I've won a cruise

Fran · Apr 8, 2010

All I have to do is phone a premium rate number, give them my name, address and date of birth, and provide my credit card details so they can deduct a "small admin charge".

Gah. How do these people get away with this? I know people must fall for this stuff or they wouldn't bother but it's still infuriating. It was a recorded message or I would have asked the person calling for their name, address, date of birth and credit card details. They always hang up pretty quickly when I do that.

And quite apart from anything else, cruise ships are little more than floating prisons, and not my idea of a good time.

Gretad08 · Apr 8, 2010

I work in a bank and you would not believe the fraud people fall for. It's very disheartening b/c it's often the elderly who fall for things like "Here's your check containing the winnings from a Canadian lottery." The first thing I say is "Did you play the Canadian lottery?" That usually helps them understand what's going on.

backslashbaby · Apr 8, 2010

I've gotten two emails in the past month advising me what to do because my accounts are about to be closed. Pisses me off! I know tons of people fall for these; they look really real

I updated my info with a school I went to, and they posted my email as my contact email. Just out there on the web, by my real name. I can't decide which pisses me off more, frankly!

Jersey Chick · Apr 8, 2010

I've won so many lotteries, I've lost track of my millions.

These things tick me off. And so does the fact that so many people wouldn't be duped if they remembered one little cynical adage: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Shakesbear · Apr 8, 2010

Fran report them to the Trading Standards people - see here: https://secure.consumerdirect.gov.uk/reportascam.aspx

sadron · Apr 8, 2010

It was a fake call then?

Jcomp · Apr 8, 2010

Likewise, received a ton of "lottery" emails. Actually had a family member recently almost fall for a snail mail scam. When he told me about it at first I let it slide and just hoped he'd let it go. Then he told me that they had said he should have received his check already and that he needed to send them money so they could investigate where the check was. Of course I had to break it to him then, it was crazy uncomfortable. He'd really convinced himself this was legit...

stormie · Apr 8, 2010

My MIL almost fell for something like that a few years ago. She was so excited and even got a certificate about the cruise. At least on the certificate (in extremely small print that my MIL couldn't read) it stated she had to pay for airfare and excursions and had to go to a two hour spiel about something or other.

Fran · Apr 8, 2010

Shakesbear said:
Fran report them to the Trading Standards people - see here: https://secure.consumerdirect.gov.uk/reportascam.aspx

They were calling from Canada, so I don't know if that would still apply, but thanks for the link.

sadron said:
It was a fake call then?

Once they get all that information, they can start applying for credit cards or loans in your name. Well, not my name, Bernie Madoff's got a better credit rating than I have, but some people lose thousands of pounds on these credit cards and have never actually seen them. Never give anyone who's cold called you personal information.

JoeEkaitis · Apr 8, 2010

Your timeshares sales pitch alarm should go off any time a local business or charity is giving away a "fabulous 3-day romantic weekend" at a "5-star Las Vegas resort".

KTC · Apr 9, 2010

I receive a few every day. What infuriates me the most is that there are people out there who are dumb enough to even open emails from these fucks. How gullible are people? That's WHY these fucks exist. They know there's a sucker born every minute.

stormie · Apr 9, 2010

Unfortunately, those "you're a contest winner" things can arrive by phone call or snail mail. Many times older people can't read the tiny print on the snail mail that has all kinds of disclaimers. They just see "You've won!" and a number to call. Or the phone pitch is directed at them (easy to find who's a senior citizen online) and the recipient thinks, "Wow, he knows my name! It must be for real." And yeah, there are suckers born every minute, so it's not just the elderly who fall for it.

Fran · Apr 9, 2010

stormie said:
Unfortunately, those "you're a contest winner" things can arrive by phone call or snail mail. Many times older people can't read the tiny print on the snail mail that has all kinds of disclaimers. They just see "You've won!" and a number to call. Or the phone pitch is directed at them (easy to find who's a senior citizen online) and the recipient thinks, "Wow, he knows my name! It must be for real." And yeah, there are suckers born every minute, so it's not just the elderly who fall for it.

Definitely not. My dad's 54 and disregards phone calls and letters like that, but the number of times I've had to stop him replying to the phishing emails is ridiculous. He seems to think if they've got his email address it must be legit, since he only uses a work email address and not a personal one. *sigh*

tjwriter · Apr 9, 2010

I keep winning gift cards and totally free computers. Nothing as fancy as a cruise.

Fran · Apr 9, 2010

tjwriter said:
I keep winning gift cards and totally free computers. Nothing as fancy as a cruise.

You can have my cruise. Just call 0901...

CDaniel · Apr 9, 2010

I can't tell you how many lotteries and inheritance from some long lost relative email's I've gotten. Someone has a lot of time on there hands out there to think up this stuff.

Susie · Apr 9, 2010

My 92-year-old mom, a perfect lady most of the time, when the scam caller phones her she says, "F You!" and hangs up. They don't call back.

Glad ya didn't get scammed, Fran and anyone else...

Devil Ledbetter · Apr 9, 2010

Our standard reply is a robotic "You have reached a mannequin. I am unable to make financial decisions." Click.

I've won a cruise

Fran

Slate grey mole person

Gretad08

backslashbaby

*

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

Shakesbear

knows a hawk from a handsaw

sadron

Writing Dark Fantasy

Jcomp

stormie

storm central

Fran

Slate grey mole person

JoeEkaitis

Certified Gray Haired Geek

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

stormie

storm central

Fran

Slate grey mole person

tjwriter

Emerging Anew

Fran

Slate grey mole person

CDaniel

Writing for the brand

Susie

Thanks, special friend for my avi!

Devil Ledbetter

Come on you stranger, you legend,

I've won a cruise

Slate grey mole person

~~~~*~~~~

Up all night to get Loki

knows a hawk from a handsaw

Writing Dark Fantasy

storm central

Slate grey mole person

Certified Gray Haired Geek

Stand in the Place Where You Live

storm central

Slate grey mole person

Emerging Anew

Slate grey mole person

Writing for the brand

Thanks, special friend for my avi!

Come on you stranger, you legend,

*