Wednesday, November 29, 2017

I'm always amazed at the new scams

Always.  Like every time a new one comes out, it's like... do people REALLY fall for this?

This was how today's went:

Their text: Crested geckos -- 10 months - 4 years -- M/F -- SALE!!  -- For sale  STILL  UP FOR SALE???  Plz let me know ASAP

now to start off with... a text starting like that is 99.999999999999999% of the time a scam, but just for shits and giggles...

My text:  they are available

Their text:  Sound good... Cash is my payment method and when are you going to be available?

My text: tomorrow and Friday most of the day... when are you thinking?  Which one are you interested in?

Their text:  Ok I will need to talk to you directly from my phone... Do you received 6 digit code now?

Clearly a scam, I'm not doing anything or any sort of phone call where I have to put in a code, but anyway...

My text:  I have family over right now, I can't talk at the moment

Their text:  Just send the code I will text you from my phone to make arrangements about the cash payment

My text:  For which gecko?

Their text:  10 months
Their text:  give me the code please

awfully pushy, no?

My text:  Before you do payment or anything, you need to fill out an adoption form.  I can send that in an email if you'd like or you can download it from the website

Their text:  do you get the 6 digit code?

My text:  Bye-bye scammer

Blocked their number. 

I looked this up, after blocking them.... if you'd like to read more than what I explain below, it is on the google voice help forum, here -- https://productforums.google.com/forum/?noredirect=true#!topic/voice/w3G384KPh7k

Anyway, the idea is that they are trying to set up a google voice account (or another similar account).  THEY need a verification code to do so.  When you get the verification code and give it to them, THEY are issued a Google Voice number, with your phone number as the forwarding number.  I suppose then you get a lot of spam phone calls... otherwise, I'm not sure exactly what benefit this would give them.  But anyway, I am playing no part.  Thankfully, there is a way to get out of this, if people have accidentally given over the code.  I suppose I deal with enough of these scams and fake people posing as potential adopters to be able to spot these things, but everyone may not have the same experience with 10-20 calls/texts a day from random numbers that I do.

Tis the season... to scam everyone.  Or something like that.  Be happy, come adopt a chinchilla. 

No comments:

Post a Comment