Related to the telemarketers, I just got the second call in 2 weeks that I had won $2.5 million from Publishers Central Clearing House.
FYI, I got his number so I could call him back: 1-876-881-0225
Googling it up, I see that others have gotten the call and the bottom line is they need money from you to get the funds released. You'd think that Nigerians, or where ever they are calling from, would be more clever than that.
Want to have some fun, give them a call ;)
Wife got pissed that I told her next time they call, I would tell them that I want to speak to a white man ;)
You paint with too big a brush. Just like you don't have to be colored to like watermelon, you don't have to be a racist to insist on an understandable accent.
won $2.5 million from Publishers Central Clearing House.
FYI, the official legitimate institution is "Publishers Clearing House", not Publishers Central Clearing House.
FYI, I got his number so I could call him back: 1-876-881-0225
Yeah, why don't you call them back and report to us what you may subsequently discover, that many of those numbers (like this 1-876 prefix) are subject to international long distance rates:
Not amazing, the scammers count on it. By claiming something completely impossible ("I am the wife of the former Nigerian dictator..."), they can immediately weed out those with even a scintilla of skepticism.
had won $2.5 million from Publishers Central Clearing House.
Publishers Central Clearing House.
discover, that many of those numbers (like this 1-876 prefix) are subject to international long distance rates:
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You're right. I never call these numbers back and missed the area code. Sorry I posted number because of this. It was not mentioned when I googled it up, just that they were probably Nigerians over here.
I do recall this one:
People that you would think have more sense do fall for these.
I had a neighbor taken in on the phone and he did not know it until I told him. He won't tell me how much money was involved or how much it cost him but the thieves got all of his bank and credit card information with access days before he discovered it.
I think one of the reasons that happens so easily is how accustomed many have become to "papers please!". I am really big on not giving up information. I love the dumb looks (and virtual dumb looks when on the phone) I get when I ask someone "why do you need to know this" and this is after I know who they are.
Specifics of the scammed neighbor were that he got a call from someone that said they were the police and wanted to catch a credit card defrauder with the same name. Neighbor gave them all his credit card and bank information including pass words and identifying stuff like mother's maiden name. The "police" then had him forward his phone calls to one of their phones. I found out because I could not reach him by phone and when I finally did, he told me how he had been helping the "police". I told him he had been robbed and he better call the real police.
My rule of thumb is that anyone that calls me that I do not know is lying. I get calls all the time from the police associations for donations. I tell them that if they arrive at my house in their squad car in uniform, I'll consider it ;)
I get calls all the time from the police associations for donations. I tel= l them that if they arrive at my house in their squad car in uniform, I'll = consider it ;)
I get calls from "another city's police organization". I always wonder why= I don't get calls from those in my city. They tell me they are raising fu= nds for the disabled policemen or for the policemen's retirement fund, or s= ome such. I remind the callers that policemen are civil servants and they = already have those benefit servives, it comes with being a civil servant, s= o why are you asking for "supplemental" funds? The callers usually don't h= ave a reasonable answer.
I do like the idea of having them come over to recieve a donation, though. = I hadn't thought about asking them to do that.
them that if they arrive at my house in their squad car in uniform, I'll consider it ;)
When the volunteer fire department would come around for donations they always wore their uniforms and drove the firetrucks around the neighborhood for the kids. It was really an announcement that it was really them and not some con.
don't get calls from those in my city. They tell me they are raising funds for the disabled policemen or for the policemen's retirement fund, or some such. I remind the callers that policemen are civil servants and they already have those benefit servives, it comes with being a civil servant, so why are you asking for "supplemental" funds? The callers usually don't have a reasonable answer.
The VFD was funded out of taxes (they had their own taxing authority) but they used donations to buy "non-essential" safety equipment, radios, and the like. They did a great job and people (mostly) supported them[*].
[*] There was one time when they went all Obama and were trying to go from zero debt to something like $4M. That deal was shot down in flames. "Why do you want me to pay for a 95' platform truck for a town with only three (non-tax-paying) buildings above two floors. Let *them* buy your toys.
hadn't thought about asking them to do that.
Don't give money to anyone who can't identify themselves. I don't give to anyone who solicits (with the above single exception).
them that if they arrive at my house in their squad car in uniform, I'll consider it ;)
About eight years ago I got a phone call claiming that the caller was calling "on behalf of the xxx Association of Police." I declined to contribute at the time but did a little research, which showed that our state "Association of Police" and those of some other states had hired a fund-raising company that guaranteed a certain amount to each Association of Police (or maybe called something else in other states) and got to keep whatever it raised beyond that. The company (whose name I no longer remember) was making money hand over fist and was being investigated by the Attorneys General of some states.
I found a piece on our "Association of Police"'s Web site where they were boasting to the members about this wonderful deal they had done with this fund-raising company "to subsidize your Union dues."
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