Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: My dad got scammed for 61k.

  1. #1
    Guns Network Contributor 01/2015 Altarboy's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    4,927

    My dad got scammed for 61k.

    Someone claiming to be connected with the DEA contacted him and told him his grandson (my son) was implicated in a drug bust, and he would need money for bail etc...My (apparently) soft headed Dad fed-exed them cash. He is 81 and I guess this is the beginning of the end.

  2. #2
    Registered User LAGC's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    8,655
    God dammit... nothing pisses me off more than hearing about stories like this.

    Low-life pieces of SH!T that take advantage of the elderly like that... especially since so many of these scammers know the older generation tends to me more trusting and less cynical of other people than us younger generations, at least until something like this happens to them.

    I hope you at least reported it promptly to the FBI. The feds take this shit real seriously (since it usually involves interstate commerce, plus impersonating a federal law enforcement officer in this case) and come down hard on these assholes when they can find them. If you're lucky, if they are able to catch him, you might be able to recoup some of the money from restitution once they seize all his ill-gotten assets in forfeiture.
    Last edited by LAGC; 09-30-2017 at 06:41 PM.
    "That tyranny has all the vices both of democracy and oligarchy is evident. As of oligarchy so of tyranny, the end is wealth; (for by wealth only can the tyrant maintain either his guard or his luxury). Both mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms." -- Aristotle, Book V, 350 B.C.E

  3. #3
    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    VA
    Posts
    7,665
    A guy I knows father in law got a similar call from someone claiming to be his grandson who lives out of state. Said he had been arrested on bull shit charges and needed money for an attorney. Seemed to have quite a few facts. The only thing that prevented a similar outcome was the bank. When the FIL showed up to withdraw the funds the head teller contacted the daughter who ended up calling her sister to check on the son. Wasn't in jail. Complete scam.
    Gunsnet member since 1999
    USN 1978-86
    BCCI Life Member #2068

    •" We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. " George Orwell

  4. #4
    Senior Member JTHunter's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    5,021
    Sorry to hear that AB.
    Have you considered setting up your Dad's accounts so they need a co-signer for all transactions over a certain amount?
    “I have little patience with people who take the Bill of Rights for granted. The Bill of Rights, contained in the first ten amendments to the Constitution, is every American’s guarantee of freedom.” - - President Harry S. Truman, “Years of Trial and Hope”

  5. #5
    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    ┌П┐(◣_◢)┌П┐
    Posts
    15,653
    Quote Originally Posted by Altarboy View Post
    Someone claiming to be connected with the DEA contacted him and told him his grandson (my son) was implicated in a drug bust, and he would need money for bail etc...My (apparently) soft headed Dad fed-exed them cash. He is 81 and I guess this is the beginning of the end.
    I really don't understand why "older" people so readily fall for scams. If this happened 10 or 20 years ago, I'll bet your Dad would have told them to take a hike.

    I remember in the late 1970's when there were only a few different charge cards. All of them started with the same number. For example, Master Card started with "5215" and Visa with "4258".

    There was a scam going around where scheisters would call people claiming to be from a bank or an insurance company.

    They would say something like "Hello Mrs. Smith, I'm Joe Blow from the bank and we need to verify your Mastercard. Our records show you as having card number 5215.......long pause..." and sure as shit the person on the phone would rattle off the rest of the digits. Then, verify the expiration date and bingo... free charge card (they didn't use the CVCC code on the back like they do now).

    When I heard about it I didn't believe that people could be so gullible, so I tried it myself. I never USED the card data, I just tried to see if I could get it.

    My "name" was "Nate Coleman" and I was with "personal accounts manager" with "the bank".

    Out of 30 or so different calls, I got at least 10 credit card numbers with expiration dates.

    *I* was just curious to see if it worked like people said (it did), and I never intended to use the data (nor did I ever use it), but it was an eye opener to find out how easily people could be scammed, and for sure most of the people who made calls like that were not "experimenting", they were stealing.

    And, most of my "successes" were from calling "old people" (I could tell by the voice).

    -----------------------

    In 1983 my Mom was in the hospital and she had a massive heart attack and died. I was there when it happened and I saw everything the nurses and doctors did (and tried to do) and they did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong.

    Then a week later a fucking scum sucking lawyer comes to my Dad's house and offers to "investigate the hospital and see if there could be any compensation for malpractice" (requiring an initial $500 fee to pay for the "investigation and clerical costs"). My Dad (amazingly) asked me to come over and meet with the lawyer and then give him my opinion whether he should pursue a lawsuit or not.

    I listened to the lawyer's "sales pitch" and knew he was full of shit (plus I knew the hospital did nothing wrong). I advised my Dad to not deal with this guy or try to do a lawsuit. But, stubborn guy he was, he gave the fuck lawyer a $500 check and about a week later he came back with some copies of hospital records and proclaimed that "there was no evidence of malpractice and no basis for a lawsuit" (duh REALLY?).

    I was furious. My Dad asks my advice, then goes and does it his way anyway and the lawyer fucked him good (didn't even have the decency to use lube). I'm glad the lawyer wasn't there when I arrived. I was in a mood that I could have perforated his head with a few 230 grain lumps of lead.

    WHY do old people fall for shit like that?
    Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!

  6. #6
    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    ┌П┐(◣_◢)┌П┐
    Posts
    15,653
    Quote Originally Posted by JTHunter View Post
    Sorry to hear that AB.
    Have you considered setting up your Dad's accounts so they need a co-signer for all transactions over a certain amount?
    If his Dad is as stubborn as mine was, no way will he consent to any kind of "co-signer" or "power of attorney" arrangement (although it IS a good idea.......)
    Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!

  7. #7
    Registered User LAGC's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    8,655
    Quote Originally Posted by Krupski View Post
    WHY do old people fall for shit like that?
    Part of it might be early-stage dementia, but it really does seem like many older folks are just more trusting of others' intentions in general. I find it hard to put the blame on the person being scammed, regardless.

    Good to see the banks starting to be more proactive and asking questions when elderly folks try to suddenly withdraw a bunch of cash, as Richard Simmons testified to...
    "That tyranny has all the vices both of democracy and oligarchy is evident. As of oligarchy so of tyranny, the end is wealth; (for by wealth only can the tyrant maintain either his guard or his luxury). Both mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms." -- Aristotle, Book V, 350 B.C.E

  8. #8
    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    ┌П┐(◣_◢)┌П┐
    Posts
    15,653
    Quote Originally Posted by LAGC View Post
    Part of it might be early-stage dementia, but it really does seem like many older folks are just more trusting of others' intentions in general. I find it hard to put the blame on the person being scammed, regardless.

    Good to see the banks starting to be more proactive and asking questions when elderly folks try to suddenly withdraw a bunch of cash, as Richard Simmons testified to...
    I don't have any "credit" cards. I use a debit card and transfer cash to it when I want to buy something.

    My usual purchases are like $5.00 for coffee and a bagel, or $30 to $50 for some thing at Amazon.

    But the other day I bought an amateur radio (ham radio) transceiver for around $2000 (VERY atypical of my spending patterns).

    I got an email and a text message asking me to contact the bank to verify that it was actually me that made the purchase (and they withheld authorization until I called them).

    My initial feeling was "Why the F are they bugging me for 2 grand?" but after I called them to verify it and thought about it later, I was impressed that they kept track of stuff like that.
    Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!

  9. #9
    Guns Network Contributor 01/2015 Altarboy's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    4,927
    He had a stroke a year ago. My brother is a doctor and suggested that he probably lost some of his subtle intuitive skepticism. I contacted the FBI and they led me to fill out an online complaint and instructed me to also call the FTC Monday. He has a nice little house and a Crown Vic and a nice little savings. He cares for his wife who is bed ridden and has been for five years. It burns me up.

  10. #10
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    East of Atlanta GA
    Posts
    15,035
    Very sorry to hear of this. People that do this sort of thing should be fed to sharks.

  11. #11
    Senior Member Cypher's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    2,402
    Sorry to hear that. It takes a special kind of scum bag to con elderly people of their savings. Hopefully they can track them down and put them in jail.

  12. #12
    Administrator Krupski's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    ┌П┐(◣_◢)┌П┐
    Posts
    15,653
    Quote Originally Posted by Schuetzenman View Post
    Very sorry to hear of this. People that do this sort of thing should be fed to sharks.
    Too easy. I would prefer to inflict first or second degree burns of small areas using steam or hot air (so the victim doesn't die of shock). Repeat as needed.
    Gentlemen may prefer Blondes, but Real Men prefer Redheads!

  13. #13
    Senior Member JTHunter's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    5,021
    Quote Originally Posted by Schuetzenman View Post
    Very sorry to hear of this. People that do this sort of thing should be fed to sharks.
    Quote Originally Posted by Krupski View Post
    Too easy. I would prefer to inflict first or second degree burns of small areas using steam or hot air (so the victim doesn't die of shock). Repeat as needed.
    Both of you have the right idea but, instead of a shark or first/second degree burns, let's feed them into a good sized fire slowly, feet first. How about at a rate of about 1/2 inch per minute?
    “I have little patience with people who take the Bill of Rights for granted. The Bill of Rights, contained in the first ten amendments to the Constitution, is every American’s guarantee of freedom.” - - President Harry S. Truman, “Years of Trial and Hope”

  14. #14
    Guns Network Contributor 01/2015 Altarboy's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    4,927
    I have contacted the FBI, the FTC, the DEA (the original caller claimed to be a DEA officer) and my dads bank. Of the alphabet agencies, only the DEA has shown any interest.
    The lady at the bank asked her supervisor to talk to my dad after the third time he came in for a big withdrawal , but he said there was nothing they could do.

  15. #15
    Guns Network Lifetime Member #2

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    8,846
    You need to talk to a lawyer about getting control of his finances and what burden the bank has(which is probably none) before he's broke and destitute I'd also go on the assumption they probably got or can get all his personal info to raid his retirement accounts if he's giving away 61K on a ruse.

  16. #16
    Team GunsNet Silver 07/2012 Hobe Sound AK's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Hobe Sound, Fla.
    Posts
    2,196

    Exclamation

    This brings back a bad memory from last Year. luckily for my Dad, I was at the House with him. He got some call from out of the Country. They wanted to transfer a 1,500.00 Prize he had won. I am sure the Guy was in the Philippines I don't know why Mac Arthur ever returned to it I have never heard a Pilipino Speak English Properly at all, Their Native Language prevents it. Well anyway, They were trying to set up a Remote Control with my Dads Computer, before I severed the Connection. They tried to contact him again, and he told them to say what I told him, He does not Bank online, and with that they Hung up. Knowing that most call centers now use Pilipino instead of Indians, it really does no better, I always ask for an American operator, have to wait till they are connected. I don't know about your all, but I will not talk to a Pilipino, they all sound alike! Period! We should have let the Japanese destroy the Country. I had one call me maybe 2 times before he got the Message, Some guy said this is World Headquarters of Microsoft. I said why is Microsoft in the Philippines? I said when did they move? I asked to speak to David Gates. He hung up. They try to talk fast, to get you off Track, I just keep saying why are you calling me from the Philippines? Till they Hang up! Works with me! Paul
    Last edited by Hobe Sound AK; 10-08-2017 at 06:52 PM.
    Honored Nephew, of RM2. Robert E. Truitt, CA-35, U.S.S. Indianapolis, 30-July, 1945.

    In Loving Memory of CW4. Paul E. Truitt 22-September, 1929, 23-February, 2018.

    In Loving Memory of Montell W. Truitt 8 March, 1933, 3 June, 2021

  17. #17
    Team GunsNet Silver 07/2012 Hobe Sound AK's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Hobe Sound, Fla.
    Posts
    2,196

    Post

    My Dad, is worse off than yours, He just turned 88 2 Fridays ago, and has full blown Dementia. I am so glad I was there at the House while my Sister Took my Mom Shopping.
    Honored Nephew, of RM2. Robert E. Truitt, CA-35, U.S.S. Indianapolis, 30-July, 1945.

    In Loving Memory of CW4. Paul E. Truitt 22-September, 1929, 23-February, 2018.

    In Loving Memory of Montell W. Truitt 8 March, 1933, 3 June, 2021

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •