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Yet Another Scam - Don't Be Fooled

I guess I could devote an entire blog just to scams; it seems there's a new one (or ten...) popping up every day. This latest one is a new one for me, though.

I got a call on my cell phone from an 876 area code last night (Sunday) at around 10:30 PM. I received 2 more calls from the same number about 17 minutes later. Interestingly enough, the caller left a voicemail message from "Mr. Shaw" at "eService" from what I could make out.

money man After completing the call I was already on and checking the vmail message, I returned the call to "Mr. Shaw". Now he says he's with "Lieners International" and I tell him that I'm returning his call and ask him how I could help him. He hung up on me after repeated requests from me to spell his name and his company; his accent was so thick you could cut it with a knife and most of my part of the conversation sounded something like, "huh?", "what?", "could you repeat that, please?", and "could you spell that, please?"

Anyways, I called back (giving him the benefit of doubt). Who knows, maybe it was a dropped call? It just rang...

Fast forward to this morning at 8:26 AM. Why look, it's a call from "Mr. Shaw"! And, he informs me that I am the winner of 2.5 million dollars from Publisher's Clearing House. "The Publisher's Clearing House?", I giddily reply. "Yes, the Publisher's Clearing House," he says. Then he goes on to congratulate me, detail how the money will be dispersed, and explain that since this is soooo much money, it'll need to be insured....yada....yada....yada....you know the rest.

He wanted me to wire the "insurance money" in the amount of $100 to Jamaica.

I laughed hysterically in his ear and told him that wasn't going to happen today. He said something oh, so clever like "F#@$ you!" and I uttered something not too nice about his mama.

I get emails all the time warning me about calling 876 numbers but this caught me off guard since it was to my cell phone. All total, I made about 2 minutes in calls to this number.

Just waiting on the phone bill to see how much I'm out...

Posted by Lanette Branch on 03/17/2008 08:58 AM

Comments (23)

scam, jamaica, 876, publishers clearing house, lanette branch, phone scam, 876 scam, 8764758473

Post is included in group: You've GOT to be kidding
Post is included in group: Home Staging 101

23 Comments on Yet Another Scam - Don't Be Fooled

BTW, the number was 876-475-8473.

03/17/2008 09:03 AM

by Lanette Branch (RE/MAX 1st Advantage Realty, Inc.)

Hahahaa.. can you believe people might fall for this... Oh and soooo professional, too bad they have to waste our cell calls on stupid stuff.

03/17/2008 09:04 AM

by Kim Kelley (Coldwell Banker Sky Ridge Realty)

If people that did these scams worked as hard at....I don't know doing something like helping the homeless, It would be a great world!

Thanks for the heads up!

03/17/2008 09:06 AM

by Real Living Partners

You know, Kim, some people actually do fall for it and it's unfortunate that these folks are so trusting/naive and are being taken advantage of.

It's just such a sad commentary on the world in which we live, don't you think?

03/17/2008 09:07 AM

by Lanette Branch (RE/MAX 1st Advantage Realty, Inc.)

I'm getting more and more junk calls on my cell phone. Guess they know we are seldom home so they'll get us where ever we are when ever they want to. Nice blog and written well.

03/17/2008 09:12 AM

by Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage)

Man, if only half of the emails I have received in the last 2 weeks were were true, I would have over 10 billion coming from egypt, 80 billion from nigera, and 358 million from cuba!

03/17/2008 09:14 AM

by Jeremy Blanton- Myrtle Beach Real Estate ,Coldwell Banker Chicora (Coldwell Banker Chicora Real Estate)

Lanette,

I would have loved to be privy to that conversation. Your description of your exchange has me rolling in the isles. LOL

Thanks for the Tel # and the laugh.

03/17/2008 09:14 AM

by Downtown Portland Real Estate Broker~Herb Hamilton (RE/MAX Preferred Inc. Realtors)

Think about it, Scott, if "Mr. Shaw" expended half of his energy on something worthwhile like the homeless, he'd make a significant difference in at least one person's life.

It all starts w/just one person...

03/17/2008 09:15 AM

by Lanette Branch (RE/MAX 1st Advantage Realty, Inc.)

What a complete waste of your personal weekend time...

Surely these people could be doing constructive things in the world right??

They are like Human Tapeworms of Society......

03/17/2008 09:26 AM

by Chris Catanese (Ultimate First Time Buying Guides)

Barb, He really did catch me off guard on this one and I really hope this is not the first of many to my cell--uggh!

HaHaHa! I feel you, Jeremy, we would all be fithy, stinkin' rich off of all that international money, now wouldn't we?

03/17/2008 09:35 AM

by Lanette Branch (RE/MAX 1st Advantage Realty, Inc.)

I love it, Lanette! When those (and other sales calls) come to my cell, I've started doing what you did and finishing up with "this phone is registered on the national Do Not Call List. Thank you for making sure I know exactly who is going to be fined, since your name, number and company are going to be reported. I think that there are increases in the fines and even jail time for repeat violations."

Strange, but the number of sales/scam calls to my cell phone have been dramatically reduced...even though it isn't on the Do Not Call List...

03/17/2008 09:36 AM

by Kent Simpson REALTOR®, CNS®, AHS®, RECS® (with The Pepper Group™ Diversified Real Estate)

Lanette - What really kills me is their response to you! I had one that was a leads service - I said "no, thank you, I am not interested" and she HONESTLY said to me, "Well, you F%$ing should be!" and then hung up. I couldn't BELIEVE IT!

03/17/2008 09:38 AM

by Leesa L. Finley, REALTOR® (Circa Properties)

You're welcome, Herb.

You truly would have been ROTFLYAO if you were a fly on the wall...

I have to say that it was worth whatever my per minute charge may be to be able to tell "Mr. Shaw" exactly what I thought about him and the lady that birthed him. (Not sure if birthed is a word, but surely you get my point?...)

03/17/2008 09:39 AM

by Lanette Branch (RE/MAX 1st Advantage Realty, Inc.)

Thanks for sharing that tibdit, Kent -- that's a great way to handle these types of calls. The very next call I get, I'll say what you've shared verbatim AFTER I talk about their mama!

03/17/2008 09:56 AM

by Lanette Branch (RE/MAX 1st Advantage Realty, Inc.)

I too have had this same call. I too was foolish enough to call back. It added about $4 to my phone bill.

03/17/2008 10:01 AM

by Kevin Robinson (Crownline Home Builders)

Chris, it would be a lovely world to live in without the leeches sucking all the unsuspecting "hosts" dry, wouldn't it?

Wow, Leesa! Did you follow up on that one? That is UNREAL!

Kevin, did you at least get your name-call on for your $4? LOL!

03/17/2008 10:05 AM

by Lanette Branch (RE/MAX 1st Advantage Realty, Inc.)

I have gotten these before. Watch out. Thanks for sharing. Royal..

03/17/2008 10:15 AM

by Royal Goodman @ GI Group, LLC (GI Group, LLC.)

No problem, Royal. It's just such a shame we always have to keep our guard up 24/7.

03/17/2008 01:34 PM

by Lanette Branch (RE/MAX 1st Advantage Realty, Inc.)

Lanette,

That stinks. The sad thing is, these people prey on the elderly and others who may not realize this is a scam. If I get one more email from the Prince of RandomCountryofTheWeek saying how he wants to buy a house here for his bride, I'm gonna scream! Another one I got recently was from a "widow" who decided to give me her husband's millions of dollars so I could donate it to charity as I saw fit. Fit to be tied!

03/18/2008 12:09 AM

by Audrey Hoffman, SimplyStage (SimplyStage)

It is these constant attacks that help to keep us sharp. I don't think that calling obvious scammers back is that good of an idea though.

03/18/2008 09:15 AM

by Downtown Portland Real Estate Broker~Herb Hamilton (RE/MAX Preferred Inc. Realtors)

Too bad it wasn't from Publishers Clearinghouse, I doubt they would call your cell phone anyway. Scammers make me sick, and how stupid do they think we are, sure...I'll wire the money right over!!

03/31/2008 09:10 PM

by Cindy Bryant~Houston's Home Staging & Home Stagers By Redesign Etc.~RESA~ASHSR (Redesign Etc., Inc.-Texas)

I've received 7 calls from 876-365-9468 in the past 48 hours. I have not answered or calledback. I really wish that verizon allowed you to block numbers.

04/11/2008 03:48 PM

by Frank

i got called and they attempted to scam me from the following jamacian numbers....

876 896 6505 and 876 407 3038 and 876 412 5792 and 876 884 8994

so far...where's chris hansen when ya need him?

07/11/2008 08:30 PM

by sean

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