Bigbid
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2010
- Messages
- 83
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I like to think I would never be scammed. A while ago a local innkeeper (Bill) called me collect from Canada saying he was up there for a wedding and he and his wife got mugged. He was in the hospital and I talked for him for quite a while and even his wife got on the phone. I know them both very well and it never crossed my mind I was not talking to them. They had everything stolen so I wired them $500. After I hung up, another innkeeper in town called me and said he had the same call from Bill. He was just getting ready to wire the money when a guest told him it could be a scam. He was sure he had also talked to Bill who he knew very well but he called their inn just in case. Bill answered and was fine and dandy here in town. Police and Western Union could not do a thing.
The next day “Bill” called back needing more money to get back home. I said “sure” and put him on hold and called the police and western union again telling them I had him on the phone. Nothing they could do. I got back on the phone and told Bill thanks for waiting because it gave the police enough time to surround his location. He dropped the phone. The only pleasure my $500 and $80 in collect phone charges gave me was thinking about him running for his life from no one.
I was told that thieves call an inn and record the innkeepers voices while they ask them questions about the Inn. They then work on impersonating the voices so the scam works. Even on the second phone call it sounded just like Bill. Oh well.
The next day “Bill” called back needing more money to get back home. I said “sure” and put him on hold and called the police and western union again telling them I had him on the phone. Nothing they could do. I got back on the phone and told Bill thanks for waiting because it gave the police enough time to surround his location. He dropped the phone. The only pleasure my $500 and $80 in collect phone charges gave me was thinking about him running for his life from no one.
I was told that thieves call an inn and record the innkeepers voices while they ask them questions about the Inn. They then work on impersonating the voices so the scam works. Even on the second phone call it sounded just like Bill. Oh well.