RawAlex
07-28-2010, 06:40 PM
I have to say that one of the things about being involved in online business is that every so often I get to see the better scams. However, I would have to say that these guys pretty much take the cake.
First off, the scam is a "phone" deal. Basically, I get a phone call on the business line asking for me personally. But the guy asking for me isn't so sure, and I have a feeling that it may be some "rep of the week" for one of the programs trying to hassle me. So I play dumb, say I am not in (I answered as the receptionist), and they guy said "it's okay, I will call back tomorrow". When I asked the company name, he sort of mumbled. Spanish sounding guy a bit, his english isn't exactly 100%. But again, I am sort of use to it considering some of the wonky cold calls I have gotten.
Anyway, today (being the next day), they call back again. Again I play dumb, putting them on hold and checking to see if I am in (I was on another call). Again, asking the company info, and so on. Again, mumbled response. There is a ton of background noise, sounds like a call center. I am suspicious, but playing dumb. He says he will call back tomorrow.
20 minutes later, he calls back. I figure he suffered enough, so I admit to being me. What follows is one of the weirdest sales pitches I have ever heard in my life. A total script, right down to the "Am I right Alex?", trying to get positive responses to nonsense points.
Basically, they are a company based in Panama (hello, red flag) that does investments (double red flag) with high yields (all I see is red flags), they mention a couple of companies, specifically a construction company in the New York area that has some sort of subdivision they are claiming to have financed). Anyway, the spiel is classic sales talk, and I can see where this is going from about 4 miles back (they are going to want my money to invest in something that doesn't exist).
After giving the guy a few moments to rattle off his prepared stuff, he finally asks the "kill" question, which is "wouldn't you like to have your money invested in something safe like this?". Talk about an opening. The setup is suppose to get the mark to say "why yes, it sounds so safe and those high returns would be great". My answer is something more like "no, sorrry, I cannot agree. Giving my money to a third party company hiding in Panama outside of my legal reach to invest in highly speculative real estate ventures doesn't seem like a really safe way to do things, it sounds more like a way to allow scammers to run away with my money and ensnare any pursuit in complication international laws, foreign laws, lawyers, and other levels of crap. In fact, it sounds like a perfectly good way to piss my money away, certainly more effecient that strippers and blow, because at least I would enjoy them."
I then asked him to stop calling and quit wasting my time.
Now the kicker - 10 minutes later, his "supervisor" calls and tries to talk sense into me. Holy crap, talk about high pressure bullshit! I basically told him if he wants to continue the discussion, that i would put him on hold and get the RCMP (federal police) on the line so he can explain their tactics and products more closely. Oddly, he hung up.
The phone number comes from the 630 area code, and the number is attached to any number of stupid scams, including toner sales scams, long distance phone scams, and the like.
Checking around turns up that the company is original from the UK, but basically cut and run when the UK government put them on the scam list. They have been sued by the BBC for falsely using their logos and implying association.
630 area code shows Chicago, but it would appear that the number is a long distance gateway from Panama. Watch out for this one. I am mentioning it here mostly because the name and phone number used are related ONLY to my online business, and nothing else, and would suggest that the information may have been obtained from an affiliate program.
First off, the scam is a "phone" deal. Basically, I get a phone call on the business line asking for me personally. But the guy asking for me isn't so sure, and I have a feeling that it may be some "rep of the week" for one of the programs trying to hassle me. So I play dumb, say I am not in (I answered as the receptionist), and they guy said "it's okay, I will call back tomorrow". When I asked the company name, he sort of mumbled. Spanish sounding guy a bit, his english isn't exactly 100%. But again, I am sort of use to it considering some of the wonky cold calls I have gotten.
Anyway, today (being the next day), they call back again. Again I play dumb, putting them on hold and checking to see if I am in (I was on another call). Again, asking the company info, and so on. Again, mumbled response. There is a ton of background noise, sounds like a call center. I am suspicious, but playing dumb. He says he will call back tomorrow.
20 minutes later, he calls back. I figure he suffered enough, so I admit to being me. What follows is one of the weirdest sales pitches I have ever heard in my life. A total script, right down to the "Am I right Alex?", trying to get positive responses to nonsense points.
Basically, they are a company based in Panama (hello, red flag) that does investments (double red flag) with high yields (all I see is red flags), they mention a couple of companies, specifically a construction company in the New York area that has some sort of subdivision they are claiming to have financed). Anyway, the spiel is classic sales talk, and I can see where this is going from about 4 miles back (they are going to want my money to invest in something that doesn't exist).
After giving the guy a few moments to rattle off his prepared stuff, he finally asks the "kill" question, which is "wouldn't you like to have your money invested in something safe like this?". Talk about an opening. The setup is suppose to get the mark to say "why yes, it sounds so safe and those high returns would be great". My answer is something more like "no, sorrry, I cannot agree. Giving my money to a third party company hiding in Panama outside of my legal reach to invest in highly speculative real estate ventures doesn't seem like a really safe way to do things, it sounds more like a way to allow scammers to run away with my money and ensnare any pursuit in complication international laws, foreign laws, lawyers, and other levels of crap. In fact, it sounds like a perfectly good way to piss my money away, certainly more effecient that strippers and blow, because at least I would enjoy them."
I then asked him to stop calling and quit wasting my time.
Now the kicker - 10 minutes later, his "supervisor" calls and tries to talk sense into me. Holy crap, talk about high pressure bullshit! I basically told him if he wants to continue the discussion, that i would put him on hold and get the RCMP (federal police) on the line so he can explain their tactics and products more closely. Oddly, he hung up.
The phone number comes from the 630 area code, and the number is attached to any number of stupid scams, including toner sales scams, long distance phone scams, and the like.
Checking around turns up that the company is original from the UK, but basically cut and run when the UK government put them on the scam list. They have been sued by the BBC for falsely using their logos and implying association.
630 area code shows Chicago, but it would appear that the number is a long distance gateway from Panama. Watch out for this one. I am mentioning it here mostly because the name and phone number used are related ONLY to my online business, and nothing else, and would suggest that the information may have been obtained from an affiliate program.