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Craptacular
Jul 11, 2004

I bought a new car last week, and instead of trading in my old one, I kept it to sell myself and get more money out of it. I put it up on Craigslist and one of the responses I got sounded legit at first but eventually they asked me to provide a VIN report from one specific website I'd never heard of. That sounded a bit suspicious so I did a little research and apparently scammers now run fake VIN checker websites and try to get car sellers to pay money for fake reports.

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Quote-Unquote
Oct 22, 2002



shame on an IGA posted:

Yeah the magical thing about working in Facilities Maintenance has been realizing that a clipboard and tool bag is a golden ticket to go anywhere the gently caress you want

This happened at the 2012 London Olympics. The whole thing was such a monumental omnishambles and security was pretty much non-existent, since the company that was hired to provide it (G4S) completely failed to provide enough people. Like, it was maybe a third of what they had promised. The government ended up bussing in random unemployed people and forcing them to work security for a pittance, then ditching them under a bridge to sleep at night. Meanwhile, various pranksters were getting pretty much anywhere they wanted to go simply by putting on a high-vis jacket and looking busy.

G4S continue to get incredibly high-value government contracts, despite having scammed the government on multiple occasions - including the time they charged hundreds of millions of pounds for ankle monitors for people that were already in prison or dead. They later repaid a few million.

Of course, almost everyone in the government just happens to have shares in G4S, or in a company that has stock in them. It's so transparently corrupt that it's kind of hilarious, or at least it would be if there weren't people starving to death because their welfare has been cut in order to keep paying into this blatant scam.

sadus
Apr 5, 2004

Sounds like you really need to drain the swamp bog

EL BROMANCE
Jun 10, 2006

COWABUNGA DUDES!
🥷🐢😬



I remember when Group 4 were screwing things up left right and centre from the 90s, it's unbelievable they're still a thing that exists.

Family Values
Jun 26, 2007


Dropping a recommendation here for The Dream podcast:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dream/id1435743296?mt=2

quote:

What if we told you that with zero experience and only a few hundred dollars down, this podcast could change your life? Well, we’d be lying. This season on The Dream, Jane Marie dives into the world of pyramid schemes, multi-level marketing, and all the other businesses that require their members to recruit their nearest and dearest in hopes of a commission. Join us as we trace the path of get-rich schemes from Jane’s roots in rural Michigan all the way to the White House.

Tubgoat
Jun 30, 2013

by sebmojo

Quote-Unquote posted:

This happened at the 2012 London Olympics. The whole thing was such a monumental omnishambles and security was pretty much non-existent, since the company that was hired to provide it (G4S) completely failed to provide enough people. Like, it was maybe a third of what they had promised. The government ended up bussing in random unemployed people and forcing them to work security for a pittance, then ditching them under a bridge to sleep at night. Meanwhile, various pranksters were getting pretty much anywhere they wanted to go simply by putting on a high-vis jacket and looking busy.

G4S continue to get incredibly high-value government contracts, despite having scammed the government on multiple occasions - including the time they charged hundreds of millions of pounds for ankle monitors for people that were already in prison or dead. They later repaid a few million.

Of course, almost everyone in the government just happens to have shares in G4S, or in a company that has stock in them. It's so transparently corrupt that it's kind of hilarious, or at least it would be if there weren't people starving to death because their welfare has been cut in order to keep paying into this blatant scam.

G4S is apparently directly involved in supporting Israeli Apartheid, which is why they get sweetheart government contracts.

Sydin
Oct 29, 2011

Another spring commute
turns out government is the greatest scam of them all.

makes you think.

Initio
Oct 29, 2007
!

Craptacular posted:

I bought a new car last week, and instead of trading in my old one, I kept it to sell myself and get more money out of it. I put it up on Craigslist and one of the responses I got sounded legit at first but eventually they asked me to provide a VIN report from one specific website I'd never heard of. That sounded a bit suspicious so I did a little research and apparently scammers now run fake VIN checker websites and try to get car sellers to pay money for fake reports.

Craigslist is the worst sometimes. I had at least twice as many scammers asking about my car than I had legitimately interested in it.

Most of them had the same script. Feign interest by asking a few questions, then say they can’t come in person to pick it up - usually because they are in the military. But they have a buyer-agent who will. They’ll send a check, and occasionally they’d offer me extra for the hassle.

The first one contacted me within 15 minutes of me putting up the ad.

Trastion
Jul 24, 2003
The one and only.

Initio posted:

Craigslist is the worst sometimes. I had at least twice as many scammers asking about my car than I had legitimately interested in it.

Most of them had the same script. Feign interest by asking a few questions, then say they can’t come in person to pick it up - usually because they are in the military. But they have a buyer-agent who will. They’ll send a check, and occasionally they’d offer me extra for the hassle.

The first one contacted me within 15 minutes of me putting up the ad.

You'll get this poo poo on CL even if you try to give something away for free.

EL BROMANCE
Jun 10, 2006

COWABUNGA DUDES!
🥷🐢😬



Just curious, does anyone get an absolute poo poo ton of spam mail revolving around flight simulators? It's a very niche thing so wondering if it's widespread or if I've somehow become the target of some dude who thinks I really want some simulatin'.

PhazonLink
Jul 17, 2010
I been getting a ton of spam calls for pain treatment.


Also anyone here have a Pixel 1/2/whatever and have you been trying out their call screening service for spam? Do spammer know its a live number if you dismiss a call VS just letting it timeout or in my case using this call screener.

Sydin
Oct 29, 2011

Another spring commute
Out of the blue I started getting 3-4 calls a day from the area code I lived in 10 years ago about very obvious credit scams. This despite my credit being very good and AFAIK not doing anything to wind up on a telemarketer list. It got so bad I downloaded a program from google play that lets me block entire area codes, because the fuckers would leave the exact same message in four separate calls every day, using a new phone number every time except for the area code.

Don Gato
Apr 28, 2013

Actually a bipedal cat.
Grimey Drawer
The only spam calls I've gotten are someone telling me in Chinese that I won the lottery in Beijing. I assume it's a very targeted ad for elderly immigrants but it was super weird because it came from my old area code.

Corsair Pool Boy
Dec 17, 2004
College Slice

Don Gato posted:

The only spam calls I've gotten are someone telling me in Chinese that I won the lottery in Beijing. I assume it's a very targeted ad for elderly immigrants but it was super weird because it came from my old area code.

Was your old area code DC? There's a relatively common call around here 'from the Chinese Embassy' that spoofs the actual embassy's phone number.

Sanford
Jun 30, 2007

...and rarely post!


EL BROMANCE posted:

Just curious, does anyone get an absolute poo poo ton of spam mail revolving around flight simulators? It's a very niche thing so wondering if it's widespread or if I've somehow become the target of some dude who thinks I really want some simulatin'.

Yep, loving hundreds. All in the same format and alongside loads of “STAY HARD FOR NINE HOURS WITH JUST ONE PILL” emails written in exactly the same way, same layout and everything. Weird as hell. They seem to sail right through the filter, the only other ones that do that are the “got video of you wanking, send bitcoin” ones.

therobit
Aug 19, 2008

I've been tryin' to speak with you for a long time
I heard a thing on NPR once that a lot of the "Canadian Pharmacy" type emails are actually legit sites that will get you legit drugs. Like if they'r are saying thei will sell you Viagra they actually will.

Gotta get on that train for my asthma meds.

The Lone Badger
Sep 24, 2007

I remember reading an article about that, online pharmacies are of questionable legality but a surprisingly number of them will actually send you what you paid for.

Fruits of the sea
Dec 1, 2010

EL BROMANCE posted:

Just curious, does anyone get an absolute poo poo ton of spam mail revolving around flight simulators? It's a very niche thing so wondering if it's widespread or if I've somehow become the target of some dude who thinks I really want some simulatin'.

Any chance they are advertising for ProFlightSimulator or the same game under a different name? Some shady dudes repackaged a freeware flight simulator under a different name and are marketing it pretty aggressively and misleadingly: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/03/09/dont-buy-proflightsimulator/

A good scam in itself, the free version is updated and has more content while the ripoff promises a bunch of features that don't exist.

E: Haha, I forgot all the screenshots are stolen from other games.

Fruits of the sea fucked around with this message at 10:06 on Feb 15, 2019

MightyJoe36
Dec 29, 2013

:minnie: Cat Army :minnie:

Initio posted:

Craigslist is the worst sometimes. I had at least twice as many scammers asking about my car than I had legitimately interested in it.

Most of them had the same script. Feign interest by asking a few questions, then say they can’t come in person to pick it up - usually because they are in the military. But they have a buyer-agent who will. They’ll send a check, and occasionally they’d offer me extra for the hassle.

The first one contacted me within 15 minutes of me putting up the ad.

I've only sold a car by private transaction once, and I accepted cash. I'm not accepting a check from some dude who found me on Craigslist.

LifeSunDeath
Jan 4, 2007

still gay rights and smoke weed every day
Had some scammers show up at my door yesterday. 2 very sketchy dudes show up mumbling "wut power plan u got?" I've had these door to door dude come by before trying to sell me the most ridiculously overpriced power plan, the fact that this must work enough to warrant paying people to go door t o door is sad, also power plans are a total scam and piss me off, just show me the plain monthly number and stop hiding poo poo behind tiers of use and nightime use etc, it's all the same juice. Not sure if they will come back to rob me or not yet.

Original_Z
Jun 14, 2005
Z so good

Family Values posted:

Dropping a recommendation here for The Dream podcast:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dream/id1435743296?mt=2

This is a good series, the interesting part is that even know the hosts know it's all BS, even they get sucked into the excitement at times and start to enjoy it and have to keep telling themselves "no, this is a scam!" These MLMs really know how to play with people's emotions.

rujasu
Dec 19, 2013

LifeSunDeath posted:

Had some scammers show up at my door yesterday. 2 very sketchy dudes show up mumbling "wut power plan u got?" I've had these door to door dude come by before trying to sell me the most ridiculously overpriced power plan, the fact that this must work enough to warrant paying people to go door t o door is sad, also power plans are a total scam and piss me off, just show me the plain monthly number and stop hiding poo poo behind tiers of use and nightime use etc, it's all the same juice. Not sure if they will come back to rob me or not yet.

Electricity provider you mean? Scammers around here do that, with the added bonus that they don't actually tell you what company they are, they try to make you think they're with the local utility. (We're allowed to choose an electric provider other than the utility company that owns the power line, but nobody actually does this.)

Piell
Sep 3, 2006

Grey Worm's Ken doll-like groin throbbed with the anticipatory pleasure that only a slightly warm and moist piece of lemoncake could offer


Young Orc

LifeSunDeath posted:

Had some scammers show up at my door yesterday. 2 very sketchy dudes show up mumbling "wut power plan u got?" I've had these door to door dude come by before trying to sell me the most ridiculously overpriced power plan, the fact that this must work enough to warrant paying people to go door t o door is sad, also power plans are a total scam and piss me off, just show me the plain monthly number and stop hiding poo poo behind tiers of use and nightime use etc, it's all the same juice. Not sure if they will come back to rob me or not yet.

Had this happen to me twice this last December. Second time I just closed the door as soon as I recognized the pitch.

Mister Kingdom
Dec 14, 2005

And the tears that fall
On the city wall
Will fade away
With the rays of morning light

rujasu posted:

Electricity provider you mean? Scammers around here do that, with the added bonus that they don't actually tell you what company they are, they try to make you think they're with the local utility. (We're allowed to choose an electric provider other than the utility company that owns the power line, but nobody actually does this.)

Just curious: where do you live that you can choose your power company?

Eric the Mauve
May 8, 2012

Making you happy for a buck since 199X

The Lone Badger posted:

I remember reading an article about that, online pharmacies are of questionable legality but a surprisingly number of them will actually send you what you paid for.

Or at least they'll send you a bottle of pills labeled as what you paid for. With a lot of drugs it's easy to sell gel capsules with sugar in them, or placebo pills, or even cheap actual drugs but not the one they're claiming to sell you.

In a lot of ways prescription drugs in the US are a monopoly racket aggressively protected by the bought-and-paid-for FDA, but there are very very good reasons why the FDA and strict laws as to who can sell and who can buy those drugs exist.

rujasu
Dec 19, 2013

Mister Kingdom posted:

Just curious: where do you live that you can choose your power company?

I've lived in NJ, MD, and PA. Not sure about NJ, but the other two both let you choose your provider. Only difference is who you get your bill from though; there's still a utility company that actually has to deal with servicing the lines running to your house and all that stuff.

RenegadeStyle1
Jun 7, 2005

Baby Come Back

Mister Kingdom posted:

Just curious: where do you live that you can choose your power company?

I thought everyone could. I live in Dallas and we have a few big providers to choose some and alot of really small providers tbat go door to door or work in like some kind of weird recruitment thing for lower prices. We have prepaid electric companies too.

Mister Kingdom
Dec 14, 2005

And the tears that fall
On the city wall
Will fade away
With the rays of morning light

RenegadeStyle1 posted:

I thought everyone could. I live in Dallas and we have a few big providers to choose some and alot of really small providers tbat go door to door or work in like some kind of weird recruitment thing for lower prices. We have prepaid electric companies too.

Where I live you get one power company, one utility company (the city), and one cable TV company (although satellite is obviously an option).

Proteus Jones
Feb 28, 2013



Mister Kingdom posted:

Where I live you get one power company, one utility company (the city), and one cable TV company (although satellite is obviously an option).

Well, there's one utility company by me, but a shitload of resellers. They dress it up with variable rates and paying a service fee to "lock-in" rates, but you end up paying more than just being serviced by the power company.

I think there's similar with the gas company, but I've only ever had the electric resellers come to my door.

Sydin
Oct 29, 2011

Another spring commute
Yeah I get about 2-3 of those pitches a year for natural gas resellers. It's super disingenuous too because half the time they're wearing PG&E badges despite having no affiliation with them. In my experience they also try really hard to make it sound like it's something that's already happening and just needs your approval, and hide that it's actually a transaction until the very last possible moment where you have to sign the contract that clearly states you're consenting to buying from a re-seller. I almost fell for it the first time it happened but alarm bells went off in my head when they said they needed me to call the number on the contract and then verbally confirm details on it with some rando. They got super lovely when they realized I was backing out too,.

AlbieQuirky
Oct 9, 2012

Just me and my 🌊dragon🐉 hanging out
Electric resellers also a thing in Massachusetts and New York.

Mister Kingdom
Dec 14, 2005

And the tears that fall
On the city wall
Will fade away
With the rays of morning light

Proteus Jones posted:

Well, there's one utility company by me, but a shitload of resellers. They dress it up with variable rates and paying a service fee to "lock-in" rates, but you end up paying more than just being serviced by the power company.

I think there's similar with the gas company, but I've only ever had the electric resellers come to my door.

We have several natural gas resellers, but that's about it.

Domus
May 7, 2007

Kidney Buddies
THe last energy scammer that came to my door pretended he had some pre-existing deal my husband had already agreed to. I must admit it took me a couple of confused questions before I realized it was an energy scam. It's kinda impressive he got as far as he did before I told him to get the hell off my property. I guess most couples don't talk to each other about utility bills.

Corsair Pool Boy
Dec 17, 2004
College Slice

Mister Kingdom posted:

Where I live you get one power company, one utility company (the city), and one cable TV company (although satellite is obviously an option).

Yeah, I lived in one place where we could pick between Comcast and Verizon for cable/internet, but otherwise everywhere I've lived has a single cable/internet provider, a single power company, a single natural gas company (if it's an option at all). But it's totes not a monopoly!

Initio
Oct 29, 2007
!

MightyJoe36 posted:

I've only sold a car by private transaction once, and I accepted cash. I'm not accepting a check from some dude who found me on Craigslist.

I said “CASH ONLY” in my ad. I sure as heck didn’t want to deal with anyone’s bizzaro trades or some check that wouldn’t clear.

If some disabled military member who was out of the country who wanted to give his dad who just won a “humanitarian award” my sight unseen car really wanted to send some guy to give me $1500USD cash, I wouldn’t say no. Unsurprisingly though, they wouldn’t pay with cash.

Nothing will stop the scammers from just spamming you.

Initio fucked around with this message at 21:12 on Feb 15, 2019

Konstantin
Jun 20, 2005
And the Lord said, "Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
On the other hand, smart car buyers don't want to tell a stranger that they will show up at a location carrying thousands of dollars in cash. The ideal solution is to ask the seller to drive the car to a bank parking lot, inspect the car there, then have the buyer withdraw the cash and complete the deal inside.

Initio
Oct 29, 2007
!
Wouldn’t have had any argument from me.

As it turns out, some 16 year old kid’s dad called me when they were on their way home. I showed the kid how to work the convertible top, let him drive the car around the subdivision with me after I made sure he had a license.

The dad asked the kid if he liked the car, and after an enthusiastic “Yeah”, I signed over the title and got my money.

EL BROMANCE
Jun 10, 2006

COWABUNGA DUDES!
🥷🐢😬



Fruits of the sea posted:

Any chance they are advertising for ProFlightSimulator or the same game under a different name? Some shady dudes repackaged a freeware flight simulator under a different name and are marketing it pretty aggressively and misleadingly: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/03/09/dont-buy-proflightsimulator/

Yeah looks to be the one from the mail I just checked. Couldn't tell where the link was going to as it was obviously specifically written to track my email so I didn't want to give them any more reason to fire mails at me. Of all the games to steal and repackage...

Inspector 34
Mar 9, 2009

DOES NOT RESPECT THE RUN

BUT THEY WILL
I'm going to sell a car in the next couple months. I'd prefer cash but I know some people wouldn't really want to bring $10k around someone they don't know so I guess a cashier check would be alright? Isn't it money orders that can be scammed somehow? Or do I have that the wrong way around and cashier's checks are the ones to avoid?

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Initio
Oct 29, 2007
!
I think Konstantin has it right. Complete the transaction at their bank. They can give you a legit cashiers check, or they can withdraw the $10k and hand it to you.

The biggest issue with a cashiers check or a money order is that you have no idea if it’s real or not.

Initio fucked around with this message at 21:50 on Feb 15, 2019

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