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Country Girl

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[There were some detials in this fraud that may have been stolen from a legitimate person so to protect them, just in case I have snipped a few bits of info like CC numbers and Names - swirt]
This is a new one for me. I received a phone call from an AT&T operator stating the person on the other end was hearing impaired and wanted to book a room through a relay call, where the guest typed everything to the operator and the operator read that typed message to me and then typed back my response to the guest. Everything seemed legit and the person booked 3 nights. At the end of the conversation the guest asked if they could send their luggage ahead by a few days and they would pay the delivery charge through me. I would charge their credit card and then pay the delivery person myself. Only the charge for delivering the luggage was $780.00! Then I was to wire a check back to them. I knew at that point it was a scam. But they had me on the phone for over 40 minutes. The "guest" then emailed me the following letter. I'm not sure if any of the names are legit. I did call Visa to let them know.

[FONT= 'Times New Roman']hello [/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']thanks for mailing me now, and thanks for your swift conversation over the relay call now and i do hope i will like to have a good reservation with you.[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'] [/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']as i said earlier that coming from CONNECTICUT to your state in MASSACHUSETTS to spend 3 nights.[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']Okay my full name is [snipped by swirt][/FONT] my home address in CT IS[FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']Street.[snipped by swirt][/FONT] street[FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']City..Waterbury[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']State..Connecticut[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']Zip code..06702[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman'] and due to my hearing problem, am about to finish my ear surgery in next 2 days and my doctor told me not to use phone for now ,so you can only contact me on my via email address at [/FONT][snipped by swirt][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']so have already have your full details with me right here and i do hope you will have got my full details about me a s well have forward that to the carrier that will be bringing my luggage to your bed and breakfast tomorrow by 6 pm[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']i will like you to have my credit card charge now as soon as possible you can and to know am very interesting with the room and that is how i want you to operate on credit card okay.[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'] [/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman'] you going to do me a favor as a new guest, please I would like you to add an extra $780 to the total cost of the reservation ,is for the private carrier agent because the carrier do not have facilities to charge on my credit card and, so that you can have all that charged on my credit card now and after you charge my card thru,you will have the $780 send to the private carrier in cash via western union money transfer so that the carrier can have the luggage deliver to you with their private bus so that there wouldn't be any problem or disappointment with the reservation and also add $200 as tip for your business,including the $70 western union fee and let me have the total cos t plus the room bill of $525 so i want you to handle that for me .[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'] [/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']i should have pay the private carrier charge at the first place but they does not accept credit card as a method of payment and i want to make sure my luggage arrive probably tomorrow by 4 pm that is the reason why i want you to help me out with this and you are to charge all the expenses and the western union charge from my credit card okay So I will like you add that up for my now and I will be giving you my credit card to charge for the full payment of that and I will be holding for the approval code right now[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'] [/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman'] i will like you charge my credit card for the carrier chargers of $780 ,the room bill $525,$70-for the western union fee and $200 for you helping for the favor this is it below .[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'] [/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']ROOM BILL $525[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']CARRIER FEE $780[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']YOUR TIPS $200[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']WESTERN UNION CHARGES (FEE) $70[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman'] TOTAL $1575[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']so you will be changing my card for the total of $1575 so you will be charging the one by one due to the spending limit on it you will first charge $1000 after that you will charge the the reaming $630 hope you understand that and this the credit card details below ,[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']name on card......[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][snipped by swirt][/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']card type...........VISA CARD[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']card number..............46[snipped by swirt][/FONT]73[FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman'] exp date ....0613[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']and don't forget after you charge my credit card through with you for amount of $ 1575 then you will drive down to the western union office near you with amount of $1050 and you will have the $780 send to the carrier for me and the western union will charge you for the $70 and you will have the remaining $200 is f for you for helping me for the carrier.[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']and this is the carrier address head office address that they use in receiving fund through western union and this also the name of the carrier that will be delivery my luggage for you below,[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'] [/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']Name ......... [/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][snipped by swirt][/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']Address............[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][snipped by swirt][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']city............Elberton,[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']state.........GEORGIA[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']zip code......30635[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']and due to my due to my physical disability of hearing i only contact the carrier agent through email address at [snipped by swirt][/FONT] okay.[FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'] [/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']and when you are through with the western union you can get back to me with the[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']CONFIRMATION NUMBER[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']SENDER NAME[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']SENDER ADDRESS[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
[FONT= 'Times New Roman']and i will be able to forward that to the information to the carrier to cash it up and he will ready to bring my luggage for me okay, i will be looking back for your reply now[/FONT][FONT= 'Times New Roman'][/FONT]
 
EXACT same address they gave us a few weeks ago, different name. Same scenario. The caller refused to give cc details or an email address. We told the operator it was a scam. But it wasted 30 minutes.
 
Any time I get a relay call now, I tell the operator that I'm refusing the call. Then hang up. As we've said before, if it were a legit hearing impaired person, they can always make a reservation from the website or send us an e-mail.
Unfortunately, relay calls are now untrustworthy.
 
OOPS...you should remove that cc number! It's probably stolen. And someone will be upset seeing it posted online.
 
OOPS...you should remove that cc number! It's probably stolen. And someone will be upset seeing it posted online..
Madeleine said:
OOPS...you should remove that cc number! It's probably stolen. And someone will be upset seeing it posted online.
Sssshhhhh! I was just about to place a big order at Amazon with that number ;-)
 
I bought a new plasma tv before you took the numbers down!!!
smileystooges.gif
 
Except we never got that far, it is the exact same scenario. Luggage shipped, same address for the supposed guest. Same ear operation, the whole thing.
Can't believe you turned down the $200 tip! ;)
 
I missed some of this first time through...good that you called VISA to let them know. The card probably was stolen. That they wanted you to split the charge up indicates that. (Bad math, BTW, it doesn't add up. Those wacky Nigerians scammers!)
 
EXACT same address they gave us a few weeks ago, different name. Same scenario. The caller refused to give cc details or an email address. We told the operator it was a scam. But it wasted 30 minutes..
Today I spent 35 minutes on the phone and then received an almost identical email, so they're still around. Watch out!!!

Three Oaks Guest Inn
Valley City, ND
 
EXACT same address they gave us a few weeks ago, different name. Same scenario. The caller refused to give cc details or an email address. We told the operator it was a scam. But it wasted 30 minutes..
Today I spent 35 minutes on the phone and then received an almost identical email, so they're still around. Watch out!!!

Three Oaks Guest Inn
Valley City, ND
.
Same here, I went through the same identical routine today.
Crestview Inn
Thomaston, GA
 
EXACT same address they gave us a few weeks ago, different name. Same scenario. The caller refused to give cc details or an email address. We told the operator it was a scam. But it wasted 30 minutes..
Today I spent 35 minutes on the phone and then received an almost identical email, so they're still around. Watch out!!!

Three Oaks Guest Inn
Valley City, ND
.
Same here, I went through the same identical routine today.
Crestview Inn
Thomaston, GA
.
Welcome to the forum Crestview Inn! Not too far from Warm Springs and Callaway Gardens. Beautiful area!
 
We had a slew of "relay" calls a while back. Not always scammers, but always crazy or bogus. Finally. when we received them we would say that "due to repeated abuse of the relay system we would no longer accept the calls and that the caller was invited to contact us through our web site ..... .com". Seems heartless, but we wasted too much time for not one legitimate user.
 
We had a slew of "relay" calls a while back. Not always scammers, but always crazy or bogus. Finally. when we received them we would say that "due to repeated abuse of the relay system we would no longer accept the calls and that the caller was invited to contact us through our web site ..... .com". Seems heartless, but we wasted too much time for not one legitimate user..
Tom said:
We had a slew of "relay" calls a while back. Not always scammers, but always crazy or bogus. Finally. when we received them we would say that "due to repeated abuse of the relay system we would no longer accept the calls and that the caller was invited to contact us through our web site ..... .com". Seems heartless, but we wasted too much time for not one legitimate user.
Tom, what is sad is the fact that scumballs take advantage of a program to assist individuals.
 
There was an article in our local newspaper recently about a lawyer who is suing the phone company because they know that these calls are scams, yet they make their operators take them anyway and supposedly the phone company is getting big bucks from some gov't agency for processing the scam calls.
Ah, the plot thickens!
 
I received the same inquiry tonight using the same name. She requested a room and when I told thru the operator, we did not rent a room, just the whole Lodge at the rate of $495 per night, she said that was fine. It just did not make sense and then I received the same email with the scam. While talking, I goggled her and found this link. Thanks for being on top of this type of scam.
 
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