New craigslist scam approach

[KuruPrionz]

Pathetic, total fail.

 

Within a couple of minutes I got 4 emails through the craigslist email relay system.

 

All of them were from "different" people and all of them were the same content.

Without telling me which of the 8 or so items I have currently listed, they all said they wanted to buy it right now but they don't check their email so email them at "scammer-spammer address xxx.stupid".

 

I did open the first one, then marked it as spam and deleted it. I deleted the other 3 without looking any deeper than the same identical title.

In the past, I warded off scammers by posting "local cash only, no shipping", apparently that doesn't take care of all the stupid any more.

 

Be careful out there, it's a crazy world!!!!

[Anderton]

The amount of scam message, emails, and phone calls is totally out of hand. I've gotten to the point where I don't answer any phone call unless the number is in my contacts, or the caller leaves a voice mail. Even then, a lot of the voice mails are scams.

 

I'm not sure this is what Marshall McLuhan had in mind for the global wired village...

[RABid]

My wired phone stays unplugged unless I need it. All my friend and family text first, call my cell phone second. My cell phone only rings if the caller is in my contact list. This is a nice feature from Apple but a bit buggy. A lot of times someone in my contact list is still silenced. I had to turn the feature off for a few days after a doctor's visit. The office called me 5 times and every call was from a different number.

[KuruPrionz]

The amount of scam message, emails, and phone calls is totally out of hand. I've gotten to the point where I don't answer any phone call unless the number is in my contacts, or the caller leaves a voice mail. Even then, a lot of the voice mails are scams.

 

I'm not sure this is what Marshall McLuhan had in mind for the global wired village...

 

Probably not a popular idea but I've disabled everything possible in the Googlesphere on my Android, including internet, maps, etc. I don't log on, use passwords, send email, nothing.

 

I do get a ton of spam in my spam folder on my computer but almost never in my inbox. Once a day I scan the spam, select all and delete it.

 

My internet connection is cable modem. Doesn't prevent hacking but it's more work than hacking phones apparently.

[Notes_Norton]

I seldom answer the phone unless I know the caller. They can leave a message and if interesting, I'll call back.

 

It's an abuse of what used to be a very efficient form of communication. And it's a shame.

 

I'm getting advertising texts too. I block those numbers, but they are probably using burner phones anyway. Since I run a business, I can't block everything.

 

I've taken my e-mail link off my web page and posted it as a gif, so people have to type it to get to me. Sadly, I had to do that as I was getting hundreds of e-mails per day, and it just took too long to weed them out.

 

My web host has a way to block people as well, so if I get the same spam from the same address enough times, I'll block the e-mail address.

 

I never use Google as a search engine, but use StartPage instead, and I use a VPN for extra security. Of course, all this doesn't fix the problem, but I think it reduces it a bit.

 

It's the price we pay for progress, I suppose.

 

In any case, it pays to never drop your guard. Someone wants your money, and they ain't all from Nigeria anymore.

 

Notes â«

[Greg Mein]

I've gotten to the point where I don't answer any phone call unless the number is in my contacts

 

While I was still working I had my phone set so that it wouldn't ring unless the caller was on my contacts list and that was reflected in the voice mail message so that if it was legit they'd know to leave a message. As a doctor my wife couldn't do that and she often got scam callers. I turned that feature off after I retired but I honestly don't get many calls anyway, scam or otherwise. When it comes to internet stuff; Craigslist, messages, Facebook, email or whatever these folks are so incredibly obvious I no longer give it a second thought.

[The Real MC]

I seldom answer the phone unless I know the caller. They can leave a message and if interesting, I'll call back.

 

It's an abuse of what used to be a very efficient form of communication. And it's a shame.

 

I'm getting advertising texts too. I block those numbers, but they are probably using burner phones anyway. Since I run a business, I can't block everything.

 

I've taken my e-mail link off my web page and posted it as a gif, so people have to type it to get to me. Sadly, I had to do that as I was getting hundreds of e-mails per day, and it just took too long to weed them out.

 

My web host has a way to block people as well, so if I get the same spam from the same address enough times, I'll block the e-mail address.

 

I never use Google as a search engine, but use StartPage instead, and I use a VPN for extra security. Of course, all this doesn't fix the problem, but I think it reduces it a bit.

 

It's the price we pay for progress, I suppose.

 

In any case, it pays to never drop your guard. Someone wants your money, and they ain't all from Nigeria anymore.

 

Scammers have ruined the joy of email and cell phones. The telecoms and cell phone providers share the blame as caller ID is broken and they won't fix it. It has gotten so bad that like everyone else I had to screen the incoming calls, I will not pick up if the number is not in my contact list.

 

It's not just caller ID. Once they know where you live, the scammers spoof locations too.

 

During my job hunt I had been inundated with fake job offers in email and cell phone. Almost all with heavy European Indian accents. Some of them use the wrong pronunciation of "resume".

 

I have a web site and from the start my email was in a GIF and even that is only human readable. That seems to work well.

 

I especially have a hatred of the vehicle warranty spammers. B@st@rds...

[Anderton]

Sometimes I'm tempted to engage and torment these people, but then I figure that will just confirm a person can be reached at this phone number.

 

I've heard (but haven't tried it) that if you play a recording of the four ascending tones followed by the lady saying "This number is no longer in service," it will be understood by the automated machines and the number will be deleted. Then again, I've also heard there's a Santa Claus.

[KuruPrionz]

Today I got a call from an unfamiliar number.

My phone identified the caller as "Scam Likely".

 

Now I almost regret not using that as my alias on here...

[KenElevenShadows]

Sometimes I'm tempted to engage and torment these people, but then I figure that will just confirm a person can be reached at this phone number.

 

I've heard (but haven't tried it) that if you play a recording of the four ascending tones followed by the lady saying "This number is no longer in service," it will be understood by the automated machines and the number will be deleted. Then again, I've also heard there's a Santa Claus.

 

When they used to offer to send a money order for "too much" if I could mail them the thing I was selling, I would sure! They would ask for my address, and I would give them an address for the LAPD Fraud Division (without the "LAPD" part, of course).

[Anderton]

When they used to offer to send a money order for "too much" if I could mail them the thing I was selling, I would sure! They would ask for my address, and I would give them an address for the LAPD Fraud Division (without the "LAPD" part, of course).

 

The creativity force is strong in this one.

[KenElevenShadows]

Haha, yes, I felt that one was inspired.

 

I am selling three items on Facebook Marketplace. So far I have received seven responses, all for the same item.

 

All but one was written with very poor English. Several asked if I had Zelle (even though I stated that I was not shipping and that it was local pickup only), so apparently, that seems to be a thing now. They only asked about my camera lens too, which was surprising.

 

The lens I am selling is a Pentax lens. So the way I've been determining if it's a scam is simply asking what camera they are going to use this for. They either stop communicating or say "Cannon" (always misspelled) or "Nikon" (for those who don't know, a Pentax lens will not fit either, and no one in their right mind would purchase this lens when the manufacturer makes the appropriate mount for Canon and Nikon).

[KuruPrionz]

Haha, yes, I felt that one was inspired.

 

I am selling three items on Facebook Marketplace. So far I have received seven responses, all for the same item.

 

All but one was written with very poor English. Several asked if I had Zelle (even though I stated that I was not shipping and that it was local pickup only), so apparently, that seems to be a thing now. They only asked about my camera lens too, which was surprising.

 

The lens I am selling is a Pentax lens. So the way I've been determining if it's a scam is simply asking what camera they are going to use this for. They either stop communicating or say "Cannon" (always misspelled) or "Nikon" (for those who don't know, a Pentax lens will not fit either, and no one in their right mind would purchase this lens when the manufacturer makes the appropriate mount for Canon and Nikon).

 

 

The Fraud referral is hilarious!

I always put "local cash only, no shipping" on my craigslist ads. Imbeciles do ignore it, I ignore imbeciles.

FWIW, I have some vintage manual focus Pentax lenses (same K mount as yours) and there is an adapter for Canon EOS, which is the only dSLR that I have. With Live View and the zoom feature it is easy to get accurate focus.

The 28 2.8 is stupid sharp when stopped down to 5.6, edge to edge. And the 50 1.4 has smooth bokeh, better than any of my Canon lenses. I've mis-placed the adapter but I've kept the lenses because they are very nice.

 

So, it's possible one of them could just be another weirdo like me...