Scam

[Darryl Hansen]

Grandparent scam going around. Early morning received call from “one of your grandsons” had a car accident have stitches in my mouth so probably can’t understand me. I went to wedding ( he really did) last Sunday on way home had an accident. Blood alcohol was over limit ‘cause I drank some wine. I’m in jail. Mom’s at work ( she really was) Public Defender will call with details cops telling me to get off phone. I will tell mom when I get out I’m so embarrassed. Attorney called and asked me to send bond for bail. Gave instructions and so forth and even had the name of the store to send funds through. Later attorney called and said the DA was pressing charges but the judge was willing to let G/S out of jail for additional bond. Phone number used by “attorney” answered as Public Defenders Office. Called my daughter and found G/S was cooking dinner. CAREFUL

[John K Jordan]

The boldness and lack of shame of the liars and thieves out there amazes me. I wonder what their mothers would think of them.

JKJ

[Ken Fitzgerald]

One of my family members was scammed this way with a similar story. The caller heard my family member mention the name of my youngest son. In this instance, the money was wired to a Walmart in Canada IIRC.

[Jed Malcore]

As a law enforcement officer, I can tell you, never wire money unless you a certain it's to someone you know (and even then, checks are quicker and cheaper!) This is a common scam out there right now.

[John Keeton]

This scam has been around for a long time because it continues to work on grandparents. Fortunately, using the jail situation wouldn't ever work with me. My grandkids all know if they end up in jail, calling me would be a mistake!😄 Not sure if the scammers realize my response would be - "why are you calling me!?!?"

Just call me hard hearted!

[Hilel Salomon]

Even though I'm on the "don't call" list, I get at least 7 calls a week from supposedly IRS, card services, etc. warning me about one thing or another. These are bad enough because they prey on older and unsophisticated people. To use a fake accident in order to frighten and fleece someone is beyond even that. I hope that those who do this are sent to real prisons with labels on them describing how they prey on grandmothers and mothers.

[Reed Gray]

I like the ones 'I am from Microsoft and your computer it broken'.... I just say 'Shame on you'..... That usually shuts them up...

robo hippy

[Dick Latshaw]

Even though I'm on the "don't call" list

If I am a criminal (perhaps in a foreign country) setting up my machine to robo call thousands of numbers in the U.S. with some scam, the fact that your number is on a "do not call list" probably does little to deter me. Unfortunately.

[John Keeton]

No land line for us and if I get a call on my cell and it doesn't ID you as one of my contacts, I kill the call.

[Hilel Salomon]

You're right about that, but unfortunately, I also get dozens of calls from the US that are scams as well. I've recently added NOMOROBO to my home number, and we'll see if that at least eliminates the robo calls.

[Rich Riddle]

No land line for us and if I get a call on my cell and it doesn't ID you as one of my contacts, I kill the call.

You don't answer calls from us "normal" Kentuckian types? A friend received a similar call to this a few years ago. He doesn't have children and wondered how he had grand-children. He suddenly worried about the days when he acted wild.

[John K Jordan]

No land line for us and if I get a call on my cell and it doesn't ID you as one of my contacts, I kill the call.

My phone announces the caller and if it is one I don't recognize it can go to voice mail. Most sales and scams never leave a message. Any from the FBI, IRS, or law enforcement are considered entertainment.

JKJ

[glenn bradley]

I don't know if other southern border states suffer this but this scam has been going on for quite awhile here in SoCal. Daughter calling from Mexican jail, went down for bridal shower, busted for DUI, send money. My daughter turned out to be in the shower when she wasn't answering the phone.

Even being aware of the scam my heartbeat got accelerated when she didn't answer. I thought I was just getting old an cranky but, I am finding I have to recommit myself, daily, to the idea that western society has NOT gone completely down the tubes ;-)

[Tony Zona]

Many calls I answered for a while we're from people in a certain country. I got an idea and researched what the worst, most offensive insult was you could say to that nationality.

So I would listen to their pitches for 10 or 15 seconds, then would explain in detail that offensive insult, repeatedly.

After maybe 15 or 20 seconds of my horrible, contrived invective, I would quietly hang up. I'm guessing three of them were so angry they called back, and I would say sympathetically, "Let me say this then." And I would go into another round of disgusting insults.

After a while they quit calling. I'm sure it was coincidence, but I took pride in getting in my licks.

I had always wondered if one could be legally charged with an obscene call violation if he didn't actually make the call?

[Aaron Conway]

I got a call last week about a problems with Windows on my computer. I kept insisting that yes I have windows in my house and didn't need any replacement windows.