Don't buy an RV with Gift Cards

[bobsinn]

Sorry for her, you have to be careful.

http://www.local10.com/news/crime/woman-scammed-out-of-8500-while-trying-to-purchase-rv

[mgirardo]

RicJones wrote:
DW got caught up in a similar scam, but "involved" the US Marshals office and that she didn't show up for Grand Jury duty. They were
very good and had her scared sh**less. After getting $1000 in gift cards I convinced her to call the Marshals office and not give the scammers the numbers off the back of the cards.
Don't underestimate how good these scammers are.

The US Marshals office would not want payment in the form of Gift Cards. They also wouldn't be calling to serve a warrant, they'd show up at your door. The scammers aren't good, the people that fall victim need to pay more attention to what is happening.

Fizz's post about the woman in Canada buying $12,500 worth of iTunes cards for the CRA (Canadian Revenue Agency) is just crazy. Did this woman seriously not stop and think, why the heck does the CRA want iTunes cards?

-Michael

[dodge_guy]

westend wrote:
The last time I got a call from the IRS telling me to call back for the amount to pay, I tried stringing the guy along. Since there was a bit of a language barrier, it wasn't too hard to get him going. I got bored after a few minutes and told him three times that he was going to jail. I haven't had a call again.

BTW, FEI, the IRS will never contact you by phone. They always send paper through the USPS.
You can contact them by phone but that is a whole 'nother story. There may be a Gov't website where you can check your tax account to see if you are square. I don't know what that is.

Not only that, if it's really serious you'll get a knock on your door!

[fj12ryder]

mich800 wrote:
A scam going around now is the "can you hear me" phone calls. So it is not advisable to even try and screw around with these cons. Just don't answer or just hang up.

I've heard about that one but I'm not so sure I'm even going to worry about it. When was the last time you were asked to prove that you didn't say "Yes" to some offer over the phone? When was the last time anyone ever tried to make you pay for something, and used for proof that allegedly "You said Yes on the telephone"? That has never happened to me, and I've never heard of it happening to anyone. What are they going to do, take you to court and play a recorded "Yes" to the judge? I don't think so. Much ado about nothing, IMO.

[westend]

The last time I got a call from the IRS telling me to call back for the amount to pay, I tried stringing the guy along. Since there was a bit of a language barrier, it wasn't too hard to get him going. I got bored after a few minutes and told him three times that he was going to jail. I haven't had a call again.

BTW, FEI, the IRS will never contact you by phone. They always send paper through the USPS.
You can contact them by phone but that is a whole 'nother story. There may be a Gov't website where you can check your tax account to see if you are square. I don't know what that is.

[mich800]

A scam going around now is the "can you hear me" phone calls. So it is not advisable to even try and screw around with these cons. Just don't answer or just hang up.

[drsteve]

DW used to work in a store that had Western Union money transfers. On many occasions they had to talk their customers out of sending large sums to criminal scammers--everything from "your grandson is in a Mexican jail" to "the IRS is going to take all your stuff if you don't pay immediately". Usually a couple of questions from the cashier was sufficient to recognize the scam. Sometimes they succeeded in keeping people from giving their money away, sometimes not. And as mentioned above, not all of these folks are morons. Some are scared, some just got fooled.

Keep your guard up.

[MrWizard]

I agree..education is best
But then again
This scam was about buying an RV,
It must have been the deal 'to good to be true'
You can't prevent people from letting the glitter blind them
When they get the stars in their eyes

Eyes wide open, think with your brain, not your desires
Every Time you go shopping

[fj12ryder]

Well, not everyone out there is as smart as the people on the internet forums. Who seem to be the best and the brightest. After all 50 percent of the people have less than average intelligence. I don't understand how people can get sucked into these scams, but then I don't understand timeshares, and Amway either.

[Gjac]

Tvov wrote:
Another reason that I don't answer my phone. That is what the answering machine/system is for. Easily 3/4 of phone calls are hangups - sales calls and/or scams.

Sorry about the lady and the RV scam. There are a LOT of people out there who are not "internet savvy", or who are not aware of these things happening. I had a customer who got the "your computer has a virus call" and he went right to his computer and did everything they said, including paying them $350. He finally just hung up after awhile when he figured out it was a scam, and had to have his computer wiped and restarted by a friend.

A lot, probably most, of the people who get scammed do not say anything out of embarrassment. I think many more people are getting scammed than you might think.

. I think you are right, this same thing happened to a friend of ours who was older and called me after she was scammed fortunately she did not do any banking on line. She was,embarrassed not stupid.

[Tvov]

Another reason that I don't answer my phone. That is what the answering machine/system is for. Easily 3/4 of phone calls are hangups - sales calls and/or scams.

Sorry about the lady and the RV scam. There are a LOT of people out there who are not "internet savvy", or who are not aware of these things happening. I had a customer who got the "your computer has a virus call" and he went right to his computer and did everything they said, including paying them $350. He finally just hung up after awhile when he figured out it was a scam, and had to have his computer wiped and restarted by a friend.

A lot, probably most, of the people who get scammed do not say anything out of embarrassment. I think many more people are getting scammed than you might think.

[bucky]

I'm thinking Itunes because the Visa, MC, And AmEx among others must have something in place to warn of a fraud quickly and block the card.
In an earlier Visa card hack they got our card # and bought of all things book sets from Itunes.

[Halmfamily]

I wouldn't call any of them stupid, most are just scared. Again, I manage a drug store and I have personally had to intervene when elderly customers come in and purchase ITunes cards or Money Dot cards. Many of these victims are threatened, are told they're being given watched, their family will be hurt etc.

My local PD gets called and they help the victim. Unfortunately once the money is gone it's gone. Many of scammers are from out of the country on a throw away phone and will never be caught. On average 1 in 10 of the phone calls ends up with money in the scammers pocket.

The best thing we can do is to educate our elderly parents, friends and neighbors about this.

[timmac]

Fizz wrote:
She is not the only one.
How can people be so stupid.

PLUS. She gives an on camera interview.

http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/exclusive-ottawa-woman-victimized-by-scam-that-cost-her-12-500-in-itunes-gi...

She went to many different stores with the phone held to her ear and bought hundreds of I Tune cards for $12,500 and turned over the account number to a stranger on the phone, how stupid are people now days..

:S

[NYCgrrl]

Each of these stories are just sad on sooo many levels.

For instance, IF any of my kiddos or grand kid were in jail the ENTIRE family would know and not just me. That way we could all click our tongues/shake our collective heads together and come up with a plan of action; I'd know my grand's voice; I'd call the IRS/CRS/ whoever at the main number. As well as my already paid for accountant. As for the RV purchase...err well just no.

Weirdly sad.