an aside -
When i get scam calls (and I get plenty every day)- I always give them a fake name - its finally percolating thru their system(s) as a couple of the recent calls have asked for the fake name instead of my actual name.
“This is a federally restricted number. Tell me your name and your location.”
"CLICK!"
I had a weird texting experience. I got a text message in Chinese (Google translate recognized the language). They thought I was someone named Kim. Using Google translate I told them that I was not Kim and that they must have the wrong number. They apologized then asked if I was Chinese since my Chinese was so good. I responded that I only speak English and I was using Google translate. (Damn, automated translation is getting good!)
I thought that was the end of it but a few minutes later they told me that I’m cute. Of course I’m adorable but there’s no way they could know what I look like so at that point I just blocked their number.
It seems like it must have been some kind of weird scam but it seems strange that they would send Chinese text to a random USA number.
Their targets are Chinese speakers and one typical scam is pretending to be some government official threatening their immigration status unless they pay money. Maybe not in your case, though. Spamming millions of numbers in hopes of finding that tiny percentage who are ripe targets for whatever scam they’re running is cheap.
My wife who is bed ridden, so vulnerable and easily alarmed, got a call claiming a $4000 purchase had been made on her AMEX card. She became very distressed. The caller assured her that he could take care of the charge. But, to confirm that she was dealing with American Express she was to hang up and call him on the number in the small print at the bottom of the credit card. She said she couldn’t read the small print. He said it was the same on all cards, so he read it to her. She hung up and dialed the number then believing she was talking directly with AMEX.
The scheme was that she would need to purchase a gift card for $4000 and give them the number. Then that would allow them to enter that amount and cancel the purchase. That’s when I arrived, got my wife calmed down and took over the conversation. The guy was convincing even though the ploy was obviously nonsense. He carefully explained it to me. I said it would take quite a while for me to drive to someplace where I could purchase a card. He said that was OK, he would stay on the line. So, I took my wifes’ phone and went out to the car and started the engine. Then I went outside of the car and called AMEX on my phone. They verified it is a scam. I got back in the car, the guy was still on the phone, and I explained that the scam was busted. He let out a string of profanity and hung up.
I was surprised my wife fell for this, but the turning point was calling the number in the small print on the card. She was sure she was talking to American Express. Sadly, there may be a lot of vulnerable folks who fall for this scheme.
They must assume that a fair fraction of their “target demographic” can’t read the fine print at the bottom of the card. I just looked at mine and there are numbers at the bottom of the card, but they aren’t phone numbers.
Agreed. The guy was an illusionist. He probably makes the offer before the pigeon even looks at the card.
Even if the pigeon can see perfectly, the response to “There’s no phone number there” would likely be “you must have one of the older cards, here’s the number.”
Getting the pigeon to trust the scammer enough to call a number or access a website provided by the scammer is where the hook gets set.
If a land line was involved, it wouldn’t have mattered what number was being dialed, since the scammer never actually hangs up:
That scam is not new as the video claims. I remember reading a firsthand account from a mostly tech-savvy victim who got stung by this at least ten years ago, probably a lot longer. I remember one of my brother’s friends pranking my mom using that same quirk in POTS landlines back in the 80s.
My wife is having a big birthday party (special age - not telling) in Las Vegas. We have a bunch of rooms reserved in her name months ago. Someone who’s coming got her email hacked. She and all the other email recipients on the reservation email got notices that their reservations were canceled.
Why?
Possibly to get those people to cancel their flights and not show up thinking there were no rooms???
Seems Taylor Swift is doing two concerts at Raiders stadium that weekend (sold out of course) and rooms are in short supply.
We’ve taken steps with the hotel/resort and new emails to our guests. And a reminder to change passwords.
I got an email from the Royal Bank Of Canada that I have a payment waiting for 12 billion dollars. For some strange reason, Citibank Of Toronto is actually making the payment.
My response was to question why I’m eligible since I’m not Canadian.
While waiting for @running_coach to troll some more scammers, linking a helpful thread regarding Catfishing and why certain apps are more likely to be a red flag
I am still surprised at the number of classic Nigerian scams I get in my junk mail.
The most recent one said I was going to “inherit” $50 million from a Treasury Direct Savings Bond account. In cooperation with the IMF and “Asian government”. I didn’t know that “Asian government” was a thing. And why the US Treasury needed to work with foreign entities on this is a puzzle. I just needed to provide the usual identity theft/bank cleanout info.
All to be provided to me via a pre-paid Visa card. With $50M on it. A guy could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that.
People must be falling for this still. I do not get it.
I’m still baiting 'em, just too many and no interesting cases to document.
Minor variation I’m trying on one of them is sending a bank transfer under a “No-Fee Transfer Service” with a 7 day delay in the transfer while the bank invests the transfer amount to collect the fee.
BTW, as far as I know the most you can put on a prepaid Visa card is $1000.
OK, this clown came back this morning (it was up to near 900 emails before he stopped contact in late March). Still going back and forth. It did come out previously that the Attorney General of Spain personally issues the insurance permit but only if you pay through a US bank account. Which I did through my bank. Right now, he accusing me of making a fake payment(which I did). Why is he still trying to collect?
This exchange just took place.
So you’re going to forgo the demurrage or are you going to send it to a collection agency?
demurrages belong to me and my diplomatics working with me.
So you’re going to pay the demurrage?
you pay demurrage of one month to my office
You cut off contact before the demurrage date. No court in the world would side with you on the matter.
I inform you of demurrage before everything and you make fake payment to our office
I did not. You retract the accusation or prove it in court.
so what do you want me to do now to help you because is your fault and I can consider you to make sure you receive your funds.
How can it be my fault when you’re the one being obstinate?
I’m not obstinate .it is you that do not make fake payment to our office
That’s right, I did not make a fake payment. Glad you’re willing to admit it.
I’m not obstinate .you are having double mind and refuse to make payment all the time at end of day you make fake payment to our office.we accept all form of payments
If you accept all kinds of payment then a fake payment is as good as a real payment.
You claim that you have pay to our office .when we check our office account we did not see any money in .and that is fake payment
we know when you make fake payment.that is why we accept payments of all country
Never you make fake payment to our office again.because is not allow and is un acceptable.thanks
Then you don’t accept all payments. What payments do you accept?
It does always make me wonder, if at this point, why do they still keep playing the game.
Admittedly, dealing with things through a second language means it’s easy to miss nuance, but you’d think they’d figure out they were being played by that point. But no, the game continues. Of course, it could be the old joke that the best scammers are the ones that sell themselves on the scam: it’s true indignation, because he’s given you so much time and effort, that you should feel ashamed of not going through with it.
But who knows. I hope the scammer develops ulcers from this. 
No nuance. A fair amount of those emails were demands to pay through a US account and me demanding the issuing agency website to make the payment through.
What he seems to have forgotten is that I’ve made two fake payments.
Like I’ve mentioned, I hope this means he has no other current ( or recent past)victims and he’s desperate.