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Scammers and Old People! [Update on Pg. 2] Login/Join 
Member
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quote:
Originally posted by bronicabill:
I’m not sure who to be more pissed off at, scammers or the people they prey on, especially old people! In this case, the old people being my very gullible in-laws!!!

My mother-in-law was on the computer yesterday and a pop-up came up saying her computer was infected or corrupted or something to that effect, and to click on the button to fix the problem. Of course, that immediately locked the computer down and required she call a number to “get it fixed”, which she did. They demanded $300.00 via credit card to fix it and said that would include a 9-year warranty. When she said was 80 years old and didn’t need the warranty, they said it would still be $200.00.

She gave them her CC number... big mistake! They claimed the card wouldn’t work so she them gave them her checking account number and routing number!!! Un frikkin believable!!! By the time the bank opens Monday and she swallows her pride enough to call and try to put a stop to her screw-up, her account will likely be cleaned out, and that’s all the money they have... with no other sources of income! She is a real hardheaded dumbass, and getting worse as she ages, and my father-in-law is even worse, so it’s sorta hard to feel sorry for them. We have preached and preached about this kind of thing, but naturally neither one will listen! It is just sooo frustrating...

And the scammers... well, they need their balls cut off and shoved down their throats!!!

That is all.


I got the same message on my Mac air this morning. Bastards locked up my computer, started the download and message posted an 800 number to free up everything....for a fee.

BUT.....I did a "Force Quit" and shut down the Mac.

Reboot and went into download file and deleted the shit that caused the problem. Also went into Utilities First Aid and did a scan.

All is fine now.


*********
"Some people are alive today because it's against the law to kill them".
 
Posts: 8228 | Location: Arizona | Registered: August 17, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
אַרְיֵה
Picture of V-Tail
posted Hide Post
quote:
went into Utilities First Aid and did a scan.
Mac user here. What is "First Aid?" Is this a third party utility?



הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
 
Posts: 30545 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The Constable
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Way back in the 70's when I worked as a cop in NJ, We had Gypsies who constantly scammed Old Folks. The bastards would descend on Town and as soon as we had a few calls they would be gone.

They had several scams. As well as flat breaking, entering and stealing. What always amazed me was the money folks kept at home. Sometimes $10 K or more! And this was 40 years ago. The losses for many of the people were life changing.

Anyone who can prey on old folks...Lowest of the low. A special place in hell needs to be reserved for them.
 
Posts: 7074 | Location: Craig, MT | Registered: December 17, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Spread the Disease
Picture of flesheatingvirus
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quote:
Originally posted by dsmack:
quote:
Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I never fully understood this. If you've been around that long, you should know how shitty people can be. I understand having lived in a time when it may not have been so bad, but it has been bad for quite a while.

I'd figure you'd be so jaded that people could rarely pull one over on you.


I'm happy for you that you've never had to directly deal in protecting an elderly soul with dementia. The most common is Alzheimers, but equally destructive is the dementia which is sometimes a component of advanced Parkinson's Disease.

I am responsible for a lady, soon to be eighty, with advanced PD dementia. This women earned a full ride scholarship to Northwestern University, graduating with honors. Went on to earn her Teaching Credential and Masters from UC Berkeley, and a second masters a few years later in School Administration...

After forty years in the school system, she retired and began serving as a court appointed Guardian Ad Litem, representing the interests of abandoned and abused children who were in the County Juvenile system. Never accepted a dime for years of work in the child's behalf, other than reimbursement for her vehicle operating expenses. In other words, she was a tremendously capable and remarkably well educated person who was very successful at most anything that interested her, including investing.

Now, as a result of the dementia, she cannot recall how to put her Apple iMAC computer to sleep, nor how to awaken it when wanted. We go over this every day. It and all the other negatives of "losing the Executive Function" as neurologists like to describe are tremendously debilitating for her, because even though she is unable to understand the most fundamental of concepts or logic, there is still just enough of a "glimmer" of that native intelligence still "in there" somewhere so she knows, or at least suspects she is losing her mind.

Speaking as one who loves her and is trying to make sure her remaining life in an assisted living facility is as good as possible, it is the constant knowledge that things will never get better, only the continuing spiral of deterioration. That is a difficult reality to face each day.

Don't be cavalier in your judgement of those who may have lost their abilities to protect themselves.

Don


Well, you went in completely the wrong direction with that. Nobody was talking about seniors with dementia or other health issues. The OP used the word "gullible", specifically. There was no mention of any mental or cognizance issues that could lead to this situation.

You also inserted judgement into my post where none was intended, while at the same time responding with some of your own.

Please read the OP and my response more thoroughly.


________________________________________

-- Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. --
 
Posts: 17248 | Location: New Mexico | Registered: October 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
member
Picture of henryaz
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quote:
Originally posted by V-Tail:
quote:
went into Utilities First Aid and did a scan.
Mac user here. What is "First Aid?" Is this a third party utility?

It's an option (button) in Disk Utility.
 
 
Posts: 10778 | Location: South Congress AZ | Registered: May 27, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
אַרְיֵה
Picture of V-Tail
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by henryaz:
quote:
Originally posted by V-Tail:
quote:
went into Utilities First Aid and did a scan.
Mac user here. What is "First Aid?" Is this a third party utility?
It's an option (button) in Disk Utility.
Ah, thank you. I never noticed it before.



הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
 
Posts: 30545 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
34" Scale 5-String
Picture of bronicabill
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UPDATE: Thankfully it appears my mother-in-law was able to get both accounts closed before any damage was done or money lost! Did she learn anything from this? Time will tell, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Now I'm curious to see what happens with the laptop. The malware that was installed is obviously still on there. Since the scammers got nothing from her, will they lock down or wipe out her computer? My brother-in-law is in IT with TVA and often helps them with their computer issues, so hopefully he will tackle this as my patience has run out providing computer support for them over the years. You tell them and show them what to do, and the next day it's all hosed up again.... over and over and over, ad nauseum! It's like trying to instruct a brick wall...

Somebody mentioned in a post above about dementia... well there is that going on, but with my father-in-law. He keeps answering the phone when my mother-in-law isn't at home and buying whatever the heck people are trying to sell. One month he bought over $300 in magazines, none of which they would ever read! My MIL had to call the CC company and reverse the charges and try to cancel all of the subscriptions. She has placed sticky notes on all of the phones stating "DO NOT ANSWER PHONE", but he does anyway! When sister-in-laws asked her why she didn't just take away the CC, she replied, "Oh, I can't do that." Eek Roll Eyes

And don't get me started about his driving... he should have been off the road YEARS ago!!! He's gonna kill somebody with that car, but she won't take away the keys, and the children won't get together and put their collective feet down about it! Since I'm the "black sheep" of the family, I pretty much have zero say-so about anything, so all I can do is stand by and watch, and offer support and encouragement to my wife when possible. It sucks...

I think I'm done ranting now. Peace out.


Bill R.
North Alabama
 
Posts: 4551 | Location: Madison, AL | Registered: December 06, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Don't Panic
Picture of joel9507
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quote:
Originally posted by bronicabill:
She has placed sticky notes on all of the phones stating "DO NOT ANSWER PHONE", but he does anyway!

She could get call forwarding, and forward the number to her cell (or to 'pest control' or to directory assistance if she doesn't want to bother with callers) when she's not home.

If it doesn't ring, he won't answer it. Wink

I have my home phone forward to Google Voice. Anyone not smart enough to navigate that and leave a message, we don't need to talk to.
 
Posts: 15001 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: October 15, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Go ahead punk, make my day
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quote:
Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:

Well, you went in completely the wrong direction with that. Nobody was talking about seniors with dementia or other health issues. The OP used the word "gullible", specifically. There was no mention of any mental or cognizance issues that could lead to this situation.

You also inserted judgement into my post where none was intended, while at the same time responding with some of your own.

Please read the OP and my response more thoroughly.
Yup, this.
 
Posts: 45798 | Registered: July 12, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Sigforum K9 handler
Picture of jljones
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A couple of notes-

I don't know where you are from, but around here, the local LE agencies press release to print/internet/tv outlets, and FB and other social media the latest scams almost weekly. And people still fall for them time after time. Don't feel bad, it's not just old people. People that should know better get hit. I'm talking professionals- doctors, lawyers, etc.

Some common traits of the scam- No matter what scam they are running, they all have common traits. Take the call in the evening from Sergeant Mike Lowery (my personal favorite scammer of all time) of the local sheriff's office. He calls and tells the vic that he has a warrant for missing federal jury duty. The warrant has a cash bond, or they are coming to pick up the vic. They then request the bond be paid by 1- Green Dot Money Cards 2- iTunes cards. They have the vic give them their cell phone number, and they either keep the vic on the phone the entire time, or call constantly. This high pressure tactic doesn't give the vic time to think, consult with anyone else, etc. They then take transfer of the numbers on the cards. After they do, the "find" another warrant for a smaller amount and demand payment. They instruct the vic to go to another location to obtain more green dot money cards. Once they get those numbers, they "find" another warrant. And this goes on until they obtain several thousand dollars, or the vic runs out of money, or they finally say no more.

The sad fact of the matter is that if these scams weren't extremely profitable for the scammers, they wouldn't be doing them. No matter how much LE puts out information about the scams, old or new, people constantly fall for them. Most of the scams originate from off shore, making prosecution near impossible.




www.opspectraining.com

"It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it works out for them"



 
Posts: 37084 | Location: Logical | Registered: September 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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I'm retired but have to work a shift a quarter in the department to keep my creds valid.

We've nailed several of these bastards with a couple of us "seniors" acting old and demented.
 
Posts: 7011 | Registered: April 02, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Joie de vivre
Picture of sig229-SAS
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quote:
Originally posted by fatmanspencer:
I hate to be that dick, but for their own health and safety, you might be able to get POA forced. Care for a loved one who is older isnt easy, but at the same time, you have to do it. Sometimes they need to be shown either they listen, or you will have to make a tough call.

I'm not saying this out of spite or a hatred of old people, trust me, its more the fact I have a grandfather who has Alzheimers, and if my grandmother passed, who knows how he would be off.


That's pretty close to what I was going to post. It sounds like they need a guardian and give them just enough funds to buy food and church. Very sad...
 
Posts: 3848 | Location: 1,960' up in Murphy, NC | Registered: January 29, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
His Royal Hiney
Picture of Rey HRH
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I'm going to have to chime in that it's only going to keep getting worse.

Someone in the family needs to step up and get the POA and other papers needed. There will come a time when they can't financially or materially take care of themselves. With the Alzheimers going on, the husband will have to go to a special unit to be taken care of.

The paperwork and financial responsibilities need to be taken care of now as it's not going to get easier and it might get too late.

For better or worse, I as the youngest child got the paperwork and finances under my responsibility for my parents. I had to endure maybe a year during which my sibling thought I was trying to take advantage of my dad. But that was over quickly. The worse part was dealing with my mother who didn't want any changes. Against her wishes, I entered my dad into an Alzheimer's unit after his 4th time of getting lost in the city because she wouldn't learn to walk with him but instead walk ahead of him.



"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946.
 
Posts: 19583 | Location: The Free State of Arizona - Ditat Deus | Registered: March 24, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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