#1 Miami Restaurant Attempts To Scam Extra Tip
Finally get back to the hotel and the emailed receipt thankfully had the entire pricing breakdown and I see there was already a 20% service charge on the bill that the server never told us about and I guess expected customers to blindly add a secondary tip hoping they wouldn’t read the receipt. I found this extremely unethical and I demanded the second tip back. Just remember to always check your receipts!
#2 Someone Is Using My Girlfriend's Recently Deceased Cat's Pictures To Scam People On Gofundme
Even if people are smart enough to recognize a scam, swindlers can still fool even the most cognizant minds. All it takes is the proper messaging from a supposedly credible source.
According to psychologist Dr. Robert Cuyler, these crooks use professional language and mirror the communication styles of trusted authorities, even family and friends.
"Once trust is gained, victims are more likely to comply with instructions without scrutiny,” Dr. Cuyler told Very Well Mind.
#6 Two “College Kids” Selling Chocolate Outside Of Target Said They Were Gonna Charge Me $5, Ended Up Trying To Scam Almost A Grand
As a recent graduate, I thought I was supporting two kids going through it right now. Ended up calling the police to hopefully have them sent away.
Fear is one of the most primal emotions that can make us take action in a heartbeat. According to biopsychologist Dr. Mary Poffenroth, scammers use tactics such as threats of legal action or financial loss to push their victims into their trap.
“Our capacity for critical thinking and logical decision-making suffers under a state of anxiety,” she explained.
#7 I Finally Started My Own Business And Got It Listed On Google Maps. I Was Thrilled Until This Started Happening Every Single Day
#8 I Fell For A Scam
They told me they were my local sheriff, I had to pay bail and submit to a signature analysis but if I hadn't paid first I would be cuffed and jailed for 72 hrs before appearing before a judge. They kept me on the phone for literal hours while I drove around trying to get $9300. I had my kid with me. They threatened me with jail and cps. The told me there was a gag order on my case and if I mentioned even that the money was for bail cops would arrest me. They told me there were officers within 3-5 blocks at all times to arrest me if I don't comply. They tried to get me to cash app them when I wasn't able to get anymore money out of atms. When that didn't work they then had me go to a bitcoin ATM ( they called it a state bail machine). Thats when I saw a sign describing my exact situation. I told the cashier I wasn't sure if this was legit and the scammer got irrate. Screaming threats including, cops, swat, labeling me as armed and dangerous, 1-5 years in jail, life in jail, and CPS taking my kid. I had the cashier call 911 because I was still terrified to hang up the phone. Then the scammers hung up. I sat in my car shaking for the next 10 minutes not sure who was coming cops I called or the swat ready for a fight.
I'm not a dumb person but it all felt so real. Now typing this I'm like " dude how did you fall for all these red flags". I was just trying to do the right thing. I've already made a police report, notified my banks, signed up for credit monitoring. I just wanted to warn people.
#9 Can't Use My $200 Printer And $50 Ink Because I Haven't Subscribed To This This "Optional" Service. Such A Scam
Many scammers also take stabs in the dark, waiting until someone falls for their schemes. As UNSW Sydney lecturer Dr. KF Cheung stated in an interview with the school publication, they take advantage of the lack of awareness about their scams, which are still prevalent.
“People inadvertently increase their chances of falling victim to scams by staying uninformed,” Dr. Cheung said.
#10 Details Were Stolen From A Selling Page And Used To Book A Car Rental. Email I Received When I Cancelled The Booking
One was for a foreign car company rental who I called and cancelled a booking after explaining.
The cheek of sending me an email in broken English and trying to guilt me about their father!
The hee hee to say was more than mildly infuriating.
#11 Ordered A $1000 Graphics Card From Amazon, Received 4 Cans Of Beef Ravioli
Dr. Cheung advises keeping a skeptical mindset because people will always find a way to take advantage of someone. This especially applies to unexpected offers that are too good to be true. As he reminds us, there is no harm in questioning the legitimacy of such claims.
#14 Biggest Scam/Most Ingenious Invention In History. Probably Been Through Over 10 Of These Adaptors Since They Got Rid Of The Headphone Jack
#15 Do Not Click The Link. If Your iPhone Is Stolen And You Get A New One, This Is A Phishing Scam To Confirm Your Apple ID And Asks You To Log In So They Get Your Password
It also helps to know the blatant red flags of a scam. The United States Postal Inspection Service listed them in a PDF document, one of which is a payment request, where someone would ask you to send them money in different forms.
These people will also have a questionable sense of urgency, whether they badger you to send the money as soon as possible or force you to collect a prize immediately.
#16 Received A Ring In The Mail - Is This A Scam?
This is all that came with it - that card, and the envelope it was contained in. When I went to the QR code, it gave a 403 Forbidden.
#17 Amazon Is Scamming People With AI Now
Another reminder from the US Federal Trade Commission is to resist the urge to act immediately. As the FTC points out, an honest business would give consumers ample time to make a decision.
If an unsettling gut feeling arises during an interaction with a potential scammer, it may be best to step back and listen.
#20 I Received A Zelle Payment Of $530 By Someone I Don’t Know
I am aware of the scams where you send the money back and then they chargeback your account through support. I haven’t sent them anything back. I declined and told them to contact their bank.
What would you do? How long should I keep the money if it isn’t taken from me?