Just because something pops up on your screen when you're using the Internet don't bet on it being legitimate. We all know and understand that right? An ad just flashed across the screen this morning filled with wonderful ways to save money and get cheap financing on homes in "Neraska." Yesterday it was "We have ways you wish need to buys expensive goods less money and save." That one sure got me all ways excited to need.
Long before any of us were born, there were traveling "snake oil" salesmen. They sold alcohol or codeine laced, natural medicines for relief of anything from the miseries to arthritis. In truth, they probably offered some very welcome relief through their numbing affects. At a buck a bottle it was a deal back then. But now, in these days of Nigerian scams running rampant and the news filled with stories of trusted employees getting arrested for embezzlement on an every day basis it makes me wonder. At least a person could probably guess if someone was a snake oil salesman or not. Today with the obscurity of electronic media it's kind of difficult sometimes. And, rest assured if one of us attempts to take advantage of some scheme that promises to get us rich quick we will most certainly be losing way more than a buck.
This all came to a head yesterday when an acquaintance showed me a copy of the email he just received stating he won an Irish sweepstakes lottery he hadn't even entered. It was almost a miracle because he could sure use the cash right now. All he had to do was send $1400 to this special tax account to pay the taxes due and they will transfer the $1,560,000 into his personal account. "Wow! It sounds too good to be true", I said. He said "yeah it does but sometimes things like this just fall into your lap." We had a real serious talk. I am hopeful he doesn't send the $1400. Quite a few words in the email were misspelled by the way. Just in case you were wondering. And, the bank was in Nigeria. Irish sweepstakes my........................Be vigilant.
Showing posts with label scams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scams. Show all posts
Monday, August 29, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Scams, airline tickets, Joe Cramer, author
A national news program I was listening to had a program dealing with a subject I brought up on this blog: Internet coupon deals. It was interesting to hear my own words coming from someone else, word for word! Quite the compliment I think. I don't spend every waking hour promoting "Joe's Story: The Book of a Lifetime." Although that is very important to me I actually do have a life. Part of it is involving myself in gathering information concerning scams and price gouging techniques used to extract money from the most trusting and needy among us. The methods these operations use to circumvent the law are ingenious and we have to approach any good deal with pessimism or very likely face the loss of some of our hard earned cash.
Have you or do you know of anyone who purchased a car from one of those "Buy here, pay here" car lots? They serve a useful purpose to many high risk, otherwise un-financable folks who have gone through hard times, are honestly trying to make a better life for themselves and need transportation to get to a job. They also offer structured payment plans which help develop proper appreciation for maintaining credit. Then comes the dark side of some of those places. They buy a car for $500, sell it for $3000 and collect exorbitant interest rates, often making a profit of 6 to ten times their original cost. Something to think about.
I just received a letter informing me I "have become eligible to be awarded two first class airline tickets to anywhere in the continental United States." Boy! That's sure a mouthful of nothing tangible. Also, given there was no return address on the envelope or on the stationary and the name of the company on the letterhead was false, I'm guessin' this just may be some sort of scam.
I've always had a yearning for one of those tall, wooden, classic grandfather clocks. In my mailbox one day was and offer to purchase a grandfather clock for $60 plus shipping and handling. The picture was beautiful. It was priced so cheap because it was part of a shipment to a bankrupt company and it was cheaper to sell at below cost than to ship them back to the factory. I bit on that one! It wound up like this: $60 money order in advance, checks or credit cards not accepted, they took too long to process and these clocks need to be sold now. When the clock arrived it was shipped to a warehouse and I had to pick it up there, no home delivery. I had to pay the warehouse another $113 money order for shipping and handling. I got it home and assembly was required. This grand old, heirloom quality, grandfather clock with Swiss movement was made from some type of hardboard, similar to what the boxes my shoes come in. It was held together by cheap plastic clips. The genuine Swiss movement clock works had fake cotton draw strings and hollow, plastic, fake weights, a cheap plastic, fake pendulum and a battery operated plastic housing that I had to glue in place. The word "Swis" was stamped on the back, crooked and mispelled as it was. By the time I called the company the next morning the phone was disconnected and they were no where to be found and neither was any of my money. so yo know from where I speak, not from being so smart but from being dumb enough to be taken like that. I just wanted a grandfather clock so badly I forgot to think.
Now I'm going to turn on that national news program and listen to find out if I hear my own words again. I'd appreciate it this time if they'd us my name as part author. Yeah, that'd be kinda cool..........Joe
Have you or do you know of anyone who purchased a car from one of those "Buy here, pay here" car lots? They serve a useful purpose to many high risk, otherwise un-financable folks who have gone through hard times, are honestly trying to make a better life for themselves and need transportation to get to a job. They also offer structured payment plans which help develop proper appreciation for maintaining credit. Then comes the dark side of some of those places. They buy a car for $500, sell it for $3000 and collect exorbitant interest rates, often making a profit of 6 to ten times their original cost. Something to think about.
I just received a letter informing me I "have become eligible to be awarded two first class airline tickets to anywhere in the continental United States." Boy! That's sure a mouthful of nothing tangible. Also, given there was no return address on the envelope or on the stationary and the name of the company on the letterhead was false, I'm guessin' this just may be some sort of scam.
I've always had a yearning for one of those tall, wooden, classic grandfather clocks. In my mailbox one day was and offer to purchase a grandfather clock for $60 plus shipping and handling. The picture was beautiful. It was priced so cheap because it was part of a shipment to a bankrupt company and it was cheaper to sell at below cost than to ship them back to the factory. I bit on that one! It wound up like this: $60 money order in advance, checks or credit cards not accepted, they took too long to process and these clocks need to be sold now. When the clock arrived it was shipped to a warehouse and I had to pick it up there, no home delivery. I had to pay the warehouse another $113 money order for shipping and handling. I got it home and assembly was required. This grand old, heirloom quality, grandfather clock with Swiss movement was made from some type of hardboard, similar to what the boxes my shoes come in. It was held together by cheap plastic clips. The genuine Swiss movement clock works had fake cotton draw strings and hollow, plastic, fake weights, a cheap plastic, fake pendulum and a battery operated plastic housing that I had to glue in place. The word "Swis" was stamped on the back, crooked and mispelled as it was. By the time I called the company the next morning the phone was disconnected and they were no where to be found and neither was any of my money. so yo know from where I speak, not from being so smart but from being dumb enough to be taken like that. I just wanted a grandfather clock so badly I forgot to think.
Now I'm going to turn on that national news program and listen to find out if I hear my own words again. I'd appreciate it this time if they'd us my name as part author. Yeah, that'd be kinda cool..........Joe
Sunday, March 13, 2011
3.5 million dollars free
Joe's Story: The Book of a Lifetime may be worth 3.5 million dollars......................To me.
Realiastically it will probably be a while before that becomes the case to the movie industry. I turned down the last opportunity to sell the movie rights about 4 years ago and haven't recieved any more offers since. I did get a letter that informed me I was about to be awarded 3.5 million dollars though. I thought that was pretty cool. I could probably make my own movie with 3.5 million bucks couldn't I? Even without tax breaks from the State of Michigan.
This guy that works for Duitsche Bank wrote me concerning another guy with my same last name. It seems this guy with my name died over 7 years ago without any will but with 8.5 million dollars in an account with Duitsche Bank. No next of kin anywhere either. Well, this guy from Duitsche Bank wants to tell the bank that I am a long lost nephew or something like that and deposit the money in my bank account here in the states. If I do that, all he asks is that I send him back 5 million dollars. He says, "Yes, this is illegal but if he and I don't take the money this way it will go into the government coffers and we all know the government has enough of our money already." Because this is illegal he want s me to keep it a secret and not tell anyone. So, I ask you please to honor that wish and not tell anyone either.
As much as I would like to help this guy out, I'm afraid I have to pass on the offer. For you see, I have taken an oath of poverty. I didn't know I did but what with being far removed from any large amounts of money throughout my life, that's the only reason I can think of. Not wanting all that free money to go to waste, I took the letter to the local police department in hopes they could find someone more deserving than I to collect on it. They told me that a man from the states did try to collect the money a short while back. However, it backfired and he lost everything and wound up dead when he trieds to get it back.
I guess this offer of 3.5 million dollars isn't so free after all. I guess it's back to selling Joe's Story one book at a time. You can help by telling everyone you know about it. Why would you like to help me? Because you are a nice person. Yes, a very nice person. Thanks...........Joe
P.S. Spell check did not work on this posting.
Realiastically it will probably be a while before that becomes the case to the movie industry. I turned down the last opportunity to sell the movie rights about 4 years ago and haven't recieved any more offers since. I did get a letter that informed me I was about to be awarded 3.5 million dollars though. I thought that was pretty cool. I could probably make my own movie with 3.5 million bucks couldn't I? Even without tax breaks from the State of Michigan.
This guy that works for Duitsche Bank wrote me concerning another guy with my same last name. It seems this guy with my name died over 7 years ago without any will but with 8.5 million dollars in an account with Duitsche Bank. No next of kin anywhere either. Well, this guy from Duitsche Bank wants to tell the bank that I am a long lost nephew or something like that and deposit the money in my bank account here in the states. If I do that, all he asks is that I send him back 5 million dollars. He says, "Yes, this is illegal but if he and I don't take the money this way it will go into the government coffers and we all know the government has enough of our money already." Because this is illegal he want s me to keep it a secret and not tell anyone. So, I ask you please to honor that wish and not tell anyone either.
As much as I would like to help this guy out, I'm afraid I have to pass on the offer. For you see, I have taken an oath of poverty. I didn't know I did but what with being far removed from any large amounts of money throughout my life, that's the only reason I can think of. Not wanting all that free money to go to waste, I took the letter to the local police department in hopes they could find someone more deserving than I to collect on it. They told me that a man from the states did try to collect the money a short while back. However, it backfired and he lost everything and wound up dead when he trieds to get it back.
I guess this offer of 3.5 million dollars isn't so free after all. I guess it's back to selling Joe's Story one book at a time. You can help by telling everyone you know about it. Why would you like to help me? Because you are a nice person. Yes, a very nice person. Thanks...........Joe
P.S. Spell check did not work on this posting.
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