Scams

[DrFaroohk]

we get one of these about once a week:

<phone rings>

"Hi, this is Tom with Verifone. We're having a few problems with our system and we need to run a few tests. So what I'm going to ask you to do is go get a Visa gift card, activate it for 1000 dollars, and give me the card number and pin."

I don't know whats scarier. The fact that people actually continue to try this, or the fact that cashiers still fall for it.

[crazylegs]

How do they deal with disappointment?

[counterjockey]

I had one kind of like that. Gave 'em the same treatment I get for most calls I don't feel like dealing with, like solicitors, angry customers, the District Manager:

"Okay, hang on a tick, I'll transfer you to the boss." <click!>

Funny thing is, ever since I figured out that embarrassingly obvious trick no one has bothered to call back to say "Hi, you were gonna transfer me and we got cut off..."

[MoonChild2007]

I would have hung up the phone or better yet, check the caller ID, however the number could be probably unlisted. I would still hang up the phone and talk to the supervisior about it. Or I would question them until they back down. Cause frankly, why the hell should I get a visa gift card, activate it for 1000 dollars (SCAM alert!) and give THEM the number and pin?

[Tigress]

During my time in title insurance, the scam artists got really creative. They would call, sounding very official and demanding the model number on the copier or printer. If you gave that to them, they would send you a box of toner with an inflated invoice demanding payment.

After a while, I caught on and say, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch the company you said you were with!" (We rented our machines from Ikon and bought our toner from a local guy.) Funny how the caller wasn't too keen on continuing the call. Some would change tactics and talk up all the "goodies" they wanted to send us, but we both knew it was a lost cause.

[draggar]

During my time in title insurance, the scam artists got really creative. They would call, sounding very official and demanding the model number on the copier or printer. If you gave that to them, they would send you a box of toner with an inflated invoice demanding payment.

In the US if they send it to you without you ordering it, it is legally a gift. They're the ones who need to prove that you ordered it and if they don't have proof, free toner.

[MadMike]

In the US if they send it to you without you ordering it, it is legally a gift. They're the ones who need to prove that you ordered it and if they don't have proof, free toner.

True, but what I'm guessing usually happens is that the company is big enough that not everyone knows everyone, and whoever gets the invoice assumes someone in the company purchased it legitimately, and simply pays it.

[Seshat]

True, but what I'm guessing usually happens is that the company is big enough that not everyone knows everyone, and whoever gets the invoice assumes someone in the company purchased it legitimately, and simply pays it.

Which explains why most places I've worked, they won't pay invoices without the company's own order form that matches it.

[April]

I love getting these phone calls! here is how they go at work:

(place of business--correctional facility) this is April"

"Hi, this is blank from (phone company) we are having some problems with our system, can you push (whatever number causes huge charges) so we can fix it?"

me "You DO know that this is a correctional facility and it is FULL of people who try to scam others, right? Will I be meeting you soon?"

Them "What? um. I think the system is working now. thanksforyourtimebye"

Click

[DrFaroohk]

haha...reminded me of a previous assistant manager who always used to fall for those scams where they charge you like 500 bucks to list you in their business directory...of course they're on the other side of the country...does us a lot of good.

[blas]

We even got scam calls at the gas station!

I don't even know why they'd bother with a gas station, but here goes:

It'd be busy as hell, maybe a day where gas prices went up and people were panicking and freaking out as usual, I'd have a line going out the door, and the phone would ring.

"Gas station, this is Blas," I'd say.

Automated voice...."Hello! You have just won a week vacation to the Bahamas! If you would please use the pin pad and enter major credit card number..."

CLICK!

[Rapscallion]

In the US if they send it to you without you ordering it, it is legally a gift. They're the ones who need to prove that you ordered it and if they don't have proof, free toner.

For those in the UK, it comes under the Unsolicited Goods and Services act. The best policy there is to inform them that they should collect it in a reasonable amount of tme, keep it on a side for a reasonable amount of time, then keep it for your own nefarious purposes.

The other scam popular over here (headachy - can't be bothered looking up the thread - great to be the boss - oh look, a squirrel...) is for the accounts department to receive an invoice for office supplies, except that it's a preprinted order form, so they pay it and then the receiving office gets a load of paper or toner that they didn't expect.

Rapscallion

[draggar]

Owning domains, and many under my real name, I get scams all the time. People offering to buy my domains, but went me to go though their appraisal service or they claim that they represent a company and my (generic keyword) domain name is copyright infringement.

[draftermatt]

During my time in title insurance, the scam artists got really creative. They would call, sounding very official and demanding the model number on the copier or printer. If you gave that to them, they would send you a box of toner with an inflated invoice demanding payment.
.

We get those too. They almost had me once, but I figured out what was going on and suddenly I had been on vacation, and had no idea who they talked to but I certainly didn't approve that as we order our supplies from...

Oddly, he hung up right after.

[Imogene]

those scams where they charge you like 500 bucks to list you in their business directory...

Sounds vaguely like the guy who tried to get my Mom listed in his directory, back when Mom owned a bird seed store. As I remember it, the guy kept trying to get her to agree to go in the 'pets' listing, to which Mom kept saying, "We don't sell pets."
"But, you have birds...?"
"We have 'a' bird, but she's not for sale. We sell bird seed."
"So, 'pets'?"
"No, not 'pets'! We sell feed, and I don't want to spend any amount of money to be listed in something I didn't check out on my own anyway. *click*"