# Is This a Scam? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 17, 2003, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122 "2003-07-17T12:40:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/1 "2003-07-17T12:40:22Z")
I got a strange letter in the mail the other day. The return address is: * * * CORPORATE ACCOUNTING OFFICE DISBURSEMENT CENTER The text of the message says this" Confirmation Of The Requested Information Is Necessary As There May Be Funds Held For The Benefit Of The Name Appearing On The Above Coupon. Please Answer All Questions, As Accurate Information is Necessary Before Any Check Can Be Issued Thank You- [There are fields for me to write my date of birth, my day and evening telephone numbers, and my address.] * * * WTF? There’s no “Dear Mr. [My Last Name].” There’s no explanation of what funds are supposed to come from where. This is undoubtedly the most vague piece of mail I have ever received. Best I can figure is that it’s a trick to get me to give them some information so that they can sell it to other mailing lists. They clearly aren’t asking me for any money. Anyone have any idea what this could possibly be about? TIA ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/2 "2003-07-17T12:50:01Z")
The starting point of identity fraud??? Otherwise, the mailing list idea sounds good… Grim ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/3 "2003-07-17T13:03:39Z")
Send a copy of the letter to the Postmaster in Jamestown, NY. There’s a good chance this is mail fraud. ---
**Author:** ![Demigorgon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bc79bd/32.png) [@Demigorgon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demigorgon)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/4 "2003-07-17T13:07:56Z")
Its coming from a P.O. Box, that means its not an actual place, it’s litterly just a hole in the wall. If you can’t stand it any longer and have to take the bait, under no circumstances give out your SS#, or any sorta credit card #, or bank account #. Scam. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/5 "2003-07-17T13:28:57Z")
Looks scammy to me, probably a variant of [one of these](http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/Telemarketing/Outbound/Major/Sweepstakes/1_of_5_prizes.htm). The next step will be to tell you that yes! there are funds and could we have your bank account details so we can pay them direct (or they will ask you for some sort of ‘refundable deposit’). ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/6 "2003-07-17T20:36:56Z")
Thanks everyone! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/7 "2003-08-01T00:38:40Z")
Now that’s weird, I made a “thanks” reply, and it gets listed as coming from this “HeyHomie” person. Weird Hamster behavior! It turns out this was legit, BTW. I called my broekr and he said they were pretty good bunch. So I called them and it turns out there were about 100+ shares of stock that had been part of a reinvestment deal and had gotten lost in one of my moves somehow. No finders fee for me, it would seem, the company issuing the stock pays. Yay! ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/8 "2003-08-01T00:49:02Z")
The OP is from HeyHomie too. OOPS. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/9 "2003-08-01T01:08:39Z")
The starting point of identity fraud? ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/10 "2003-08-01T01:25:19Z")
Did someone’s sock just slip? ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/11 "2003-08-01T01:45:00Z")
Why don’t you fill it out and make things up. Like Santos L Halper… ---
**Author:** ![Svt4Him](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@Svt4Him](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svt4Him)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/12 "2003-08-01T01:51:05Z")
I don’t know, just send me your bank account number and I’ll look into it for you. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/13 "2003-08-01T02:13:19Z")
Could Homie and Misk please figure out which persona he wants on this thread? You’re only confusing things with the last exchange. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/14 "2003-08-01T04:07:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Miskatonic \* > **Now that’s weird, I made a “thanks” reply, and it gets listed as coming from this “HeyHomie” person. Weird Hamster behavior!** Nope. [Poor searching skills on your behalf.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=201103) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/15 "2003-08-01T12:31:40Z")
Please note, therefore, the comment that “this was legitimate” rightly belongs in the OTHER thread. The solicitation HeyHomie reports is pretty obviously NOT legitimate. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/16 "2003-08-01T20:35:56Z")
Oops. Damn similarly labeled threads! ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/17 "2003-08-02T00:01:56Z")
CLARIFICATION IS IN ORDER: I have no idea who this **Mr. Miskatonic** is. I am not him/her and he/she is not me. Seems to be a server problem or something. **xash** has e-mailed me asking for clarification of this matter and I have done so. Just thought I’d do it in this thread, too. You may proceed. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam/189122/18 "2003-08-02T05:04:19Z")
This is entirely my fault. I started a thread also titled “Is this a scam” (linked to by Coldfire above) and someone linked to it from there. I hit a reload History button and did not notice that this was the wrong thread. I made a reply as if to the thead I started and then things snowballed from there: \ "It is allll maahhh Fawlt \