bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

I now get scammers constantly trying to get me. I mess with them and thats a whole different story.
Today I received a notice that one of my pictures was in the running for a prize in a photography contest.
They included a real poor copy of the image . I attached it,
I would have never entered this in a contest , In fact I'm not even sure its one of my pix. If so I took it a LONG time ago.

Here is how the scam works. They say your photo is in the running for a prize.
A few days later they send you a message saying you are NOT eligible for any prizes because you
didn't pay the entrance fee for the picture.
You can guess the rest, If I send them the entrance fee my picture goes back in the contest.

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.  

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Sorry sign of the times.

Don

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Wow, I've not heard of that one yet.

luvmypets Loc: Born & raised Texan living in Fayetteville NC

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

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I turn the ringer off at night so I can sleep and sometimes (mosttimes) I forget to turn it on again in the morning so everyone knows by now that if I don't answer, leave a message.

On the other hand it's nice to know that the youth of today is being innovative. (They're all youth compared to me).

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Thanks for reporting this. The more folks know about theses scans the less successful the scammer will become.

There are horror stories about folks losing all kinds of money to scammers- all over TV and other media, yet many people still are victimized.

I get dozens of scam-attempt calls each week- on my home phone, the 2-cell phones we use, and the business lines at the studio. Let alone all the garbage that comes online. My policy- is I just hang up as soon as detect a scammer. Thereis not enough space on my callback service to record and block these phone numbers. Even the identical screens are useless because somehow the calls originate on another continent but the number shows local domestic area codes. I am sure theme carriers have the technology to defeat that system and help law enforcement track the %^&*%@#$%$%* down, but they don't bother to help protect customers or at least, save them the bother and distraction of answering phony nuisance calls on an ongoing basis.

I understand that there are villages and towns in various countries where these illegitimate phone rooms are an industry that supports the entire local economy. I thou I had the all but the "photo contest" is a new one for me.

The most common one is, "This is your credit card Security Department..."! I can hear the other 200 callers chattering in the background. I am no linguistic or dialect expert but at this point, I can tell what part of East Asia the call is emanating from.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

BebuLamar

You didn't? It's quite common. But basically it's always a scam when you have to pay to get your money.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

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.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

End Afghanistan they needed something somewhere to keep the factories running.

goldstar46 Loc: Tampa, Fl

===================

But Don...
.... Send their requested payment in "Bite" coin
..... 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂

... Git it? Instead of Bitcoin

Cheers
Goldstar46
George Veazey
#####

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Did you actually enter a competition? Otherwise, of concern, is where did they get hold of the picture?

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I receive scams such as this pretty often. I have not seen the one with a bank administrator in the Middle East or Africa that has several million dollars and need "help" to make a transfer to this country, obviously with my bank account.
There are all kind of tricks these thieves are using to get our money. It has been a good thing that you have alerted other photographers to this scam.

NJFrank Loc: New Jersey

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

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

The photo looks like any one of thousands of nearly identical photos seen of birds on the internet.
And if someone has taken 10s of thousands of near identical bird shots there is no way of knowing if it is theirs or just one available on the internet.