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PhazonLink
Jul 17, 2010
so i notice my pixel now has a smart screener where a robo google voice says the call is being screened and then attemps to do a voice to text transcipt for "legit" calls.

havent used it much other then the one curiosity try with friends and family. the voice to text is bad btw.

e: btw, do spammer know if you let a call time out or you just swipe down and block it?

PhazonLink fucked around with this message at 20:28 on Dec 22, 2018

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Khizan
Jul 30, 2013


MightyJoe36 posted:

I had something like this once from some police organization (FOP? I can't remember) who wanted me to donate money.

Me: No thanks.
Him: Well, all of your neighbors have given us generous donations.
Me: Really? Like who?
Him: I'm sorry, the list of our donors is confidential.
Me: *click*

I get these all the time, and they always start off the same way:

Him: Hi, is Carolyn there?
Me: Sorry, you have the wrong number.
Him: Well, maybe you can help me, I'm with Some Bullshit Police Organization and...

It's always the same name, and I always remember what it is about 0.1 seconds after I autopilot my way through the "Sorry, wrong number" bit.

Absurd Alhazred
Mar 27, 2010

by Athanatos

Khizan posted:

I get these all the time, and they always start off the same way:

Him: Hi, is Carolyn there?
Me: Sorry, you have the wrong number.
Him: Well, maybe you can help me, I'm with Some Bullshit Police Organization and...

It's always the same name, and I always remember what it is about 0.1 seconds after I autopilot my way through the "Sorry, wrong number" bit.

I just got this a few days ago, also not for my name. I asked where they got my number and it responded with "well, we get our numbers from many different sources". It sounded automated.

Ham Equity
Apr 16, 2013

i hosted a great goon meet and all i got was this lousy avatar
Grimey Drawer

Khizan posted:

I get these all the time, and they always start off the same way:

Him: Hi, is Carolyn there?
Me: Sorry, you have the wrong number.
Him: Well, maybe you can help me, I'm with Some Bullshit Police Organization and...

It's always the same name, and I always remember what it is about 0.1 seconds after I autopilot my way through the "Sorry, wrong number" bit.
Yeah, I get these constantly. They've largely stopped since I've started hanging up right after I say "sorry, you have the wrong number" and not giving them a chance to say anything.

goatsestretchgoals
Jun 4, 2011

So this isn't a common scam but I think the thread will appreciate it.

Maine man arrested after police say he broke into a home, ate food, put on clothes and watched TV posted:

A Standish man was arrested Sunday after police say he stole two cars before breaking into a residence in Waterboro where he made himself at home.

Derek Tarbox, 35, was charged with burglary, two counts of unauthorized use of property, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, failure to report a crash by quickest means, theft by deception and theft by unauthorized taking, according to the Journal Tribune.

The Tribune reports that Tarbox allegedly stole a car in Portland, which ran out of gas in Hollis. There, he reportedly stole another vehicle, then drove Waterboro, where he crashed the second vehicle on Bennett Hill Road, according to the Tribune.

Tarbox is then accused of breaking into a home on Bennett Hill Road, where he ate food, took a shower, put on another person’s clothes and watched TV, according to the Tribune

The homeowner found Tarbox inside his home watching TV, and when confronted, Tarbox allegedly told the homeowner that he thought the home belonged to a friend, the Tribune reports.

Tarbox asked the resident to drive him home to which he reluctantly agreed, the Tribune reports.


When the resident returned home, he discovered his backdoor had been forced open and items missing, the Tribune reports.

After reporting the incident to police, York County sheriff’s deputies located Tarbox at a house in Limerick, where he was arrested while wearing the Waterboro homeowner’s clothes, according to the Tribune.

Tarbox is being held at the York County Jail in Alfred.

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Busy dude, respect.

HerStuddMuffin
Aug 10, 2014

YOSPOS

Bangor Daily News posted:

Theft by unauthorized taking
Theft by theft you say? Why I never :monocle:

quidditch it and quit it
Oct 11, 2012


He got a lift home ! Amazing.

jobson groeth
May 17, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

HerStuddMuffin posted:

Theft by theft you say? Why I never :monocle:

There are thefts by deception and things like that too.

Tubgoat
Jun 30, 2013

by sebmojo

HerStuddMuffin posted:

Theft by theft you say? Why I never :monocle:

I feel like that's more specifically like equipping other peoples' items and just kinda wandering away.

goatsestretchgoals
Jun 4, 2011

3D Fallout has taught me that you can steal anything and get away with it if you levitate it around a corner before you put it in your pocket.

*Resumes staring at beer display.*

Tubgoat
Jun 30, 2013

by sebmojo
America. America is the most common scam in the entire world and somehow people keep falling for it.

quote:

What about America is a scam?
Literally the entire loving country, literally everything they advertise.

bamhand
Apr 15, 2010
I keep getting calls about medical grade braces. Is that such a large demographic that it's worth robo calling over?

Proteus Jones
Feb 28, 2013



bamhand posted:

I keep getting calls about medical grade braces. Is that such a large demographic that it's worth robo calling over?

Can you get me their number?

MisterOblivious
Mar 17, 2010

by sebmojo

bamhand posted:

I keep getting calls about medical grade braces. Is that such a large demographic that it's worth robo calling over?

Yup, "every person on Medicare" is a large demographic. I watch the weird over-the-air networks you've never heard of: braces make up a pretty good chunk of the commercials. It's the ol' "they're free! We'll bill Medicare (several thousand dollars) for you!" poo poo.

It's straight up Medicare fraud. Once enough of the brace sellers get busted they'll move on to some other product to scam money out of Medicare with.

https://www.mcall.com/news/watchdog/mc-nws-medicare-back-brace-scam-watchdog-20170904-story.htm


It's similar to the old electric wheelchair scam but the scammers don't need to get a doctor (or fake being doctors themselves) to say you need a knee or back brace like they did with the wheelchairs. Ever wonder why you don't see Hoveround commercials anymore? The government started busting people for fraud and Medicare updated the price they'd pay so the fraudsters wouldn't make $4000 in profit on every sale.

https://amac.us/medicare-scam-just-kept-rolling/

axolotl farmer
May 17, 2007

Now I'm going to sing the Perry Mason theme

bamhand posted:

I keep getting calls about medical grade braces. Is that such a large demographic that it's worth robo calling over?

As soon as you hang up you get another robocall about a dental plan.

Tubgoat
Jun 30, 2013

by sebmojo
Sparkle sparkle!

cinni
Oct 17, 2008

by Jeffrey of YOSPOS
I was friended in the middle of the night by a mutual friend of an ex, who I didn't remember, but vaguely sounded familiar, so gently caress it I added her and she immediately messages me hi and makes some chit chat after revealing that no, we don't know each other (emojis her own):

Joyce: Im from Philippines maam.
Me: i heard that you guys had a pretty big earthquake recently, did you feel it?
Joyce:Yes maam cinni, it is in my place i hope that someday you do help us financial help. 😭
Me: i would if i could, earthquakes are scary as gently caress and destructive as gently caress, did your house get messed up?
Joyce: Yes maam but a little bit but in my grandmother house has messed up 😭 so i would like to need help. 😭
Me: The Red Cross is a good start, I don't know much about aid charities though I am sure there are plenty out there, or even a gofundme page
Joyce: I don't know yet gofund me maam cinni.
Me: its just like making a facebook, try it out
Joyce: You can do maam cinni a little bit financial help from you to us. How much you do maam i accept it
Me: Sorry, can't help you, good luck
Joyce: Why maam?

I just left it at that for now, but I'm gonna tell my ex to probably get rid of her cause I am most likely not the only person on his friends list to get this. I like how she is preemptively accepting my offer of zero dollars though, tenacious!

Wrex Ruckus
Aug 24, 2015

welp, just found out my parents got got by the ol' itunes gift card scam :v:

RabbitWizard
Oct 21, 2008

Muldoon
/s

RabbitWizard fucked around with this message at 01:16 on Jan 12, 2019

Panfilo
Aug 27, 2011

EXISTENCE IS PAIN😬

HerStuddMuffin posted:

Theft by theft you say? Why I never :monocle:

Theres some weird context to this type of charge. Like if a guy in an auto shop drives your car to run some errands when you think it's being fixed, it's considered theft but the thief obviously intends to return the car and pretend they didn't drive it.

I was on Jury duty where a guy got charged something like that, because he 'borrowed' a car from his brother's repair shop,drove to a pharmacy with it, robbed the pharmacy for pills, then intended to return the car at the shop once he was done.

peanut
Sep 9, 2007


Wrex Ruckus posted:

welp, just found out my parents got got by the ol' itunes gift card scam :v:

:(

cakesmith handyman
Jul 22, 2007

Pip-Pip old chap! Last one in is a rotten egg what what.

Panfilo posted:

Theres some weird context to this type of charge. Like if a guy in an auto shop drives your car to run some errands when you think it's being fixed, it's considered theft but the thief obviously intends to return the car and pretend they didn't drive it.

I was on Jury duty where a guy got charged something like that, because he 'borrowed' a car from his brother's repair shop,drove to a pharmacy with it, robbed the pharmacy for pills, then intended to return the car at the shop once he was done.

We have "taken without owners consent" here, or "that shifty bastard twoc'd your car John"

BiggerBoat
Sep 26, 2007

Don't you tell me my business again.
Pretty cool interview about cons and scams from Paul Wilson who does a BBC show called "The Real Hustle"

http://theweereview.com/interview/interview-paul-wilson/

I love poo poo like this and really enjoy caper and con movies like "House of Games", "The Sting" and stuff like that. Haven't checked out the show yet but several on YouTube

BiggerBoat fucked around with this message at 02:37 on Jan 11, 2019

LifeSunDeath
Jan 4, 2007

still gay rights and smoke weed every day
It's also on dailymotion, wow 11 seasons of new stuff to watch!

Absurd Alhazred
Mar 27, 2010

by Athanatos
Pretty sweet of the FBI to get in touch with me during the shutdown.

From: FBI <FBI.@joy.ocn.ne.jp>
Subject: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) J.Edgar Hoover Building Washington, D.C 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001

quote:

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) J.Edgar Hoover Building Washington, D.C 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001

Attention Beneficiary,

NOTE: If you received this message in your SPAM/JUNK folder, that is because of the restrictions implemented by your Internet Service Provider, treat it genuinely.

This message is coming to you from FBI office here, We are writing this mail to inform you that your(Inheritance winning awarded funds of $5.5 million) has been totally converted into a ATM Card and it's to be delivered to your address via courier service, Be inform that the courier delivery company will deliver the card with all the manual and instruction both with PIN code to access the Card upon receipt. It's the best option to receive this amount since every attempt failed,therefore you will need to contact Barrister Kevin Harper Jackson that helped in re-claiming the check back and converted it into an ATM Credit Card with his address below:

Barrister Kevin Harper Jackson
Email: office@elvisfan.com

Send him your current address where the Card should be delivered to and remember to indicate the Reg:code of ATM-0032 to him when making contact with him. Please also choose the courier service you would like to deliver the Card Post office is also working but could take the card much time to get to you. Please endeavor to inform us once you have received the ATM Card.

Sincere regards
Mr. Christopher A. Wray
FBI Monitoring Team Service

Depressio111117
Oct 18, 2014

A whole world of imagination beyond the oompah band.
elvisfan.com

BiggerBoat
Sep 26, 2007

Don't you tell me my business again.

Absurd Alhazred posted:

Pretty sweet of the FBI to get in touch with me during the shutdown.

From: FBI <FBI.@joy.ocn.ne.jp>
Subject: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) J.Edgar Hoover Building Washington, D.C 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001


This checks out.

Raldikuk
Apr 7, 2006

I'm bad with money and I want that meatball!

Absurd Alhazred posted:

Pretty sweet of the FBI to get in touch with me during the shutdown.

From: FBI <FBI.@joy.ocn.ne.jp>
Subject: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) J.Edgar Hoover Building Washington, D.C 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001


drat dawg the director of the FBI is emailing you directly about this, get on it quick

The Moon Monster
Dec 30, 2005

I'd take an email from an official FBI barrister seriously.

Absurd Alhazred
Mar 27, 2010

by Athanatos

The Moon Monster posted:

I'd take an email from an official FBI barrister seriously.

You're far more likely to get coffee from an FBI barista.

jobson groeth
May 17, 2018

by FactsAreUseless

Absurd Alhazred posted:

You're far more likely to get coffee from an FBI barista.

You really want to watch what blend you get though. Getting too much Arabica could put you on a watch list.

Platystemon
Feb 13, 2012

as a person who never leaves my house i've done pretty well for myself.

Absurd Alhazred posted:

You're far more likely to get coffee from an FBI barista.

FBI baristas are forbidden from asking for customers’ names.

Craptacular
Jul 11, 2004

Platystemon posted:

FBI baristas are forbidden from asking for customers’ names.

That's the CIA Starbucks

therobit
Aug 19, 2008

I've been tryin' to speak with you for a long time

jobson groeth posted:

You really want to watch what blend you get though. Getting too much Arabica could put you on a watch list.

Are you saying that the feds prefer their coffee with bourbon?

shame on an IGA
Apr 8, 2005


MAN IN THE GRAY SUIT YOUR ORDER IS READY

Original_Z
Jun 14, 2005
Z so good

BiggerBoat posted:

This checks out.

The weird part is that OCN is a Japanese ISP so that email address would be linked to a user account and it would be incredibly easy to find out who owned it if an official complaint was made to them.

ponzicar
Mar 17, 2008

Original_Z posted:

The weird part is that OCN is a Japanese ISP so that email address would be linked to a user account and it would be incredibly easy to find out who owned it if an official complaint was made to them.

I'd be surprised if that account wasn't stolen.

BiggerBoat
Sep 26, 2007

Don't you tell me my business again.
I posted up thread about auto repair shops and at least one poster called me out so...

A few months back my windshield washer fluid stopped working/pumping water and I was advised by the shop close to my work that the pump was broken to the tune of $300 or so. gently caress that. Since then I've been keeping a spray bottle in my car and going ghetto style at red lights washing my windshield and applying Rain-X.

Yesterday when I went in for a tune up at a different place I told them about the windshield washer and they said the hose came off. No charge. And before anyone says it and puts it on me for not seeing a loose hose, on my car I can't GET to the washer tank so there's no way for me to look at it without taking half the engine apart.

This is NOT an accident and shops do this all the time. I remember my grandma once saying her car needed a new compressor for the A/C and when I took it in somewhere else all it needed was a blast of freon. This has happened to me repeatedly and excuse me for not knowing anything about cars but now I always...ALWAYS get a second opinion on my car before I authorize ANY repairs.

Now that my car has all new fluids I'm going to take my car to the quick oil change place I use sometimes and see what they recommend. Not because I'm a dick but I just hate liars and assholes. It's like computer repair "experts" who charge $300 to elderly people when all they need is a clean reinstall or a hard system reset. Preying on the ignorant and on people whoa re paying YOU for your expertise is sleazy as poo poo.

Auto repair shops are the WORST grifters imaginable and gently caress that guy who defended them.

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Inspector 34
Mar 9, 2009

DOES NOT RESPECT THE RUN

BUT THEY WILL
Sounds like you need to find a shop that you actually trust, like maybe the one who told you about the hose. Nothing wrong with getting a second opinion I guess but sometimes poo poo's hosed and it's nice to know the place you take your car to will treat you right. They're out there, not everybody is a douchebag.

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