Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with scams

Share your confidence game stories

Wink Ricketts — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:03:01 -0800

Have you been conned? Would you share your story? I'm working on a small book proposal, more of an art book (working on an MFA), around the theme of hustlers and con artists. It is sort of a combo cautionary "Here's how you can be scammed" and exploration of the romantic image we seem to have for conartists.

Part of what I'm hoping to explore how we're fooled and why. What is the psychology / theatrics of the moment. Its all very easy to say "well you should know better" but it seems to me that having a couple of people putting the hard core hustle on you, could easily befuddle even people aware of the scams.

And, of course, on the off chance someone actually IS a confidence man or a hustler, I'd like to talk to you too.

So, if you've a story to share, I'd love to hear it. If you'd rather just share your story by email: thimblerigged@gmail.com

Wants to work hunting scammers

CollectiveMind — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:39:53 -0800

Someone I know wants to find a job as the person who is portrays themselves as seeking housing or employment, and is either preferred or discriminated against because of their race, sex, age, etc. I would guess a job like this; someone who portrays an apartment or job seeker, might be offered by the state, or the feds or a reputable non-profit, but I don't know. They are even interested in starting out pretending to be a customer who is victimized by mortgage fraud or auto garage scams as part of an investigation. Does anybody know which agency to approach and what credentials she might need to get her foot in the door?

Thank-you reward scam?

megatherium — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:26:39 -0800

We received a "Thank-you reward notice" bearing the logo of a retailer that we thought was legitimate. It offers a number of "valuable items" as a "reward" for being a good customer. But close inspection suggests otherwise. The notice tells us that a "reward" of up to $167.00 is ours as a valued customer. A fancy brochure listing a number of products and their purported value is included.

The implication is that we are being offered these items free of charge, but close inspection of the 2-point type on the reverse discloses that ordering these items will result in a charge to the credit card on file with the retailer. The "reward" is the purported savings on the items.

Our question is not whether this is legitimate. We've figured that out. And it appears from the language that the offering company is not affiliated with the retailer, but rather is independent, although it apparently has access to its customer list.

Our question instead is whether this has been seen by others, and if this involves more than one retailer. The retailer in our case is the Tog Shop.

How much trouble am I in?

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:52:07 -0800

So, I inadvertently sent my phone number and address to a Craigslist Scammer. What problems could this pose me? So, I fell for one of those "seems a little too cheap" Craiglist housing ads. I didn't send the guy any money, but I did send him an e-mail, and I foolishly forgot to leave off a signature containing my phone number, name, and address. What's the worst thing he can do with this information, and is there anyway to stop it?

Am I just a suspicious person?

Fortnight Bender — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:23:42 -0800

Sold an old textbook on Amazon. Buyer asks for expedited shipping, willing to pay extra. Turns out shipping address is in my town. I offer to meet, or ship. No responses. Suddenly my trick knee is twitching. I’m not a high power seller, sold maybe 6-12 items online total, never an issue. Here is the message I was sent from the buyer…

*****
Hello!
I have just ordered this item from you. Can you send it expedited (2-6 business days) and I will pay the extracosts involved?
Thank you for a quick answer!
[Buyer’s name]
*****

That was Saturday AM.

I replied that yes I would be glad to do as requested, but since the shipping address is about 5 miles from me, I thought we could meet, which I politely offered. Or I would ship. I have messaged 3 times, 2 direct to gmail addy, and once through Amazon. I’m just going to ship “book rate” or whatever (Media?) since I’ve heard nothing. But do you folks see an angle here where this could be a scam? It is an old obscure textbook, and kinda odd that it sold.

Also, I don’t want to seem all stalky and stuff, but the shipping address is the same as this place.

So what do you think?

Thanks!

Does this seem scammy to you?

dejah420 — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:36:24 -0800

Recently, I've had recruiters asking for SS#s to submit my resume for positions. My husband has had the same thing happen, as have some friends. Is this the newest scam on the block? (as always...more inside) Recently, both my husband and I have gotten phone calls from recruiters who speak heavily accented English that have jobs which sound tailored to our public resumes. The recruiter has then asked for data which I consider ridiculous to give out, including birth date, social security numbers, place of birth, etc. This sounds like identity theft scamming to me.

The company that most recently asked for my SS# was itlogix.com, which has no contact information on their website, and the site is riddled with grammatical and spelling errors.

I think this is a scam being attempted on folks who have publicly posted their resumes on job search boards, as I've heard about it happening to a lot of people with Monster profiles.

Does this sound like a scam to y'all? If so, to which government agency should this activity be reported?

I'd like some smart advice for storage (and moving) in NYC!

ezekieldas — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:08:33 -0800

I'd like some smart advice for storage (and moving) in NYC! I'm leaving NYC (Park Slope, Brooklyn specifically) at the end of this month. Nearly all of my belongings will go into storage for at least the next 5 months, possibly until the end of the year (volunteer work in MA, 3 hours away). I may need to access this storage once every couple of months. Later this year, I may return to this neighborhood, I may move to California, to Texas, or wherever the wind blows.

I'm asking HM because I've had some bad experiences in the past. I've had my property hijacked (just like stories on movingscam.com) and I can do without a rerun. I also need a reality check on my current plan thus far.

There's a UHaul storage less than a mile away. I can store there for about $120/mo. I could make a longer haul out to Jersey and store for $80/mo. (approx). It's making sense for me to pay a little more for less work, the possibility of moving back here, and that I may need to occasionally access items in storage.

I also like the idea of pod storage but pods.com doesn't service this area (too congested). Are there others like this?

What about climate control, rodents, packing items for this longer term situation? I realize this question could digress to many ways --what's most important for me is your advice on the smartest, least expensive way of handling this as well as words of caution!

Prepare for some abuse

reformedjerk — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:08:12 -0800

Shady auto body shop in Toronto. Help me prepare myself... My gf was driving my car this weekend (we live in Toronto) and slid into the back of a stopped streetcar. Thankfully she and her friends are alright, but the car sustained some damage in the front. At the time of the accident, some tow driver came up and offered to tow them to the nearest autobody shop (Frank's Collsion). I later found out that the tow truck company and Frank's are one and the same.

Having talked with the insurance adjuster today, I decided it was best to have the car fixed at a shop that was part of the insurer's network (I'm insured with Belair). I tried calling Frank's to clear the car to be towed by the new body shop, but both their phone numbers are constantly busy. When I called the new body shop, they informed me that Frank's is notorious for being a bit of a dodgy shop and their m.o. is showing up at accident sites and towing cars straight to their shop for "storage" at outrageous rates. In any case, I was informed that the best way to sort this out was to drive down to Frank's with a tow-truck from the new body shop. But I was also told to expect a lot of verbal abuse from these guys and that since my gf signed some documents at the time of towing, they were most likely going to fight very hard to keep the car there.

My question is, what should I be looking out for when I go there? I own the car and it's registered under my name, so I don't think they can really do any work on my car regardless of what my gf signed. Is there anything else I should watch out for? What if I show up and the car's already in a million pieces being fixed? Who should I get in touch with then? Sorry for the long question. I just don't like the feeling that I'm walking into a scam, and want to be as prepared as possible.

Lock in low toner prices! And I did! And I was scammed! Help, please.

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:48:06 -0800

Okay, so I fell for the copier toner scam. How do I fix it? In my defense, they were actually really nice and I was on DayQuil and they sounded very convincing. I "ordered" the stuff today, and right after doing so realized what I did and I quickly tried to call them back and cancel the order, but the number they called from, 213-537-1910 is dead air and googling the number tells me that I'm a complete idiot for falling for it, but no way to call them back. Does anyone have any ideas? I feel like a complete idiot. Anon due to idiocy and wanting to take care of this before anyone else finds out. "Ordered" today and being shipped out on Monday.

p.s. I'm in Ohio, if that helps.

Why do so many email scams originate in Nigeria?

learninguntilidie — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:20:21 -0800

Why do so many email scams that I receive (95% of them) originate from Nigeria? I do not want to stereotype a people or a country I just don't understand why I have been inundated with Nigerian scams from my ebay account to my email account. The most recent one alarmed me in that I was almost tricked. One of my friends sent me an email saying that that she was in Africa doing HIV/AIDS work when something bad happened and she needed money. The only part of the email that tipped me off that something was specious was the word "Nigeria". I looked up a portion of the email and sure enough it was a scam.

Avoiding Online Employer Scams

mannequito — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:55:29 -0800

What are some reliable ways to check the authenticity of companies that advertise for jobs on craigslist and other such websites?

Airline scam or not?

boots77 — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:43:23 -0800

Why would a major airline help desk consultant ask for my phone number? Was I scammed? Last week while traveling, I called my airline help line to see why my plane was delayed and if there would be any further delays that he knew of. He was very kind and told me that he wasn't sure why my flight was delayed, but as of that point in time, there were no other known delays coming up regarding that flight. Then the person asked me for my phone number so that his airline could contact me if there was any other delay information regarding this flight. I thanked him and gave him my number. Immediately afterwards, I wondered if I had done the right thing.

As a sidenote, I am an American and am pretty sure that my airline farms out much of its phone help to India and the person on I was talking to seemed to have a thick Indian accent. I guess with all of the news about international phone scams, etc... I worried more about this than usual.

Was I scammed into giving out my cell phone number? And what is the worst that can happen to me here if I was scammed (he had my phone number, and any other frequent flyer information he was able to pull up on his computer).

I am a bit nervous because I have already had my identity stolen once and used internationally. Any thoughts. Thanks.

I noticed that the voice of the person helping me had a distinct Indian accent. I know that many phone services are farmed out to foreign countries so this

Is my mother's estate being scammed?

forthright — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:10:43 -0800

Medical insurance paperwork still coming in 9 months after my mother passed away. My mother passed away when she was living in a nursing home the end of September 2007. Ever since then I have been receiving explanation of benefits letters from Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Medicare. I can certainly understand bills for the date she was rushed to the emergency room, and for some a month or two prior that had just been working their way through the system.

But I am still getting bills from dates prior to the date she died. How do I know if this is fraud? Who would remember what was or was not done that long ago, and obviously the patient cannot be asked. It seems unlikely an xray lab or psychiatrist could take 9 or 10 months to get around to submitting a bill. The whole thing seems fishy.

Up until now it has been academic because the bills showed nothing due from the estate. The last couple amount to a few hundred dollars supposedly being owed, and are from August 2007.

Has anyone else run into this with their deceased loved ones? I tried doing the following MeFi search and did not see anything that sounded like my situation: "deceased bills insurance nursing home".

Has anyone ever complained and if so, to whom?

Thanks in advance for any advice. As you can imagine this is a little more emotional than your average unexpected mail, since it brings me back to a time I was trying to get over.

How To Know If A Subletting Offer Is A Scam?

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:23:48 -0800

What's the best way to find out who owns an apartment in New York City? A relative of mine has been offered a sublet, but the circumstances seem very shady. I think my relative (who will be completely new to the "big city") is being scammed. I don't think the "owner" of the apartment is truly the owner. How does one go about finding out who owns property in NYC in regard to apartments? The apartment is in a well-known building in a high-end Manhattan neighborhood, which most likely has celebrity residents, so I don't know if that complicates things. Any help would be appreciated, as my relative is a complete novice at things like this, and I don't have any experience with it either, and I'd like to be able to give good advice.

If I try this project, am I going to lose my shirt to scammers?

woodblock100 — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:54:18 -0800

I am implementing a home-grown 'affiliate' program on my website - with payments to affiliates based on commissions, rather than clicks - but I am a bit concerned that it may be possible for people to think of ways to abuse it that I haven't thought of. I make a living selling items that I have made. At present, orders for my products are placed on the website through a simple shopping cart system that I created myself (in php / html), with the payments coming in through Paypal. It's all working very well.

Because I am such a 'low budget' operation, I can't afford advertising. So to help increase the number of visitors to the site during the end-of-year gift season, I am going to try running an affiliate system, to encourage other people to advertise on my behalf. I have created some sample ads in a selection of sizes/shapes, and make them available for people to use on their own sites/blogs. Anybody who wants to join the project gets an affiliate code that they use in the URL attached to the ad images.

In my shopping cart, I keep track of the customers who came to the site via one of these ads, and keep a record of sales referenced by codes. The particular product I wish to promote is priced at $30, and I offer the affiliates 10% of each sale, so they would get $3 for each one sold. All in all nothing complex, just a very simple system of the same sort that Amazon uses in vastly more sophisticated form.

But I have to think about how this might be abused. At present, I don't really see how 'anything could go wrong', but I've got plenty of experience with 'systems' to know that things don't always go the way you expect, and I certainly don't have any experience with people trying to 'game' a system. Can the devious minds of the MeFi hive offer any advice/warnings/recommendations about this idea?

How to avoid software bartering scams on Craigslist

jimray — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:55:59 -0800

Can someone explain the "I will exchange for new, boxed software" scam on Craigslist to me? I see posts on Craigslist all the time offering pretty good deals, usually for consumer electronics, in exchange for software (as I live in Seattle, it's usually Microsoft or Adobe software that people are looking for). Here's an example post looking to trade off a new Canon 40D for some "new, boxed MS or Adobe products". A 40D runs close to $2k, a copy of Photoshop is a few hundred bucks.

Following the old adage that if a deal looks to good to be true, it probably is, I have to ask: what's the scam here? I see this far too often for it to be coincidental (usually a few times a week) but I can't quite pin down the problem.

Avoiding scams selling expensive items on craigslist

freshgroundpepper — Mon, 28 May 2007 17:25:04 -0800

I'm about to list a relatively expensive item on Craigslist (asking ~$700) and have been reading up on all of the different scam horror stories and what _not_ to do. I'm only going to be dealing with someone in person, and I won't accept any wire transfers, cashier checks or money orders because of the high abuse potential, but I'm not sure what this leaves as viable alternatives for what I _should_ do to receive payment. Is it OK to ask for that much cash? Is there some other alternative that I'm missing? Anything above a couple of hundred dollars seems like a lot of folding money to me. Is there some sort of unspoken maximum amount where cash is no longer viable?

Should I be asking the person for some sort of identification (driver's license?) when I make the deal? Do I need to worry about counterfeit money and get one of those pens that I see some stores use on large denomination bills that identify counterfeits?

How have other people dealt with large items that they've sold on Craigslist (or a similar forum)?

Look Out Honey, 'Cause I'm Usin' Technology

fandango_matt — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 14:04:38 -0800

I posted some items for sale on Craigslist, and shortly thereafter I got email from a typical scammer who wanted to send me and have me cash a check from "his client," and I'd refund him the balance--you know, the textbook overpayment with a fake check scam. Now, I'd like to have some fun with this. So I opened a Hotmail account and began playing along, giving him the address of the local FBI field office as my "home address" to which he could send the check.

How now to proceed? I'd like to have some P-P-Powerbook-style fun with this and hopefully bust the guy--is that possible? Is it legal? Ideas, suggestions, and advice are all welcome.

Fool Me Once, Strike One. Fool Me Twice... Strike Three.

krippledkonscious — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:44:26 -0800

Why does my credit card company keep trying to scam me? And how is it legal? Every now and then, I'll receive an envelope from my credit card company that contains a check. Not a carbon-copy fake jobby like the ones Publisher's Clearing House used to send, that clearly indicate "This is total baloney" on the bottom. This is a real check, made out to me. Usually it's for something like $50. And there's a letter spewing crap about how the money is saying "thanks" for maintaining great credit (an obvious lie) and for being an excellent customer (a suspicious assertion), and how they're going to give me additional "Prestige Club" benefits, too.

For about 2.65 seconds, I actually congratulate myself and think about the wonderful and exotic beers I'll soon be enjoying with this 50 bucks. Of course, upon reaching second number 3 I return to my senses and read the separate little card with the fine print on the back. The fine print basically says, "Once you cash this check, we take this as an indication of acceptance on your part to enroll you in the 'Prestige Club." You will be automatically charged a $79/year fee until you figure out how to opt-out. Opting-out, of course, will be interpreted as an act of aggression that we will endeavor to thwart until you either die of terminal frustration or of natural causes."

How is this not a scam, and why couldn't people setup a class action suit to sue these scheming bastards? I don't fall for their trick, but I have to believe it works enough times that the credit card company is profiting from the trust, greed, and/or poor financial situation of its customers. If I ran a business that did the same thing to people, aside from being a total douchebag, how likely is it that I wouldn't be hauled into court, arrested for fraud, or be otherwise upended and pitchforked by an angry mob?

Also, I've seen this thread, but I'm particularly interested in the aspect of "How is this legal?"

Def Con Art Garfunkel

Mach3avelli — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 02:34:57 -0800

I would like to hear personal anecdotes related to scams, scammers, or scamming. I'm always fascinated by the subject of cons, from both the point of view of victim or victimizer. Especially stories where the target gets the better of the scammer (like that infamous ebay iBook story).

I haven't read anything too interesting all week and I need a little pick-me-up, so please indulge everyone with your personal exploits.

eBay Woes

AMP583 — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 10:02:26 -0800

Bought a phone off eBay now i think im being scammed...HELP! I bought a cell phone off a reputable seller on ebay (99.4% positive feedback out of a total of 2,000+ transactions) and it was defective / nonfunctional when i recieved it. The seller said he'd exchange it so i sent it back to him. My problem is, i sent it a week ago via priority mail - no certification, no tracking number - i dont know what i was thinking. I have a receipt and thats about it. The seller claims he hasnt received it, i have no way of proving anything. He said as soon as he gets it he'll send out another but i feel as though since he legally doesnt have to, he wont. What can i do? Is there anyway i can end out breaking even or closer to even here?

Drowning in fraudulent IP Relay Calls. Help!

IndigoSkye — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 12:32:59 -0800

IP Relay Scammers are plaguing our PBX operator. Is there anything we can do besides refusing to answer any IP Relay call? I work at a large Non-Profit and as such we're the occasional target of fraud attempts. Recently we've been targeted by a ring of criminals attempting to us the free Internet Relay Call service (discussed on MEFI here) provided by phone companies for the use of deaf and hard of hearing individuals, but abused by scammers.

Is there anything more we can do besides refusing to answer these calls once an operator connects them to us? It's really beginning to tax our resources, which are already pretty constrained since we're a non-profit.

The IP Relay companies claim they can't help us because of privacy and common carrier laws. Those same laws make it impossible to track the fraudsters without setting up a sting, which as a non-profit, our BOT would not let us do.

ebay for sellers

bonaldi — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 09:40:58 -0800

I've just started selling on eBay, and have Qs about protecting myself/etiquette. First up, where does my responsibility for the parcel end? Currently, I've been sending things special delivery -- which means they're insured and I get a signature on arrival -- but this is expensive and some buyers have complained.

Send it first class (no insurance, no signature) what happens if it gets lost? What if it arrives and a scammer says it didn't and wheeks my money back from PayPal?

Send it recorded delivery (no insurance, signature) what if it gets damaged in the post?

I see that postal insurance is optional for buyers which suggests the responsibility lies with them if they don't take the option. Is that right?

secondly: who leaves feedback first? buyer or seller.

Sorry for the ramble. I guess my fear is someone buying something, claiming it never arrived/arrived damaged, taking money back from PayPal and leaving shit feedback. Is this unfounded?

A new "Nigerian" scam?

clubfoote — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 13:22:59 -0800

Work at home as a Processing Assistant for a financial Company. Has anyone heard of this before? Seems like a scam. So I answered this ad on Craigslist (post since removed b/c I notified C/L of its nature) and recieved the following instructions:
Per your request the following information has been sent in regards to this
position:
Please visit our site below for consideration for this position. Browse the
site to become more oriented with the company. If you feel you are or will
be a good candidate for this position ensure to view the Employment section.
Be sure to comply with the requirements before applying for this position
( requirements can be found in the employment section by clicking
“requirements”). Also view the assessment and faq section
(submit all information with the assessment to the email address on the
contact page). The assessment cannot be copied and pasted from the site
because the site is flash-based. You will need to open notepad while
viewing the assessment, and simply number 1 – 42 and annotate A or B.
When you have finished this, you can then copy and paste the answers from
the notepad and paste to an email. The form on the contact page is
non-operational at the moment, you will have to submit all inquires to the
email address listed. You will be contacted by management asap once you
have applied for this position.
www.liminex.biz

The requirements were that you have an egold account and a BOfA account. So I took thier test and sent it in and recieved this:

After review of your assessment results and work history, we feel that you will be an excellent candidate for this position. Congratulations and welcome to Liminex Inc. I am confident this position you now hold with us will bring much financial stability to you. Currently your information has been submitted to HR and is being processed. Documented paper work in regards to the position you hold is in transit to your mailing address (addressed Liminex Inc.) A scanned pdf printout will be provided for you via email within a few days. If you have not done so already, ensure to visit www.e-gold.com and setup your free E-Gold account. After you have done so forward the E-Gold account number via email so it can be annotated in our system. E-Gold will be used for a multitude of transactions in the future. E-Gold is the primary processing agent used by Liminex, however at the moment Speaciality Transactions (BofA Instant Transfers) are being honored and completed.

In the meantime please read below and comply that you understand your duties as a Processing Assistant with Liminex.

Processing Assistant Duties:

The processing assistant will receive and process transactions for the company. These transactions include but are not limited to: money orders, certified checks, cashiers checks, personal checks, bank wires, direct deposits, and paypal. The assistant will process the initial transaction using their bank account (BofA). Although it is recommended that the assistant setup a separate bank account for these transaction it is not necessary. The only requirement is that transactions of Liminex do not get confused with personal transactions of the assistant's. The finalization of the transaction will be completed with E-Gold, Western Union, or as directed. Compensation for transactions will be negotiated prior to employment by the hiring manager. If you have not done so already submit your BofA (Bank Of America) account details to be used for instant transfers (this information will be forwarded to HR and annotated in our system). This information can be found below.

BofA Information to be Submitted

1) Account Number

2) Last Name on Account

3) Zip Code on Account

Compensation for each transaction is 5%.

Please include your mailing address and cell & phone number in the next email.

Now I'm never sending account details via email, ever. So this really got my scam alert spidey sense going. I'm just curious, has anyone run across this before? I'm certain this isn't legit, but unsure of where the angle is. Seems like a great way to launder money or maybe its just a new variation on 419? Sorry if this is an old one that I just haven't run across before.

Can the "National Grants Conferences" service really help me find a government grant?

jwhowa — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 14:50:39 -0800

Has anyone attended a "National Grants Conferences" (nationalgrants.com) event? Are they for real? Will they really help you find government grant money, or is it just a hugemondo scam? Ok, so I'm a long time believer in "TANSTAAFL" (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch) and what looks too good to be true usually is. With that said, someone in my family is very interested in trying to obtain government grant money to rebuild her life after a couple of bad hurricane seasons. Trying to google and find "real" testimonials of the "National Grants Conferences" service only leads me to cyclic ads and come-ons for competitive services. Even the articles that are supposed to be reviews are in fact just come-on ads for other services.

In the past, when I've tried to Google something and found that 95% or greater of my results are spam or ads, that pretty much settles it -- it's not something I want to be a part of.

So, has anyone had experience with this company? Been to an event? paid them for their services? Received a grant from them? Point to real world experiences?

Thanks for any advice!