Scams

**Jimaz** · February-05-21, 07:20 PM

Tell us about the scams you've encountered so the rest of us can be forewarned.

I'll start.

Today I received snail mail trying to sell a "vehicle service contract." It had all the urgency and accusatory red flags of a scam like "IMMEDIATE RESPONSE REQUESTED" and "Our records indicate that you have not contacted us ..." and "you will be responsible for paying...".

The most egregious deception was that the envelope's address window was carefully designed to show the phrase "To The Order Of" just before the recipient's name, making it appear to be a check. Only after opening it did I discover there was no "Pay" preceding the "To The Order Of" phrase. There was no check.

If the thing were worth buying, they wouldn't have to resort to deception.

NO SALE

PLONK!

**Bigb23** · February-06-21, 05:00 AM

I received a recorded call on my answering machine yesterday saying my SS number has been compromised and to press #1 or an immediate warrant would be issued for my arrest. No mention of any agency, and the voice was computer generated.

I get several hang up calls a day when my machine picks up, and got two long recorded messages all in Chinese one day.

It sucks to keep a landline nowadays when AT&T reaps money from every incoming call. And they have a extra long distance charge for out going calls that are 10 miles plus.

And yes I have cell service at home, but all the batteries are built in now, and you have to replace and program the $400 phone and not just the battery.

That's also a scam.

**Zacha341** · February-06-21, 01:55 PM

Yeah, we still have a trusty land-line -- preferring the comfort of using one in our home over skinny mobile phones. I thwart the dead-battery 'new-phone-now!' scene on my mobile devices by having batteries replaced. Kept my phones longer. Saved money and time!

As I am an orphan politically, I get calls from everyone: right, left and center and the moon. And the foreign cranks! Some must be falling for these scams as they seem ever-devoted in trying!

**Kathleen** · February-06-21, 05:36 PM

It's unbelievable how people fall for these scams!!

Here's a recent local story:
How a Troy man lost $140,000 to a phone scam
https://www.wxyz.com/news/how-a-troy...o-a-phone-scam

**Jimaz** · February-06-21, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Kathleen

It's unbelievable how people fall for these scams!!...

They didn't mention the victim's state of mind. E.g., Alzheimer's can make people terribly vulnerable.

The article mentioned not to answer calls you don't recognize. Health departments are asking people to answer their phones in case it's a contact tracer. I hope they leave voice mail!

**Bigb23** · February-07-21, 08:20 PM

I thwart the dead-battery 'new-phone-now!' scene on my mobile devices by having batteries replaced. Kept my phones longer. Saved money and time!

How much does it cost to replace the battery? I buy the cheaper Chinese phones, [[ I know they all are), and use it sparingly. But I had to upgrade to a new phone with VoLte and plan to use my old cellphone at home with Google voice. That should get rid of some of the scammers and I'll just leave it plugged in all the time.

I will miss screening all those calls though!

**Jimaz** · February-07-21, 09:10 PM

Internet Scammers Go Crazy After American Speaks Their Language

Scammer Payback

This guy scams the scammers. It's humorous but I think his efforts would be better targeted toward whatever kingpin organized the boiler room instead of its underpaid operators.

**Zacha341** · February-08-21, 05:58 AM

I used a place called YouBreakIFix in Royal Oak to replace the battery of an iPhone [[under $55). Considering the rip-off price for iPhone and extending the life of the one I had that was a grand price.

Store-front operation replaced battery with two hours. I only purchase older models of iPhones [[Best Buy faithfully sells their brand new older models where the Apple store will not) as I refuse to fully submit to the empire Apple! One iPhone battery replacement I received a refund of cost from Apple as the phone was on recall for faulty battery. Call around to see which battery stores offer what re. batteries and installs.

I had the Google voice app on phone - but finally deleted as I couldn't figure it out and needed not another thing 'google' LOL!

Originally Posted by Bigb23

How much does it cost to replace the battery? I buy the cheaper Chinese phones, [[ I know they all are), and use it sparingly. But I had to upgrade to a new phone with VoLte....

**Jimaz** · February-08-21, 09:40 AM

With the recent increase in home deliveries, the porch piracy scam is one that needs to be brought to a permanent end.

Blam! Booby Trapped Box Scares off Porch Pirates

I love a good design. There are other booby traps that are more elaborate and vindictive but this one is simple enough to be mass produced. The more people who use these bait decoys, the less attractive packages will be to porch pirates.

An even simpler decoy would be if everyone started leaving empty boxes on their porches. Messy but effective.

If the home delivery trend continues beyond the pandemic, an architectural solution might appear. I can envision the return of a larger milk chute but with an automatically locking exterior door.

We need to make porch piracy a problem that used to exist. We can do it.

**Bigb23** · February-09-21, 12:04 AM

Store-front operation replaced battery with two hours. I only purchase older models of iPhones [[Best Buy faithfully sells their brand new older models where the Apple store will not)

As much as I hated ALL the Windows upgrades, forever, I will not jump from the frying pan into the fire. I'll stick with Android [[and sigh, Windows).

Good info on Best Buy selling older phones. I'll check into that when my cheapo Amazon phone reverts to total Chinese text again.

**Zacha341** · February-09-21, 06:19 AM

Yeah, Apple's so flakey - I just can't be a fan-boy though I use their equipment [[used and refurbished for the most part)!

If you walk into their store they'll determine any equipment you have over a year a 'relic' model. Yet they sell older models outlets all the time [[like Best Buy). I prefer the iPhone 6s which was the last model before they esoterically ditched the standard audio plug. Still sold at Best Buy last I checked. That model is over five years old! Works great, less then $300 out the door.

Also in the fine print of Apple's web site they sell 'refurbished' computers that are excellent as they swap out the guts and you can get a great running computer. But walk into their 'stores' and your told to purchase their newest/ over priced. Avoid also 'responding' to every Apple computer update. Some will render your existing computer a paper-weight.

I always run Macs few OS systems behind.

I'm pretty fluent in Windows OS, so if the shannigans continue with Apple computers bye, bye. Though the ease of use I will miss.

The newest Apple Macs are so daft they no longer have standard USB ports! Believing USB was ending faster than it has.

**Bigb23** · February-09-21, 06:54 AM

Windows updates do nothing to help me, they just make it a pain in the ass to do what you used to do before the last update. I guess they have tens of thousands of coders wondering what to do next to keep their jobs.

I miss my original start menu. Now everything you touch is put on a list. 1000 and counting.

I'd like to save what I want.

I'm a little touchy about going to Linux though.

**Zacha341** · February-09-21, 07:50 AM

^^^ Youtube offers much on work-arounds re. the Windows nonsense.

Apple too now joining the insanity with their recent OS upgrades! Indeed the coders have to keep at it - useful or useless - often making things far worse. Rendering your computer towards paper-weight status!

I recently purchased a classic 2014 15" Apple Laptop with a known buggy, ram-hogging new system loaded. I knew I needed it downgraded immediately to regain computer speed and ditch the unnecessary features.

Apple snob team would have laughed me out of their store on multiple levels [[not the least from presenting before them a 'legacy' unit).

Smartly, I located a so-called store-front-row local computer store who without hesitation completely understood my system down-grade request! Dropped off computer - next day all set. Running well sans the crap.

**Jimaz** · February-09-21, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by Bigb23

Windows updates do nothing to help me, they just make it a pain in the ass to do what you used to do before the last update. I guess they have tens of thousands of coders wondering what to do next to keep their jobs....

As a former coder I have to agree with that. When microprocessors were new, the end user's demand for genuinely useful improvements was infinite. It was like shooting the rapids over a waterfall and sprouting wings at the last minute. Today it seems developers are content to paddle the backwater eddies changing things that don't need changing. I doesn't need to be that way.

For the last month I've been coping with a laptop that kept trying to install automatic updates but failed and had to back out the changes — every single time I booted it up. I finally pounded on it until the problem vanished but not without following a Microsoft process that did not work. I burned a whole day on that problem.

I'm debating on whether to flesh out this beef on the pet peeves thread.

And don't get me going on AI! LOL

**old guy** · February-09-21, 03:25 PM

I’m not sure how this one works. I guess everyone gets the robo calls that now use random towns and random numbers. But about a year and a half ago I rode along with my son to a town about 70 miles away where he was going to purchase something. I never made contact with anyone or used my cell phone on the trip but I did have it with me.
We did wheel into a car dealership that was closed and looked at a van while we were in that town, I jotted down a number but never talked to anyone or called the number. The next day I was at home, got a call and it was from that town. I immediately thought robo call, but my curiosity took over and I answered it. Sure enough. That’s just kind of eerie in a creepy kind of way. I’ve had the same thing happen several times since when traveling. Not sure how they do that one.

**Zacha341** · February-09-21, 11:23 PM

I like how most of them hang-up fast soon as they see you're on to them with your response.

Though usually I click-off mid-word when they start in with their lies and subterfuge.

I did not WIN anything or whatever... done. Bye.

**Bigb23** · February-10-21, 06:37 AM

That’s just kind of eerie in a creepy kind of way. I’ve had the same thing happen several times since when traveling. Not sure how they do that one.

Years ago I was online at a news site, and I randomly thought about buying new flannel shirts. Within a matter of minutes, a pop-up ad for flannel shirts was there.
Needless to say, I freaked out. The scariest coincidence I ever had!

**WKL** · February-10-21, 08:23 AM

Every so often my caller ID says I am calling. I wonder what I wanted.

**Honky Tonk** · February-10-21, 08:31 PM

You didn't leave a message?

**Richard** · February-12-21, 02:37 PM

They call you and ask you to press a button,or even by answering,they lock on to your number and use that to call others for the scam.

That is how they get different numbers to call from,cloning other people’s numbers.

Right on que,as I was typing this I got an extended warranty call.

Sometimes I wonder if all of these people on marketplace and CL collect numbers by pretending they are interested,and then sell them.

**Ray1936** · February-14-21, 08:35 PM

Got an Email from what appeared to be E-bay, with whom I've had numerous sales and purchases. It said I had a four buck credit coming. To claim, please click on the attached link. I did. DUMB.

Within the next week discovered that 2k had been taken out of my bank savings account, and I had a bill from E-bay for 1k. Well, the bank straightened it out in one day [[God Bless Nevada State Bank!), but the E-bay account took over a year to get voided. And a lot of back and forth with them!

Oh, and I never got the four bucks, either...................

**Zacha341** · February-15-21, 11:31 AM

^ I am so sorry to hear this Ray1936! I'm a long-time eBay buyer/ seller and I get the scam emails from time to time. The tip-off is that the senders email extension is always hinky and the wording of the actual email if I even bother to open it. I usually spam-folder the mess.

Same for Paypal which is rife with fake scammers ever plying their 'Your account has been hacked - please log in...' pile of lies.

**Ray1936** · February-15-21, 12:34 PM

Ah, allow me to make a correction. I was not billed by eBay......I was billed by PayPal for the fraudulent 'free four bucks'. Sorry for the mix.

**Jimaz** · February-15-21, 12:50 PM

I think I heard this right [[on the radio this morning).

There were 15,000 new internet domains registered in 2020 that mentioned "vaccine" or "Covid19." Half were found to be fraudulent.