Thursday, September 5, 2019

A strange phone call!

Early interesting Cars:

1930 Ruston Model C
And so today:
Last year I was contacted on messenger by my cousin Billy. He said he had just received a $40,000 grant just for Vets, and thought I would be interested. Now to back up and tell you about Billy, he is my oldest cousin, nearing 90, has had many health issues and is never on the computer. He does have a FB page his son set up for him.

I chatted back and forth with ‘my cuz?’. Then asked him how his daughter was doing? “Oh Jack she is doing as well as can be expected, you know how it is with girls.” That sealed the deal, Billy has no daughter.

I just told 'him' I needed to think about it and would get back with him.  Then I e-mailed Billy’s son and told him what had happened. He did the reporting.

Now to the phone call. Sherry brought the phone to me, the phone was on speaker. It was from ‘Dorothy(?)’. She said she  had sent me messages on Messenger and I had not responded, so she was calling for more information.  I was confused. “I’m sorry, I don’t do messenger, it takes too long on my system.” 

“Well, I have been chatting with you about the grants I can get……” A red light came on in my head. I interrupted her and told her about my time with a scammer posing as a cousin of mine. “I’m sorry, but that is not me you have been talking to….” She said thank you and hung up. I had no idea who she was nor how she got my phone #.

I never 'chatted' long enough with my scammer to find out how he, the scammer would get money, but it had to be coming.

The internet can be wild, you have no idea who is on the other end of an e=mail, chat or messenger.

I remember Betty having a run-in with what she considered a lurker methinks. 

I hope not, but has something like this happened to you?

Nite Shipslog


I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Scammers are definitely out there to get us anyway they can. Glad you were smart enough to realized he wasn't your cousin. Funny how it all works, but we cannot tell who we are talking to sometimes. If I don't recognize the number calling I don't answer a call. I figure they will leave a message if it's important. I think we've all had one similar at one time or another. Thanks for the reminder to be careful. and my advice is never never give any personal info over the internet. Those that need to to know won't ask for it.

Mevely317 said...

That's a brilliant idea, asking how 'his daughter' (?) was doing.
Aside from my shady job offer e-mail, we've not been approached. I did, however, get an alert e-mail from Medicare, warning of scammers posing as their reps in an attempt to get our Medicare membership numbers. So sad, one has to be suspicious of just about everything.

Chatty Crone said...

I Tell you the scams people come up with - the way they can get your numbers - why don't they use their smarts for something good instead of something bad?

Jean said...

I get phone calls from them all the time and here they use local are cell thinking you will answer your phone. I have called back on a few one was the hospital here and the number wasn't listed. Sad how some lazy people try to scam others. I do get text messages on my cell phone for Dorothy. I don't give out my cell number only to my family members, so I delete them. Take care, Jean

betty said...

Thanks for the shout out. I get calls all the time from "Microsoft" that my computer license has been suspended and I need to call them "right away." Or calls from IRS that I owe back taxes. Or calls from Social Security that my social security number has been compromised. On my phone caller ID several times I get calls that say it is from me with my home number. How that is possible I don't know but the scammers do. They just randomly call numbers. They have a sequence that they do and they keep calling until unfortunately someone falls for their scam. Verizon is our cell phone carrier. I haven't downloaded it yet but there is an app that will help you avoid scam calls that come on cell phones. I usually don't answer the phone unless I recognize the number.