Has a scammer ever gotten you before?

I had a narrow escape last year, when someone tried to install remote-control software on my computer. Luckily I twigged early enough to suspend operations for a day, on the pretext of a medical appointment. Actually I switched off and unplugged the router and PC, and took steps to protect my finances.

He telephoned back very punctually, next morning, as arranged; having already found he could not regain access to the PC he had locked against me. He obviously realised I had rumbled him, and called me by an extremely offensive word.

"Takes one to know one", I replied politely, and hung up.

It still cost me about £60 to have the PC cleaned, fortunately without losing data and software.

...

The eavesdropper programme was Anydesk, a legitimate German product for business IT managers to service company networks. The IT crime gangs have stolen it to use for information and financial theft. The publisher has been working with the authorities to find a solution.

....

While only this morning I fought off a fraud attempt on this very site, Similar Worlds!

A young man started a rather bland PM conversation with me a couple of weeks ago, then today, out of the blue, asked me to send him $100; allegedly for groceries.

I wasn't born yesterday.. I kept my refusal polite.

He tried again, now a bit rudely.

I kept my reply civil, pointing out no-one sends money to complete strangers in foreign lands. Knowing he'd probably be unable to comply, I added I'd need his bank account number, real name and address. Further, I wrote, our respective British and American banks would investigate the out-of-character transfer.

I pressed "Post" but he'd already blocked me. Perhaps he realised I suspected fraud rather than mere naivety.

I reported him as fraudulent and "archived" the conversation.

.....


I was a bit offended by the automatic Similar Worlds comment confirming the block, as it blames the victim rather than attacker.

It tells me I am "not allowed" to contact him - how about he is not allowed to contact me?

Come on, SW Admins... be a bit more thoughtful!

No but I've got them. One of my favourite things is to play along with them if the scam is obvious.

I love keeping them on the phone for as long as possible. I will agree that my windows PC has developed a problem and also enthusiastically admit that there was a problem with my payment card.

Some of them are also happy to here about how they need Jesus in their lives too - you never know lol. Let's be optimistic. 😂

I've had a debit card compromised before, years ago. Even more years ago when Ebay was first starting out I was scammed. I was buying a concert video that was advertised as official merchandise and it just turned out to be a bootlegged copy, think it was just taped from pay per view or something if I'm remembering right. I filed a complaint but it was so much hassle at the time I just gave up and took the loss. I've been pretty lucky otherwise and have stayed careful about where and who I buy from so there's really never been anything major.

Did you ever get it back?

For the first time ever, I recently bought something off a website that was pretending to be a brand I rly like so they got 30$ from me.. but my bank returned it to me so it turned out okay..

Years ago, before chip and pin. You paid with the manual card readers. After paying in a certain petrol station, a small amount of money started coming out each month. It was them who were taking it from the card details and sending it to India.
Cards got stopped and reported.

Some random stranger somehow got my 500 dollar Visa giftcard the second I activated it.

You feel so violated when that happens.