Tech scams and scams in general

Murrmurr said:
I heard about that one, too, and saw a video about it. The scammer tells the victim that the IRS has their assets temporarily frozen. That's how they convince the victim that these cards are the only means of payment and to prevent them being arrested. In fact, they tell the victim that enforcement officers will arrive at their address in 45 minutes, that's the reason for their call, to warn them (the victim).

How many college students know how the IRS works, and what powers they actually have? I know the IRS doesn't have the power to send law enforcement to my door, or to freeze my assets at a moment's notice. I know a case has to be opened before the IRS can do anything to me, and that such a case can take months and is preceded by lots of letters letting me know there is a case and what it's about.

But I'll cut that college student some slack because how many 20-somethings know all that? I only know because I looked into it, mostly online, and not until I was in my 40s. Sadly, Miss Diva, this stuff isn't taught in schools, and it's not normal dinner conversation either, not in most households.
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I agree with you about college students probably not knowing and absolutely agree that finances should be taught in school. Some are very savvy and know. My grandson would never have fallen for that while he was in college because he has financial sense. In fact, I know some high school children who wouldn't fall for that, at least not this day and age. I think American schools in general fail our children in many ways. Not make basic financial management courses mandatory, at least by the senior year in high school, is one of them.
 

Murrmurr said:
this stuff isn't taught in schools, and it's not normal dinner conversation either, not in most households.
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It really needs to be. Middle school and high school.

Often they pick on new immigrants who have limited English and very little knowledge of laws. Once they’ve been scammed, they’re afraid to tell their relatives and will be blackmailed to pay more. It’s sad.
 
Murrmurr said:
I heard about that one, too, and saw a video about it. The scammer tells the victim that the IRS has their assets temporarily frozen. That's how they convince the victim that these cards are the only means of payment and to prevent them being arrested. In fact, they tell the victim that enforcement officers will arrive at their address in 45 minutes, that's the reason for their call, to warn them (the victim).

How many college students know how the IRS works, and what powers they actually have? I know the IRS doesn't have the power to send law enforcement to my door, or to freeze my assets at a moment's notice. I know a case has to be opened before the IRS can do anything to me, and that such a case can take months and is preceded by lots of letters letting me know there is a case and what it's about.

But I'll cut that college student some slack because how many 20-somethings know all that? I only know because I looked into it, mostly online, and not until I was in my 40s. Sadly, Miss Diva, this stuff isn't taught in schools, and it's not normal dinner conversation either, not in most households.
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Jules said:
It really needs to be. Middle school and high school.

Often they pick on new immigrants who have limited English and very little knowledge of laws. Once they’ve been scammed, they’re afraid to tell their relatives and will be blackmailed to pay more. It’s sad.
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The ironic thing about phone scams is that they are using YOUR phone and the phone service you pay for. In other words, they are using your property without your permission to scam you.

I have found a good way to scare them off. When they start talking, I interrupt them, sometimes forcibly, and state that this call is being recorded for legal purposes.

This almost always results in them hanging up.

Try it - it works.
 

RB-TX said:
The ironic thing about phone scams is that they are using YOUR phone and the phone service you pay for. In other words, they are using your property without your permission to scam you.

I have found a good way to scare them off. When they start talking, I interrupt them, sometimes forcibly, and state that this call is being recorded for legal purposes.

This almost always results in them hanging up.

Try it - it works.
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That's a really good idea.
I usually just hang up. If I recognize the prefix I don't even answer, I just swipe the little disconnect icon.
When my foster son lived here, I'd hand the phone to him. He was 2 - 2 1/2 and he loved babbling to those guys even after they hung up (always within a few seconds).

The tragedy is that there are millions of people in the US, UK, and Asia who don't recognize a scam call (or pop-up, voicemail, or email).
 
Murrmurr said:
That's a really good idea.
I usually just hang up. If I recognize the prefix I don't even answer, I just swipe the little disconnect icon.
When my foster son lived here, I'd hand the phone to him. He was 2 - 2 1/2 and he loved babbling to those guys even after they hung up (always within a few seconds).

The tragedy is that there are millions of people in the US, UK, and Asia who don't recognize a scam call (or pop-up, voicemail, or email).
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I agree with most of what has been posted here but the reality is .........we cannot protect everyone from falling for these scams.... schools barely cover what they do now .........

no legitimate business or IRS is taking gift cards as payment...........in fact....... using the most detailed traceable payment is for your benefit if a debt is actually owed..........

i just have lost empathy in some cases since a simple google search or research phone calls would make it clear that this is a scam..... nothing has to be done in 30 -45 minutes........
a college age person who
1. most likely are on parents taxes or
2. had some service help them with taxes
they should call one or both of those folks to ask about before sending a gift card to anyone.....

I have seen well educated people fall for items because they answer phone emails on autopilot trying to get through them ASAP.................... with out questioning if the Font or logos look right etc.
or maybe they really think that item is free or a deal too good to be true.

Can you educate that out of people...... I do not think so.....
I find it ironic that personal finances are seen as taboo in schools ... ............but often the range of curriculum of sex ed grows each year.....
 
I have a scam on my phone right now. #280-980-0551. Everyday they text from this number saying a certain amount (generally $100 to $400) has been charged on my Amazon account. I am to call this number and ask for a specific extension in order to nullify this transaction.
This is bogus, of course. Annoying!
 
I had a customer, when I worked at Walgreens, who was purchasing $500 in gift cards. He as tall, intelligent looking man in his late 40’s early 50’s. He just looked so uneasy so I casually asked “ Sir, you know the people you are buying these gift cards for, right?” He looked at me, kind of bewildered. And I said “The only reason I’m asking is because there have been scams going around asking people to send in gift cards”

Again he hesitated and then proceeded to tell me that he travels for a living. His wife had called him, half hysterical. She had received a phone call from a sheriff’s department in some other state. They told her that there was a warrant out for her husband’s arrest on some past traffic violation. He could cancel it but only if they paid the fine immediately and in gift cards so it couldn’t be traced as it was against the law for him to even notify her of the arrest warrant. So he comes rushing home...and THEY WERE GOING TO DO IT!!!! (how freaking stupid ARE these people????).
I suggested he call our local sheriffs department before he went ahead with the purchase because once they are activated they cannot be returned (and what I didn’t tell him is that once they are activated that money is gone before he even leaves the store).

So he took out his cell phone, called the sherriffs office, who verified it was a scam, and left the store shaken, but grateful.

Elderly people I can almost understand falling for scams...but this guy....wow!!
 
Kathleen’s Place said:
I had a customer, when I worked at Walgreens, who was purchasing $500 in gift cards. He as tall, intelligent looking man in his late 40’s early 50’s. He just looked so uneasy so I casually asked “ Sir, you know the people you are buying these gift cards for, right?” He looked at me, kind of bewildered. And I said “The only reason I’m asking is because there have been scams going around asking people to send in gift cards”

Again he hesitated and then proceeded to tell me that he travels for a living. His wife had called him, half hysterical. She had received a phone call from a sheriff’s department in some other state. They told her that there was a warrant out for her husband’s arrest on some past traffic violation. He could cancel it but only if they paid the fine immediately and in gift cards so it couldn’t be traced as it was against the law for him to even notify her of the arrest warrant. So he comes rushing home...and THEY WERE GOING TO DO IT!!!! (how freaking stupid ARE these people????).
I suggested he call our local sheriffs department before he went ahead with the purchase because once they are activated they cannot be returned (and what I didn’t tell him is that once they are activated that money is gone before he even leaves the store).

So he took out his cell phone, called the sherriffs office, who verified it was a scam, and left the store shaken, but grateful.

Elderly people I can almost understand falling for scams...but this guy....wow!!
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It has nothing to do with age but how gullible and lack of common sense a person has........
 
Jeni said:
It has nothing to do with age but how gullible and lack of common sense a person has........
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Also, the threats made by these scammers. Once they gain access to a victims computer, which they try to do asap (everything sounds very professional at the start of the call), they can convince the victim that they have access to their PC files and/or their banking information. They make it appear as though they have stolen all of the files in your PC or emptied your bank accounts, depending on the type of scam. You see this happen right before your eyes, except it's smoke and mirrors, and/or they will lock you out of your PC by changing the password and basically hold it for ransom.

In a recent video, if I understood it correctly, I saw that MS has created a program that allows you access to your PC with a universal secret code that keeps changing. It was created specifically for this scenario.
 
Murrmurr said:
Also, the threats made by these scammers. Once they gain access to a victims computer, which they try to do asap (everything sounds very professional at the start of the call), they can convince the victim that they have access to their PC files and/or their banking information. They make it appear as though they have stolen all of the files in your PC or emptied your bank accounts, depending on the type of scam. You see this happen right before your eyes, except it's smoke and mirrors, and/or they will lock you out of your PC by changing the password and basically hold it for ransom.

In a recent video, if I understood it correctly, I saw that MS has created a program that allows you access to your PC with a universal secret code that keeps changing. It was created specifically for this scenario.
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yes, if they actually have something on you..... like access to your computer.... if they have access to bank call the bank asap or go in ......

the many scams saying you owe.......but you never had a bill / of a traffic issue or accounts with whatever company ......
IRS documents everything.......... in order to collect a bill they MUST prove you owe it in writing..........

but some people RUSH out the door and buy gift cards? ..........................Makes no sense ....

yes i have seen some people fall for items because they do not think about it.......

I had a co-worker almost fall for you have a traffic ticket in X state ..........but when i asked her "when were you there "....... she realized she had not been there for 6 years ....................( she has zero common sense)
how the heck would she have a traffic problem and their police have ZERO ability to come and arrest her...
 
Since the first of the year, I've had an increase in text message scams and a decrease in telephone scams.

Today's text message tells me that I'm third in a Connecticut AT&T Sweepstakes. It is asking me to call a number to verify and collect my new iPad Pro.
 
The word scam seems to have some sort of street cred among the criminal fraternity. Scammers are deceitful, despicable swindling fraudsters. They bring misery to so many, yet as far as I can tell, if and when they are caught, punishment seems to be quite light. Bring back the stocks!
 
horseless carriage said:
The word scam seems to have some sort of street cred among the criminal fraternity. Scammers are deceitful, despicable swindling fraudsters. They bring misery to so many, yet as far as I can tell, if and when they are caught, punishment seems to be quite light. Bring back the stocks!
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Most of these scams are based in India and some African provinces where under-paid police are easily bribed into ignoring scam activities. And India has a law that says they can only prosecute if a victim is physically present during legal proceedings.
 
On average I get about ten scam calls a day, mostly for some kind of rate reduction on TV, cell, or credit card. Now I'm retired I have the time to engage them in long, rambling phone calls, sometimes 30 minutes or more. The way I see it, the more they talk to me, the less they talk to someone else. Even better, I leave them with a "negative job experience", knowing they've wasted their time with me.

The Mumbai accent is an advantage since I can pretend to misunderstand what they say. Ask for a credit card, well I thought they said library card. Offering a rate reduction, then I have to hear all the details, reading from my (non-existent) bill every fee and tax I can invent, asking if it will change. "What about the underground cable de-icing fee, does that stay the same?"

My name? Why, it's John Hancock. None of them have caught on yet. My credit card number? Oh no, I always pay with wire transfer...tell me YOUR bank account number.

I had a new one today, free iPhone 13, but of course with a shipping charge. I told the guy to pretend to send it, sell it on ebay, and we'll split the profit. Turned me down, amazing how honest thieves can be.....
 
If you have a new number or a number that gets a lot of spam calls, you might want to consider letting a scam call ring until it stops without hanging it up on your own. There are groups that harvest personal phone numbers and they periodically run these numbers through a program that calls them to check if the numbers are currently active. If you don't answer and don't hang up, your number is considered inactive as it appears to the program that there is no human interaction behind the number. Active numbers are then added to a list to be sold to telemarketers and scammers. They don't go around calling every number they see. They have a "curated" list of active numbers.
 
RFW said:
If you have a new number or a number that gets a lot of spam calls, you might want to consider letting a scam call ring until it stops without hanging it up on your own. There are groups that harvest personal phone numbers and they periodically run these numbers through a program that calls them to check if the numbers are currently active. If you don't answer and don't hang up, your number is considered inactive as it appears to the program that there is no human interaction behind the number. Active numbers are then added to a list to be sold to telemarketers and scammers. They don't go around calling every number they see. They have a "curated" list of active numbers.
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There is no one size fits all .. if they find numbers they assume are inactive they may use those numbers to spoof.
The practice of finding a number they believe is unused so when they call folks in your same area code it looks local.
 
Jeni said:
There is no one size fits all .. if they find numbers they assume are inactive they may use those numbers to spoof.
The practice of finding a number they believe is unused so when they call folks in your same area code it looks local.
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Right, there isn't. They don't even need inactive numbers to spoof. But making them think your number is inactive lowers the chance of you becoming a prime target and over time you will get less scam calls.
 
We simply don't answer the phone if we don't recognize the number. They eventually quit robo calling. I get scam emails claiming to be Amazon or Paypal and saying my accounts have been frozen and I should use the link to reactivate them. They are almost every day. I don't open them and just put them in the scam bucket.

We're in the process of buying a house in another state. We've sold our home here in AZ and the title company told us to be extra careful of scammers and wire transfers. The title company has a process you have to go through to ensure you're not sending money to a scammer with a wire transfer. They said it's really bad right now.
 
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