Tell me about common cons/scams: "Thanks, you suck. Hello, this is Linda."

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tell me about common cons/scams: "Thanks, you suck. Hello, this is Linda."

Trastion: Jul 24, 2003; The one and only.

I'm sorry but you will need to Paypal me $1,000 for that info. Don't worry as a bonus I will throw in a sweet super awesome skin for your use in the game.

# ¿ Aug 27, 2018 20:16

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 04:32

Trastion: Jul 24, 2003; The one and only.

I have been getting calls on my work phone almost every day that are either about how to get out of IRS Debt or trying to say I owe the IRS and need to pay up. They call with a different number each day because I control the PBX system and blacklist the number each time. It's getting annoying but there is not much I can do as I have to answer the phone as part of my job.

# ¿ Oct 2, 2018 19:37

Trastion: Jul 24, 2003; The one and only.

Non Serviam posted:

I think it was mentioned here before, but the AARP makes a podcast about common cons and scams (seeing that a lot of times the targets are elderly people). It's cohosted by Frank Abegnale, the guy from Catch Me If You Can.

Check out this podcast: The Perfect Scam
http://perfectscam.aarp.libsynpro.com/rss via @PodcastAddict

Podcasts. Just what Grandma and Grandpa are listening to these days.

# ¿ Oct 10, 2018 15:36

Trastion: Jul 24, 2003; The one and only.

Space Jam posted:

I work for a pharmacy chain and a popular one recently has been a scammer buying a $500 gift card at the register and acting like they�re paying with a card. Then they confuse or distract the cashier and reach around the register touch screen and hit the cash button, closing out the transaction and activating the card then walking out.

Can't they then just cancel the card? If the card company doesn't have that ability then that is a major gently caress up on their part. Pretty much all gift cards are logged by a unique code.

Granted if they went and used it before the non payment was actually found then that may be a moot point.

# ¿ Oct 30, 2018 14:11

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.

# ¿ Feb 14, 2019 17:40

Trastion: Jul 24, 2003; The one and only.

Churchill posted:

About a month ago I got a (genuine) text from google saying it had blocked a sign in to my google account using my password in the US, whilst i live in Europe. Changed the password but then today the same thing happened again, what's going on? What stupid poo poo might I be doing that compromises my password?

Not using a complicated enough password? Using the password on more than one site/thing? There is so much that you can be doing wrong really. Also it may be a "false positive" that they are seeing a login from the US but it is just you going to a site or app that uses your google login that is US based and therefor triggering it.

# ¿ Aug 15, 2019 14:30

Trastion: Jul 24, 2003; The one and only.

peanut posted:

I went to an explanation thing for an "ear acupuncture diet." It was 60 minutes of personal assessment, nutrition, and lifestyle talk, 5 minutes of talk about ear acupuncture, 10 minutes about nutritional supplements, and a quick mention about cutting all meals in half for the 3 month course.
The last 5 minutes was revealing the estimated price for the 3 month course was $3500, and me nope'ing out.

The bolded part is the part of the diet that will actually help you lose weight if any of it does. Follow that and save yourself the $3500.

# ¿ Sep 19, 2019 17:07

Trastion: Jul 24, 2003; The one and only.

BiggerBoat posted:

And not a bank, but look at what PG&E is doing in California. Literally turning off people's power to protect against fires that they should have done to start with. Every single libertarian motherfucker I talk to who goes on and on about the free market being better at everything will bitch endlessly about customer service at Comcast, Verizon, BofA or CITI and bitch to the moon about Google and Facebook but what REALLY sets them off is a 30 minute wait at the DMV or the Post Office.

the poo poo with PG&E is because after a few of the last years fires the state of California sued them because they said it was their equipment that caused the fires. So now they are saying ok screw you we will shut off power and then you cant sue us over the fires that are happening anyways.

# ¿ Nov 1, 2019 16:16

Trastion: Jul 24, 2003; The one and only.

My boss told me the other day that his son got a couple of Venmo payments out of the blue. One for $10 & one for $20. I warned that it might be a scam of some sort but haven't bothered to ask about it since.

This might be something new starting. I don't have Venmo myself so I haven't looked into it at all.

# ¿ Sep 10, 2020 19:24

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 04:32

Trastion: Jul 24, 2003; The one and only.

CordlessPen posted:

I wish I could share some of my notifications with you. When I get a spam call, it still rings but I get a "probable spam" on the caller ID, then I get the usual "Missed call" notification, an extra "We identified a spam call" notification, a "New voicemail" notification and a text from Rogers saying that I have a new voicemail.

This is why I don't turn on any of that auto spam blocking poo poo. I can ignore the initial call just like I do every other call. If they leave a voicemail I can read the text synopsis and delete if it isn't something I want.

# ¿ May 17, 2022 14:04

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tell me about common cons/scams: "Thanks, you suck. Hello, this is Linda."