Scams targeting the elderly

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It's not just old folks. I just returned from a week of training. One of my class mates got a call from "the front desk" saying there was something wrong with his credit card. They asked for his information and said he could pick up a receipt when he was leaving. You know what happens when he got to the front desk. It wasn't the hotel calling.

Never give information over the phone if you did not initiate the call.
 
Originally Posted By: javacontour
It's not just old folks. I just returned from a week of training. One of my class mates got a call from "the front desk" saying there was something wrong with his credit card. They asked for his information and said he could pick up a receipt when he was leaving. You know what happens when he got to the front desk. It wasn't the hotel calling.

Never give information over the phone if you did not initiate the call.


Whenever I get a call from someone asking some information, I will ask them what their number is and tell them I will call them back.

I will then call the number *I* have on record for whatever company they claim to be from and ask if I am having any issues with my account.

Any time I have to give out a SSN or account number over the phone, I always give the wrong one the first time.

So far, all of my dealings have been legitimite.

If they accept my incorrect information, it's a scam.
 
Sad... And this isn't just elderly. Im amazed at how many "official" looking things come in the mail and are nothing but scams and spams.

Despite being on the do not call list, I still get calls on my home line and work cell. When I get these calls, I always "press 1", and then mess with them. I find that if I talk normal, they usually hang up, but if i use poor English and mumble a lot, they stay on and can be fun. Might as well waste their time and cost money.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Sad... And this isn't just elderly. Im amazed at how many "official" looking things come in the mail and are nothing but scams and spams.

Despite being on the do not call list, I still get calls on my home line and work cell. When I get these calls, I always "press 1", and then mess with them. I find that if I talk normal, they usually hang up, but if i use poor English and mumble a lot, they stay on and can be fun. Might as well waste their time and cost money.


I do the same thing on the phone. With mail spam typically from credit card companies. I take junk mail I tossed in the garbage, and stuff the postage paid envelopes with it and send to them back. I figure I'm helping keep the postal workers employed and sending my garage somewhere else making it easier on the sanitation men here. It is also easier on me having less paper to recycle.
 
Quote:
I do the same thing on the phone. With mail spam typically from credit card companies. I take junk mail I tossed in the garbage, and stuff the postage paid envelopes with it and send to them back. I figure I'm helping keep the postal workers employed and sending my garage somewhere else making it easier on the sanitation men here. It is also easier on me having less paper to recycle.

I do the same thing.
But if you modify the envelope, you can make it 3-4" thick.
To modify envelope - Take a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 paper, tape it to the envelope flap.
Now you can really load the envelope up.
I use to do this when bogus charities would send my Mother mailings.

A financial company sent me a pre-approved credit card application.
I called them on the phone requesting my name be taken off the list.
They said "OK", but mailed me another.
This time I stuffed the envelope and put my Return Address on it.
Hopefully when they received it, there was postage due.
I never received another.
 
^^ I pack mine well. I split the seam on the sides, then tape in a section, but I like your idea! I haven't exceeded 1" thick, yet......Thanks!
 
Originally Posted By: larryinnewyork
Quote:
I do the same thing on the phone. With mail spam typically from credit card companies. I take junk mail I tossed in the garbage, and stuff the postage paid envelopes with it and send to them back. I figure I'm helping keep the postal workers employed and sending my garage somewhere else making it easier on the sanitation men here. It is also easier on me having less paper to recycle.

I do the same thing.
But if you modify the envelope, you can make it 3-4" thick.
To modify envelope - Take a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 paper, tape it to the envelope flap.
Now you can really load the envelope up.
I use to do this when bogus charities would send my Mother mailings.

A financial company sent me a pre-approved credit card application.
I called them on the phone requesting my name be taken off the list.
They said "OK", but mailed me another.
This time I stuffed the envelope and put my Return Address on it.
Hopefully when they received it, there was postage due.
I never received another.

bwahahahahahaah
you two have the prize post of the year!!!

anybody think like me (and you two)?
 
Your a Rookie.
I don't do this anymore because my mothers in a nursing home & I eliminated most mail to my mailbox.
But I would get the envelopes so thick, I had trouble getting them thru the mail box slot.

I talked to the mail clerk behind the counter and he was sympathic to my mother receiving the junk mail.
He said to me "no we will not deliver a refrigerator if you stick the envelope on it.
It's only what you can fit inside".
 
Originally Posted By: larryinnewyork
Your a Rookie.
I don't do this anymore because my mothers in a nursing home & I eliminated most mail to my mailbox.
But I would get the envelopes so thick, I had trouble getting them thru the mail box slot.

I talked to the mail clerk behind the counter and he was sympathic to my mother receiving the junk mail.
He said to me "no we will not deliver a refrigerator if you stick the envelope on it.
It's only what you can fit inside".

all the best to your mom.

now I have to look for a refrigerator cardboard box to extend the envelope...
 
Outstanding! I hadn't considered this, and now I have a new hobby. I don't get much junk mail, but I'll be sending all of it back.
 
I sent one of the bogus charities a gift! They wanted to add weight to their cause, so I helped: I carefully rubber-cemented the envelope to a box, in which I carefully packed a brake rotor from my F-350!
laugh.gif
(I made sure to use the cruddier of the two.) I figure 15lbs or so of cast iron should lend some weight to their cause!
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I sent one of the bogus charities a gift! They wanted to add weight to their cause, so I helped: I carefully rubber-cemented the envelope to a box, in which I carefully packed a brake rotor from my F-350!
laugh.gif
(I made sure to use the cruddier of the two.) I figure 15lbs or so of cast iron should lend some weight to their cause!

Out-freekin-standing. I will now be doing this on a regular basis. Let the sweepstakes offers come!
 
Alright, I went to see what was in my recycling bin. A credit card offer (which is now stuffed with 8 oz of pool supply catalog). Thanks to everyone for sharing this idea. I will be doing it as often as I get these offers. It's only a shame that I can't get my hands on the many pieces of junk mail and scams that grandma gets daily. It's a start though. Stick it to the man.

I still want to put a used oil filter in one.
 
Wait, are we sure the PO actually accepts and delivers modified envelopes? No restrictions on the form factor or weight? They accept modified envelopes?

Brilliant!
 
I've always been surprised by notion that elderly people are easier to scam. All the people I know have gotten more cynical as they got older. Chalk it up to life experience. Pretty much everyone has been scammed by the time they're in their 30s. By the time they reach their 40s and 50s, they don't believe anyone or anything.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Wait, are we sure the PO actually accepts and delivers modified envelopes? No restrictions on the form factor or weight? They accept modified envelopes?

Brilliant!


Mine actually look pretty real, and I toss them in the corner mailbox w/o a return address. I haven't gone over 1" in thickness, yet. Most are typically stuffed with as much as they'll hold standard size though. Now that Larry said the PO will take a refrigerator if it fits in an envelope, I will be emptying my office garbage can into envelopes! LOL.
 
Most of the people know about all these scam but still they are targeted.I receive many emails from unknown sender but didn't reply any one.Because they are just useless.Even that there is no legal action against that.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I sent one of the bogus charities a gift! They wanted to add weight to their cause, so I helped: I carefully rubber-cemented the envelope to a box, in which I carefully packed a brake rotor from my F-350!
laugh.gif
(I made sure to use the cruddier of the two.) I figure 15lbs or so of cast iron should lend some weight to their cause!


This is not a good idea, this is an AWESOME idea!!! I can hardly wait for the mail to arrive tomorrow!!! The possibilities are endless!
 
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