Scam Alert!
Posted by fredblog51 on Friday, March 13th, 2009
Hi everyone.
I was sitting at my desk yesterday when the phone rang and a young lady ask for me in person, to replying yes it is me she said Hi its ********** from Children abuse charity.
Asking her what was her reason for the call she replied the books you have ordered for your local school are ready! So I said sorry I dont understand…………..I have not ordered any books or mentioned any donation to a charity, the conversation got heated then she said we rang you on Sept 08 at 10:15 when you committed to an order and you live at (My current address mentioned), I replied …I DONT THINK SO.
Carring on the conversation she said I have a recording of your telepnone conversation, which I’m going to send to you including the 40 books and a invoice for £2489 pounds!!!!!!!! SEE YOU IN COURT.
You can imaging how I felt I was raging, when phoning 1471 the number was witheld, but everyone out there becareful…….because I did receive a call in December about a charity to advertise local business in lewis at a donation figure of £100……on this conversation I said to the chap, if you send me some information, artwork, charity reg number I will look into it.
Becareful out there!
Filed in March 09 |
islandlifeon 13 Mar 2009 at 10:23 pm 1Some people eh?!
Thanks for the warning though!!
Soapladyon 13 Mar 2009 at 10:31 pm 2well, at £60 per book, that would have to be a very special conversation …!
Good heavens, do the scams never end …? If its not the man from Nigeria with his cheque that he can’t cash, it’s something else …
I received an email from a man in Ghana telling me that the Government needed £250,000’s of soap, and had put out a tender, and that if I wanted it to be successful, I should cultivate him, as his brother was in charge of it …
I’m afraid I believe only roughly a half of what I see with my own eyes, and nothing of what I hear …!
Of course, if you’d been feeling ‘playful’, you could’ve asked her to forward you the tape …?!
fredblog51on 13 Mar 2009 at 10:54 pm 3Thanks Linda, I did request the tape from her…….so I await with baited breathe.
How’s the business doing picking up I hope
taddoeon 14 Mar 2009 at 12:14 am 4they are worldwide it seems even friends over here have had these scams–here it wasn’t nigerien man but a somali prince daughter who wanted us to cash a cheque etc—i suppose this is the price to pay whilst on the net-i just send these mails to “unwelcome”box but one has to be careful–let us know about the tape fred
taddoeon 14 Mar 2009 at 2:09 am 5over here we have the same types of scam–you have to be really vigilante nowadays—regarding everything it seems
Plaidon 14 Mar 2009 at 4:10 am 6We also have ‘crank phone calls’ here in Australia. If it is I who answer the phone I have a stock reply … before they get well into their blurb, “Sorry, not interested. Goodbye”. Often the will call back later in the day asking for a particular name … who I assure them is not here, and repeat the above.
‘Tis a pity they can’t put their entreprenueral talents to GOOD use.
thelandladyon 14 Mar 2009 at 8:54 am 7That’s awful, Fred, I am bombarded at work with calls saying that I have answered a survey, or agreed to take stuff on approval- we actually got sent a massive box of kid’s books which we were supposed to sell to parents, and we had to bear the cost of the postage to send it back!
My spam box on my personal email is also full of emails saying that after taking their special medication, I will be suprised at the size of my penis… which I think is certain, since I am a LANDLADY.
x333xxxon 14 Mar 2009 at 9:52 am 8Not a positive experience fred, I hope it left you only stirred rather than shaken.
Unfortunately we all must be on our guard in this day and age against identity theft and unsolicited sales calls which may or may not be genuine.
There are a number of things you can do to mitigate against being affected personally:
Register for the Telephone Preference Service
Register for the Mail Preference Service
Check out Get Safe Online
If you are unsure whether something is genuine or a scam then try searching for information at Snopes, the ‘urban legend’ website which can usually confirm suspicions or set your mind at rest.
If you feel you’ve been duped write down as much as you can about the incident as soon as you can (as an aide memoire) and contact your local trading standards office (in Scotland it’ll be your council) or visit the website below.
If you have registered for TPS you are quite within your rights to inform the caller that you are registered with the TPS and that they are breaking the law by contacting you and you will report them. And then do it!
http://www.snopes.com (use relevant keywords and search to find info)
http://www.getsafeonline.org
http://www.tpsonline.org.uk (Telephone)
http://www.mpsonline.org.uk (Junk Mail)
http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/fps (Fax)
Incidentally I strongly recommend that if you get an email from a friend who warns you of a scam or hoax, you take it at face value only. So many people circulate false rumours, scams or hoaxes that there is a danger of someone crying wolf once too often and then a genuine scam or hoax gets taken seriously, with possibly serious or expensive consequences.
If someone tells you of a scam or a hoax, go straight to snopes.com and check out whether its true or a hoax. And then act accordingly (if a hoax I suggest you reply all to the message received and tell people it is a hoax and quote your source).
Dear Landlady, I’ll show your mine if you’ll show me yours!
x333xxxon 14 Mar 2009 at 9:55 am 9I’ve just written a long response to this and it has disappeared when I hit Submit. Fred, can you check your spam filter and see if it’s been picked up there please? I was referring to scams and hoaxes, so it might have been carted off to the spam filter in error. Thanks everso.
islespictureson 14 Mar 2009 at 10:31 am 10we must all be vigilant about these types of scams and cons- think i’ll go live on an island to get away from it all…… :
Soapladyon 14 Mar 2009 at 12:32 pm 11More worrying are the phone-calls which seem to be routinely made by respectable charities … It must be the new ‘confrontational’ approach …
I received such a (unsolicited) call from the Royal Institute for the Blind in which the lady thanked me for my offer of a donation, telling me she was going to send me payment details …
Presumably they are banking on the person being a bit sheepish about actually saying ‘No I’m not going to’ on the phone (which is, I’m here to say, DIFFICULT) …
I *did* 1471 the number, and it was a kosher charity number, and I complained too when I got through …
But I bet these methods reap dividends …
Flying Cat 2on 14 Mar 2009 at 12:47 pm 12Mpu usually responds thusly - “Have you heard of the Telephone Preference Scheme? We’re on it. Reputable organisations do not call us, therefore you are not a reputable organisation.” - puts phone down.
Flying Cat 2on 14 Mar 2009 at 12:48 pm 13PS I hate to think of that nice Mister Fourex languishing in some soggy spam fritter with no-one to hear his cries for help!
x333xxxon 14 Mar 2009 at 3:11 pm 14Your concern does you credit puss cat. In the absence of my original posting reappearing I’ll paraphrase what I had originally written.
Its a good idea to register for these services:
http://www.tpsonline.org.uk
http://www.mpsonline.org.uk
As FC2 suggests, the best response is ‘I’m registered with the Telephone Preference Service, so b-g–r off!’. I usually demand to know why I’m being contacted contrary to industry regulations and won’t get off the line until they cut me off in desperation. Kinda satisfying to be able to block one of telephone lines with no prospect of their gaining a sale from me.
If you receive an email from someone you know telling of some scam or rip-off and asking you to circulate it to as many people as possible PLEASE don’t blindly follow the herd. Stop and check the authenticity before you panic even more people. Go straight to http://www.snopes.com and type in a meaningful search phrase. It will usually be able to confirm what’s a hoax and what’s not (has basis in truth). The same site could be used for checking the authenticity of telephone scams also.
If you need redress to the authorities then you should report any problems to your local trading standards. Provide as much information as you can. In Scotland trading standards is a service of your local council but they’ll most likely refer you to Consumer Direct (http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/watch_out/scams/) whose call centre is actually here in Shawbost on Lewis.
Let’s hope this response doesn’t end up as a spam fritter too.
x333xxxon 14 Mar 2009 at 3:12 pm 15Oh f*** that for a game of soldiers. I’ve just written yet another response and its disappeared AGAIN. I give up.
Try: http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/watch_out/scams/
mjcon 14 Mar 2009 at 3:41 pm 16Arnish did not get my submissions, now Fred does not get yours. Must be something floating over Harris and Lewis.
mirlnlasson 14 Mar 2009 at 6:59 pm 17I registered with the TPS & MPS when we were south and it did considerably take down the number of scam calls but didn’t stop them all. Since moving up here I’m trying to persuade Mam and Dad to do the same but it’s been a “we’ll get round to it” thing.
thelandladyon 14 Mar 2009 at 9:45 pm 18Mr 4x, you’re on
you must be exhausted, having to type all that out three times. I will come and minister to your every need.
x333xxxon 14 Mar 2009 at 10:43 pm 19Oh please, I need some serious attention. Just ask sarahmac and soaplady!
@mirlnlass, just go ahead and do it
@fred thanks!
fredblog51on 14 Mar 2009 at 10:58 pm 20Sorry X333XXX, you did end up in the spam folders, and had just worked that one out. Hey Landlady, I got those emails too…..but never been temped to enlarge it
x333xxxon 14 Mar 2009 at 11:31 pm 21You’re more than forgiven Fred. After renovating that lovely croft and transforming it into a veritable vision of painted loveliness I can see you’re quite a catch for home improvers … I just wish I was staying put to be able to call you in!
taddoeon 15 Mar 2009 at 6:47 am 22mr 4x when do you leave
x333xxxon 15 Mar 2009 at 11:15 am 23I will post details on my blog in due course.
Flying Cat 2on 15 Mar 2009 at 12:42 pm 24But Fred, according to photo on purrevious post, you don’t need to
mjcon 15 Mar 2009 at 8:01 pm 25I will come and minister to your every need. - landlady. # Really folks, the goings on up in your neck of the ocean. Things don’t hop around here in southern Indiana the same way, I am sorry to say. Maybe because we don’t have aunt Bessie’s yorkshire puds. # X3, I fear you will having wild withdrawal symptoms when you go down south.
mjcon 15 Mar 2009 at 8:02 pm 26Oh Fred, don’t hesitate to read the books before you send them all back.
fredblog51on 15 Mar 2009 at 8:16 pm 27hi MJC hopefully it wont reach that stage, but I was livid after the call i received.
Jillon 16 Mar 2009 at 4:28 pm 28You weren’t born yesterday, Fred, eh? I can imagine you were hopping mad. These calls are so irritating, but I always feel obliged to listen to the start of them in case it’s a genuine call, and not instantly put the phone down when I hear what sound like call-centre type background noise. Sometimes it isn’t a call centre… And I always try to be polite, thinking about the poor b*gg*rs who have to do that for a living.
The charity thing is starting to get on my nerves though, Soaplady. Even if it’s a charity I support, I really dislike being badgered on the phone. But as you say, it’s hard to say “B*gg*r the crippled orphaned children” without feeling like a total churl.
Flying Cat 2on 17 Mar 2009 at 12:01 am 29I am a total churl.
Harryd(Canada)on 23 Mar 2009 at 6:43 pm 30A terrible experience Fred. Th CBC did a program on a couple of Businessmen who fell for the Nigerian scam about the Inheritance they could not get into without help. These educated men lost thousands. They usualy call when I’m having dinner. (not always beans and toast either)
mjcon 24 Mar 2009 at 1:15 am 31I am a total churl. -FC # Of course you are, dear. Par for the cat. # When I am thanked by charities, at the beginning of the phone call, for my previous contributions (real or imaginary), I simply say: “You are welcome” and hang up pronto.