Brazen scammers...

CharlieD3

CharlieD3

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CharlieD3
So, you watch the news... Reports of scams. Skimmers, phony phone calls, texts, don't click on links in emails or texts unless you're certain of the sender... No one will ever call from bank, IRS, SS and ask for personal info, etc.


Now, they're bold enough to ask for it by mail! No addressee, just send this info to a PO box... Yeah riiiight.... Here's the postcard they sent.

Ha! I fell off the turnip truck, but it wasn't yesterday!
8d8a1f4b2e0e51cd73074179aeafc9b4.jpg
 
They want my generation? I am stuck somewhere between X, millennial or Y or Z or who knows. Guess I can’t get off the lists.
 
Thanks for the info...been looking for a way to get off all those lists...finally!

I usually just take all the self address stamped envelopes, fill them with other junk mail and send them back.
 
Do NOT just throw away that post card. Get it to the authorities.. probably the FBI. Using the US mail for a scam is a felony. It lists a P.O. box. SOMEONE has to collect the mail from it. A little surveillance at that post office and.... BAD GUY GO BYE BYE!!! It's a drop in the bucket, but I LOVE to see these 2#@#$#$ punished. Few things raise my ire as much as these lowlifes.
 
I could tell it was a scam right away. If it were real they'd also need the name of your first pet, your dad's middle name, and the city where you met your spouse.
 
OK... wait a minute.. now I'm REALLY confused... check out this website..

https://eits.uga.edu/access_and_security/infosec/id_theft/

That website is legit. If you go down the page to find the info for the various credit reporting bureaus, you'll see the image below..
The last line contains the address listed on the post card!! Perhaps the scam is the optoutprescreen website? I'm going to fire up the ol' VPN and see what that is... what.JPG
 
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OK.. believe it or not, the website sure seems to be legit, too. I'm completely mystified. The card you posted LOOKS like a scam, READS like a scam... SMELLS like a scam... but it contains legit info? I don't get it. Still wouldn't do it... but maybe look up Experian's number directly, give'em a call, ask'em about the card, and tell'em that someone needs to be fired?
 
MuseChaser said:
Do NOT just throw away that post card. Get it to the authorities.. probably the FBI. Using the US mail for a scam is a felony. It lists a P.O. box. SOMEONE has to collect the mail from it. A little surveillance at that post office and.... BAD GUY GO BYE BYE!!! It's a drop in the bucket, but I LOVE to see these 2#@#$#$ punished. Few things raise my ire as much as these lowlifes.
Click to expand...
Sigh...as an FBI agent, I ask that you please don't do this.

This one is legit. It just ends pre-screen offers.
 
"Pre-screening" just uses your credit info to give you those pre-approved card offers, and those card offers are an easy source of creating fraudulent accounts.
 
bflynn said:
PO Box 919, Allen Texas is listed as an address for Experian, one of the three major credit reporting agencies.
Click to expand...

The trick is to register the same PO Box in 'AlIen, TX 75014' (That's 'Alien' for those of you with a font where you can't tell.)
 
Okay. So it ain't a scam. Hmph. So, I should just send whatever is requested of me on a postcard with no return addressee, just some random PO box?

Wasn't Experian one of the credit reporting agencies that had consumer information "hacked?"

You don't need to be electronically "hacked" if this is the means by which you solicit sensitive information.

This is ridiculous.
 
Honestly, I don't care if it's a legit postcard, website, etc. or not. If someone else initiates contact and wants my SSN and previous addresses... screw that.

Given that they can't even figure out word wrap... do you really think they can figure out how to do anything else right? I'll just continue to shuttle mail from the mailbox to the shredder to the recycle bin, like we always have.
 
If it helps...they already have all that information. They just want to make sure they match you correctly.

But yeah, not sending it on a postcard
 
You may magically end up on even more lists for junk mail.

I never got many phone call telemarketers until I did the whole donotcall.gov thing
Then it went crazy.
 
Uep
Skyrys62 said:
You may magically end up on even more lists for junk mail.

I never got many phone call telemarketers until I did the whole donotcall.gov thing
Then it went crazy.
Click to expand...

Yep. We went from "DoNotLikeTelemarketers" to "DoNotAnswer" to "DoNotCall.gov" to eventually, our current state, "DoNotHaveLandline"... solved.
 
MuseChaser said:
Uep


Yep. We went from "DoNotLikeTelemarketers" to "DoNotAnswer" to "DoNotCall.gov" to eventually, our current state, "DoNotHaveLandline"... solved.
Click to expand...

So you’re saying they haven’t found your cell phone number yet. Lucky. LOL.
 
denverpilot said:
So you’re saying they haven’t found your cell phone number yet. Lucky. LOL.
Click to expand...

I never, and I mean NEVER, answer my cell phone if a number that isn't in my contacts calls me. That seems to keep the nuisance calls down to no more than one or two a month. I can live with that.
 
The PO box is legit. It's one of Experian's addresses.

Rich

EDIT: I see others have already said the same thing. I confess to not having read the thread before I replied.
 
MuseChaser said:
I never, and I mean NEVER, answer my cell phone if a number that isn't in my contacts calls me. That seems to keep the nuisance calls down to no more than one or two a month. I can live with that.
Click to expand...

That was my SOP until doctors and pharmacies and other calls I actually needed to answer or I wouldn’t reach them again for a week, started happening.

Now I have to answer the damn thing. Very annoying.

I did have fun screwing with the car warranty guy the other day seeing if he’d put a warranty on a 2000 Subaru Outback. Hahahaha.
 
MuseChaser said:
I never, and I mean NEVER, answer my cell phone if a number that isn't in my contacts calls me. That seems to keep the nuisance calls down to no more than one or two a month. I can live with that.
Click to expand...
Neither do I. It doesn't matter. The calls that are spoofed to my area code + exchange - the majority of the spams that i get - almost certainly target every number in the exchange. They don't have to, and don't, know who you are.
 
They must be quite confident in their scamming tactics that they’re willing to pay for postage to send that crap!
 
Ryanb said:
They must be quite confident in their scamming tactics that they’re willing to pay for postage to send that crap!
Click to expand...

Nah, it’s just Experian — they’re allowed to collect all sorts of personal data on you from your financial institutions who shouldn’t be selling it to them, and resell it to others, without your consent.

And without any significant repercussions if they lose all of it.

I’d be happy to let them pay me 90% of what they make on it as long as they are bonded and insured properly for all damages incurred if they lose it, like any other business.

Ever ask your bank to not report data to any of them? That’s entertaining. I’ve tried it. There’s no opt-out. Hmmm.
 
There is no way I would put the information requested on a post card. I don't care where it is going. And scamming phone calls? We don't pick up the phone unless we recognize the person calling on caller ID. I have no idea who "Anonymous" is. :p

On the other hand, I've very nearly missed picking up a call from my doctor's office telling me that my Cologuard (sp?) test was negative. Their name on caller ID made no sense, either.

I have to pick up any call on my cell phone. That's my business number. Although I will admit that most calls on it are junk, too. Oh well...
 
Skyrys62 said:
You may magically end up on even more lists for junk mail.

I never got many phone call telemarketers until I did the whole donotcall.gov thing
Then it went crazy.
Click to expand...
I've had the same suspicion. The annoying thing is that there doesn't seem to be any way to take onself OFF the do-not-call list.
 
Ghery said:
...

On the other hand, I've very nearly missed picking up a call from my doctor's office telling me that my Cologuard (sp?) test was negative. Their name on caller ID made no sense, either.

.
Click to expand...
Since we don't have a landline, calls from our doctors, vets, mechanics, and various other legit and important calls go to our cells. I just figure, if it IS important, they'll leave a message, and they only have to do that once because, once I know who it is, I immediately add them to my contacts and will always pick up when possible in the future.

Another tip, for those not already doing it. There are free "telephone" numbers available, including ones with voicemail capabilities, that you can get from various apps and internet sites. I have one and THAT'S the one I use for the times when I'm making a transaction that requires a phone number but I don't want to divulge my cell... one-time purchases, used car inquiries, sketchy forum members (hehehehe.....that was my real cell to the posters who've been extremely helpful to me off-board), that kind of stuff. If you haven't used one, they work great.
 
MuseChaser said:
I never, and I mean NEVER, answer my cell phone if a number that isn't in my contacts calls me. That seems to keep the nuisance calls down to no more than one or two a month. I can live with that.
Click to expand...

Me, too. I changed the ring tone for my entire contact list to something other than the default. When I get an incoming with the default ring tone, I am immediately suspicious. This not foolproof because Doctors and other businesses often have several outgoing lines that ring with the default tones, but as a first cut it provides a strong "be careful" warning. Then I have my outgoing voicemail greeting state flatly that I will not call you back unless you leave your name and number, and reason for the call.

In close to a year now, I have never spoken to a spammer. The "leave your name and number" message has stopped them cold! Most never get that far - they usually hang up after the fourth ring, and no message left.

-Skip
 
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Palmpilot said:
I've had the same suspicion. The annoying thing is that there doesn't seem to be any way to take onself OFF the do-not-call list.
Click to expand...
Well, think about it. For the DNC list to be of any value at all, the numbers on it have to be distributed to businesses that would be calling. I know the company I work for is absolutely rabid about running lists of phone numbers through the DNC list to filter those out before making sales calls. So yes, the list is available... and the scammers don't care WHERE the numbers come from, they are interested only in trying to hit as many real, active phone numbers as possible with their robocalls. So they'll trool the DNC list, Facebook, web sites, online forums, blogs, newsletters published on line, Craigslist ads, anything that could yield phone numbers.
 
DaleB said:
Well, think about it. For the DNC list to be of any value at all, the numbers on it have to be distributed to businesses that would be calling.
Click to expand...

One of my computer science instructors admonished decades ago:

Any database that can be used for good, can also be used for evil. Be careful what you put or allow your company to put in databases.

Nobody heeded it, of course.
 
DaleB said:
Well, think about it. For the DNC list to be of any value at all, the numbers on it have to be distributed to businesses that would be calling. I know the company I work for is absolutely rabid about running lists of phone numbers through the DNC list to filter those out before making sales calls. So yes, the list is available... and the scammers don't care WHERE the numbers come from, they are interested only in trying to hit as many real, active phone numbers as possible with their robocalls. So they'll trool the DNC list, Facebook, web sites, online forums, blogs, newsletters published on line, Craigslist ads, anything that could yield phone numbers.
Click to expand...
That's the same thought process I went through, and it's why I wish they would reinstate the feature that lets you remove your number from the DNC list.
 
Cat's already out of the bag... it's too late now. Plus at least if you're on the DNC list, legitimate companies won't call you. I'd hate to get all of the current illegal robocalls and scam calls, PLUS the usual load of crap from every siding, window, "health care", and all the other companies that would descend upon us like a flock of pigeons.
 
Anyone who thought the DNC list was a good idea or that anyone would enforce it, probably isn’t paying much attention to things in general about how politics or government works.

Now we need a list of people who want to show their support for the Do Not Illegally Use the Do Not Call List, list.

We’ll need your name, full address, DOB, SSN, and in caee you forget your password, the color of your house for a “security” question.

I’ll set up the website. Y’all enter your data. LOL.
 
Shawn said:
Thanks for the info...been looking for a way to get off all those lists...finally!

I usually just take all the self address stamped envelopes, fill them with other junk mail and send them back.
Click to expand...
Put in a little talcum powder or corn starch . . . I know, I'm going to Hell. . .
 
MuseChaser said:
Since we don't have a landline, calls from our doctors, vets, mechanics, and various other legit and important calls go to our cells. I just figure, if it IS important, they'll leave a message, and they only have to do that once because, once I know who it is, I immediately add them to my contacts and will always pick up when possible in the future.

Another tip, for those not already doing it. There are free "telephone" numbers available, including ones with voicemail capabilities, that you can get from various apps and internet sites. I have one and THAT'S the one I use for the times when I'm making a transaction that requires a phone number but I don't want to divulge my cell... one-time purchases, used car inquiries, sketchy forum members (hehehehe.....that was my real cell to the posters who've been extremely helpful to me off-board), that kind of stuff. If you haven't used one, they work great.
Click to expand...
I'm rather fond of 303-555-1212
 
Gerhardt said:
Really? You have to share some tales of excitement. Really. We're easily entertained around here.
Click to expand...
I’m in a financial crimes unit...I’m like the movie “The Other Guys” but even more boring.
 
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