Beware of Charles Garwood OT

[48mirage]

I have received a couple of emails from the above named individual offering to sell me parts that I had been looking for in the past. He promises I will like what he has, in London, to offer and says that he can only accept Western Union. He lists a phone number with the right country code but when I look up his IP address his email originated in California.

[Plymouthy Adams]

good info..sure we will all appreciate your first hand experience...seems nothing is sacred anymore...

[Joe Flanagan]

A bit on the same subject. On Sunday morning at about five o'clock, my wife got a call from someone claiming to be from the fraud department at our credit union. They said there had been fraudulent activity on our ATM card and they needed us to call them back immediately. They left this message on her cell. I called our credit union and they said they would never call at 5 in the morning. Also, they would identify themselves, which this caller did not. I tried calling the number to mess with them a little but it was disconnected. And that was only about six hours after they called. Probably one of those throw away cell phones.

[John Mulders]

I just received a fax from the IRS at the office, not a US citizen etc so not for me but the form asked for bank account details etc etc.

Just wonder how many people will react..

Filed it in the round archive

John

[JerseyHarold]

FWIW, if you want to yank the chain of the "call us quick there's a problem" scammers, don't forget to block your phone number so they can't see who you are. That's *67 on most phones.

[Fluid drive]

There was a comedian on the radio years ago that said " I had me a raffle and raffled off a dead mule. Only made one man mad and I gave him his money back"

[T120]

..and that was the winner of the raffle of course.

[blueskies]

...I tried calling the number to mess with them a little but it was disconnected....

Reminds me of this, the best ever telemarketing payback... I'm still laughing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2RAzjZ3zzY

Pete

[JIPJOBXX]

You are totally right on that last U-Tube it is funny and if your ever down its a great way to pick you up!!!!! We have all been there with the phone solicitor.

But back on track a few months ago I did get a phone call from Visa early Sunday morning and someone had been using my particular credit card number to buy various items. They called me up to ask me if I had made such purchases and of course I had not. Well they contacted all the stores this guy had called to and stop payment on all the charges except for a three of the products. They said I would not haft to pay for those items and sent me a new credit card.

Good to live in America with all those crooks!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joe Flanagan]

What I wanted to do was call them up and say, "I guess you'll need my PIN, then, won't you?" And they would have said, "Yes, we do." Then I would have said, "Here it is:" And then I was going to let loose with an air horn right into the receiver.

[radioguy7]

I have a policy, if someone calls and can not pronounce my name or i can not understand what they are saying I promptly hang up. Or... I love the calls you get where they put you on hold right away, saying "we have an important call for you" then leave you hanging for a few minutes until some Indian guy comes on the phone.

[Joe Flanagan]

Then you tell the Indian guy to hold on for just a second and put the phone down and go and do something else.

[dirty dan]

You are totally right on that last U-Tube it is funny and if your ever down its a great way to pick you up!!!!! We have all been there with the phone solicitor.

But back on track a few months ago I did get a phone call from Visa early Sunday morning and someone had been using my particular credit card number to buy various items. They called me up to ask me if I had made such purchases and of course I had not. Well they contacted all the stores this guy had called to and stop payment on all the charges except for a three of the products. They said I would not haft to pay for those items and sent me a new credit card.

Good to live in America with all those crooks!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a similar instance with my Visa just after Christmas. Visa flagged it when someone in India was trying to make air travel reservations. They closed my account. Sent me a list of transactions to verify or deny, and sent me a different card within 2 days.

I wonder how much all of that fraud is costing us.

[Young Ed]

I heard or read somewhere if there was no credit card fraud the credit companies could get by with charging 2-3% interest and still make a decent profit.

[Captain Neon]

That's interesting, Ed. Perhaps a colleague at work with the Target National Bank could confirm? A little OT, My wife got a letter stating that all Target cards are getting an across the board rate increase. Now that our nearest Target is over 1.5 hours away and my wife is no longer a Target employee, we almost never use it. I've always been real good about paying that one off in full each month as well.

I wonder if other credit cards will be doing similar soon.

[Young Ed]

I wouldnt be surprised if other cards were doing the same thing. Its kinda whats going on right now. The percentages might be a little off but I'm sure they could be a lot lower if no one stole. Just like the prices in the stores could be lower if there was no shoplifting. Both interesting to think about but neither are likely to happen.

[Don Coatney]

I heard or read somewhere if there was no credit card fraud the credit companies could get by with charging 2-3% interest and still make a decent profit.

Easy to lower the interest rate on credit cards. Dont use them or if you do pay them off every month.

[Reg Evans]

Easy to lower the interest rate on credit cards. Dont use them or if you do pay them off every month.

Yeah, I learned a long time ago that if I can't pay for it now I really don't have to have it now.

[Plymouthy Adams]

remember when...Buying on Time meant you got it before they sold out?