@mon24boys (from another mom to 4 boys) - No, they don’t care. That’s how they can engage in that behavior.
I get calls from the “IRS” and “Microsoft” and sometimes string them along if I have time, figuring that maybe I’m saving a vulnerable person or two who they won’t have time to call.
James Veitch is great. My S introduced me to his scamalot youtube shorts in which he plays along until the scammer is trying to get rid of him. Here’s a cute one that involves a love poem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGss_RwrG-8
I have read some pretty intense scam baiting stories. I couldn’t find the one I wanted to share, but the guy actually ended up getting the scammers to send him money.
@nottelling and @Sue22, I love TAL, but haven’t heard either of those. I will check them out.
As much as I hate these kinds of calls and how they pray upon the most vulnerable in our society, when you consider the conditions many of these callers and their families live in and their limited opportunities, you see where they find the people to do this kind of work. I’m not making excuses for them or condoning it in any way but after reading this book I linked below a few years back I “get” it.
http://www.behindthebeautifulforevers.com
The Bernie Madoffs of the world along with people who repeatedly declare corporate bankruptcy in order to not pay their debts I don’t get at all.
Phew–just heard today that nephew was nearly scammed by craigslist on buying a car with iTunes cards. An alert cashier at the store inquired as to why he was buying $1,500 in iTunes cards and warned him he was likely being scammed. Nephew decided to heed the good advice and abort trying to buy the car.
When these mail scammers sent their stuff, I’d intercept as much as I could. I’d take their return postage paid envelopes and fill them up with anything I could find. Other times, I’d send notes asking how they could sleep at night while trying to scam people like their grandparents. I did try the deceased thing too (where I said he was deceased) but they sent them anyway and I couldn’t catch every single one. Eventually, I had all my father’s mail sent to a PO Box. And then I had the PO box stuff sent to my house. Much of the scam mail never made the 2nd hop.
I really really hate these scammers because they took away another thing that my dad enjoyed (getting mail) when he had already lost so much already due to his illness.
There was a misspelling in his name at some point. He’d get mail from at least 10 different groups with that same misspelling. In addition to mailings using his correctly spelled name. It was crazy to keep up with. But I was determined. Altho it really is a losing battle…
There is a Delta airline facebook scam going around. Don’t post it on your page. It will ask for personal data. Don’t do it. http://www.wkbw.com/news/us-news-world/facebook-scam-claims-delta-is-giving-away-airline-tickets-cash
Just saw an article that milennials are actually more prone to these scams than our elderly – The youngsters aren’t as skeptical about an IRS email or the fact that a VISA gift card or ITUNES card or Western Union payment isn’t how the IRS conducts business…
Here are some ppl who took advantage of scammers: pretty funny stuff
http://419eater.com/html/bigman.htm
http://419eater.com/html/bigman2.htm
http://419eater.com/html/bigman3.htm
I had downloaded one of those links while I was boarding an airplane and was bursting out laughing while reading this. I suspect the person sitting next to me thought I was nuts. Can’t wait to get home and read the rest of the story. What a riot.
Anyone know any particular websites that may have information or what to do to convince someone they are being scammed? When telling them and even proving the phony person doesn’t exist doesn’t work?
I go another “Windows Help Desk” call this weekend about a problem they detected with my computer. I asked the caller some questions about her anatomy. She hung up on me!
The IRS scam has gotten more sophisticated. Historically the person on the other end was heavily accented. The last one was a recorded message in crisp and clear american english.
My D is a medical resident and barely keeps her head above water when it comes to anything outside of work. While I didn’t respond to the call it was totally believable that she had forgotten to file or had somehow screwed up her financial life by missing an important mailing. If going after the adult daughter was part of the plan it was pretty smart…not that they got any information from me.
But the IRS does NOT call. They sent letters.
@gouf78 Google “Dear Abby mail scams”
Dear Abby is seen as an all-wise source of legitimate info. Maybe that will help your deluded friend. I came up with this one:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1994-07-26/features/9407260009_1_dear-abby-barbies-mail-sweepstakes
RE: 66-67-- I looked at one of those scambaiter links, and laughed so hard–I was in tears!
Thanks!
It seems like a no-win situation. I’d feel bad to be reeling in the scammers but am not happy that they prey on other trusting souls. I just try to stay as far from them as possible. I’m sure their lives are not great, as the book referenced above denotes. The scammers are those who can afford more and somewhat able to work a “con.”
@gouf78, here’s an excellent US gov site that describes most of the common scams: https://www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds
Also, this thread reminds me that everyone should see the amazing movie Nebraska. It’s about an elderly man who “wins” a huge sweepstakes and is determined to get his money no matter how much his family tries to stop him. One of those quirky/funny character dramas. (No, I’m not a professional movie reviewer!)
I got an email addressed to our company today (DH and I own it). It was an invoice addressed to me personally and said that we owed over $3,000. It gave me the creeps to realize they knew my company name and real name. I guess that’s public information, but I don’t know how they connected it to my personal email account. 
Is your company on LinkedIn? Do you have an account? It would not be hard to figure out the connection from LinkedIn + public records.
Snopes.com. I think it’s called. It’s site that debunks urban myths and scams.
This is less odious than some other scams but something to be aware of if you’re a business owner:
Google does NOT call cold-call you to solicit business. The robocalls and offers to improve your business’ search results are from smarmy third parties and are probably scams. I’ve had clients who are lawyers and accountants fall for this. These are people who routinely caution their own clients about IRS phone scams.
We’re all susceptible to something.
@Twicer and @MaineLonghorn - If you have registered your business domain name, the information may be accessible from there as well. You can pay a few bucks extra to have that information protected.