The Scam Game

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

It is getting way out of hand. The phone keeps going off every 10 minutes or so and quite often, it is the same number calling. A number I don’t recognize. I spent most of the day at home yesterday and I got almost a dozen calls from unknown numbers.

I looked up most of the numbers and also the area codes, some were definitely from scammers. There were warnings out on this kind of aggressive calls. The problem is, the phone rings and when I pick it up, they hang up. Or they come up with some badly devised scheme about the “electricity” bill or something else. Nothing that makes sense. I want to know why they keep calling and when I pick up, they hang up. Doesn’t make sense either.

The aggressiveness comes from the number of calls they are fielding. Sometimes as many as 10 calls per day. Frustrating? Definitely! I was told that I could change my number but that is more than frustrating because I would have to inform friends and people close to me about the change. How they have my number is confusing as well. I am careful about who I give my number to so it seems like they are using some other method to get a hold of the numbers.

It seems that scammers have found a lucrative way of making money without doing any work other than to make you part with your hard-earned money. SCAMMERS get a job and earn money the old-fashioned way like most people do.

My plan is to take down the numbers, the ones that call here consistently and persistently and to hand over to someone to do the job of bringing them down. I hope it works but I’m sure more will crop up. Scammers, it seems, are here to stay simply because people fall prey to their dubious schemes and because they are learning there is another way of making money, one that does not involve going to WORK!

The Scam Charade

Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels.com

“There are so many scams on the internet now a days.

Send me $19.95 and I will tell you how to avoid them.” Unknown

I’ve been dealing with scam calls, scam dating invites and yesterday it came in the form of a message supposedly from my bank about a problem. The problem was it wasn’t even my bank! I deleted the message.

It seems to be a thriving business this scam thing and they are getting cleverer by the minute. Messages asking for money comes in the form of sorry stories such as they are somewhere and can’t access their money or someone close to them is very sick and they need cash urgently. One message took the cake. He claimed his daughter had been on vacation in Africa when she was captured by a tribe and held captive there. The release would require a certain amount of money.

The only thing these losers want is to make you part with your hard-earned money and unfortunately they are finding better and better ways of doing it and that is the scary part!

SIGNS OF A ROMANCE SCAMMER

Professes love quickly. Claims to be from the U.S., but is overseas for business or military service.

Asks for money, and lures you off the dating site.

Claims to need money – for emergencies, hospital bills, or travel.

Plans to visit, but can’t because of an emergency.

There are many varieties of scammers. Last week, I received a call about my book. The caller offered me a slot on a radio show or was it on TV, anyway it would take place in the form of an interview with a celebrity host plugging my book. The catch, payment was required! A few days later, a very sweet voice (they usually are) on the other end offered a film deal! When I asked for which book, she stammered and quickly turned the conversation to how great it would be to see my book on screen. Of course it would be, however, scammers beware, I’ve got your number and here’s my message to you.

By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you….blocked and deleted.

You may now……

…….kiss my a**. (Unknown)

Here’s another message, get a JOB!