Phishing & Scamming - I Just HAD to Share!! You Need a Laugh???

Just what was relayed to me from another person about the questions the IT person working on that computer was asking as emails were coming in while IT had control of that computer - thank goodness for nicknames and such, but IT just thinks we're crazy! At least I wasn't in that particular email - ahhh!

Yeah, I got a couple of the "help me I am a poor Nigerian prince with tons of cash that I want to share with you."

I worked in the banking field, and we had some really great ones come through. Fortunately I was able to convince several people they were not really lottery winners, random inheritance receivers, saving people from other countries, etc...

One that sticks out in my mind was actually a very good one. Some one called an elderly W. and said, "Hey this is your favorite grandson." When she named him he said, "Yeah it's me." Then railed off about how he went to Mexico for a trip, was arrested and needed money for bail. She called us to wire the money to him. I told her to call her grandson and tried to get a hold of him first. After a little convincing she did. Grandson was fine and at home.

Smart of him. He let her decide who he sounded like, and then went on with his story.

Well, one huge tip off is when they cannot even spell or use pitiful grammar. I once got an email regarding my craigslist post. Well, at that time, that specific email was not setup for CL. I responded that I would be looking forward to payment. The person was going to have the payment sent to me and it would be $300 over to cover shipping plus I needed to pay the "courier". Do we pay the mailman now? Anyway, I responded I was looking forward to receipt. 2 weeks later the person sent to me asking where the item was (exercise equipment). Like I am really going to ship it. I said I had not received the check. They said they sent it again. This went on for 2 months. I was pretty much having fun. Then I finally responded that I received the check but my bank charged me $200 to cash it so they had to send me more money. They never got back to me. Another time a friend of mine got an email from someone claiming they were a friend and needed money to fix their car so they could get home. This is like the facebook scam going on. She kept responding about how she would have to ask her Aunt Alice when she got home from her housekeeping job. Well, this was delayed when Bobby and Cindy were fighting and tripped on the patio and fell on Tiger. And to top that off Uncle Sanford and Cousin Lamont got into a car accident when they were out collecting their antiques. After 4 or 5 emails, she asked this person for money instead. No response.

The very sad and decidedly UNfunny thing about it is that people do fall for this sort of thing every day.

But yeah, I can spot those stupid scams from a mile away.

Yeah, of course I get these types of emails. I have been selling online for years. I simply delete those emails.. or I will also report them if I am in the mood. I don't play back, b/c then they will take your email address and forward it to their friends, so now you are in the scam list. And did you click on any of their links? They likely could have installed a virus on your computer if you did.

I was selling my townhome a few years ago, and someone pulled the MLS listing and created a fake Craigs List ad putting it up for rent. The rent they were asking was about half of the market price, and they said it would be fully furnished! I was cleaning up in the front yard one day and this irate W. comes storming down the sidewalk screaming at me because I had a "For Sale" sign in the front yard. She wanted to know how I could be selling the house when she had already filled out all the papers and sent a deposit to be the renter and wanted to know what sort of scam I was trying to pull on her. I told her it was not me, but someone else who had scammed her and she showed me the posting on Craig's List from her phone. I had a friend in the FBI so I called him and he had a fraud unit check the posting and it came from servers in Israel. Craig's List pulled it down immediately but I still feel bad to this day for that W. who thought she was getting such a great deal on a house. Who would give ALL of their personal information and MONEY to a stranger for a house that they hadn't even toured??? If it seems to good to be true, it very often is!

I received a letter years ago, addressed to my son, and at the time he was probably in 2nd grade. Anyway, the letter said that he was the only living relative of So-and-So, and to please send back all his financial information, so that he could received the millions of dollars of inheritance that is his. Hahahahaha I mean really, we have lots of relatives still alive, that would get it, even if it were true, sadly we know it's a scam. I mean do people really think everyone is an idiot? I guess it must be worth their time, for the few people that may fall for it.

I am glad you were smart enough to know it was a scam. I don't sell on craigslist for this very reason. I have dabbled in ebay but not a frequent user.

I didn't know that you could type in someone's e-mail address and get information like that. I tried it and got a LONG list of possible or suspected e-mail addresses. Thanks for that information.

I believe I lead a boring life. Nothing like this has happened to me, thank God.

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I get a lot a scam phone calls at work. they seem to be on the increase. the other day the caller claimed to be from a shipping company and had a package for my company. but they needed my name title and address before they could deliver it. Hugh??? I suggested they go back to whomever hired them to get that information. they just didn't get it. I finally hung up on them.

so sad. it makes it harder and harder to trust anyone and to feel safe donating money

We get these in our business email account once in a while. I always respond with an exorbitant charge (I think last time I told him it would be around 12k) and tell them they can pick up at 6am. heh heh. I always wonder if there are restaurants that fall for this.

"Attn Owner/Manager

Hello My name is David Moore and I would like to order for individual Grilled chicken salad Individual wrap in your restaurant for 150 people on 22nd of Sep It is for my Mom B-Day, It will be pick up by my private Carrier on the event Date at 3pm, So calculate & give me the total cost plus tax i am ready to pay with my Credit Card for the total charges right now, so i can forward you my credit card information...if you are available on that day so that we can make the arrangement.. So get back to me with the following information below:

Restaurant address:
Total cost for my order plus tax:
Type of the credit card you accept:
Personal Cell Nbr :

Thanks and Hope to read from you soon.
Best Regard"

Ahh, Cheryl, this is funny! Several years ago, Joe finally decided to sell the old '67 Nissan Patrol and we got quite a line from the 'agent' from Nigeria. Joe was great and told them that when the (very real looking) cashier's check cleared, then-- and only then--would he contact the 'agent' to arrange pickup. Never happened. A few days later our bank let us know that it was fraudulent, just as we'd suspected. But it was good for a laugh, too.

Funny today? We've just started kindergarten and I'm documenting this on my blog, in a somewhat humorous way... Maybe the funny part is that he's gone for nearly three hours each day and yet I feel even more tired than I did when he was home all the time!

I am still surprised that people fall for these scams, but think of the people that are down & out & have nothing to lose... those are the people that usually fall for them. It's sad.