[On-going Scams - Post them here]

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nimo956
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IMF COVID-19 Grant Scam

Post by nimo956 »

[Thread merged into here, see below. --admin LadyGeek]

I just wanted to make people aware of a scam, which my mother nearly fell for today. She was contacted on Facebook Messenger by someone who set up a fake profile using the same name and profile picture as a relative. This person started talking about how she was able to apply for a COVID grant through the IMF. She then sent her a messenger link to another person, and that person sent her an email with a link to a website to fill out a grant application.

The application form had her enter personal info such as: name, address, income, occupation, and email. She was not asked for her SSN.

After filling out the form, she received a confirmation email, which detailed delivery charges and fees that would need to be paid before the money can be sent.

While this all seems immediately obvious to me, my mother was not aware that Facebook profiles can be faked, and truly thought she was talking to this relative. They had an extensive conversation in English, including chit chat about how our respective families are holding up, and there were none of the tell-tale signs of improper spelling or grammar.

I had to persuade her to call this relative on the phone in order to convince her she wasn’t actually talking with her online.

We immediately locked her credit with the 4 bureaus and changed her passwords for email, social media and financial institutions. I don’t think there’s anything else we need to do, but let me know if there is. Luckily, she called me shortly after this happened and did not send any money. Still, it was very scary for her to come so close to being fooled in this way.

She has been feeling very vulnerable and lonely since her father and husband both passed away last year, and she now lives alone. Having to stay home and remain socially isolated due to COVID has only exacerbated these feelings.
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celia
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Re: IMF COVID-19 Grant Scam

Post by celia »

Even if she did recognize this as a scam, she should learn that the (real) relative (or any acquaintance) could be a scam victim who is unknowingly trying to pull others in with them.

An elderly relative of mine fell for one of the scams thinking a grandson was calling to have some emergency money wired to them. (He got the money back before it was picked up on the other end.). After talking to all the grandkids, I told the elderly relative that his grandkids will never call him for money. If they are desperate and can’t get money from their own parents for whatever reason, they have been instructed to call an aunt or uncle who can tell if this is real.

Maybe your mom needs similar information that she should first contact one of her adult kids when she hears of a ‘new program’ or a relative requesting money from her.
basspond
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Re: IMF COVID-19 Grant Scam

Post by basspond »

This is one that I worry about my aging relatives. These crooks prey on emotional vulnerabilities on the elderly. I have sat down with them and explained to avoid clicking on any electronic link. It’s just takes one small click to be stung, it has happened to us and friends who are much younger. I hope the people in charge will start prosecuting these felons more vigorously.

Here is a link to report
https://www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds
gtd98765
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by gtd98765 »

This scam has been around the block a few times. Krebs has a good description of how the whole thing works here: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/07/sex ... passwords/
Here’s a clever new twist on an old email scam that could serve to make the con far more believable. The message purports to have been sent from a hacker who’s compromised your computer and used your webcam to record a video of you while you were watching porn. The missive threatens to release the video to all your contacts unless you pay a Bitcoin ransom. The new twist? The email now references a real password previously tied to the recipient’s email address.
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celia
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Re: IMF COVID-19 Grant Scam

Post by celia »

basspond wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 8:05 am I have sat down with them and explained to avoid clicking on any electronic link. It’s just takes one small click to be stung, ...
My relative has never used a computer or the internet. It only takes a phone or front door to be approached!

... or, as I mentioned, a friend who is a recent victim and doesn’t know it...yet!
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by LadyGeek »

I merged nimo956's thread into the on-going discussion (scams). From a previous post:
LadyGeek wrote: Sun Apr 07, 2019 10:09 am Scam discussions are continually posted in this forum. They affect you financially and can be be unnerving at times.

We've previously disallowed them because the sheer volume of scam threads was flooding the Personal Consumer Issues forum with this single topic. However, the information provided in scam discussions is helpful and should not be ignored.

As a compromise, we are now permitting scam discussions in this thread only.

Use the thread's search box to look for similar posts.

(When viewing the thread, the search box is just under the thread's title at the top left of the page.)
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scrabbler1
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Re: IMF COVID-19 Grant Scam

Post by scrabbler1 »

celia wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2020 2:30 am Even if she did recognize this as a scam, she should learn that the (real) relative (or any acquaintance) could be a scam victim who is unknowingly trying to pull others in with them.

An elderly relative of mine fell for one of the scams thinking a grandson was calling to have some emergency money wired to them. (He got the money back before it was picked up on the other end.). After talking to all the grandkids, I told the elderly relative that his grandkids will never call him for money. If they are desperate and can’t get money from their own parents for whatever reason, they have been instructed to call an aunt or uncle who can tell if this is real.

Maybe your mom needs similar information that she should first contact one of her adult kids when she hears of a ‘new program’ or a relative requesting money from her.
While my 89-year-old dad has a good level of skepticism when it comes to junk/scam phone calls and junk emails and other fake stuff he might see on his PC, I am still concerned he could fall for some scam artist. My brother and I have worked out with him some secret questions to ask to verify any caller claiming to be one of us or my brother kid, his only grandchild. But on a broader scale, any time something odd like this happens, he is to call someone - me, my brother, my brother's wife, my ladyfriend - to get more info and help. And he has done that, such as when on his PC a pop-up window he could not close claimed his PC had become infected and "locked" and to call a phone number to get it unlocked (and to pay for this, of course). The pop-up window told him to not shut down his PC. Scared, he called me; I told him it was a scam, and to reboot his PC.
Slowtraveler
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Slowtraveler »

There are 2 I've been exposed to lately-

1) While travelling in Turkey, a guy was walking and dropped his shoe shine brush in front of me. I picked it up to give to him and he insisted on giving me a polish as a gift or it'd break his heart. I said I didn't have any money so I can't. I persisted in my point and asked how much. I thought he was genuine after a few minutes so I relented. Then, I gave him 2 dollars equivalent of change and he tried saying more. I told him I had nothing from before and eventually walked away. It didn't hurt financially so much as that they're taking advantage of people's good will.

2) My friend was contacted on Instagram by a follower who talked to her daily for an hour over a month. They even video called daily. Then he insisted on meeting her. He said how much he loved her all the time, he honestly seemed desperate to meet her in the messages she showed me.

He said he worked for the UN as a marine engineer and needed her to email his work to request a vacation. The "UN" replied saying they'd need a 2500 processing and handling fee. Then the UN sent her a local (to her) bank account to transfer the money to, with another woman's name! She said it's his responsibility to pay and he could transfer her the money and she'd pay from her account only that way. The classic romance scam. I'm honestly a bit surprised from the video calls, I didn't know there war part of the scam now. Maybe they hired an actor, he's relatively handsome.
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celia
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by celia »

Slowtraveler wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:08 am He said he worked for the UN as a marine engineer and needed her to email his work to request a vacation.
Dead give-away, that made me laugh. :D How many employers will follow requests given by friends of the employee? Maybe if the employee is seriously ill, a spouse or adult child can send in a hospital/doctor note confirming they are being treated and an expected date of return to work. But a friend requesting vacation on your behalf? Nonsense!
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by hicabob »

I got scammed by a fake dewalt website offering ridiculously good prices on recon tools.
I have included the scam website as an example of how good they look.

***** scam website - do not order from this .... [link removed by admin LadyGeek] **** scam website!!!!

I realized about 2 minutes after I ordered via paypal and associated visa. Paypal refunded after a few weeks.

Supposedly the scammers try to make people use their debit cards so their is no/little recourse available.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by LadyGeek »

^^^ If you say "don't order from..." someone will indeed do that. To protect our readers, I have removed the link.
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VictoriaF
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by VictoriaF »

Slowtraveler wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:08 am I'm honestly a bit surprised from the video calls, I didn't know there war part of the scam now. Maybe they hired an actor, he's relatively handsome.
What makes you think that a scammer can't be handsome? This is discrimination against scammers.

Victoria
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Slowtraveler
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Slowtraveler »

VictoriaF wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:23 pm
Slowtraveler wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:08 am I'm honestly a bit surprised from the video calls, I didn't know there war part of the scam now. Maybe they hired an actor, he's relatively handsome.
What makes you think that a scammer can't be handsome? This is discrimination against scammers.

Victoria
It appears you made assumptions rather than reading my comment.

I was surprised at the fact that they made video calls, not surprised by his looks.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by VictoriaF »

Slowtraveler wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 9:02 pm
VictoriaF wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:23 pm
Slowtraveler wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:08 am I'm honestly a bit surprised from the video calls, I didn't know there war part of the scam now. Maybe they hired an actor, he's relatively handsome.
What makes you think that a scammer can't be handsome? This is discrimination against scammers.

Victoria
It appears you made assumptions rather than reading my comment.

I was surprised at the fact that they made video calls, not surprised by his looks.
It appears you made assumptions about my reading rather than re-reading your own comment.

I did not reply to "I'm honestly a bit surprised from the video calls."
I replied to "Maybe they hired an actor, he's relatively handsome."

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
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cheese_breath
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Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by cheese_breath »

Just got this one a few minutes ago...

𝖨'm aware, [password removed by admin LadyGeek], is 𝗒𝗈u𝗋 𝗉ass wo𝗋𝖽.

I ne𝖾d you𝗋 c𝗈mplete attention f𝗈𝗋 the u𝗉 com𝗂ng 24 hours, or 𝖨 m𝖺y ma𝗄𝖾 sure you that you 𝗅ive ou𝗍 𝗈f sh𝖺me fo𝗋 𝗍he r𝖾𝗌t o𝖿 yo𝗎r l𝗂𝖿e.

Hey, you don't 𝗄𝗇ow m𝖾 pe𝗋son𝖺lly. B𝗎𝗍 I know pret𝗍y mu𝖼h eve𝗋ythin𝗀 a𝖻out you. Y𝗈ur pr𝖾𝗌ent 𝖿a𝖼ebook co𝗇tac𝗍 list, mobile ph𝗈𝗇e 𝖼𝗈n𝗍acts an𝖽 all the onli𝗇𝖾 a𝖼𝗍ivi𝗍𝗒 in 𝗒o𝗎r computer from p𝗋𝖾vi𝗈us 122 days.

Including, 𝗒our self plea𝗌ur𝖾 v𝗂d𝖾o c𝗅𝗂p𝗌, which b𝗋ings me 𝗍o the prima𝗋y mot𝗂ve 𝗐hy I '𝗆 cr𝖺fti𝗇g this particu𝗅ar 𝖾-ma𝗂l t𝗈 you.

𝖶ell 𝗍h𝖾 previous t𝗂me y𝗈u 𝗐ent to see the po𝗋𝗇 websites, my ma𝗅ware e𝗇ded up bei𝗇g activated 𝗂n 𝗒our 𝗉c which ended up s𝖺v𝗂ng a 𝖻eaut𝗂f𝗎l f𝗈otage of 𝗒𝗈ur 𝗆astu𝗋b𝖺ti𝗈n pla𝗒 by t𝗋i𝗀𝗀e𝗋ing yo𝗎𝗋 web came𝗋a.
(yo𝗎 go𝗍 𝖺 serio𝗎s𝗅y unusua𝗅 tast𝖾 𝖻y t𝗁e way haha)

I ha𝗏e 𝗍he w𝗁𝗈le re𝖼ording. I𝖿, pe𝗋haps 𝗒o𝗎 f𝖾el I 𝖺m 𝖿oo𝗅in𝗀 𝖺r𝗈𝗎nd, 𝗌imply 𝗋epl𝗒 proof and I will be fo𝗋warding t𝗁e 𝗉art𝗂c𝗎𝗅𝖺r recor𝖽ing r𝖺ndoml𝗒 𝗍o 3 pe𝗈pl𝖾 yo𝗎 kn𝗈𝗐.

It could be 𝗒our friend𝗌, 𝖼o wor𝗄ers, boss, 𝗉arents (I 𝖽on'𝗍 know! My 𝗌oftware will 𝗋a𝗇domly pic𝗄 th𝖾 contacts).

Wo𝗎ld 𝗒ou be abl𝖾 to look i𝗇to anyone's eyes again af𝗍er i𝗍? I questio𝗇 it...

Non𝖾𝗍heless, it does not n𝖾𝖾d t𝗈 𝖻e that pat𝗁.

𝖨 wan𝗍 to make you a 1 ti𝗆e, no negotiable 𝗈𝖿fer.

Purcha𝗌e U𝖲D 𝟥0𝟢0 in BTC and send the𝗆 on the be𝗅ow 𝖺dd𝗋e𝗌s:

**[ID key removed by admin LadyGeek]
[𝖼𝖺se-𝗌ensiti𝗏𝖾, c𝗈py & past𝖾 i𝗍, and 𝗋em𝗈ve ** from it]

(I𝖿 you don't k𝗇ow h𝗈w, l𝗈𝗈k online how to buy BTC. Do 𝗇𝗈𝗍 waste my pr𝖾ciou𝗌 t𝗂me)

If you s𝖾nd ou𝗍 this parti𝖼ul𝖺r 'd𝗈na𝗍i𝗈𝗇' (𝗅et us c𝖺𝗅𝗅 this th𝖺𝗍?). A𝖿ter that, I w𝗂𝗅l d𝗂sappear for go𝗈d . and neve𝗋 ever get in 𝗍ou𝖼𝗁 with you again. I w𝗂ll 𝗋emo𝗏e everything I hav𝖾 conce𝗋ning you. Yo𝗎 may very w𝖾ll proceed li𝗏ing you𝗋 𝗋egul𝖺r day t𝗈 d𝖺y life w𝗂𝗍h zero str𝖾s𝗌.

Yo𝗎 have got 24 hou𝗋s in order to 𝖽𝗈 so. You𝗋 𝗍ime begi𝗇s as quickly y𝗈u r𝖾ad this email. I have an uniqu𝖾 code th𝖺𝗍 will tel𝗅 m𝖾 𝗈n𝖼e y𝗈𝗎 see 𝗍his 𝖾 mai𝗅 therefore don't try to act smart.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
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Stinky
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by Stinky »

cheese_breath wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 3:46 pm Just got this one a few minutes ago...

𝖨'm aware, [password removed by admin LadyGeek], is 𝗒𝗈u𝗋 𝗉ass wo𝗋𝖽.

I ne𝖾d you𝗋 c𝗈mplete attention f𝗈𝗋 the u𝗉 com𝗂ng 24 hours, or 𝖨 m𝖺y ma𝗄𝖾 sure you that you 𝗅ive ou𝗍 𝗈f sh𝖺me fo𝗋 𝗍he r𝖾𝗌t o𝖿 yo𝗎r l𝗂𝖿e.

Hey, you don't 𝗄𝗇ow m𝖾 pe𝗋son𝖺lly. B𝗎𝗍 I know pret𝗍y mu𝖼h eve𝗋ythin𝗀 a𝖻out you. Y𝗈ur pr𝖾𝗌ent 𝖿a𝖼ebook co𝗇tac𝗍 list, mobile ph𝗈𝗇e 𝖼𝗈n𝗍acts an𝖽 all the onli𝗇𝖾 a𝖼𝗍ivi𝗍𝗒 in 𝗒o𝗎r computer from p𝗋𝖾vi𝗈us 122 days.

Including, 𝗒our self plea𝗌ur𝖾 v𝗂d𝖾o c𝗅𝗂p𝗌, which b𝗋ings me 𝗍o the prima𝗋y mot𝗂ve 𝗐hy I '𝗆 cr𝖺fti𝗇g this particu𝗅ar 𝖾-ma𝗂l t𝗈 you.

𝖶ell 𝗍h𝖾 previous t𝗂me y𝗈u 𝗐ent to see the po𝗋𝗇 websites, my ma𝗅ware e𝗇ded up bei𝗇g activated 𝗂n 𝗒our 𝗉c which ended up s𝖺v𝗂ng a 𝖻eaut𝗂f𝗎l f𝗈otage of 𝗒𝗈ur 𝗆astu𝗋b𝖺ti𝗈n pla𝗒 by t𝗋i𝗀𝗀e𝗋ing yo𝗎𝗋 web came𝗋a.
(yo𝗎 go𝗍 𝖺 serio𝗎s𝗅y unusua𝗅 tast𝖾 𝖻y t𝗁e way haha)

I ha𝗏e 𝗍he w𝗁𝗈le re𝖼ording. I𝖿, pe𝗋haps 𝗒o𝗎 f𝖾el I 𝖺m 𝖿oo𝗅in𝗀 𝖺r𝗈𝗎nd, 𝗌imply 𝗋epl𝗒 proof and I will be fo𝗋warding t𝗁e 𝗉art𝗂c𝗎𝗅𝖺r recor𝖽ing r𝖺ndoml𝗒 𝗍o 3 pe𝗈pl𝖾 yo𝗎 kn𝗈𝗐.

It could be 𝗒our friend𝗌, 𝖼o wor𝗄ers, boss, 𝗉arents (I 𝖽on'𝗍 know! My 𝗌oftware will 𝗋a𝗇domly pic𝗄 th𝖾 contacts).

Wo𝗎ld 𝗒ou be abl𝖾 to look i𝗇to anyone's eyes again af𝗍er i𝗍? I questio𝗇 it...

Non𝖾𝗍heless, it does not n𝖾𝖾d t𝗈 𝖻e that pat𝗁.

𝖨 wan𝗍 to make you a 1 ti𝗆e, no negotiable 𝗈𝖿fer.

Purcha𝗌e U𝖲D 𝟥0𝟢0 in BTC and send the𝗆 on the be𝗅ow 𝖺dd𝗋e𝗌s:

**[ID key removed by admin LadyGeek]
[𝖼𝖺se-𝗌ensiti𝗏𝖾, c𝗈py & past𝖾 i𝗍, and 𝗋em𝗈ve ** from it]

(I𝖿 you don't k𝗇ow h𝗈w, l𝗈𝗈k online how to buy BTC. Do 𝗇𝗈𝗍 waste my pr𝖾ciou𝗌 t𝗂me)

If you s𝖾nd ou𝗍 this parti𝖼ul𝖺r 'd𝗈na𝗍i𝗈𝗇' (𝗅et us c𝖺𝗅𝗅 this th𝖺𝗍?). A𝖿ter that, I w𝗂𝗅l d𝗂sappear for go𝗈d . and neve𝗋 ever get in 𝗍ou𝖼𝗁 with you again. I w𝗂ll 𝗋emo𝗏e everything I hav𝖾 conce𝗋ning you. Yo𝗎 may very w𝖾ll proceed li𝗏ing you𝗋 𝗋egul𝖺r day t𝗈 d𝖺y life w𝗂𝗍h zero str𝖾s𝗌.

Yo𝗎 have got 24 hou𝗋s in order to 𝖽𝗈 so. You𝗋 𝗍ime begi𝗇s as quickly y𝗈u r𝖾ad this email. I have an uniqu𝖾 code th𝖺𝗍 will tel𝗅 m𝖾 𝗈n𝖼e y𝗈𝗎 see 𝗍his 𝖾 mai𝗅 therefore don't try to act smart.
Laugh out loud funny.

I wouldn’t pay $3,000 in bitcoin for this. But it’s worth a few dollars for its entertainment value. :D
Retired life insurance company financial executive who sincerely believes that ”It’s a GREAT day to be alive!”
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LadyGeek
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by LadyGeek »

^^^ I removed a password and bitcoin address. Please remove anything that contains a password, link, or random letters / numbers before posting. Those are "live" scams - the info can be useful to a bad guy. Really.
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Caduceus
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Caduceus »

scrabbler1 wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2020 10:13 pm
likegarden wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2020 6:11 pm Finally I also got this Email from someone writing that they have all these photos taken with the camera on my PC of me watching porn. They will mail these pictures to my relatives and friends, yes, they have the correct addresses, unless I pay them $2,000 in bitcoins using that link provided in their Email. Ha, my PC does not have a camera, that Email got deleted!
I have gotten a few of these in the last couple of years. I don't have a camera with my PC, either, so I get a good chuckle from the scam email before I delete it.
This is why I refuse to get a laptop with an in-built webcam. I was a huge fan of The Good Wife, and they had several episodes about the people triggering webcams remotely and turning on your Iphone's microphone to spy on your conversations. Add to that the well-publicized fiascos about Alexa recording intimate conversations .... jeez. These emails might be scams, but I'm pretty sure somewhere out there right now, there's some pretty real intrusions of privacy going on.

My boyfriend thinks I'm paranoid, but before we do anything intimate together, I make it a point to move both our phones out of the room. I do not back up onto the cloud any highly sensitive files. I write emails to colleagues and friends under the assumption that those will all be made public one day as a result of a hack into Gmail. So anything highly sensitive I usually just pick up the phone and complete the conversation that way.
Caduceus
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Re: scams via usphonebook.com

Post by Caduceus »

willthrill81 wrote: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:14 pm I don't know anything about them, but I was amazed when I received the huge dossier that I requested from LexisNexis last year after the Equifax data breach.

Sadly, you cannot opt out of the credit reporting agencies collecting data about you. I really think that you should be able to.
What was in it that made it so huge? I'm actually curious about the data they have on me, as well. Did they send it electronically? I might request it too.
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Re: scams via usphonebook.com

Post by willthrill81 »

Caduceus wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 10:29 pm
willthrill81 wrote: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:14 pm I don't know anything about them, but I was amazed when I received the huge dossier that I requested from LexisNexis last year after the Equifax data breach.

Sadly, you cannot opt out of the credit reporting agencies collecting data about you. I really think that you should be able to.
What was in it that made it so huge? I'm actually curious about the data they have on me, as well. Did they send it electronically? I might request it too.
They had literally everything on me that I had ever done financially, not just the last 7-10 years as many may suspect.

They sent it in a big folder via USPS.

If you're at all interested in see what 'the system' has on you, then getting this information is a must.
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Re: scams via usphonebook.com

Post by J G Bankerton »

willthrill81 wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 10:47 pm
Caduceus wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 10:29 pm
willthrill81 wrote: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:14 pm I don't know anything about them, but I was amazed when I received the huge dossier that I requested from LexisNexis last year after the Equifax data breach.

Sadly, you cannot opt out of the credit reporting agencies collecting data about you. I really think that you should be able to.
What was in it that made it so huge? I'm actually curious about the data they have on me, as well. Did they send it electronically? I might request it too.
They had literally everything on me that I had ever done financially, not just the last 7-10 years as many may suspect.

They sent it in a big folder via USPS.

If you're at all interested in see what 'the system' has on you, then getting this information is a must.
Apple lets one get all the information they have stored on one's use of the product. I got my first Apple product an iPhone less than six months ago and they the download was over 400 megabits compressed. They had a record of every place I went, every picture I took with time and location. They had a record of my web browsing, searches, videos watched, songs listened to, what WiFi I used and other things I didn't understand.

It was all in a spread sheet or XML files. Very scary. :shock:
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by cheese_breath »

cheese_breath wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 3:46 pm Just got this one a few minutes ago...

𝖨'm aware, [password removed by admin LadyGeek], is 𝗒𝗈u𝗋 𝗉ass wo𝗋𝖽.

I ne𝖾d you𝗋 c𝗈mplete attention f𝗈𝗋 the u𝗉 com𝗂ng 24 hours, or 𝖨 m𝖺y ma𝗄𝖾 sure you that you 𝗅ive ou𝗍 𝗈f sh𝖺me fo𝗋 𝗍he r𝖾𝗌t o𝖿 yo𝗎r l𝗂𝖿e.

Hey, you don't 𝗄𝗇ow m𝖾 pe𝗋son𝖺lly. B𝗎𝗍 I know pret𝗍y mu𝖼h eve𝗋ythin𝗀 a𝖻out you. Y𝗈ur pr𝖾𝗌ent 𝖿a𝖼ebook co𝗇tac𝗍 list, mobile ph𝗈𝗇e 𝖼𝗈n𝗍acts an𝖽 all the onli𝗇𝖾 a𝖼𝗍ivi𝗍𝗒 in 𝗒o𝗎r computer from p𝗋𝖾vi𝗈us 122 days.

Including, 𝗒our self plea𝗌ur𝖾 v𝗂d𝖾o c𝗅𝗂p𝗌, which b𝗋ings me 𝗍o the prima𝗋y mot𝗂ve 𝗐hy I '𝗆 cr𝖺fti𝗇g this particu𝗅ar 𝖾-ma𝗂l t𝗈 you.

𝖶ell 𝗍h𝖾 previous t𝗂me y𝗈u 𝗐ent to see the po𝗋𝗇 websites, my ma𝗅ware e𝗇ded up bei𝗇g activated 𝗂n 𝗒our 𝗉c which ended up s𝖺v𝗂ng a 𝖻eaut𝗂f𝗎l f𝗈otage of 𝗒𝗈ur 𝗆astu𝗋b𝖺ti𝗈n pla𝗒 by t𝗋i𝗀𝗀e𝗋ing yo𝗎𝗋 web came𝗋a.
(yo𝗎 go𝗍 𝖺 serio𝗎s𝗅y unusua𝗅 tast𝖾 𝖻y t𝗁e way haha)

I ha𝗏e 𝗍he w𝗁𝗈le re𝖼ording. I𝖿, pe𝗋haps 𝗒o𝗎 f𝖾el I 𝖺m 𝖿oo𝗅in𝗀 𝖺r𝗈𝗎nd, 𝗌imply 𝗋epl𝗒 proof and I will be fo𝗋warding t𝗁e 𝗉art𝗂c𝗎𝗅𝖺r recor𝖽ing r𝖺ndoml𝗒 𝗍o 3 pe𝗈pl𝖾 yo𝗎 kn𝗈𝗐.

It could be 𝗒our friend𝗌, 𝖼o wor𝗄ers, boss, 𝗉arents (I 𝖽on'𝗍 know! My 𝗌oftware will 𝗋a𝗇domly pic𝗄 th𝖾 contacts).

Wo𝗎ld 𝗒ou be abl𝖾 to look i𝗇to anyone's eyes again af𝗍er i𝗍? I questio𝗇 it...

Non𝖾𝗍heless, it does not n𝖾𝖾d t𝗈 𝖻e that pat𝗁.

𝖨 wan𝗍 to make you a 1 ti𝗆e, no negotiable 𝗈𝖿fer.

Purcha𝗌e U𝖲D 𝟥0𝟢0 in BTC and send the𝗆 on the be𝗅ow 𝖺dd𝗋e𝗌s:

**[ID key removed by admin LadyGeek]
[𝖼𝖺se-𝗌ensiti𝗏𝖾, c𝗈py & past𝖾 i𝗍, and 𝗋em𝗈ve ** from it]

(I𝖿 you don't k𝗇ow h𝗈w, l𝗈𝗈k online how to buy BTC. Do 𝗇𝗈𝗍 waste my pr𝖾ciou𝗌 t𝗂me)

If you s𝖾nd ou𝗍 this parti𝖼ul𝖺r 'd𝗈na𝗍i𝗈𝗇' (𝗅et us c𝖺𝗅𝗅 this th𝖺𝗍?). A𝖿ter that, I w𝗂𝗅l d𝗂sappear for go𝗈d . and neve𝗋 ever get in 𝗍ou𝖼𝗁 with you again. I w𝗂ll 𝗋emo𝗏e everything I hav𝖾 conce𝗋ning you. Yo𝗎 may very w𝖾ll proceed li𝗏ing you𝗋 𝗋egul𝖺r day t𝗈 d𝖺y life w𝗂𝗍h zero str𝖾s𝗌.

Yo𝗎 have got 24 hou𝗋s in order to 𝖽𝗈 so. You𝗋 𝗍ime begi𝗇s as quickly y𝗈u r𝖾ad this email. I have an uniqu𝖾 code th𝖺𝗍 will tel𝗅 m𝖾 𝗈n𝖼e y𝗈𝗎 see 𝗍his 𝖾 mai𝗅 therefore don't try to act smart.
Just got the same warning again. Looks like they're giving a second chance. Whew, I was worried there.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by Stinky »

cheese_breath wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 1:32 pm
cheese_breath wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 3:46 pm Just got this one a few minutes ago...

𝖨'm aware, [password removed by admin LadyGeek], is 𝗒𝗈u𝗋 𝗉ass wo𝗋𝖽.

I ne𝖾d you𝗋 c𝗈mplete attention f𝗈𝗋 the u𝗉 com𝗂ng 24 hours, or 𝖨 m𝖺y ma𝗄𝖾 sure you that you 𝗅ive ou𝗍 𝗈f sh𝖺me fo𝗋 𝗍he r𝖾𝗌t o𝖿 yo𝗎r l𝗂𝖿e.

Hey, you don't 𝗄𝗇ow m𝖾 pe𝗋son𝖺lly. B𝗎𝗍 I know pret𝗍y mu𝖼h eve𝗋ythin𝗀 a𝖻out you. Y𝗈ur pr𝖾𝗌ent 𝖿a𝖼ebook co𝗇tac𝗍 list, mobile ph𝗈𝗇e 𝖼𝗈n𝗍acts an𝖽 all the onli𝗇𝖾 a𝖼𝗍ivi𝗍𝗒 in 𝗒o𝗎r computer from p𝗋𝖾vi𝗈us 122 days.

Including, 𝗒our self plea𝗌ur𝖾 v𝗂d𝖾o c𝗅𝗂p𝗌, which b𝗋ings me 𝗍o the prima𝗋y mot𝗂ve 𝗐hy I '𝗆 cr𝖺fti𝗇g this particu𝗅ar 𝖾-ma𝗂l t𝗈 you.

𝖶ell 𝗍h𝖾 previous t𝗂me y𝗈u 𝗐ent to see the po𝗋𝗇 websites, my ma𝗅ware e𝗇ded up bei𝗇g activated 𝗂n 𝗒our 𝗉c which ended up s𝖺v𝗂ng a 𝖻eaut𝗂f𝗎l f𝗈otage of 𝗒𝗈ur 𝗆astu𝗋b𝖺ti𝗈n pla𝗒 by t𝗋i𝗀𝗀e𝗋ing yo𝗎𝗋 web came𝗋a.
(yo𝗎 go𝗍 𝖺 serio𝗎s𝗅y unusua𝗅 tast𝖾 𝖻y t𝗁e way haha)

I ha𝗏e 𝗍he w𝗁𝗈le re𝖼ording. I𝖿, pe𝗋haps 𝗒o𝗎 f𝖾el I 𝖺m 𝖿oo𝗅in𝗀 𝖺r𝗈𝗎nd, 𝗌imply 𝗋epl𝗒 proof and I will be fo𝗋warding t𝗁e 𝗉art𝗂c𝗎𝗅𝖺r recor𝖽ing r𝖺ndoml𝗒 𝗍o 3 pe𝗈pl𝖾 yo𝗎 kn𝗈𝗐.

It could be 𝗒our friend𝗌, 𝖼o wor𝗄ers, boss, 𝗉arents (I 𝖽on'𝗍 know! My 𝗌oftware will 𝗋a𝗇domly pic𝗄 th𝖾 contacts).

Wo𝗎ld 𝗒ou be abl𝖾 to look i𝗇to anyone's eyes again af𝗍er i𝗍? I questio𝗇 it...

Non𝖾𝗍heless, it does not n𝖾𝖾d t𝗈 𝖻e that pat𝗁.

𝖨 wan𝗍 to make you a 1 ti𝗆e, no negotiable 𝗈𝖿fer.

Purcha𝗌e U𝖲D 𝟥0𝟢0 in BTC and send the𝗆 on the be𝗅ow 𝖺dd𝗋e𝗌s:

**[ID key removed by admin LadyGeek]
[𝖼𝖺se-𝗌ensiti𝗏𝖾, c𝗈py & past𝖾 i𝗍, and 𝗋em𝗈ve ** from it]

(I𝖿 you don't k𝗇ow h𝗈w, l𝗈𝗈k online how to buy BTC. Do 𝗇𝗈𝗍 waste my pr𝖾ciou𝗌 t𝗂me)

If you s𝖾nd ou𝗍 this parti𝖼ul𝖺r 'd𝗈na𝗍i𝗈𝗇' (𝗅et us c𝖺𝗅𝗅 this th𝖺𝗍?). A𝖿ter that, I w𝗂𝗅l d𝗂sappear for go𝗈d . and neve𝗋 ever get in 𝗍ou𝖼𝗁 with you again. I w𝗂ll 𝗋emo𝗏e everything I hav𝖾 conce𝗋ning you. Yo𝗎 may very w𝖾ll proceed li𝗏ing you𝗋 𝗋egul𝖺r day t𝗈 d𝖺y life w𝗂𝗍h zero str𝖾s𝗌.

Yo𝗎 have got 24 hou𝗋s in order to 𝖽𝗈 so. You𝗋 𝗍ime begi𝗇s as quickly y𝗈u r𝖾ad this email. I have an uniqu𝖾 code th𝖺𝗍 will tel𝗅 m𝖾 𝗈n𝖼e y𝗈𝗎 see 𝗍his 𝖾 mai𝗅 therefore don't try to act smart.
Just got the same warning again. Looks like they're giving a second chance. Whew, I was worried there.
They must REALLY have the goods on you. :mrgreen:
Retired life insurance company financial executive who sincerely believes that ”It’s a GREAT day to be alive!”
RetiredAL
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by RetiredAL »

cheese_breath wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 1:32 pm
Just got this one a few minutes ago...

𝖨'm aware, [password removed by admin LadyGeek], is 𝗒𝗈u𝗋 𝗉ass wo𝗋𝖽.

I ne𝖾d you𝗋 c𝗈mplete attention f𝗈𝗋 the u𝗉 com𝗂ng 24 hours, or 𝖨 m𝖺y ma𝗄𝖾 sure you that you 𝗅ive ou𝗍 𝗈f sh𝖺me fo𝗋 𝗍he r𝖾𝗌t o𝖿 yo𝗎r l𝗂𝖿e.


Just got the same warning again. Looks like they're giving a second chance. Whew, I was worried there.


My 95 year old Father has gotten (now) 5 of these in the 10 days.

Edited: He got another as I was typing the msg.
likegarden
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by likegarden »

This seems to be an industry of sending this and asking for bitcoins. As reported here by me I got the same script about them having photos of me watching porno on my PC (my PC has no camera). That lady sent 1 Email each on 3 days, then there was nothing for 1 -2 weeks. Now I got another of these Emails, from a guy I think, I deleted it, don't remember what he wanted in $. Both mentioned the same password, which I never used.

It could be that they have a Medicare list, I am on Medicare, and they try to get the old folks because they are no longer smart enough, they believe.

Added, several days ago I got an Email from an address I did not know. Opening it was showing two lines, each "Images blocked for Privacy". I did not click on those, probably Malwarebytes would have stopped that. Just a few minutes after my Email above I received an Email from 'Stansberry Research' with the same 2 clickbaits. All were deleted and all trash deleted.
Last edited by likegarden on Tue May 05, 2020 4:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
sport
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by sport »

My spam filter keeps catching adult-rated emails in German, multiple times each day. Why German?
sabhen
Posts: 360
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by sabhen »

Job offers offered through LinkedIn and the likes that promise huge financial rewards involving oil industry chemicals in the middle east. The scammers use fake documents (contracts, invoices, emails, etc...) and fake identities to make believe you are dealing with genuine companies and executives. ******NEVER EVER SEND MONEY*****
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J G Bankerton
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by J G Bankerton »

cheese_breath wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 3:46 pm Just got this one a few minutes ago...
I got one too. :annoyed
It had a password I used to use for everything years ago; I never would register for an adult site and don't use a camera on my PC.

They got my information from one of the many business, that should know better, who were hacked. I use many emails for places I don't want to have my main address so I have it narrowed down to who it was. I think it was ether Experian or Equifax from when I got my free annual credit report. I remember one of my credit cards making me change my password; they knew I used the same one for too many things. They wouldn't tell me that though, they just made me change it.

The guy got one thing right, it was impossible for me to trace the sender, they relayed the email through zombie computers and Tor.

This is the email I received.
Leτs geτ rιghτ το τhe ρurροse.**** οηe οf yοur ραss wοrd. Nοτ οηe ρersοη hαs ραιd me το ιηνesτιgατe αbοuτ yοu. Yοu dο ηοτ κηοw me αηd yοu αre mοsτ lικely τhιηκιηg why yοu're geττιηg τhιs emαιl?

Ι αcτuαlly ιηsταlled α mαlwαre οη τhe αdulτ νιdeο clιρs (ροrηοgrαρhy) sιτe αηd yοu κηοw whατ, yοu νιsιτed τhιs websιτe το exρerιeηce fuη (yοu κηοw whατ Ι meαη). Wheη yοu were wατchιηg νιdeοs, yοur brοwser sταrτed wοrκιηg αs α RDP wιτh α κey lοgger whιch ρrονιded me αccessιbιlιτy το yοur dιsρlαy screeη αηd αlsο cαm. Jusτ αfτer τhατ, my sοfτwαre gατhered αll yοur cοηταcτs frοm yοur Messeηger, Fαcebοοκ, αηd e-mαιl . Aηd τheη Ι creατed α dοuble-screeη νιdeο. Fιrsτ ραrτ dιsρlαys τhe νιdeο yοu were wατchιηg (yοu'νe gοτ α gοοd ταsτe hαhαh), αηd 2ηd ραrτ shοws τhe recοrdιηg οf yοur cαm, yeαh ιτs u.

Yοu geτ τwο dιffereητ αlτerηατινes. Shαll we uηdersταηd τhese ροssιbιlιτιes ιη deταιls:

Fιrsτ ορτιοη ιs το dιsregαrd τhιs e-mαιl. Ιη τhιs cαse, Ι mοsτ cerταιηly wιll seηd yοur αcτuαl νιdeοταρe το eνery οηe οf yοur cοηταcτs αηd τheη jusτ ιmαgιηe cοηcerηιηg τhe embαrrαssmeητ yοu exρerιeηce. Dο ηοτ fοrgeτ ιf yοu αre ιη αη ιητιmατe relατιοηshιρ, exαcτly hοw ιτ wιll eνeητuαlly αffecτ?

Lαττer sοluτιοη ιs το cοmρeηsατe me 1900 USD. Leτs regαrd ιτ αs α dοηατιοη. As α resulτ, Ι mοsτ cerταιηly wιll ιηsταηταηeοusly erαse yοur νιdeο. Yοu wιll resume yοur lιfe lικe τhιs ηeνer οccurred αηd yοu ηeνer wιll heαr bαcκ αgαιη frοm me.

Yοu'll mακe τhe ραymeητ by βιτcοιη (ιf yοu dο ηοτ κηοw τhιs, seαrch fοr "hοw το buy bιτcοιη" ιη Gοοgle).

βTC Address το seηd το: *******[cαse-seηsιτινesο cορy & ραsτe ιτ]

Ιη cαse yοu αre τhιηκιηg οf gοιηg το τhe ροlιce, gοοd, τhιs e-mαιl cαη ηοτ be τrαced bαcκ το me. Ι hανe deαlτ wιτh my sτeρs. Ι αm ηοτ αττemρτιηg το chαrge yοu α huge αmοuητ, Ι οηly wαητ το be ραιd. Yοu ηοw hανe οηe dαy το mακe τhe ραymeητ. Ι hανe α sρecιαl ριxel ιη τhιs emαιl messαge, αηd ατ τhιs mοmeητ Ι κηοw τhατ yοu hανe reαd τhιs emαιl messαge. Ιf Ι dο ηοτ geτ τhe ΒιτCοιηs, Ι wιll cerταιηly seηd yοur νιdeο το αll οf yοur cοηταcτs ιηcludιηg clοse relατινes, cοwοrκers, αηd sο fοrτh. Hοweνer, ιf Ι receινe τhe ραymeητ, Ι'll desτrοy τhe νιdeο ιmmιdιατely. Ιf yοu ηeed eνιdeηce, reρly Yeαh! τheη Ι defιηιτely wιll seηd yοur νιdeο το yοur 10 frιeηds. Ιτ ιs α ηοη-ηegοτιαble οffer τhατ beιηg sαιd ρleαse dο ηοτ wαsτe my ρersοηαl τιme & yοurs by resροηdιηg το τhιs mαιl.
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cheese_breath
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by cheese_breath »

J G Bankerton wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 9:21 pm
cheese_breath wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 3:46 pm Just got this one a few minutes ago...
I got one too. :annoyed
It had a password I used to use for everything years ago;
In my case the password they showed was wrong. I'd never used anything close to that password.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
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J G Bankerton
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by J G Bankerton »

cheese_breath wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 9:56 pm
J G Bankerton wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 9:21 pm
cheese_breath wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 3:46 pm Just got this one a few minutes ago...
I got one too. :annoyed
It had a password I used to use for everything years ago;
In my case the password they showed was wrong. I'd never used anything close to that password.
Interesting, the password they had was one I used to use a long time ago. I haven't used it in years after a credit card made me change it.
I did make my heart go paddy pat when I saw though, I knew they had more than just me email.

How do you think they got your email?
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cheese_breath
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by cheese_breath »

J G Bankerton wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 10:01 pm
cheese_breath wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 9:56 pm
J G Bankerton wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 9:21 pm
cheese_breath wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 3:46 pm Just got this one a few minutes ago...
I got one too. :annoyed
It had a password I used to use for everything years ago;
In my case the password they showed was wrong. I'd never used anything close to that password.
Interesting, the password they had was one I used to use a long time ago. I haven't used it in years after a credit card made me change it.

How do you think they got your email?
Who knows where your Emails get forwarded to after they leave your computer?
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
gtd98765
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by gtd98765 »

J G Bankerton wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 10:01 pm
How do you think they got your email?
The email/password combinations in these scams generally come from the hacking of a poorly-secured website that the victim once registered at, perhaps long ago. Since people often re-use passwords (DANGER!) among websites, the victim may have used it multiple times.
Caduceus
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Re: scams via usphonebook.com

Post by Caduceus »

J G Bankerton wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 12:45 pm
Apple lets one get all the information they have stored on one's use of the product. I got my first Apple product an iPhone less than six months ago and they the download was over 400 megabits compressed. They had a record of every place I went, every picture I took with time and location. They had a record of my web browsing, searches, videos watched, songs listened to, what WiFi I used and other things I didn't understand.

It was all in a spread sheet or XML files. Very scary. :shock:
Is all that linked to you because you have an Apple ID switched on your Iphone? Or how does it work? I don't have an Apple ID associated with my Iphone. I essentially use it just for calling, browsing, texting, etc., but I don't save anything on Apple's cloud, and have never set one up. I don't even have Itunes on my computer, I think.

If so, do they have any information on me?
gtd98765
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by gtd98765 »

Krebs just wrote about another scam, this one alleging the victim's computer has accessed child porn: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2020/05/tec ... n-warning/
A new email scam is making the rounds, warning recipients that someone using their Internet address has been caught viewing child pornography. The message claims to have been sent from Microsoft Support, and says the recipient’s Windows license will be suspended unless they call an “MS Support” number to reinstate the license, but the number goes to a phony tech support scam that tries to trick callers into giving fraudsters direct access to their PCs.
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J G Bankerton
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by J G Bankerton »

gtd98765 wrote: Wed May 06, 2020 4:38 pm
J G Bankerton wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 10:01 pm
How do you think they got your email?
The email/password combinations in these scams generally come from the hacking of a poorly-secured website that the victim once registered at, perhaps long ago. Since people often re-use passwords (DANGER!) among websites, the victim may have used it multiple times.
It must have been a big company who got hacked by the number of scam emails they are sending out. It was defiantly not a porn site. My guess is it was a credit reporting site.
Caduceus wrote: Thu May 07, 2020 11:19 am
J G Bankerton wrote: Tue May 05, 2020 12:45 pm
Apple lets one get all the information they have stored on one's use of the product. I got my first Apple product an iPhone less than six months ago and they the download was over 400 megabits compressed. They had a record of every place I went, every picture I took with time and location. They had a record of my web browsing, searches, videos watched, songs listened to, what WiFi I used and other things I didn't understand.

It was all in a spread sheet or XML files. Very scary. :shock:
Is all that linked to you because you have an Apple ID switched on your Iphone? Or how does it work? I don't have an Apple ID associated with my Iphone. I essentially use it just for calling, browsing, texting, etc., but I don't save anything on Apple's cloud, and have never set one up. I don't even have Itunes on my computer, I think.

If so, do they have any information on me?
Of course, you can see what they have. It takes a week for them to compile it then they send a link to download a zip file. Somethings I was putting in the cloud some not, they had all of it.

Did you ever wonder how Google gets traffic information so fast from everywhere? I did until I remembered I was the product, they know where I am and how fast I'm going when I use a map, when enough of us are going slow or stopped the map updates.

Get a copy of the data associated with your Apple ID account If you don't have an Apple ID they still collect information and can identify you by cross referencing data.
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by Caduceus »

J G Bankerton wrote: Fri May 08, 2020 12:51 pm
Get a copy of the data associated with your Apple ID account[/url] If you don't have an Apple ID they still collect information and can identify you by cross referencing data.
But if I don't have an Apple ID, what information do I need to give them for them to reveal the data they have collected about me? Would that be my phone number?
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J G Bankerton
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Re: Scam eMail Threatening to Expose My 'Private Life'

Post by J G Bankerton »

Caduceus wrote: Mon May 11, 2020 11:34 am
J G Bankerton wrote: Fri May 08, 2020 12:51 pm
Get a copy of the data associated with your Apple ID account[/url] If you don't have an Apple ID they still collect information and can identify you by cross referencing data.
But if I don't have an Apple ID, what information do I need to give them for them to reveal the data they have collected about me? Would that be my phone number?
Good question. You would have to get an Apple ID to find out. Google would have more of your personal information than anyone and I don't know of anyway to find that out. :confused
senex
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Re: scams via usphonebook.com

Post by senex »

willthrill81 wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 10:47 pm They had literally everything on me that I had ever done financially, not just the last 7-10 years as many may suspect.

They sent it in a big folder via USPS.

If you're at all interested in see what 'the system' has on you, then getting this information is a must.
Thanks for the idea. I requested mine and had a different experience. They mailed me only 2 pages with a secure login to download the whole file. Also, the whole file had suprisingly little info. Yes, it was 84 pages, but most of it was filler or duplication. They had every address I ever used, and some misleading details of properties I owned (some correct, some incorrect, some missing), and they had basic info on my current auto insurance. I was surprised they didn't have banking, credit card, or other insurance data. Did yours have that? I'm wondering if I requested the wrong thing. Curious.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Caduceus »

Not sure if this scam has been posted as I didn't read every post, but a friend of mine met a woman online and got to chatting. After a few weeks, things got a little more intimate and he shared some intimate videos of himself with her. Imagine his surprise three months later when she starts asking for money. It was very friendly at first, but eventually she threatened to release the videos to pornsites and to his contacts if he didn't send the money.

It seemed really involved for a scam, but I guess that's how sextortion works these days. She didn't ask for money immediately once she had the videos. She only did so a while later. And it stressed him out to no end. My take on it was that while terrible, I thought it was quite unlikely that even if the video were uploaded onto some porn site, that someone who watched it would know who he was (of course, I'm not sure that was any consolation to him). I think this scam works more on men than women. It seems like men have fewer qualms sending intimate videos to women.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by cheese_breath »

Caduceus wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:05 pm Not sure if this scam has been posted as I didn't read every post, but a friend of mine met a woman online and got to chatting. After a few weeks, things got a little more intimate and he shared some intimate videos of himself with her. Imagine his surprise three months later when she starts asking for money. It was very friendly at first, but eventually she threatened to release the videos to pornsites and to his contacts if he didn't send the money.

It seemed really involved for a scam, but I guess that's how sextortion works these days. She didn't ask for money immediately once she had the videos. She only did so a while later. And it stressed him out to no end. My take on it was that while terrible, I thought it was quite unlikely that even if the video were uploaded onto some porn site, that someone who watched it would know who he was (of course, I'm not sure that was any consolation to him). I think this scam works more on men than women. It seems like men have fewer qualms sending intimate videos to women.
Your friend was lucky it was sextortion, and not a police woman trying to ferret out online perverts.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by mptfan »

cheese_breath wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:24 pm Your friend was lucky it was sextortion, and not a police woman trying to ferret out online perverts.
The police do not try to ferret out online perverts because online perversion is not a crime.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by mptfan »

Caduceus wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:05 pmIt was very friendly at first, but eventually she threatened to release the videos to pornsites and to his contacts if he didn't send the money.
Did he send money?
Caduceus
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Caduceus »

cheese_breath wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:24 pm
Caduceus wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:05 pm Not sure if this scam has been posted as I didn't read every post, but a friend of mine met a woman online and got to chatting. After a few weeks, things got a little more intimate and he shared some intimate videos of himself with her. Imagine his surprise three months later when she starts asking for money. It was very friendly at first, but eventually she threatened to release the videos to pornsites and to his contacts if he didn't send the money.

It seemed really involved for a scam, but I guess that's how sextortion works these days. She didn't ask for money immediately once she had the videos. She only did so a while later. And it stressed him out to no end. My take on it was that while terrible, I thought it was quite unlikely that even if the video were uploaded onto some porn site, that someone who watched it would know who he was (of course, I'm not sure that was any consolation to him). I think this scam works more on men than women. It seems like men have fewer qualms sending intimate videos to women.
Your friend was lucky it was sextortion, and not a police woman trying to ferret out online perverts.
I don't think you quite understand what's going on. This wasn't some guy who was sending unsolicited videos of a sexual nature to random women on Tinder or some other dating app. And in any case that isn't illegal. I'm gay and I've received more than my fair share of unsolicited pictures and it is definitely annoying but not illegal.

This was a deliberate set-up where the woman gained his trust over many weeks, and it got to the point where under the guise of a genuine relationship she suggested swapping intimate videos and he then did so.
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Re: scams via usphonebook.com

Post by willthrill81 »

senex wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 1:55 pm
willthrill81 wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 10:47 pm They had literally everything on me that I had ever done financially, not just the last 7-10 years as many may suspect.

They sent it in a big folder via USPS.

If you're at all interested in see what 'the system' has on you, then getting this information is a must.
Thanks for the idea. I requested mine and had a different experience. They mailed me only 2 pages with a secure login to download the whole file. Also, the whole file had suprisingly little info. Yes, it was 84 pages, but most of it was filler or duplication. They had every address I ever used, and some misleading details of properties I owned (some correct, some incorrect, some missing), and they had basic info on my current auto insurance. I was surprised they didn't have banking, credit card, or other insurance data. Did yours have that? I'm wondering if I requested the wrong thing. Curious.
I don't think that they offered downloads when I got mine a couple of years ago. IIRC, it did have banking information but not credit card or insurance data. And yes, there was a lot of duplicated data.
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Caduceus
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Caduceus »

mptfan wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:28 pm
Caduceus wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:05 pmIt was very friendly at first, but eventually she threatened to release the videos to pornsites and to his contacts if he didn't send the money.
Did he send money?
No, he did not. He was inclined to, but a couple of us were of the opinion that it would only aggravate the issue, because she would then know that he could be reeled in for more. Giving a blackmailer money is the worst thing you can do. I told him to end the "relationship" with a short message noting that he would not be responding to further requests and that even one more message from her and he would go directly to the authorities. He also sent a short message stating that he was disappointed his trust had been betrayed because he had genuinely been interested in her, but that he did not do anything wrong and that it was she who needed to be ashamed of her actions.

Then it was cold-turkey zero contact. For all we know, his videos are out there, but I mean, what are the chances, really, that someone you know will click on the correct video given the billions of videos out there.
mptfan
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by mptfan »

Caduceus wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:34 pmHe also sent a short message stating that he was disappointed his trust had been betrayed because he had genuinely been interested in her, but that he did not do anything wrong and that it was she who needed to be ashamed of her actions.
He does not know that the person was a "her." It could have been a man or a woman anywhere in the world following a script and using intimate videos recorded by someone else.
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by Caduceus »

mptfan wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:38 pm
Caduceus wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:34 pmHe also sent a short message stating that he was disappointed his trust had been betrayed because he had genuinely been interested in her, but that he did not do anything wrong and that it was she who needed to be ashamed of her actions.
He does not know that the person was a "her." It could have been a man or a woman anywhere in the world following a script and using intimate videos recorded by someone else.
They actually did video-chat. It was a real-life person. But you are right that the actual videos she sent may have been of someone else. I didn't see them myself and wouldn't know even if I did. My suspicion is that this is a like a full-time racket. She probably just has a long list of guys she does this to from some remote island in the Bahamas. And she hits jackpot with, say, 50% of them. It must be lucrative.
mptfan
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by mptfan »

Caduceus wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 2:05 pmIt was very friendly at first, but eventually she threatened to release the videos to pornsites and to his contacts if he didn't send the money.
How would she know his contacts?
ajm1489
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Not investment related - scammers took $10k

Post by ajm1489 »

[Thread merged into here, see below (next page). --admin LadyGeek]

Long post, so please bear with me.
My brother-in-law came to US as international student in 2017 for his Masters at UTA. He graduated last year and is looking for a job now. He lives with us now since he is trying to cut down on his expenses.

He got a call Saturday morning saying they are calling from Department of Homeland Security. They asked him to google Department of Homeland security number to ensure him that it was not a scam and the number from which they called matched with DHS Washington number. Then they told him there is a law suit against him in India since he did not register his alien registration number when he came to US in 2017 and now he is facing arrest and deportation in two days. First three to four hours they went over the process of how the arrest and deportation will work, including the flight details. They told the masters he did here will be invalid at this point since he did not follow the process. They said he is under surveillance now and his phone is being tapped and he cannot tell anyone about this call or what is going on because that was protocol. After four hours of hooking him with fear, they said there could be a way to ease things which is a bail they can process. How that works is they will take the bail which will give him 5 days to stay here to hire an attorney and appear at USCIS Irving. They said it is illegal to use debit cards or credit cards to process the bail, only thing they can use are cash vouchers or equivalent which is gift cards.
Fearing deportation and arrest he didn’t tell us anything at all and he left home Saturday, and stayed in car all time at Walmart and target parking lot with them connected on his phone all day. He paid around $5000 that day in gift cards and they said process was not done and since it was end of day they would hang up and resume process on Sunday. He came back home Saturday night but did not tell anything about this. Went out Sunday morning once he got their call to resume “bail” process. By noon, he gave another $5000 in gift cards of target and Walmart to them. By this point he is depressed, tired and scared, and he got to a point that he could not hold back any longer. He thought it was better to get arrested and sent me a text that he wanted to meet me. I was at neighborhood Walmart at the time and he was at the parking lot. He came and told me these things, he was actually whispering since the “DHS” folks were still on the call processing “bail”. As soon as I heard it, I knew it was a big scam because no agency will call you on phone and demand money, so I called police. They came and confirmed it is a scam. We have filed case with the police, Target and Walmart to see if they can do anything to get money back. But the police, Walmart and Target told us there is almost no chance of getting money back just that we have right expectations.
So in total the scammers took $10,000 in Walmart and Target gift cards. After researching online I got to know exact same scam has happened before, below two links.
https://www.uis.edu/internationalstuden ... usa/scams/
https://uwm.edu/cie/students-scholars/s ... -students/

Though it is a huge amount, we are glad he spoke up at some point and we could stop it. From what police told and what I read online, it could get really worse from here. So if you know any international students, please share this with them to be aware of these kind of scammers. These scammers use fear as their weapon. WIth everything going on they know people here on tourist visa and student visa are the most vulnerable. Also if any of you know of any way to block or get money back from those gift cards, please share.
Thank you and have a blessed day!!!
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Re: [On-going Scams - Post them here]

Post by LadyGeek »

I merged ajm1489's thread into the on-going discussion (scams). From a previous post:
LadyGeek wrote: Sun Apr 07, 2019 10:09 am Scam discussions are continually posted in this forum. They affect you financially and can be be unnerving at times.

We've previously disallowed them because the sheer volume of scam threads was flooding the Personal Consumer Issues forum with this single topic. However, the information provided in scam discussions is helpful and should not be ignored.

As a compromise, we are now permitting scam discussions in this thread only.

Use the thread's search box to look for similar posts.

(When viewing the thread, the search box is just under the thread's title at the top left of the page.)
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