[Sean Camara]

Social media users reveal how they have been scammed from text messages and emails, to being pressured into paying by fraudsters abroad​

We've all heard the stories of people being scammed out of their hard-earned cash, but it's still shocking to see just how creative some scammers can be.

A recent thread on Reddit revealed the various ways in which people have been duped, from text messages and emails to being pressured into paying tricksters abroad.

A British Reddit user started the thread, asking: "What’s a scam that you or someone you know has fallen for?"

"There are so many scammer stories and documentaries going around and we always wonder how people could be so gullible - but have you or someone you know ever fallen for a scam?"

Scammers are being creative with new ways to trick people. Credit: Getty Images.​

A string of comments followed suit, with many sharing how someone they know got victimised by being duped into falling for various schemes.

One person shared: "Not fallen for it but stopped the scammers. My grandma got a phone call saying her Amazon account had been hacked and they wanted her details and my grandma got really confused and asked why she had an account with a rainforest."

"I know a couple of people who've fallen hard for MLM (multi-level marketing schemes) and I've had to mute their subsequent stream of ridiculous b****** on Facebook," another said.

"It's so sad and desperate - and surprising that (otherwise totally normal) people can't see the truth about these things once they're caught up in it."

A number of users also confessed that they have been scammed by strangers online.

One user wrote: "One of my parents fell for Microsoft ringing and advising them that they needed to access their laptop urgently to prevent a virus... despite me telling them if this ever happened to just say they were going to ring me as I work in an IT dept."

"Fortunately they're that bad with computers they couldn't even get the scammer's website to properly before they gave up and put the phone down."

Another said: "Around Christmas, there are those websites that look like they sell really nice jackets, jumpers, coats etc. so last Christmas my brother wanted a jacket and sent me a link to a website that sold it. Turned out it was a scam and I was out £100 ($177)."

A third chimed in: "A work colleague, 50ish woman, divorced for some years 'found true love’ with a man she met on Facebook. She is in the UK, he is American. Really wealthy, and had a couple of houses one on the beach in Florida. He was going to come across to the UK and propose."

"Strangely for a wealthy man, he did have a bit of a cash flow problem - and she was constantly sending him money, just to sort out a few minor things - but it was all legal and he would definitely pay her back - I mean all her money worries would soon be over when they were married."

"She lost all her friends because they were all jealous and kept telling her lies about this man, trying to make her believe it was all a scam. Last time we heard she was about to lose her home - she'd taken out a big loan to help him out and had somehow managed to send some £50k ($88,533.75) to a non-existent 'millionaire.'"

The thread sparked a string of comments from people who have fallen for a scam before. Credit: Reddit.​

Others shared their experiences of being scammed while travelling overseas.

One person claimed that they had been coerced into purchasing a "free gift bracelet", while another admitted that they spent lots of money on tea with two locals in Shanghai, China who said that they were just ‘looking to practice speaking English’.

The man who posted the question also shared his own experiences, writing: "Had a woman in India try to tell me I needed to pay to see India Gate. It's a public monument - the equivalent would be someone standing outside Big Ben saying you need to pay them just to look at it."

"I also got massively overcharged for a taxi in Prague and didn't even realise until I told a Czech friend how much I'd paid! I think I paid the equivalent of £20 ($35.42) when it should've been around £3 ($5.31), but I had no idea how much a taxi was supposed to cost."

"A mate of mine lost £2k ($3,541.74) because she'd signed up to a flat for her year abroad but couldn't get out to see it until she moved over - the listing and the seller immediately disappeared once she transferred the cash," another added.

It's worrying to see how easily people can be taken in by these scams, and it just goes to show that we all need to be on our guard. If you're ever unsure about something, trust your gut and don't be afraid to ask for help. Let's all stay one step ahead of the scammers!

 

[Ricci]

It's a worry when you see so many supposedly clever, level headed people being sucked in to these scams. You can't be too careful these days, I try to always have the possibility front of mind, I know roughly what I can expect on a day to day basis and if anything out of the ordinary pops up it sets my radar buzzing. If in doubt, check and double check.. It's better to look a bit silly when the subject turns out to be kosher than to be hundreds or thousands out of pocket.

 

[Senor]

I take the approach that if something is a good deal online then it must be a scam. At least buying something at the shop, I can go back and talk to someone.
If anyone asks money online that would be an automatic red flag. I would be incredibly suspicious and say no. And I would ask questions like "can't you borrow the money if you are so rich". I know they will try and explain but I am one of those who would be a pain.
When these computer "virus fixer" people call, I ask them lots of questions. Things like, "do I have to turn my computer on for them to access it" Oh no! sorry it was already on and I accidentally turned it off. Can you please wait 5 minutes as the computer is old and takes a long time to turn on. And then I ask them to explain how the virus infected my computer. Ask them to explain how things on the computer work. And finally "Can you wait there is someone at the door". I leave them hanging for a while. Eventually they go away. But it is fun for me.
Please don't fall for these crooks.

 

[Jaynius]

I take the approach that if something is a good deal online then it must be a scam. At least buying something at the shop, I can go back and talk to someone.
If anyone asks money online that would be an automatic red flag. I would be incredibly suspicious and say no. And I would ask questions like "can't you borrow the money if you are so rich". I know they will try and explain but I am one of those who would be a pain.
When these computer "virus fixer" people call, I ask them lots of questions. Things like, "do I have to turn my computer on for them to access it" Oh no! sorry it was already on and I accidentally turned it off. Can you please wait 5 minutes as the computer is old and takes a long time to turn on. And then I ask them to explain how the virus infected my computer. Ask them to explain how things on the computer work. And finally "Can you wait there is someone at the door". I leave them hanging for a while. Eventually they go away. But it is fun for me.
Please don't fall for these crooks.

Haha. I've done similar, by pretending that I'm really, really old and confused, get them to repeat their spiel over and over for aaages, then revert to my normal voice and tell them to stop scamming innocent people. Response? Click.

 

[margie]

if the person ringing me dosn't answer me straight away i put the phone down i get a lot of these phone calls and i'm sick of them i tell them before i hang up to fuck off and don't call here again i tell my family and friends to leave a message and i will get back asap and you notice they don't leave a message that's when you know they are scammers and their phone is always disconected they are a real shit problem

 

[Senor]

Margie, I agree with you. By the way, I read somewhere a few weeks ago that these "spam" calls are initiated via a phone "dialling" machine. As soon as the machine detects a human voice the call is transferred to a human at the other end. So if I get a call from a number I don't recognise, I don't say anything for 5 seconds or so and the "machine" at the other end hangs up. I have tested it and I haven't spoken to a sales call for the time I have been doing this. Previously I would get calls frequently enough from these sales people. Obviously, I don't do this to the numbers I recognise. Perhaps I should!! Just kidding.
Also I found that if there is a human at the other end they will generally say hello straight away. So if I get a call from a tradie who is coming over, when I answer the phone they will straight away start talking. This may not be foolproof but it has worked until now.
Has anyone else had similar experience?

 

[Sunshine45]

Just be aware folks and ask for a number to call them back when you have "taken something out of the oven!" NEVER send money to anyone on line.
Had a request today "send my details as the address label on my "package" was torn off and to send $3 to reprint the label.....well I guess that's one package they won't be delivering.

 

[PattyBlanch]

The longest I've ever had a scammer on the line is just over 33 minutes. I become a ditsy old lady. I have to leave the room to go and turn the computer on and come back. No, I can't take the phone to the computer. I say "don't hang up, don't hang up". Meanwhile I play a game on the tablet while they wait. I have fun. Then the bitcoin scammer gets my senile old lady. "do you know my son? He's a good boy". Just throw this in regularly and keep repeating things until they hang up. I love scammers. But unless you have time to toy with them better to be safe and just hang up.

 

[SandyM]

I usually ask them who I'm talking to & then say, "Dennis! You're supposed to be here to help me. You know I can't move the dead body myself. It's too heavy & really starting to smell!" They usually hang up by then!

 

[Ricci]

Sean, would you please look at new member brianparisi04, I have just read a very questionable post from him in the article "Couple who won the lottery cut off by family (245). I'm not sure that we need that type of content. Thanks