Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
General Chit-Chat (non-photography talk)
SCAMs come from ever increasingly wierd places
Page <prev 2 of 2
Dec 27, 2018 17:38:22   #
Sunnely Loc: Wisconsin
 
Harry0 wrote:
Scams will always be avail. Human nature- it's more fun to get over to get ahead.
These scams depend on one basic premise- can I convince you to be a crook? A thief?
Once that happens you don't deserve respect or sympathy. Especially to them.
Rant:
I've got an in-law that likes to pull the "Biz Man's Lunch Scam", even on family gathers.
At the restaurant, the bill comes. He wants our help for his breakout business. If we pay cash to him, he'll use his business card to pay it, as a tax deduction. We all agree, right? He counts the money, looks sad- "Somebody is a little light here! Can everybody add a little more, to cover tax and tip?!?!" Everybody looks at each other. This is LA. Tip is 15%, tax is 10%, so my $20 meal costs $25, and I already put $30 into the pool. Drop a tenner in the hat with everyone else. He recounts, "That's better!" gets up and pays the bill. 2 other guys and I talk- the only time the underpay happens is when this guy does this. December 24th, 15 of us eating. He pulls it again, and we're ready. Each guy stated the meal cost and the payment. Wife and I ate lite- a $28 bill, and I dropped a pair of $20. Hmm, the only people that don't pay are Mr Business and his haughty wife.
Yes, we agreed to assist him with a tax scam that gives him and his wife a free meal and some extra cash along with a nice deduction. We pay a minor part of our taxes to help subsidize cheats like this. He doesn't respect those who go along with him, nor likes those that don't.
Scams will always be avail. Human nature- it's mor... (show quote)


I hear your rant. It seems like there is a sense of frustration but sarcasm on your part with his scheme. Is there a take-home message from your story? IMHO, the best common-sense answer is, each one pay for his/her own bill. Of course, he doesn't respect you. Scammers don't respect their victims. Why should he? You're in his suckers list. As long as you allow it, he'll keep doing it to you over and over, again. You alone can stop it.

Here's a link on how to stay off the sucker lists.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/scam-of-scams-stay-off-the-sucker-lists-2014-03-13

Reply
Dec 27, 2018 21:17:54   #
Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal
 
Sunnely wrote:
I hear your rant. It seems like there is a sense of frustration but sarcasm on your part with his scheme. Is there a take-home message from your story?

A few. This guy likes to use titles (he's Businessman! (landscaper), he's an Employer! (1 or 2 local illegals) and he likes to refer to himself as the Kindly Old Conservative. Constantly putting forth the premise that *he's* the honest and trustworthy one. The fact that he's our close relative didn't dissuade him from cheating us. Since we all agreed to help him cheat the government made us fair game to be cheated in his eyes.
"No honor amongst thieves". If I steal a dollar, or a million, the basic crime is the same. And as such, as a thief I am a dishonest person whether I believe or agree. Therefore, as a "lesser" individual, fair game in his eyes.
"Lie down with dogs wake up with fleas". We've had discussions before, and after. He doesn't really trust honest people, or "do gooders". They'll turn on you. He likes associating with crooks- you know what they'll do, so they're useful. Watch your back, tho. It's like playing poker- you all might be the best of friends, but you're there to eat everyone else's lunch.
"The world is full of wolves" Whether or not you play the game it's still always there.

Reply
Dec 27, 2018 22:43:47   #
jim quist Loc: Missouri
 
When I get these I tell them I will need a cashier check attached to an email in the amount of $1000.00 for good faith. I never get another from the same place again.

Reply
 
 
Dec 27, 2018 22:46:07   #
krashdragon
 
There's a website devoted entirely to scamming these scammers. Cant remember the name, but the anti scammers are hilarious.

Reply
Dec 28, 2018 06:38:10   #
Ollieboy
 
Harry0, why do you continue to eat with this scammer? In law or not. He should be shunned by the family.

Reply
Dec 28, 2018 08:19:13   #
cullumjt Loc: Central Florida
 
I got an email just yesterday telling me I owed 500Rs (I think that’s rupees) in IRS fines and unless I paid it within a couple of weeks, I would owe 1000Rs. Interesting that the govt now collects in foreign currency.

Reply
Dec 28, 2018 08:19:54   #
dpfoto Loc: Cape Coral, FL
 
You should fill in the requested information like I did;

Full Name:William Jefferson Clinton. Home/Office Address: Big Rock Arkansas. Cell/Mobile Phone Numbers:(123) 456-7890. Nearest Air Port:? Small Rock, Utah .

Reply
 
 
Dec 28, 2018 08:21:31   #
peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA
 
Many of these scam emails are composed so that only the very gulible readers will respond. Others will trash it. That is the scammers first "filter". Perhaps, everybody should respond so the scammers would still be back on "square one".

Recent scams are extortion emails that threaten your computer unless you pay a ransom via bitcoin. I got one this morning.

Speaking of ransoms, a friend's company got a ransomware attack last year. We share a Dropbox folder. The files in my shared Dropbox folder on my computer were also encrypted. This is a great argument to keep backups (e.g. MacOS "Time Machine"). It took his company 14 hours to recover without paying a ransom.

Reply
Dec 28, 2018 08:45:09   #
Vienna74 Loc: Bountiful, Utah now Panama
 
Wait! Was he seriously proposing loading $12.5 million on an "ATM Master Card"? Why not a Starbucks gift card?

Reply
Dec 28, 2018 09:44:48   #
VietVet Loc: Brooklyn, NY
 
I’ve a friend, a professional photographer and not a stupid guy. He received a phone call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft that told him his computer was infected with a virus and they needed to access it to correct the problem. Not only did he allow them to do this they also asked for the same on his wife’s computer which he also allowed. Needless to say they wiped out his and his wife’s bank account. Luckily they had recently moved to Florida and there wasn’t much in the accounts. He said with all that was going on he just didn’t think, this could have been much worse. Think and talk to other younger people/children if your older and are a very trusting person.

Reply
Dec 28, 2018 11:42:05   #
rmm0605 Loc: Atlanta GA
 
foathog wrote:
"HE" says he's "new in this office". It appears that he's new to the English language too. LOL Anyone one who falls for that crap DESERVES to be taken.


The whole text is full of nonsense. Glad you didn't bite!

Reply
Page <prev 2 of 2
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
General Chit-Chat (non-photography talk)
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.