Random thoughts?

[Jean Mercier]

Surely we should be taking names of the people who fall for it and cancel their drivers license

My partner fell in a “scam” some months ago. Somebody through WhatsApp pretending to be her daughter. Needed money urgently, with some quite convincing arguments. Phone broken, etc. I read the arguments … really well done … but she (my partner was working, no time to think …).

My partner transferred the money, but some minutes later, she felt “ooh shit”. Called her daughter on the broken phone, and the daughter responded, of course.

I wasn’t home, but she immediately informed the bank. I arrived like one hour later home. After convincing her it was ok to do it, I began to chat with the scammer as if I was “the mother”. He or she asked more money. I told “him”, “not possible anymore today darling, tomorrow, I have to transfer money from one account to another”.

In the meantime we also went to police.

Two day later she got the money back: the bank contacted the man of the bank account and told him to give the money back!

The reaction speed of the bank was the “saver”: the guy was probably a money mule. He has no money. He lends his bank account to a scammer for a small fee. But he hadn’t transferred the money yet, and was scared, so paid back!

I didn’t cancel her driving license, otherwise I have to drive her around!

 

[DaveB]

My partner fell in a “scam” some months ago. Somebody through WhatsApp pretending to be her daughter. Needed money urgently, with some quite convincing arguments. Phone broken, etc. I read the arguments … really well done … but she (my partner was working, no time to think …).

My partner transferred the money, but some minutes later, she felt “ooh shit”. Called her daughter on the broken phone, and the daughter responded, of course.

I wasn’t home, but she immediately informed the bank. I arrived like one hour later home. After convincing her it was ok to do it, I began to chat with the scammer as if I was “the mother”. He or she asked more money. I told “him”, “not possible anymore today darling, tomorrow, I have to transfer money from one account to another”.

In the meantime we also went to police.

Two day later she got the money back: the bank contacted the man of the bank account and told him to give the money back!

The reaction speed of the bank was the “saver”: the guy was probably a money mule. He has no money. He lends his bank account to a scammer for a small fee. But he hadn’t transferred the money yet, and was scared, so paid back!

I didn’t cancel her driving license, otherwise I have to drive her around!

yes but I was referring to the email I received and the glaringly obvious errors and red flags.
We used to own holiday rental apartments and a woman from South Africa made a booking
A week before she was due to arrive we received payment by travelers cheques in the mail.
She had paid twice as much as she should have
I contacted her and she said it was a mistake, could I deposit them in my account and then Western Union the extra money back to her.
I assumed it was a scam and so had the cheques tested by the bank and sure enough they were very good fakes.

 

[DaveB]

well it is almost 9pm here and still 26 degrees and 83% humidity.
Just went for the last swim of the day
might have to give in and put the aircon on but fighting it.

 

[Greg]

Same up here... but air cons have been on all evening...