Photography scam (Page 2): Thanks for the heads up.

coolhanduke Loc: Redondo Beach, CA

Thanks for the heads up.

Bubbee Loc: Aventura, Florida

E.L.. Shapiro wrote:

I never get into politics on this forum, however, I would put up with all the crank calls in the world to help a democratic country survive the rage of a despot invader. Besides, the big communication carriers are not the government. They are private mega-corporations and need to be taken to task for enabling scammers to use their systems for nefarious purposes. Probably, 1% of the revenues they take in from their customers would cover the expense.

Well said, Shapiro...I agree with you completely.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

luvmypets wrote:

I've not had this particular scam tried on me but thank you for the warning!!

I like to mess with some of them, too, at times. I've gotten to the point that if the phone rings and the number isn't listed as someone I know, I don't answer it at all. If it's something important, they will leave a message and I can return the call if it's someone I need to talk to.

Dodie

That is pretty much what I do. Same with emails.

goldstar46 Loc: Tampa, Fl

NJFrank wrote:

My favorite is up you owe the IRS money. You can pay with some gift card.

CliffMcKenzie Loc: Lake Athens Texas

bdk wrote:

...
Then of course I tell them I can send a check, they want anything but a check. They dont even want cash as they dont want you to know they are in India or Nigeria etc.
so now you have been warned.

No one asked, "so what did they ask for if not a check or cash?"

My 97 year old mother, called all excited as she won $50 from Walmart but needed her CVV number as there was a $5 processing fee. My response was:
1. Tell almighty Walmart just send you $45 and call it even.
2. Almighty Walmart did not become almighty Walmart by giving you money you can spend somewhere else.
3. Now look at the card, what bank's name appears...

Thanks for the alert

mikegreenwald Loc: Illinois

E.L.. Shapiro wrote:

I never get into politics on this forum, however, I would put up with all the crank calls in the world to help a democratic country survive the rage of a despot invader. Besides, the big communication carriers are not the government. They are private mega-corporations and need to be taken to task for enabling scammers to use their systems for nefarious purposes. Probably, 1% of the revenues they take in from their customers would cover the expense.

I couldn’t agree more!

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

I got some really bad news last night by email. For months the international futball (soccer) association (FIFA) in Switzerland has be telling me that I needed to pay my dues. Well I didn’t and now I’ve been banned from entering my league in any international competition for 3 seasons.

I’m devastated. Up to this point I never gave a rip about soccer and an appropriate prison sentence for me would be having to set through an entire game. But now that I can’t enter my league (if I had one) I really wish I did have one. Funny how you don’t want something until you realize you don’t have it.

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

Don’t forget the the nefarious military industrial complex is what saved out butts in WWII. And what is-was that MIC? A bunch of bad guys in dark rooms holding secret meetings? No, GM building machine guns, Studebaker building B-17 engines, Chrysler building the MX-1 tank, Ford building jeeps and so on.

ChrisKet Loc: Orange, CA

luvmypets wrote:

I've not had this particular scam tried on me but thank you for the warning!!

I like to mess with some of them, too, at times. I've gotten to the point that if the phone rings and the number isn't listed as someone I know, I don't answer it at all. If it's something important, they will leave a message and I can return the call if it's someone I need to talk to.

Dodie

I’ve taken this approach for a very long time. My outgoing voicemail even says as much…”Leave me a message, unless you’re trying to sell me something; in which case I’ll block your number.”

I have had many legitimate people who start their message to me laughing and saying it’s the best message they’ve heard!

~Chris

coolhanduke Loc: Redondo Beach, CA

My message used to say,

If you are calling to sell something, buy something or give something away, please hang up now.

Now it says, please leave a message, if you do not leave a message, your number will be blocked.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

ChrisKet wrote:

I’ve taken this approach for a very long time. My outgoing voicemail even says as much…”Leave me a message, unless you’re trying to sell me something; in which case I’ll block your number.”

I have had many legitimate people who start their message to me laughing and saying it’s the best message they’ve heard!

~Chris

Scams and most unrequested sales calls use spoofy numbers so that the caller ID you see is not the actual number of the person calling. Those numbers belong to people who have nothing to do with the person calling you.

While the odds of it happening were extremely small, I once even got a scam sales call on my cell phone from my own cell phone number.

As a result of the wide spread use of spoofied phone numbers, threatening to block these phone numbers is a useless exercise. Scammers and unexpected sales calls from people who use spoofied phone numbers can't be blocked and really don't care is that you block the phone number coming up on your caller ID. They constantly use different spoofied phone numbers as part of their scams and to call you back 5 minutes later using a different stolen phone number.

coolhanduke Loc: Redondo Beach, CA

I have gotten calls from my own number. The person on the other end got a good earful from me.

mffox Loc: Avon, CT

Thanks for the heads up.
Mark

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

These scammers are very creative. If it sounds off, it most likely is. Here’s another one that’s fairly subtle. You get a call that sounds legit, but after you say “Hello,” the caller responds with, “Can you hear me now?” DO? NOT SAY, “YES!” They will record your voice, then clone it and then use your “voice” to open accounts, drain your account(s) and cause you all sorts of financial problems. Just hang up.

suterjo Loc: Delaplane, VA

It's amazing the number of calls we get that are scam calls; it's probably 50-70% of the calls. Thank goodness for caller ID.