Internet and Phone Scams - Extended warranty expirations, botched USPS deliveries, etc.

[Großmann]

With scam calls I found the best practice is to decline all calls from any number which you do not know and call them back yourself. This usually leads to the scammer not knowing how to reply, as when they're the one calling you, they have the whole script laid out and prepared, but when you're the one calling them they usually get caught off-guard and you can kinda tell at that point if it's a scam call or not.

If you call back (assuming they aren’t hijacking someone else’s number), all you’re doing is confirming that your number is active and encouraging more scam calls and texts. The best thing to do is to let it ring out and then block the number. On the off chance you accidentally answer, don’t say anything and mute your mic. Chances are that the call will end on its own since they use programs that automatically run a robocall or reroute the call once a voice is detected.

 

[Spruce Supremacist]

If you call back (assuming they aren’t hijacking someone else’s number), all you’re doing is confirming that your number is active and encouraging more scam calls and texts. The best thing to do is to let it ring out and then block the number. On the off chance you accidentally answer, don’t say anything and mute your mic. Chances are that the call will end on its own since they use programs that automatically run a robocall or reroute the call once a voice is detected.

Yeah, I get you. I feel that only works if you're 100% certain its a scam caller, but quite often in my case the unknown number is someone from the postal office, the hospital, a courier delivering my package and so on, so I can't allow myself to block all incoming numbers that I do not know.

 

[Day Walker]

My favorite was a voicemail message (obviously text to speech) informing me that my SSN had been suspended.

 

[hothead]

My favorite was a voicemail message (obviously text to speech) informing me that my SSN had been suspended.

"Hello, this is the IRS informing you your SSN has been suspended." hangs up Good riddance

 

[Sayer of the N-Word]

Internet scams were the inspiration for one of the best experimental albums of the last few years.

Rest of the album can be heard on Bandcamp.

 

[Van Darkholme]

Bank scams via messages on my phone
"Your package has arrived but..." scams via email, but sometimes on my phone too
"You won!"

Some pajeet voicemail telling me that my shipment of illegal drugs has been consficated by german customs.
Recently it's been scam calls from UK numbers wanting me to call them back (most likely spoofed)

 

[Großmann]

Bank scams via messages on my phone
"Your package has arrived but..." scams via email, but sometimes on my phone too
"You won!"

Some pajeet voicemail telling me that my shipment of illegal drugs has been consficated by german customs.
Recently it's been scam calls from UK numbers wanting me to call them back (most likely spoofed)

Years ago, I used to regularly get robocalls from Washington D.C.’s area code that were completely in chinese. It was very weird. Maybe the person who owned my phone number in the past was a chinese operative? lol

 

[Spasticus Autisticus]

For the past few weeks I have been getting spam calls every day, often more than one per day. I never answer but they keep calling. I'm thinking I should answer, try to get a human and then play Cobra's "KFC got rid of the double down" loop, or maybe just serenade them with one of Wesley Willis's bestiality songs.

 

[Civillian 18]

Years ago, I used to regularly get robocalls from Washington D.C.’s area code that were completely in chinese. It was very weird. Maybe the person who owned my phone number in the past was a chinese operative? lol

I also get random scam callers that I ignore who leave a voicemail in Chinese, and from what I could find online it seems like they are pretending to be <country> immigration department saying that the targets visa has expired, deportation back to shithole imminent, send money to be allowed to stay. Weird because I am not an immigrant (or Chinese for that matter) but hey, wide nets catch more (retarded) fish is the name of most scams I guess.
I enjoy the IRS scams, especially when you are in any country that is not America, just because I love the idea of the IRS being such good guys that if you are experiencing financial hardships, they can make do with some Amazon or iTunes gift cards instead of cash.

 

[Day Walker]

over the past week I’ve been getting texts with PDFs attached. The numbers are different and I got one from an email once. It’s been almost every day. There isn’t anything other than the attachment. No idea what the point is, I just delete and report as spam.

Oh, and got a text informing me I hadn’t paid the toll for the toll road I’d used recently. It was signed from The Toll Road Company.

 

[Großmann]

over the past week I’ve been getting texts with PDFs attached. The numbers are different and I got one from an email once. It’s been almost every day. There isn’t anything other than the attachment. No idea what the point is, I just delete and report as spam.

Oh, and got a text informing me I hadn’t paid the toll for the toll road I’d used recently. It was signed from The Toll Road Company.

I’ve gotten the same ones. These are dirty, since, especially if you travel a lot, you may almost get caught off guard if you don’t stop and think about what you’re reading and how you’re reading it (DMVs and DoTs will never just reach out by text in this manner).


Also, look at this banging opportunity to just drip money at a new job. All I have to do is just follow the provided Whatsapp number!

 

[Großmann]

Got a new batch of phone scams.


My “account” is on “Hold” and I need to “Follow instruction” to regain access, courtesy of a Mississippi phone number.



And now, my ApplePay is being charged “912.65 USD” for an Amex card. It’s a good thing they typed it as “912.65 USD” and not “$912.65” or I would have been confused.



Now I’m owing money on an EZPass I don’t have and being told to pay by “24:00” to avoid penalties. I didn’t realize that state governments are now using 24-hour time instead of 12-hour time. Also, forgot to tell me which timezone this deadline is in. I guess I’m screwed.


Then we have “Rachel” from Adecco Staffing (real temp work company) having a fucking sperg-out as “she” spams me four messages within two hours from different stolen email accounts.



And, finally, “Emily” from an app development company asking me to work remotely for an undisclosed position with a totally not automated “yes or no” ultimatum at the bottom.

 

[innocent jogger]

Ah, you poor gullible plebs. Fortunately I will be starting a free scam protection organization as soon as this kind Nigerian Prince transfers his fortune into my bank account. Yep, any day now...

 

[M3xus]

A few months ago there was a scam going around my state telling people they owed money on the local toll pass system. It was prevalent enough local news ran a story warning people about it. What surprised me is that they had an almost convincing mockup of the real payment site to reel people in. In my case it was easy to ignore because I don't have the pass.

I hate that we live in a day and age where AI can recreate your voice off a few key phrases. Hurling slurs at them was a nice way to blow steam.

 

[Großmann]

What surprised me is that they had an almost convincing mockup of the real payment site to reel people in.

They are pretty good at getting details right at a glance so that most people won’t pick up on it. I almost fell for a Verizon scam years ago because the website URL was very close to the real one and the actual site itself was a convincing mock-up. What gave it away was that the widgets that had nothing to do with entering personal or payment information didn’t work.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole 2]

I've gotten a couple with a link to "QRCO.DE" which is basically impossible to google because google assumes I meant "qr code".

For several years I was 100% certain I was receiving UPS/Amazon/etc scam spam but no, some lady had bungled her info at one point and then used auto-fill to add her deets when ordering stuff or signing up for shit. What I thought was obvious attempts at scams was actually her life. When putting the pieces together I got a pretty good picture of what she'd been up to for the last couple of years.

 

[GeorgeFloydFentanylStash]

I got this lovely job offer today. Funny thing is, i don’t have a LinkedIn.

And i keep getting these random offers

 

[Großmann]

I got this lovely job offer today. Funny thing is, i don’t have a LinkedIn.

And i keep getting these random offers

>willet frank at brew-master dot com
lol I hate scammers as much as advertisers.

And I recently got in tax trouble again. Michael called me about my “IRS tax,” but offered me a way to stop the calls by texting them. I’m sure they will honor that text.


And here, we have Lauren Martin from the “tech center” with her “computer” showing her that I owe back taxes somewhere. She gives me a phone number that is completely different to the one she used to call me with.

 

[Return of the Freaker]

It's always the US Poo Service telling me about my package that couldn't needfully be delivered, saar. I block and report spam as soon as I get any messages. Used to get extended warranty voicemails all the time but I haven't seen one in a few years.

This one wasn't a scam. Not sure what to call it really. 10-15 years ago I got a random call from an NYC area code. Picked up out of curiosity and instantly got a computer voice speaking Chinese at me.

Years ago, I used to regularly get robocalls from Washington D.C.’s area code that were completely in chinese. It was very weird. Maybe the person who owned my phone number in the past was a chinese operative? lol

Dude once was crazy enough. It really makes you wonder what they were trying to achieve. Your average burger knows fuck all Chinese outside the takeout menu.

I got this lovely job offer today. Funny thing is, i don’t have a LinkedIn.

And i keep getting these random offers

I get emails about job offers that I don't even read because the sender/person looking is a jeet. Don't care if it's real. I've heard enough jeet boss/jeet company horror stories.