# F'n spammers posing as my bank!!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [November 29, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159 "2005-11-29T02:39:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/1 "2005-11-29T02:39:14Z")
How the fuck is this NOT illegal?!?!
It sarted off with letters in the mail.
The letters would read something to the effect of:
"Since you have such a good account history with us, we would like to send you $100 worth of gas vouchers. Also, we’d like to sign you up for a FREE trail membership to…(blah, blah, blah…) if at the end of two weeks you decide you do not like the service call us and cancle the subscription (that part just kills me. Because if I forget to call, they start charging me.)
I left out the part were they start talking about how much they appreciate that I’ve kept a positive balance with them. This is why they had me fooled for about a half minute into thinking they were really my bank.
Now these fuckers are calling me on my fucking CELL PHONE at 7 in the a.m.!
Listen fuckers!! STOP POSING AS MY BANK!! If you really _were_ my bank, you wouldn’t need ME to give YOU my account number!! How the fuck you know I bank at (so in so) bank is beyond me. To be honest, It freaks me the fuck out that spammers were somehow able to find this out! Lord only know what else you know about me!!
May you all burn in hell!
Fuckers!
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/2 "2005-11-29T02:51:43Z")
With regard to your cell phone, was this a live call, or a text message?
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/3 "2005-11-29T02:55:19Z")
Not to slam your rant, but it might be more useful if you gave a bit more detail (particullarly your account number, ha ha ha).
Really, the letters tell you that you have a positive balance and then ask for your account number? How do they know you have a positive balance, then?
Have you contacted your bank about this? Are the letters on bank letterhead? Do the envelopes have the bank logo on them? What exactly does the text say?
I sympathize and all that, but it doesn’t seem all that hard to identify as a scam. I’d be more concerned about the cell phone calls, if they are in fact from the same party. Any idea why they’d know your cell number?
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/4 "2005-11-29T03:05:56Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#):
>
> Not to slam your rant, but it might be more useful if you gave a bit more detail (particullarly your account number, ha ha ha).
>
> Really, the letters tell you that you have a positive balance and then ask for your account number? How do they know you have a positive balance, then?
>
> Have you contacted your bank about this? Are the letters on bank letterhead? Do the envelopes have the bank logo on them? What exactly does the text say?
>
> I sympathize and all that, but it doesn’t seem all that hard to identify as a scam. I’d be more concerned about the cell phone calls, if they are in fact from the same party. Any idea why they’d know your cell number?
No, it’s perfectly clear they are NOT my bank if you read the letter closely. It’s just that when I read MY mail, I usually have several letters to go through, hence I have a proclivity for just “skimming through” most of my mail.
This is why I was thinking they really were my bank.
However, they DID know the name of the bank I bank at. Which is worrysome.
**Fear Itself** The cell phone calls were “live ones”.
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/5 "2005-11-29T03:55:57Z")
> [@](#):
>
> No, it’s perfectly clear they are NOT my bank if you read the letter closely. It’s just that when I read MY mail, I usually have several letters to go through, hence I have a proclivity for just “skimming through” most of my mail.
>
> This is why I was thinking they really were my bank.
Sorry, I’m really not trying to be mean or agumentative, but if you were actually considering buying something from these people, you would have done more than skim the solicitation letter first, right?
Also, once again, was there anything containing the bank’s logo in the letter or on the envelope, and have you contacted your bank about the attempted scam?
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/6 "2005-11-29T04:50:47Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#):
>
> Sorry, I’m really not trying to be mean or agumentative, but if you were actually considering buying something from these people, you would have done more than skim the solicitation letter first, right?
>
> Also, once again, was there anything containing the bank’s logo in the letter or on the envelope, and have you contacted your bank about the attempted scam?
I was nowhere near about to buy something from these guys.
Maybe, I should relay the phone call I got from these bastards yesterday morning:
Me: Hello?
Them: Yes Mr. Shakes
Me: Yes?
Them: " Hi, I’m with (names my bank) we have a $100 voucher for gas. I just wanted to let you know we’re sending this to you for being such a valued customer, so when you get it in the mail, you don’t throw it away thinking it’s junk mail.
Me: Uh, huh…
Them: Also we’d like to sign you up for a trial offer for (I can’t remember what the hell he was trying to sell.) and if at the end of two weeks you decide you don’t like it just call us and cancel service. blah, blah blah… So let me get the number to your (checking) account so I can send you this hundred dollar voucher…"
Me: Grrrr!! click.
My point being: If you’re going to spam me then spam me.
Don’t fucking LIE to me and tell me I’m a VALUED CUSTOMER when I’ve never bought a thing from you guys in my life.
And at the very least, don’t try to play yourself off like your my bank. Granted, it’s easy to tell that they aren’t, but Jeez!! It’s awfull scummy, to try and to that…
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### Author:  [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/7 "2005-11-29T08:25:22Z")
> [@SHAKES](#):
>
> How the fuck is this NOT illegal?!?!
Misrepresntation and making solicitation calls on cellular phones are often illegal. If you ask about the situation in General Questions, you can probably get responses that will help make the fuckers pay. Or you can just start a Pit thread and bitch about it. Up to you, but I know what I’d do… Probably both. 🙂
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### Author:  [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/8 "2005-11-29T08:56:21Z")
Scammers tend to get lucky with the hit and miss thing. If they carpetbomb a hundred thousand people with the same exact email, chances are they’re going to hit a handful that actually do use that bank. Which is why I have about 4 Webster Bank, 3 BOA, and half a dozen Wells Fargo bank emails all either thanking me for being a valued customer or warning me about fraudulent activity on my non-existent account.
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### Author:  [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/9 "2005-11-29T08:58:33Z")
I meant to add that this sounds less like a scam, though, than one of those companies banks will sell your name to in the name of “affiliated partners”. If the same people are both emailing and calling you, more than likely they actually did get your name from the bank.
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### Author:  [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/10 "2005-11-29T09:02:42Z")
This sounds like a con/scam and you need to go to your bank and tell them about it. Spam is just un-asked for ads and such. When they start asking for your account number, you are approaching identity theft. Think about somebody somehow getting your personal information and where you bank. Now they ask you for your bank account number, presto - your account gets emptied of a quick $1,000.
And, on top of all this, if they are using your mobile phone, I think that starts pushing some FCC violations or wire fraud or ??? IANAL.
-Tcat
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/11 "2005-11-29T09:35:28Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#):
>
> I meant to add that this sounds less like a scam, though, than one of those companies banks will sell your name to in the name of “affiliated partners”. If the same people are both emailing and calling you, more than likely they actually did get your name from the bank.
Lordy, what bank exec, in their right mind, would think even for a moment “Yeah, let’s sell the names of our customers off to people…” This was actually my first thought. Then I blew it off because I just couldn’t wrap my mind around bank execs being that obtuse.
Guess I was wrong…
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### Author:  [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/12 "2005-11-29T15:06:53Z")
> [@SHAKES](#):
>
> Lordy, what bank exec, in their right mind, would think even for a moment “Yeah, let’s sell the names of our customers off to people…” This was actually my first thought. Then I blew it off because I just couldn’t wrap my mind around bank execs being that obtuse.
>
> Guess I was wrong…
There was a fairly large roar of disapproval up here when it came out that WellsFargo sells names. Well, that was after it was made known that many accounts were _accidently_ hacked in to, but that’s another story.
They subsequently sent out letters to customers wherein we could request no info be released. Duh. Who would WANT that info released??
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### Author:  [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/13 "2005-11-29T15:47:04Z")
Misrepresentation and fraud _are_ illegal.
The real problem here is getting anyone to _care_ about it. I see you also live in Dallas, **SHAKES**. I once had a problem with someone stealing money out of my bank account via fraudulent wire transfers. After many many sessions with the bank fraud department and getting my account closed, etc., they told me to report the whole thing to the police. I went to the local Dallas police office and they told me _it wasn’t their problem_. When pressed, the officer I was talking to got hostile and told me if I didn’t get my ass out of there he’d arrest me for causing a disturbance!!!
All _you_ have is an email con job. Hell, you’ll be lucky if you can even get your _bank_ to care.
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/14 "2005-11-29T16:16:47Z")
When they ask for your account number tell them that it’s 6.
If they have any questions tell them you’ve been a customer for a looooong time.
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### Author:  [@Bill\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_The_Cat)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fn-spammers-posing-as-my-bank/333159/15 "2005-11-29T22:06:34Z")
> [@Hampshire](#):
>
> When they ask for your account number tell them that it’s 6.
> If they have any questions tell them you’ve been a customer for a looooong time.
Tell them it’s 000-00-0002. Then mutter, “Damn you, Franklin,” and if they laugh, then go ahead and give them your real account number, because people who watch the Simpsons can’t be all that bad.