BEWARE OF SCAMMERS

Hobby · Sep 17, 2024, 11:17 PM

There are scammers posting ads on many escort sites. If they ask your zip code or location give them a phoney zip or city and see if they ask incall or outcall. What they do is get you to send a deposit or buy a gift card wanting pics of card or receipt. They will steal the deposit you send or take the money off gift card then they are gone. The next day expect to get a call from a guy saying he is Mexican mafia and wasted his girl's time so he says to pay 3000 or he sends his guys to kill you or your family. It is all scam no one is coming to kill anyone. These scammers are not in the US. Just don't reply if they ask for zip code. Take care and stay safe!

Roxyrolls · Sep 26, 2024, 09:48 AM

Quote from: Hobby on Sep 17, 2024, 11:17 PMThere are scammers posting ads on many escort sites. If they ask your zip code or location give them a phoney zip or city and see if they ask incall or outcall. What they do is get you to send a deposit or buy a gift card wanting pics of card or receipt. They will steal the deposit you send or take the money off gift card then they are gone. The next day expect to get a call from a guy saying he is Mexican mafia and wasted his girl's time so he says to pay 3000 or he sends his guys to kill you or your family. It is all scam no one is coming to kill anyone. These scammers are not in the US. Just don't reply if they ask for zip code. Take care and stay safe!

WoW! Such a crazy world nowadays. Thanks for the heads up Hobby!

Fathernature69 · Sep 26, 2024, 11:05 PM

Great, thanks for the heads up.

There are way too many scams.

dogwalker · Sep 27, 2024, 07:43 AM

I've been to a few presentations on scams recently and yes the scammers, cyber and otherwise, are getting very sophisticated. I was very surprised to hear insurance scams currently result in the biggest losses in CA. The main scam, always perpetrated by small independent insurance brokers, is they supposedly sell you a policy but there is no policy and they pocket the premiums.

Danno · Sep 27, 2024, 09:02 AM

gift card are being taken out of the store, they get # off the card and enter it in a program. they take card back to store put it back on rack. when it is loaded with cash, their program knows this and poof, they take the money on the card.

Valida · Sep 27, 2024, 10:22 PM

Quote from: Danno on Sep 27, 2024, 09:02 AMgift card are being taken out of the store, they get # off the card and enter it in a program. they take card back to store put it back on rack. when it is loaded with cash, their program knows this and poof, they take the money on the card.

How does this work with scratch-off covered numbers? Or does it?
Do they have X-ray or something like that?
Or can they use another number that's on the card?

dogwalker · Sep 27, 2024, 11:26 PM

One way is they scratch off the silver-colored material covering the number then paint a similar material back on top of the number or replace it with a sticky silver tape. Those not that familiar with gift cards in particular may not notice the difference depending on how good the cover up job is.

I've noticed many stores have signs that say they no longer sell or accept gift cards anymore and this is why.

Romanticlover · Sep 28, 2024, 08:31 AM

Most of the people doing the gift card scams are Chinese nationals working for cartels...

https://www.voanews.com/a/us-senate-hearing-addresses-gift-card-fraud-schemes-/7595726.html

https://www.abc10.com/article/news/crime/gift-card-scam-sacramento-county/103-b73ddf6e-8f8e-4b13-9381-23c769711a2a

'Detectives said the best way to protect yourself is to purchase gift cards online or from a store where the gift cards are locked up or kept behind the counter.'

Hobby · Sep 28, 2024, 11:27 AM

Quote from: Romanticlover on Sep 28, 2024, 08:31 AMMost of the people doing the gift card scams are Chinese nationals working for cartels...

https://www.voanews.com/a/us-senate-hearing-addresses-gift-card-fraud-schemes-/7595726.html

https://www.abc10.com/article/news/crime/gift-card-scam-sacramento-county/103-b73ddf6e-8f8e-4b13-9381-23c769711a2a

'Detectives said the best way to protect yourself is to purchase gift cards online or from a store where the gift cards are locked up or kept behind the counter.'

Don't buy gift cards unless you have seen the provider before. Scammers will have you buy a gift card then ask for you to tell them you are at store. Then they want you to take a Pic of the receipt or scratch off the last 3 or for digits on the card then send Pic to them. At the bottom of the card in plain site is the card number minus the last four digits on the scratch off. The scammer then can obtain the money on the card and never see you.

Danno · Sep 28, 2024, 03:35 PM

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/campbelll-gift-card-scam-suspects-southern-california-santa-clara-county/

Hobby · Sep 28, 2024, 08:20 PM

Quote from: Danno on Sep 28, 2024, 03:35 PMhttps://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/campbelll-gift-card-scam-suspects-southern-california-santa-clara-county/

There is i guess gift card alterations which is illegal but I am talking about scammers who want the card purchased then pretend they only want to know the card was purchased and has the deposit on it. Then will steal money off the card if pics as they request are sent.