Post your scam stories here

[Just Chillin]

Very smart scammer almost got me.....

I was driving to Arizona and got a phone call from the USAA fraud department. I recognized the number they called me from was USAA's number 800.531.8722. The man (who was very well spoken) asked if I had made a charge for $1532 in Florida. I answered no. He mentioned another charge, I said I did not do that one either. He said let me put you on hold while I freeze your card. He came back and said he was going to text me a code. I received the code and it was from USAA. Just before I read it to him. The call dropped (I was in a mountain pass). I called USAA and they said they did not call me!!!! They transferred me to the fraud department where they explained the scam to me.

This guy that was calling me was on the phone with USAA at the same time. He set his phone's fake number to that of USAA. He was actually putting me on hold to ask the USAA rep to text a PIN reset code to me. Then he comes back on the line with me and asks to read him the code. Once I read him that code, he would then put me on hold and read the code to the actual USAA rep on his other line to get into my account. Lucky for me, the call dropped. It seemed so legit while it was happening. The guy spoke perfect English and seemed intelligent. The call came in with USAA's number on it. The text message came in on the text id that USAA uses (that's because it really was USAA texting me).

How to prevent this: If anybody contacts you from your financial or other institutions (for whatever reason), hang up and call them back.

Also, make your email very secure. Most password resets involve sending you an email with a temp password. If the scammers hack into your email, it could be very bad.

 

[Westtown Willy]

I was I think around 15-16, got a summer job at 'Brewers Outlet', a beer warehouse (back then beer could only be sold at designated beer distributors). Anyway my job was lottery ticket sales, I'd sit in this miserable little booth about the size of a Photo Hut and cater to a never ending line of people desperate to hit it big, and by hit it big I mean trying to win $250 or $500 in the 'pick-three' type games, it was pathetic, deep look into the stupidity of mankind back then...

Anyway, a guy came to me one day and bought a few tickets & when I handed him his change he handed it back & asked for it in smaller bills, he then handed a few of those back & asked for a different bill & maybe a third time, I can't remember as it all happened in about 5 seconds. Fast forward to the end of my shift my manager came to me and told me my drawer was $10 short. I couldn't understand it but then thought back to this exchange from a few hours earlier. I told the manager about it & he started laughing, told me I was swindled by this fast talking douchenozzle, there was a name for it which I can't recall, but thankfully he understood, warned me to be more vigilant in the future & didn't make me pay for my mistake. It was quite a lesson, one I was way too naive to spot myself in real time, but from that point forward the eyes and ears were open & more importantly, I understood the reality that someone lurks around every corner on this planet ready & willing to fuck you out of your cash...

I've always been thankful that I learned this so young and so cheap, as I see adults of all ages still unaware of this reality.

 

[Apparition]

I was I think around 15-16, got a summer job at 'Brewers Outlet', a beer warehouse (back then beer could only be sold at designated beer distributors). Anyway my job was lottery ticket sales, I'd sit in this miserable little booth about the size of a Photo Hut and cater to a never ending line of people desperate to hit it big, and by hit it big I mean trying to win $250 or $500 in the 'pick-three' type games, it was pathetic, deep look into the stupidity of mankind back then...

Anyway, a guy came to me one day and bought a few tickets & when I handed him his change he handed it back & asked for it in smaller bills, he then handed a few of those back & asked for a different bill & maybe a third time, I can't remember as it all happened in about 5 seconds. Fast forward to the end of my shift my manager came to me and told me my drawer was $10 short. I couldn't understand it but then thought back to this exchange from a few hours earlier. I told the manager about it & he started laughing, told me I was swindled by this fast talking douchenozzle, there was a name for it which I can't recall, but thankfully he understood, warned me to be more vigilant in the future & didn't make me pay for my mistake. It was quite a lesson, one I was way too naive to spot myself in real time, but from that point forward the eyes and ears were open & more importantly, I understood the reality that someone lurks around every corner on this planet ready & willing to fuck you out of your cash...

I've always been thankful that I learned this so young and so cheap, as I see adults of all ages still unaware of this reality.

Was it short change?

https://www.seeker.com/money-a-short-con-and-crime-short-change-1791396146.html

 

[DWR]

I was I think around 15-16, got a summer job at 'Brewers Outlet', a beer warehouse (back then beer could only be sold at designated beer distributors). Anyway my job was lottery ticket sales, I'd sit in this miserable little booth about the size of a Photo Hut and cater to a never ending line of people desperate to hit it big, and by hit it big I mean trying to win $250 or $500 in the 'pick-three' type games, it was pathetic, deep look into the stupidity of mankind back then...

Anyway, a guy came to me one day and bought a few tickets & when I handed him his change he handed it back & asked for it in smaller bills, he then handed a few of those back & asked for a different bill & maybe a third time, I can't remember as it all happened in about 5 seconds. Fast forward to the end of my shift my manager came to me and told me my drawer was $10 short. I couldn't understand it but then thought back to this exchange from a few hours earlier. I told the manager about it & he started laughing, told me I was swindled by this fast talking douchenozzle, there was a name for it which I can't recall, but thankfully he understood, warned me to be more vigilant in the future & didn't make me pay for my mistake. It was quite a lesson, one I was way too naive to spot myself in real time, but from that point forward the eyes and ears were open & more importantly, I understood the reality that someone lurks around every corner on this planet ready & willing to fuck you out of your cash...

I've always been thankful that I learned this so young and so cheap, as I see adults of all ages still unaware of this reality.

It’s called a quick change, this video explains it.

 

[sab]

J Harding:

Thanks for posting that - I would have fallen for it, too! Some of these scammers are pretty smart and could make a lot more money legitimately, I suspect. I'm not sure why they risk the penalties by cheating...

 

[Westtown Willy]

Was it short change?

https://www.seeker.com/money-a-short-con-and-crime-short-change-1791396146.html

yup, got me hook line & sinker. This is one of those moments in life that has stuck with me, I can still envision the scene, maybe subconsciously I knew I was getting screwed but ignored that because the guy seemed genuine & there was probably 10 people waiting in line behind him so it being all very rushed didn't seem out of place... I can't think of any other reason I'd still remember it all so vividly.

Come to think of it I even remember what the guy looked like, bore a striking resemblance to this guy:

 

[Chris]

Also, make your email very secure.

Yep, I can't stress this enough.

This is how people on this forum keep getting their accounts hacked, because they choose obviously weak passwords.

 

[Zorba]

Very smart scammer almost got me.....

I was driving to Arizona and got a phone call from the USAA fraud department. I recognized the number they called me from was USAA's number 800.531.8722. The man (who was very well spoken) asked if I had made a charge for $1532 in Florida. I answered no. He mentioned another charge, I said I did not do that one either. He said let me put you on hold while I freeze your card. He came back and said he was going to text me a code. I received the code and it was from USAA. Just before I read it to him. The call dropped (I was in a mountain pass). I called USAA and they said they did not call me!!!! They transferred me to the fraud department where they explained the scam to me.

This guy that was calling me was on the phone with USAA at the same time. He set his phone's fake number to that of USAA. He was actually putting me on hold to ask the USAA rep to text a PIN reset code to me. Then he comes back on the line with me and asks to read him the code. Once I read him that code, he would then put me on hold and read the code to the actual USAA rep on his other line to get into my account. Lucky for me, the call dropped. It seemed so legit while it was happening. The guy spoke perfect English and seemed intelligent. The call came in with USAA's number on it. The text message came in on the text id that USAA uses (that's because it really was USAA texting me).

How to prevent this: If anybody contacts you from your financial or other institutions (for whatever reason), hang up and call them back.

Also, make your email very secure. Most password resets involve sending you an email with a temp password. If the scammers hack into your email, it could be very bad.

A different twist on a "man in the middle" attack - one I hadn't heard of before. I don't do texting, but my wife does so I'll let her know.

 

[Zorba]

Yep, I can't stress this enough.

This is how people on this forum keep getting their accounts hacked, because they choose obviously weak passwords.

Use a password manager and use it to generate very long passwords of random crap.

"Password", or "Password1234" or your name spelled backwards, or other crap like that doesn't cut it.

 

[mrblaine]

Kat's primary care doctor's office called her to arrange the shipment of a knee brace to be billed to Medicare. The problem is it was not authorized by her doctor and they did not call. The fraudsters are getting medical info somehow, knew she is on disability, Medicare, and the name of her doctor and their office number. None of that came from us.

 

[Apparition]

Use a password manager and use it to generate very long passwords of random crap.

"Password", or "Password1234" or your name spelled backwards, or other crap like that doesn't cut it.

Should I change mine from "CHRIS$FORuMSUCKS69"?

 

[Zorba]

Should I change mine from "CHRIS$FORuMSUCKS69"?

I'd suggest adding "DUDE!" to the end of it...

 

[DWR]

Very smart scammer almost got me.....

I was driving to Arizona and got a phone call from the USAA fraud department. I recognized the number they called me from was USAA's number 800.531.8722. The man (who was very well spoken) asked if I had made a charge for $1532 in Florida. I answered no. He mentioned another charge, I said I did not do that one either. He said let me put you on hold while I freeze your card. He came back and said he was going to text me a code. I received the code and it was from USAA. Just before I read it to him. The call dropped (I was in a mountain pass). I called USAA and they said they did not call me!!!! They transferred me to the fraud department where they explained the scam to me.

This guy that was calling me was on the phone with USAA at the same time. He set his phone's fake number to that of USAA. He was actually putting me on hold to ask the USAA rep to text a PIN reset code to me. Then he comes back on the line with me and asks to read him the code. Once I read him that code, he would then put me on hold and read the code to the actual USAA rep on his other line to get into my account. Lucky for me, the call dropped. It seemed so legit while it was happening. The guy spoke perfect English and seemed intelligent. The call came in with USAA's number on it. The text message came in on the text id that USAA uses (that's because it really was USAA texting me).

How to prevent this: If anybody contacts you from your financial or other institutions (for whatever reason), hang up and call them back.

Also, make your email very secure. Most password resets involve sending you an email with a temp password. If the scammers hack into your email, it could be very bad.

Crazy enough, I quite literally just had a scam AT&T home internet scam one come to me…. When they asked for passcode confirmation I just hung up. I switched to their internet not even a month ago so I knew they wouldn’t be offering “special deals for loyal customers” to me yet… just wanted to hear the scam. Heck they don’t even have my wire buried yet!

 

[Wildman]

When I was home on leave from Iraq, I needed a new laptop so had been shopping all the local shops and also looking on Ebay. This was 2004 so Ebay was it at the time. I'd found one that I liked and had the specs I was looking for, so I'd contacted the seller to see if he'd end the auction early as I was leaving for Iraq in 6 days. The guy tells me sure if you'll send the money to me Western Union. So I go down and wire $1,000 to this guy and 3 days later I don't have my computer so I go back to his Ebay account and contact him. This time I get a reply from the real identity of the seller. Come to find out his account had been hacked and I was SOL since I hadn't used PayPal. Then the scam guy emails me to tell me my computer had been delayed and if I wanted it shipped overnight I could pay some additional money. Of course, I told him to FUCK OFF and that if I could track him down, I'd come rip his throat out. Never got my computer and learned a valuable lesson... But now didn't have the money to buy a laptop either.

 

[LukesfirstJeep]

Kat's primary care doctor's office called her to arrange the shipment of a knee brace to be billed to Medicare. The problem is it was not authorized by her doctor and they did not call. The fraudsters are getting medical info somehow, knew she is on disability, Medicare, and the name of her doctor and their office number. None of that came from us.

I hope it wasn't coming from within the office. I got a call from the state police a few years ago. They asked about my co-pays at my primary care office and if I have any receipts. My co-pay was $10, and if I paid cash, I never got a receipt. It seems most of the cash payments disappeared.

 

[IPerkWVU]

Very smart scammer almost got me.....

I was driving to Arizona and got a phone call from the USAA fraud department. I recognized the number they called me from was USAA's number 800.531.8722. The man (who was very well spoken) asked if I had made a charge for $1532 in Florida. I answered no. He mentioned another charge, I said I did not do that one either. He said let me put you on hold while I freeze your card. He came back and said he was going to text me a code. I received the code and it was from USAA. Just before I read it to him. The call dropped (I was in a mountain pass). I called USAA and they said they did not call me!!!! They transferred me to the fraud department where they explained the scam to me.

This guy that was calling me was on the phone with USAA at the same time. He set his phone's fake number to that of USAA. He was actually putting me on hold to ask the USAA rep to text a PIN reset code to me. Then he comes back on the line with me and asks to read him the code. Once I read him that code, he would then put me on hold and read the code to the actual USAA rep on his other line to get into my account. Lucky for me, the call dropped. It seemed so legit while it was happening. The guy spoke perfect English and seemed intelligent. The call came in with USAA's number on it. The text message came in on the text id that USAA uses (that's because it really was USAA texting me).

How to prevent this: If anybody contacts you from your financial or other institutions (for whatever reason), hang up and call them back.

Also, make your email very secure. Most password resets involve sending you an email with a temp password. If the scammers hack into your email, it could be very bad.

I had something very very similar with Verizon, said Verizon was calling, when I asked to be transferred to a supervisor, they did, etc. sent me the two step verification code and all. It was something about “potential fraud and an iPhone being shipped to NYC”.

I hung up and called back the fraud department, they confirmed it was a scam.

I could see how others could easily fall for it

 

[WestCoastDan]

Not the same type of “scam” others have mentioned, but this is the best one I can recall having ‘committed’…

Many years ago when I could still piss a straight line, I joined the US Navy.
Following my traditional boot camp adventures just north of Chicago, I took a bus ride south to Millington, Tennessee where I dutifully studied electronics for 8+ hours a day, 5 days a week.
In addition to this dreadful level of commitment, I also had the pleasure of serving my turn at fire watch 2-3 times per month.

Our only escape was to meander into town a couple times a month to take advantage of the warm-as-piss, 25 cent draft beers served up at the local strip club on Thursday nights.

(I told you it was many years ago, didn’t I?)

Anyway, I digress; There we reveled in the glory of small-town girls with dreams of escaping their lives, and they would show us their goods as they danced to Lynyrd Skynyrd and the newly-released Guns-N-Roses debut.

We filled each other’s ears with promises and flattery, while they were trying to drain our wallets and/or chase down another child support check and a ticket out of town when we shipped out to the fleet.

A few of us decided to start playing ‘fair’.

We convinced the girls that we were all pilots, attached to aircraft carriers that patrolled the Mississippi River from the Gulf Of Mexico, north to Lake Michigan where they turned around to make patrols back south.

They all thought that we would be their ticket out, so they gave us free lap dances, free drinks, and sometimes a bit more.

I’m not sure this story actually qualifies as a ‘scam’, but even as ridiculous as it was, those free lap dances and beers saved me thousands while I was there.

Today, as I look back, I still feel no shame.

 

[JMT]

Very smart scammer almost got me.....

I was driving to Arizona and got a phone call from the USAA fraud department. I recognized the number they called me from was USAA's number 800.531.8722. The man (who was very well spoken) asked if I had made a charge for $1532 in Florida. I answered no. He mentioned another charge, I said I did not do that one either. He said let me put you on hold while I freeze your card. He came back and said he was going to text me a code. I received the code and it was from USAA. Just before I read it to him. The call dropped (I was in a mountain pass). I called USAA and they said they did not call me!!!! They transferred me to the fraud department where they explained the scam to me.

This guy that was calling me was on the phone with USAA at the same time. He set his phone's fake number to that of USAA. He was actually putting me on hold to ask the USAA rep to text a PIN reset code to me. Then he comes back on the line with me and asks to read him the code. Once I read him that code, he would then put me on hold and read the code to the actual USAA rep on his other line to get into my account. Lucky for me, the call dropped. It seemed so legit while it was happening. The guy spoke perfect English and seemed intelligent. The call came in with USAA's number on it. The text message came in on the text id that USAA uses (that's because it really was USAA texting me).

How to prevent this: If anybody contacts you from your financial or other institutions (for whatever reason), hang up and call them back.

Also, make your email very secure. Most password resets involve sending you an email with a temp password. If the scammers hack into your email, it could be very bad.

A friend told me this evening this scam through USAA happened to him 3 days ago. He was not so lucky. Said it seemed like an inside job. He was snowplowing and texting two other people and the distraction was enough to make a big mistake. Then I got home tonight and read your account.

 

[Jamison C]

Use a password manager and use it to generate very long passwords of random crap.

"Password", or "Password1234" or your name spelled backwards, or other crap like that doesn't cut it.