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Thread: I just had a strange phone call and

  1. #1
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    I just had a strange phone call and

    I answered it and a young male voice said "How are you doing Grandpa".

    I knew he was not my grandson, and said who is this, and he responded with my second oldest son's name.

    I ask him where he lived and he hung up.

    Is this new racket?

  2. #2
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    Was he asking for the location of your Disston Hand Saws?

  3. #3
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    Sure sounds like it; these scams depend on the small percentage of people more easily fooled than you.

  4. #4
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    There is a scam out there where someone calls an elderly person's number and asks for Grandpa or Grandma. Then the caller begins a conversation and listens carefully while slowly milking information until they learn the name of a grandchild. They will then claim they are in a desperate need of money (in jail in Canada, for example) for a minor speeding issue, or car wreck with no insurance, or car breakdown with no money to pay for repairs. They ask if the relative could send money via services at Wal-mart to a Walmart near the caller's location.

    A few years ago, this scam was worked on my now deceased Mom. When my Mom's husband answered the phone, he told my Mom he thought it was my younger son and he spoke my son's name. Now the caller learned who to claim to be. When my Mom asked why he didn't call me, he said he didn't want me to know. She didn't have the money but called my brother in another state who sent the money via services offered at a local Wal-Mart to one in a Canadian town. Later that day, my brother became suspicious and called me to see if I knew where my son was. I said I can find out really quick. I called my son and then called my brother back. IIRC, this scam cost my brother $500.
    Last edited by Ken Fitzgerald; 01-15-2019 at 3:23 PM.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  5. #5
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    I have five grandsons and I recognize their voices. I don't respond well to blind phone calls.
    At one time I kept a police whistle b the phone and would blow it in the phone when an annoying call was received.

    If I get many more, I well buy another whistle.

  6. #6
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    We did that a few times when we were 10. Didn't work out very well, so we quit. Could be that simple.

  7. #7
    My aunt got scammed by an emergency call from some guy who wasn't her grandson, she was pretty old at the time. She said his voice sounded funny and they said it was because it was so far away. She even went to the local newspaper who wrote the story. She didn't want anyone else to get scammed. No Joke.

  8. #8
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    I got the same call last week. Him-Hi Grandpa it's me your Grandson. Me- When did you get a sex change, I only have a Granddaughter, He hung up. I have no Grand kids.
    Sometimes we see what we expect to see, and not what we are looking at! Scott

  9. #9
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    Good one Scott!

  10. #10
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    My 85 yo mother in law got the exact same call a couple of years ago. She was confused at first, then figured out it was a scam and hung up.

  11. #11
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    Careful in telling information about you. I feel like its a scam. A couple of days ago somebody uses my email account to purchase a power belt and I am so freaking shock because I don't have an account on the online shop. A representative calls to tell me that they will be shipping the item and ask me to verify my location. I immediately hang up the phone.

  12. #12
    Sister got fake call from grandson, only problem was her grandson happened to be sitting in her living room when she answered the phone. Friends co worker is scheduled to testify before Congress tomorrow, because her parents lost $80,000 to such a scheme. When the US attorney goes after Walmart, Green Dot cards, etc, under the RICO act, this will stop. Notice they no longer ask for Western Union fund transfers? Research the fine Western union paid under the RICO act, because they profited from the illegal transfer of funds in these type scams. That's why we have an answering machine on our land line. The land line is because of my business, FYI.

  13. #13
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    I got one of those about 6 months ago. And last week I got the one that starts Hi this is Chase calling about your credit card. My favorite was the one my sister got which opened with Hi this is the social security office and we want you to confirm the account number at your bank so we can make sure your money is going to the right place. And the IRS one. It's to the point where if I don't know the number you'll be leaving a message. But there are some funny moments. Check out this 10 minute video on Ted Talks by James Veitch. Pretty funny if you have the time for it.
    Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.

  14. #14
    I had a similar message on facebook. Got a message that a cousin was stuck in a foreign country till he came up with a sum of money, At first I thought about it, then wondered why he would not contact his folks. The cousin was NOT out of the country.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by lowell holmes View Post
    I answered it and a young male voice said "How are you doing Grandpa".

    I knew he was not my grandson, and said who is this, and he responded with my second oldest son's name.

    I ask him where he lived and he hung up.

    Is this new racket?
    No, it is not new and yes it is a scam.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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