Monday, May 22, 2017

People have to learn, as I have that...

Nothing and no one can ever be taken for granted!

I was almost scammed today by someone who claimed to be with Publisher's Clearing House saying that I had won 2.5 million dollars! I said that I hadn't entered, and he said that they had gotten my name out of a selected drawing from one of the companies I deal with.......hmmm...
Yeah, I know what you are thinking, or maybe not.
Of course knowing about such things as scams, being a business person and dealing over the years with all sorts of people and Hubby being retired law enforcement so sure we have heard of just about everything under the sun. And being in the Sunshine state, I do believe that is where the cons come to sharpen their skills, in the sun, ha.
And as we all know the expression that if it seems too good to be true you know that it is most definitely is the case that it is!
So like anyone in their right frame of mind with such things I asked up front how much is it going to cost me?
Oh nothing, except subtraction of 7% or 175K for taxes, as he said my name, leaving you with 2.325 million, this fellow said, calling himself Andrew Goldberg who just so happens to be the real name of the CEO of PCH in NYC, not Philadelphia as he was saying, red light there.
The next one was that he wanted to ask me if I have an active bank account, I said yes, and he then asked if I wanted the monies to go into that account by direct deposit or would I prefer a certified check. I said give me the check, knowing full well he was going to ask for my bank account number.
Next he told me that my delivery charge on the check was going to be one thousand dollars, I said to him that is fraud.
A contest winning does not require payment from the recipient.
Oh then we will split it, only $500?
I asked him his phone number and oddly enough he gave it to me 1-215-486-8021, his address too was given as: 1960 or 1916, not clear on which, Welsh Road Philadelphia PA. sorry I forgot to get his zip code.
THIS IS FRAUD!!!!!!! I shouted and hung up!
I then called the phoned number he had given to me and he answered saying hello using my name that I had not said yet!
I said PCH does not have only one employee, I hung up.
Meanwhile, Hubby tracked down the actual Publisher's Clearing House toll free number in Manitoba Canada 1-800-566-4724, a customer service represenative confirmed what we all know that PCH does not call winners, they knock on your door with the winning check in hand!
He the rep said while we were chatting that he notified the federal trade commission, and recommended that I contact fraud.org, and I did.

I had contacted the news reporter I just met, but she no longer does this type of investigation, and she had done this scam alert back in 2011 when she was at her Orlando station.
I got the impression she felt that everyone knew about it; I told her many seniors are too trusting, and many people in general want to believe that they were chosen to win that sort of a prize!
Not all are greedy and stupid, just ill informed and so consider yourselves duly informed again, if you remember this one of many out there!
Simple rule is... just remember that... if it sounds too good to be true, it is!

She did say she would pass it on to the appropriate on air person, and she just emailed that she had.

Happy night to all and share those blessings and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear!

Before it is lost, I must add this PIC in, and how truly interesting that the REAL PCH read my blog?

If you tap it you will see their ad., I suppose this is my man bites dog story? 

Which way will the war go?

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