Ever been scammed/grifted/had?

Shakespeare's Sister

Old lads in the US can get great mileage out of the auld Korea/Vietnam veteran spiel. :pac:

Sir Gallagher

Shakespeare's Sister wrote: »

Old lads in the US can get great mileage out of the auld Korea/Vietnam veteran spiel. :pac:

Even going so far as to cut off their legs, dedication to the craft.

Sir Gallagher

LionelNashe wrote: »

In Santa Monica, an old homeless guy stopped and introduced himself, and said something about his tours of duty in Korea. He might have even saluted, but it was 12 years ago so I'm not sure. He told me then that the off-licence wouldn't serve him because he had offended the Korean guy behind the counter by calling him a Chinaman. He gave me $4 and asked me to go in and buy him a $2 bottle of beer and to keep $2 for myself.

What beer specifically, I asked, because I'm useless at shopping, but he wouldn't specify. Just any $2 beer. So I handed him back $2 (I wasn't going to keep $2 for myself) and went into the shop. I couldn't find any $2 beers, so I bought a $4 beer using his $2 and $2 of my own.

Went out and handed it to him in the brown bag. He turned around and walked off very quickly without a word. Not so chatty any more. Afterwards I realized that there are probably no $2 bottles of beer in that shop, and he gets his beer for half price with this trick. If I had realized, I should have handed him a bottle of water in the brown bag just for the thought of him opening it down on the beach and finding out.

I also think that the damn Chinaman had a smirk on his face; he probably saw some eejit falling for the same trick every couple of hours.

That's brilliant, that man earned his cheap gargle.

Doff

Bought a game key off CJS Keys, it was previously used. Customer support wouldn't get back to me for 7 days so I opened a dispute with paypal.

The slanderous emails I got were hilarious, I'll get screenshots later

Breffnigolfer

cerastes wrote: »

........ Ive been told and it seems to make sense that, its close to ground/earth electrically speaking and will help make it go flat, permanently, better on a wooden bench or other insulator.
..................

Do you know how ridiculous this post is?

Who, exactly, told you this?

SuperS54

FTA69 wrote: »

says he works in a venue down the road (knew the manager's name and all he did) and asked the barmaid could she change six 50s for twelve 20s.

Scammer wasn't very good at maths...

Hoop66

cerastes wrote: »

Not a great place to leave a battery, either accessible or on the ground. Ive been told and it seems to make sense that, its close to ground/earth electrically speaking and will help make it go flat, permanently, better on a wooden bench or other insulator.

Can I have your name and the name of the person that told you this, just so I can be 100% sure neither of you ever get near the electrics in my house, car or wife?

ringadingding

Years ago at V festival in London, we were back in the campsite, having a few cans and seeing how little drugs we had left for the remaining days.

3 black guys came walking through the site " pills, anyone want pills?"

We called them over, they showed us 3 different types, mitzes, hearts and shreks

Gave them a look over, looked legit, bought 10 of each.
The next night we shared them out between the group, and put them in our mouths.
Chalk !
Somebody had taken the time to slice chalk sticks perfectly, and scribe pill designs into them.

Ruined the night

foxy farmer

Yeah I got done by a salesman selling fire extinguishers back in 2000. Seven or eight more locals got done the the same year. He first called selling in 97. I bought 3 powder extinguishers. He called then in 98 to check them and I bought 3 more. Called each year to take them back for a few days to "service" them. He try selling different things when he'd call- first aid kits, fire blankets, underground safes etc. Funnily every year he'd call he'd be driving a span new car or 4x4. In 2000 he called and tried to get me to change powder extinguishers for CO2 ones. Would cost me to change. I said I wasn't interested just service my own ones. This time the gas would have to be replaced in them he said and he had to give that job to manufacturers. Payment up front £300 approx. They'd be back in a few days. He then wanted me to fit some outside lights in his house. ( I was electrician at the time.) I said I'd call to have a look. Weeks passed and no sign of returning extinguishers. He spotted me in town one day a few months later and followed me in car and pulled me in after flagging me down. Span new Volvo under his ass. Wanted me to look at wiring job. I said some time but inquired about the extinguishers. Pick them up when you call he said. I got a bit fed up with him after this and left him feck off. A year passed when a rep from a reputable fire safety co called on his behalf. I said he took my ones, 300 quid and never returned them. He then told me he had called to several other locals who all had a similar story. Seemingly he had cleared with money and extinguishers never to be seen again and starts the scam in a new area. Only just missed him after he called to a friend 3 yrs ago. Warned him of a possible scam in the future. He was listed in Revenue tax defaulters about 4 yrs ago owing them 20k. That didnt stop him as he's still in business and still catching people.

posy2010

Used to live in the Washington, DC area. Getting off the Metro one day at Pentagon City a middle aged well dressed lady approached me. Apparently her son was in a nearby military hospital after being badly injured in Iraq (this was during the invasion) and she had no cash to get to the hospital after being robbed. I bought all this at first and was saying that's terrible etc. As she went on with her tale of woe I mentioned to her that I was sure if she rang the hospital or the Pentagon one of his superiors would organise transport. Well she flipped and began ranting saying I was ungrateful to people who serve and should go back to Ireland, I was cheap blah blah.

Needless to say saw her many times after that at the same Metro station approaching people with the same spiel! In my naivety I was shocked that people would use injured soldiers like that!

Frynge

Frynge wrote: »

In one way you got scammed and then proceeded to scam the ticket checker

Perhaps we are using different definitions of the word "scam". For me the meaning of the word suggests some kind of trickery - or intention to lie or mislead the "mark".

As such - how do you feel I scammed anyone exactly? I merely told the man exactly what had happened - 100% truth - and he made a personal choice of his own. I scammed nobody.

Irishcrx

anna080 wrote: »

I'm trying to sell my car at the minute and I'd say it's not worth more than €500. Last Sunday I had a call from a man in his early fifties who seemed interested in buying it. I'm a 26yr old girl and was at home alone at the time so id say he saw ample opportunity to pull a fast one on me. He proceeded to tell me how he wouldn't be interested in buying the car from me as it's for the graveyard and I'd be lucky to sell it so someone for €200. It's for the scrap heap he was saying and pointing out all these things that were apparently wrong with it, "damaged this and worn that". Really I was saying sure it passed the nct in January it can't be that bad, he was saying no sure it would need a new timing belt and everything. I completely fell for it. He then proceeds to tell me he knows a lad who will do me a favour and take it off my hands and scrap if for €120. After him telling me what a pile of balls the thing was €120 seemed like a promising offer at that stage! I said sound thanks a million give me a ring tomorrow and ill hand it over.

Luckily my uncle popped into me that evening and I was telling him how this nice man was coming tomorrow to take the car from me until he informed me that these two lads are well known for doing this to people! They're well known and my description matched his. They go around to vulnerable, non the wiser car owners (muggins here) and deprave the car in such a way that you'll be glad they take it for scrap for €100! They then sell it on for what it's actually worth and you're left out of pocket! Couldn't believe how convincing he was, usually i would be wise to scams but he seemed so genuine! The lad rang me back the next morning and I told him to go and scratch! Sold it a few days ago for €500 as well. Sellers beware!!

Yeah there's a lot of lads at that type of game, anything under a grand and the phone will be hopping with time wasters, I actually hate selling cars. Had a load of calls when I sold my last one with similar crap, except I knew it was all rubbish 'Will ya a take a hundred' etc etc, I was actually so wound up by one fella calling over and over that I wanted to get him down to the car so I could thump him..

Mr. Nice

LionelNashe wrote: »

In Santa Monica, an old homeless guy stopped and introduced himself, and said something about his tours of duty in Korea. He might have even saluted, but it was 12 years ago so I'm not sure. He told me then that the off-licence wouldn't serve him because he had offended the Korean guy behind the counter by calling him a Chinaman. He gave me $4 and asked me to go in and buy him a $2 bottle of beer and to keep $2 for myself.

What beer specifically, I asked, because I'm useless at shopping, but he wouldn't specify. Just any $2 beer. So I handed him back $2 (I wasn't going to keep $2 for myself) and went into the shop. I couldn't find any $2 beers, so I bought a $4 beer using his $2 and $2 of my own.

Went out and handed it to him in the brown bag. He turned around and walked off very quickly without a word. Not so chatty any more. Afterwards I realized that there are probably no $2 bottles of beer in that shop, and he gets his beer for half price with this trick. If I had realized, I should have handed him a bottle of water in the brown bag just for the thought of him opening it down on the beach and finding out.

I also think that the damn Chinaman had a smirk on his face; he probably saw some eejit falling for the same trick every couple of hours.

Why did you give him $2 before you even went in the store?
Why didn't you just ask him for the $2 back before handing over the beer?
Sounds like you conned yourself.
He was probably bewildered as to why you would subsidise his drinking habit.

RoboRat

Only twice thankfully

An English guy on Leeson street, quite respectable looking in a suit asked me if I could spare a €5 as he was over on business and got robbed and wanted to get out to the airport to go home. I didn't think anything of it until he approached me about 6 months later with the same story. I told him he must be seriously unlucky as it only happened 6 months previously and he better get to fcuk.

Other one was when I bought a second hand Xbox on ebay. Must have been fcuked and the seller done the old wrapping it in a towel before selling to me. I tried it out, worked fine for about 5 days then ring of death. Prick.

Anita M.

I was filling up my tyre in The Barack Obama Plaza when a guy asked me could I lend him my phone for a minute. He had a row with his wife and she had left him and their child earlier that day. and he wanted to beg her to come back. He would pay me for the credit he used. Guess what happened next.

RoboRat

Anita M. wrote: »

I was filling up my tyre in The Barack Obama Plaza when a guy asked me could I lend him my phone for a minute. He had a row with his wife and she had left him and their child earlier that day. and he wanted to beg her to come back. He would pay me for the credit he used. Guess what happened next.

They got back together and you were asked to be guest of honour at their wedding????!

punisher5112

Anita M. wrote: »

I was filling up my tyre in The Barack Obama Plaza when a guy asked me could I lend him my phone for a minute. He had a row with his wife and she had left him and their child earlier that day. and he wanted to beg her to come back. He would pay me for the credit he used. Guess what happened next.

Stole your car and your wife;) left the phone though....

Anita M.

Punisher it was you! Only you would know that I am actually a bloke.

punisher5112

Anita M. wrote: »

Punisher it was you! Only you would know that I am actually a bloke.

Not called punisher for been nice ha:D;)

Car going well :pac:

Traded the misus in ages ago though:p

LionelNashe

michellie wrote: »

I actually got a email Tuesday night proporting to be from a woman I know saying she was in Turkey and lost all her money etc. Wanted me to wire her money.

I replied back for the crack asking was she ok,had she got it sorted. Then got a email back this morning asking me to wire her 2250, haven't replied back yet

Poor Brenda. I hope she's ok.

What if she's genuine and she has emailed you by mistake instead of somebody that she knows? Could be a typo in the email address.

Peintre Celebre

Poster on here CARPOTHEPUNK ripped me off. Should have known, his adverts score is full of people saying he is a scammer.


James Carpenter, some man.

markc2951

so many chancers out there.I got a call once pretending to be from meteor offering me a price plan,she rambled on for ten minutes about it and then i said give me the number and ill have a think about it,she then said she couldn't and suggested she ring back in 5 minutes and then said she will need my bank details and then it hit me.SCAM.reported to meteor.I was lucky

Greenmachine

We have all read the story of jack and the bean stalk. When I was offered magic beans, I happily gave a dud note to the cause. Magic bean never grew.






*none of the above may actually have happened

cerastes

LionelNashe wrote: »

In Santa Monica, an old homeless guy stopped and introduced himself, and said something about his tours of duty in Korea. He might have even saluted, but it was 12 years ago so I'm not sure. He told me then that the off-licence wouldn't serve him because he had offended the Korean guy behind the counter by calling him a Chinaman. He gave me $4 and asked me to go in and buy him a $2 bottle of beer and to keep $2 for myself.

What beer specifically, I asked, because I'm useless at shopping, but he wouldn't specify. Just any $2 beer. So I handed him back $2 (I wasn't going to keep $2 for myself) and went into the shop. I couldn't find any $2 beers, so I bought a $4 beer using his $2 and $2 of my own.

Went out and handed it to him in the brown bag. He turned around and walked off very quickly without a word. Not so chatty any more. Afterwards I realized that there are probably no $2 bottles of beer in that shop, and he gets his beer for half price with this trick. If I had realized, I should have handed him a bottle of water in the brown bag just for the thought of him opening it down on the beach and finding out.

I also think that the damn Chinaman had a smirk on his face; he probably saw some eejit falling for the same trick every couple of hours.

I dont think he scammed you, he gave you the full value and you returned the $2?

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

Do you know how ridiculous this post is?

Who, exactly, told you this?

Hoop66 wrote: »

Can I have your name and the name of the person that told you this, just so I can be 100% sure neither of you ever get near the electrics in my house, car or wife?

As for these comments, storing or keeping a new or any battery on the ground or accessible is wrong for a number of reason, least of all what the thread is for.
Batteries can leak acid, be stolen and Ive been told aid discharge due to this reason
If you need a replacement battery, you get it in use and dispose of the other item, end of, not keep it on the floor. As I said, Ive been told, I dont know whether its completely accurate but it seems to have some merit, even if it doesnt, I prefer you try it and not me.
I dont claim to be any expert on batteries, although I have done some study of the charging process and lead acid batteries, in any instance where I have seen large batteries stored or charged, they were done so on heavily insulated racks/benches.
Even if the idea is incorrect, it still has no relation to other work on other electrics in a house/car.

No need for your snarky derision.
Although Im happy for you to back up your assertion by some technical means, please prove your point, other than a link to mythbusters.

joe stodge

GerB40 wrote: »

I bought a radio from a member of the travelling community before. He took it out of the box, showed me that it worked, even let me examine it, then pulled some Paul Daniels shít on me coz minutes later when I opened it I immediately knew I'd been done.. It was the same colour as the 'display model' but the similarities end there.


Long story short he's in prison now... Not for scamming me but still, I feel somewhat vindicated...

A lad I used to work with got done for a digital camera the same way, except when he opened the box there was a child's toy camera in it.

ButtersSuki

Was in Boton a few years ago with work and my credit card was declined. I knew something was up immediately as I hadn't used it that much and always clear my balance each month. Rang BOI Customer Service. I was told I'd spent $4,000 in one transaction in Rochester Big & Tall. Obviously I hadn't been there, but here's the funny part - I'm actually 6'6". I did get refunded but it took over 6 months for the bank to do their "investigation". The thing I didn't get though was why go there? The clothes are awful and in the states you have a lot more choice if you're tall and $4k will get you pretty decent threads in most places.

Another one which gives me a giggle. Was with my best friend in town years ago one Saturday night and we went as was our routine at the time to the bar in the Fitzwilliam for a few quiet ones before e real fun began. We liked it as the were booths, it was fairly private and there was no dodgy characters around and it was pretentious enough to suit our snobbish tastes (lol). Anyway, we're chatting away when these two very attractive, blonde, well dressed and well spoken English girls ask us can they join us as they've never been to Dublin and don't know the scene etc. etc. Naturally we decline say yes obviously and so the small talk and banter etc. begins. The girls are drinking champagne and tell us they're staying in the hotel and it's lovely and Dublin is so nice and friendly and the men are gorgeous etc. etc. blah blah blah. Now my mate and I were both in serious relationships at the time but we're still enjoying the company. They're asking us where to go later and we're asking what kinda music do you like etc. and we have a long conversation about house music and Ibiza and they know their stuff so we send them to the Chocolate Bar and the Pod. Anyway, the girls are ploughing through the champagne and after their 3rd bottle at if memory serves me correctly €220 a pop they say they're going to their room to ahem, "freshen up" but would be back shortly. So I go to the bar to get another round and the barman hands me a bill on a little silver tray for €660. I'm like "ah, what's this for?", and he says "the girls you were with said you were picking up their tab". I thought "genius" to myself. Fair play girls! The barman twigged it straight away too, knew he'd been had. The hotel manager recognised us as regulars so he believed us without question so we headed out on our merry way. Needless to say no sign of the girls later in any of the venues we went to but again fair play to them I say. Kinda thing you can't do all that often I'd imagine and really only in higher end places that do table service and tabs etc. but cool if it works!

Sunnyisland

^^^^^
You have a weired sence of humour :-)

Barely There

ButtersSuki wrote: »

fair play to them I say. Kinda thing you can't do all that often I'd imagine and really only in higher end places that do table service and tabs etc. but cool if it works!

What's cool about stealing?

You may have not had to pick up the tab, but someone did.

ButtersSuki

Barely There wrote: »

What's cool about stealing?

You may have not had to pick up the tab, but someone did.

Whoa! I'm not saying stealing is cool about stealing - to be clear I've never stolen so much as a sweet from the pick n mix. What I admired about the girls in a weird way was the balls and bravado it took to pull off such a move. Yes, the fact that they were hot, glammed up to the nines and had a non-Irish accent helped, but they still have to plan and work it through.

As for having to pick up the tab, ultimately I suspect the hotel did and it's not like they but the champagne at €220 a bottle. Wholesale it was probably about €30 a bottle when you work in rebates etc (I used to work in alcohol so I know these things).