Several weeks ago, I wrote about my most hated scams— ranging from those impostor Microsoft calls, to the endless solicitations, to the annoying credit card and warranty offers.
I asked readers to identify scams they despise. And I received a torrent of emails and phone calls from people from the northern and central Wisconsin and the Fox Valley area. They had compelling stories about how they were scammed— or nearly scammed.
RELATED: I've had it with phone scams and unwanted calls: Here are six I hate the most.
RELATED:Fox Crossing woman loses $9,800 in scam; others lose thousands as rip-off hits Fox Cities
Here are some excerpts from emails:
- “I thought this was a little much. While watching aBrewers game, we had 13 phone calls from a man named James. They started at 6:22 p.m. and went on until 8:22.I did pick up once and it is about a refund on our computer service, which we did not buy. I asked if he knew this was Wisconsin and that the Brewers are playing ball. Finally, he hung up.”
- “The most awful (scam) I have received is the one pretending to be my son (the caller was very believable and sounded like him). But I asked questions and came to the conclusion that it was a scam. So I said ‘this is a scam’ to the caller and he immediately hung up. I immediately called my son and he was fine. The next two (were callers) pretending to be my grandson (who is in middle school and was there at the time). So I asked ‘what’s your name?’ and they said ‘you know my name.’ But I insisted, and they said a name, and I said ‘I don’t have a grandson by that name’ and they hung up.”
- This woman has received the scam calls from Microsoft, calls about lowering interest rates on credit cards and fictitious car warranty claims. “Here are a few more: Medicare back brace calls (even for those with no back issues), Publisher’s Clearinghouse telling me I won a car (even though I never entered the contest), a caller telling me that the police would be arresting me for three crimes, child/grandchild ‘ransom’ calls, and ‘you won a free trip.’”
- “We were selling kitchen cabinets on Craigslist.Within a few hours we received a text from a 920 area code interested in the cabinets. (A caller) wanted the cabinets, sight unseen and was going to send a cashier check.A few days go by and he texts that his daughter was in a car accident and apologized for the delay and were the cabinets still available?We said yes. He sends us a tracking number. Another text a week later says ‘hi to you all,happy Sunday, my daughter died’ —with that, we blocked his number.A week later, a check arrives for $4,410 with the tracking number he texted us.The tracking number and return address were valid.The check has been shredded. The Wausau police think it originates from overseas.”
- “I received a very believable email from (a woman I'll refer to as‘Kathy’) asking me for a favor that checked all of the boxes as being legit: she said she was traveling (she does), this favor was for her nephew (she has one), she does not send texts, only corresponds via email.The email said that she needed to buy me a gift card at GameStop for $200. Her nephew’s birthday was in a couple of days and they were traveling, so could I please just take a picture of the back of the gift card instead of sending it in the mail? This should have been that red flag moment, but … I’m a trusting person so I did exactly what ‘she’ requested. When telling my daughter that night of what ‘Kathy’ had emailed me, she said, ‘Mom, you’ve been scammed.’ She had been trained at her job for this very sort of thing and knew all of the telltale signs. I called GameStop. They tried to cancel the card but in the span of only three hours that (scammer) had already spent or used it.”
- “I’ve become aware of a new variant of the Microsoft scam. I’ve had at least four calls from ‘Kathalane.’ She (claims) she’s from Microsoft and (says) she’s been trying to reach me (because) my IP address has been compromised by several foreign sources. Unless I get in touch so they can set up a new IP, they are going to terminate my Windows license. I worked in IT even before there were personal computers, so I enjoy their creativity even if I totally hate the incessant phone calls. I am dismayed that so many seniors who haven’t had my opportunities are being so harassed by these calls.”
- “I have two others (to add to the scam list): One is where it looks like you’re getting a call from your own phone number. I don’tknow how they do this, but don’t answer. The other one is where you get a message or call that a loved one is in the hospital and you should call a number for more information. Don’t fall for this one.”
- “I hate to admit I was a fool, but I got taken (by the computer repair scam) twice. The first time … I had received protection for my computer, costing $600 or so. A year later, they called again. They said my protection had been compromised by something I did. I gave them control of my computer to diagnose the problem and they said they couldn’t retrieve my protection, so I would have to pay again for them to restore my computer to operational status. They had frozen my access, I later found out. Well, you know the story. I paid again. A year later, and every year since, they call again. I now hang up after my profanity-laced reply.”
- “A few years ago, I got a scam phone call and the conversation went something like this: (Adult male): Hello, Grandpa, this your grandson. Me: Is that really you? Male voice: Yeah. Me: But it doesn’t sound like you. Male voice: That’s because I was in a car accident. Me: Oh, that’s too bad. Were you driving? Male voice: Yeah. Me: But Michael, you’re only 3 years old. Phone: Click.”
Scams show no signs of slowing down. Those who think they are being ripped-off should contact police. The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin, which maintains a website that tracks scamsand assists victims: www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-wisconsin, is a good resource.
And feel free to contact me with scams that you've run across.
Contact Andy Thompson at 920-996-7270 or awthompson@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Thompson_AW.
