchering" scam text messages that I get these days has reached astronomical levels. Used to be maybe once a year. Now it's every other day. I can see where someone not as anti-social as me would be tempted to reply (if only to be "nice"):

"Hi, it's a new week, I forgot how we met?" (Ohio area code)

"Hey dear" (San Francisco area code)

"Are you coming over for dinner tomorrow, the cook is baking duck and apples." (Florida area code, also...lol wut?)

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri May 31, 2024 5:14 pm

gilraen wrote: Fri May 31, 2024 5:10 pm "Are you coming over for dinner tomorrow, the cook is baking duck and apples." (Florida area code, also...lol wut?)

Apparently a Polish dish.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Fri May 31, 2024 9:06 pm

gilraen wrote: Fri May 31, 2024 5:10 pm The number of potential "pig-butchering" scam text messages that I get these days has reached astronomical levels. Used to be maybe once a year. Now it's every other day. I can see where someone not as anti-social as me would be tempted to reply (if only to be "nice"):

"Hi, it's a new week, I forgot how we met?" (Ohio area code)

"Hey dear" (San Francisco area code)

"Are you coming over for dinner tomorrow, the cook is baking duck and apples." (Florida area code, also...lol wut?)

I get a couple of those a week. Didn't know they had a name. Why "pig-butchering"? And what are they after? Of course I never reply.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri May 31, 2024 9:18 pm

Build a relationship through which to extract your funds.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri May 31, 2024 10:43 pm

So, pig butchering is the new pigeon plucking.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Sat Jun 01, 2024 2:55 pm

My wife tried to sell a couple of beds on Facebook Marketplace and boy did we get a crash course in a kind of reverse scam.

Naturally it's far easier for a buyer to get scammed on FB than a seller. In our case we were just trying to sell a piece of furniture, so there wasn't a situation where we were going to hand that over without payment and we certainly weren't going to ship it anywhere. However, we got hit multiple times with this attempt:

The basic gist of it is that someone would message saying they were interested, they'd pay cash for what we were asking, no haggling (which was suspicious in and of itself). Then they'd ask for a verification code for a Google Voice account to "prove we were real because they were afraid of getting scammed." Of course, if you did give them that code then congratulations, you just tied your phone number to a Google Voice account that they can then use to scam others.

It wouldn't have been a monetary loss, but you can imagine the nightmare it would have been had my wife's phone been linked to a Google Voice account spamming and scamming people 24/7.

We did eventually find two legitimate buyers, but the ratio of scammers to actual interested parties was so high that at one point I was prepared to take both pieces of furniture to the dump vs dealing with it anymore.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Jun 01, 2024 3:21 pm

That's the reason why I have shunted most former possessions to either the dump or a thrift shop. I'm not at all prepared to deal with the scams and con artists on FB Marketplace or Ebay.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Sat Jun 01, 2024 4:55 pm

YellowKing wrote: Sat Jun 01, 2024 2:55 pm My wife tried to sell a couple of beds on Facebook Marketplace and boy did we get a crash course in a kind of reverse scam.

Naturally it's far easier for a buyer to get scammed on FB than a seller. In our case we were just trying to sell a piece of furniture, so there wasn't a situation where we were going to hand that over without payment and we certainly weren't going to ship it anywhere. However, we got hit multiple times with this attempt:

The basic gist of it is that someone would message saying they were interested, they'd pay cash for what we were asking, no haggling (which was suspicious in and of itself). Then they'd ask for a verification code for a Google Voice account to "prove we were real because they were afraid of getting scammed." Of course, if you did give them that code then congratulations, you just tied your phone number to a Google Voice account that they can then use to scam others.

It wouldn't have been a monetary loss, but you can imagine the nightmare it would have been had my wife's phone been linked to a Google Voice account spamming and scamming people 24/7.

We did eventually find two legitimate buyers, but the ratio of scammers to actual interested parties was so high that at one point I was prepared to take both pieces of furniture to the dump vs dealing with it anymore.

Got this both times I tried to sell on FB marketplace. I now just post it to my page to see if friends would like it, then it's off to consignment.

Lately, My email has been inundated with the the emails from Best Buy, or Norton, or McAfee, saying we've renewed your "whatever" plan for $400/year. Call if this is in error.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Jun 01, 2024 6:17 pm

We had someone come to the front door claiming to be selling subscriptions to Hello Fresh, the big meal-kit delivery company. My MIL (who lives with us) answered, and she was savvy enough to tell him that she prefers to shop and cook her meals herself.

I have to assume that this was some sort of scam. Hello Fresh has such a massive advertising budget that I see their ads at least two or three times a day. Surely there's no way they're paying for physical door-to-door marketing, right?