Scams

It seems that this is the month for Scams. I've been receiving many of late.
Today, I got an email from an author I know from another forum. He told me he is in London and someone stole his bag with all his credit cards, money, etc. He said he went to the American Embassy and they will allow him to travel without a passport, however he was desperate for funds to purchase a ticket back to the states, and could I advance him the money.

I sent a reply giving him ideas of how he could get a ticket without having his credit card.

He just replied and said that it was not he who had sent the email and thanking me for the heads-up for the Scammer using his name.

The problem with things like is that when someone truly is in need, he/she may not receive help simply because of trust, and that sucks.

Glad I didn't send any money.

A similar thing happened more than a year ago where I received a request for monetary help where a fellow author was in a pinch. I never followed up with him and now assume that was a Scam also.

Am I on someone's list? I'll try not to let these things affect my trust in people.

3/8/2011


Abe...

Good thing your sharp ! There are many scams out
there, just be careful....I always have my spam on high,
if it's from someone I don't know or haven't heard from
in a long time, it gets deleted..


Cheers..Joe

My old yahoo account was tapped by spammers and my contacts sent very chatty emails from "me." I just found out; one friend who should be computer savvy sent to that account a real unpleasant email about how she didn't appreciate my emails at her work address - but it was uglier than this. I changed my password; but they have my contacts already.

It is a problem. I think the contacts that we have who know us well, will not believe it when they get an email that is 'out of character' for the person.

Getting a distress email is difficult to ignore. It is natural to want to help, and I think that is what the Scammers count on. Tapping into emotions is a clever technique. If someone has more than one email address, sending an email to the second address to confirm could help. That is rarely possible when it is someone you have never corresponded with and/or someone that you don't know that well. Being suspicious is becoming a necessary thing, and that's sad.

I wonder if this is coming from Facebook.

Alice,
I duspect that FB is a prime source.

I got a distress email just now. Facebook has to be its origin .

Alice,
be on the alert and don't get sucked in. They prey on a kind heart and you have a big one.

Thanks, Abe.

I won't send money--revenge time! I can threaten them with my book.

It may be good to have a category for Fraud or Security Alerts so that we can keep each other informed.

 
If you use an ATM for money, beware that there is a new gimmick to steal your money.
They place a metallic tape under the small umbrella that covers your input.   You get no money and walk away.  They remove the tape and get your money.

I don't use a debit card.  I do think FB is a prime for contact hacking.  Also, many other sites open with Facebook and collect contacts in the process.  Being savvy is about all we can do.

Unfortunately about the time I received one of those desperate emails, a family member was in such a situation almost to the tee.  Fortunately, I had already heard his plea and demanded he speak to me on the phone before he would get any help from me. 

Thus, the later scam landed on deaf ears.  However, just a bit of switcheroo and I could have been vulnerable.

They are always catching my mom.  I finally begged her just to give zero info on the phone and tell them if they have so much information about her they can mail their information - then hang up.  Of course, nothing shows up in the mail.  I think she finally doesn't speak to them.

Lonely elderly enjoy a phone call - and the scammers know they are vulnerable.

alice wrote:

Thanks, Abe.  

I won't send  money--revenge time!  I can threaten them with my book.

You can threaten them with mine, too, if it would help.

Shelagh,

You are funny.

Scam Alert
This past week in Germany two women received calls, allegedly from the Police, advising them that there were burglars in the area and that they should keep their valuables in a safe place.  Just for their information (the police), they wanted to know what valuables they had.  The women, both elderly, called the police to verify and learned that the police did not make the call.  People were warned to notify the police if they receive such a call.   The gangsters were targeting people for burglaries.  I don’t know how wide-spread this is, but it is prudent to remain cautious and not provide information, whether it is banking or other, to strangers.  Calling the police for any questionable situation is the right thing to do.