Scams

COmtnLady

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
1,466
Location (City and/or State)
Colorado
There's this gal I used to work with at the phone company who emails jokes and funny stories to a whole bunch of us retirees. For the whole length of my career with the phone company she called me Miss Y. A couple days ago I got an email from her asking if I would buy a Google Play card for her for her niece's birthday as she's travelling and is unable to do it herself. Number one, she didn't call me Miss Y. Number two, we're not close friends and we don't email or phone each other. Number three, she's very outgoing and has a ton of friends and I really doubt I would be her first choice to ask a favor.

The email came from her email address.

At the risk of hurting her feelings, I didn't respond.
I had the very same email, Yvonne, also from an addy I knew, but the phrasing was slightly off (she'd NEVER have said something using that syntax and vocab). So, I reported it, but all that seems to do is make them quit bothering me and move on to the next pigeon.
 

ZenHerper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Messages
2,078
Location (City and/or State)
New Jersey
When the "IRS" calls from very far overseas on a bad connection I bust out laughing.

They never know what to make of that. I've had them start over; try to sincerely "help" me understand the seriousness of my situation; swear.

I laugh harder.

*click*
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,389
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I have discovered I have a super power! I can make phone scammers hang up on me! Hommnabipidity boopiddibbity bop!
I don't answer my phone unless the caller I.D. shows it's either from someone I know or from an actual person (as opposed to "Unknown Name"). My answering machine message advises people I don't do turtle rescue anymore. And once the message starts to play the "unknown name" folks hang up.
 

GardenDmpls

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
12
When I worked in a high school animal science program, I also ran into animal scammers on Craig's List. One was for a macaw. We communicated by text. When I asked to see it, they said they had moved to Baltimore. When I wished them good luck, they told me the bird really wanted to live in Brooklyn, and they could ship it by air if I sent them the money. I said I would have a teacher on vacation pick it up. They said it would be too stressful for it to ride in a car (but for some reason, not in an airplane). Strung them along for a bit, but finally told them off. Made a good life lesson for my students. Also learned that if you google an image for the animal type they posted, the image they use for the scam is on the first page or so.
 

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