These laughable scams thrive on exploiting the perceived stupidity or gullibility of their unfortunate victims. In this eye-opening exploration, we delve into 16 incredulous scams that shamelessly take advantage of individuals who may be susceptible to their ploys. Prepare to be astonished and perhaps even amused as we shine a spotlight on these outrageous schemes, questioning how anyone could possibly fall for such blatant tricks.
Jailbird Scam
“As a teller manager, I have had a few elderly people who believe their grandkids are in jail and need to take out 20k in cash in order to bail them out.”
Literally tell them it is a scam, and to call their grandkids in front of me. Of course, the kid then answers.
“My mom got one of those calls. ‘Grandma, I’m in trouble…”. She asked what their name was, and they just kept saying, “Grandma, it’s me…’”
Psychic Silliness
“‘Psychics’ with cold readings. They basically make generic statements and trick you into feeding them the specifics.”
“’ Somebody close to you was badly ill.’ ‘Yeah, my mam had cancer!’ A person retelling the story later, ‘That medium was great. She even knew about my mam’s cancer.’”
Apple Gift Card
“Phone scammers telling them they can pay an overdue utility bill in Apple gift cards.”
“I got a call from someone pretending to be a border agent. Totally seems legit to think I can avoid federal prison with the right amount on an Apple gift card…”.
Customs
“US customs has seized a package of money and drugs in your name.”
“Like yeah, they’re gonna give me a call and not just bust down my door and drag me off.”
“The sad fact is, some people hear ‘IRS’ or ‘jail’ and panic.”
Gift Card Gaffe
“My client got taken for 40k in gift cards and a bitcoin machine scam over the course of 2.5 days. The bank begged her not to leave, but the scammer told her to tell them she has a right to her money, and they gave up. Talk to your older relatives. This is so common.”
Parcel Panic
“I had a guy who phoned me day after day with ‘we have your parcel and will deliver it by 3’ scam. Then wants money for delivery in advance.”
Facebook Frenzy
“Facebook is going to change its algorithm by you copying and pasting a post.”
“I just wanna reply that fb ain’t changing nothing just b/c you copied something and posted it.”
“I like the ones where people post saying Facebook cannot use their images even though you agreed to it when you created your account…”.
Pyramid Schemes
“Any MLM. The first that came to mind was essential oils.”
“There are two scams involving essential oils. First is the MLM, where you recruit people to sell overpriced junk to other people. The other is the idea that essential oils are a replacement for healthcare, suggesting treating cancer with oils.”
Mega-Churches
“I can live with giving money to a small church who does good things with it, but giving to a megachurch is silly.”
“Donating to people like Joel Osteen. Can’t believe more people don’t see him for the charlatan he is.”
Computer Virus Cons
“‘I am calling from Windows Technical Support. We have received notification that there are many errors on your computer and that it may have a virus.”
Computer Virus Cons
“Despite the fact that it’s been around for years, people still get tricked into believing they need to pay for technical support when they don’t.”
I’m Calling About Your Car’s Extended Warranty
“Man, I was getting those calls before I even owned a car!”
“Currently don’t own a car, and I get them allll the time.”
Courses by Rich Influencers
“Buying a ‘rich’ influencer’s course on dropshipping, crypto, etc. You’re paying a couple of hundred dollars for something you can learn from YouTube or self-learning.”
Betting Picks
“People sell sports betting picks. Hint – they aren’t making money off their picks. They’re making money off selling them to you.”
“There may be ways to make money on it, but to do that, you have to take all the fun out of it, be very disciplined and treat it like investing, expect small returns over a long period of time.”
Timeshares
“My parents spend over $100,000 a year on timeshares. They treat it like an investment. The fees and “cleaning” charges cost more than a normal vacation, and EVERY resort in the timeshare looks exactly the same. They are stuck in a sunk-cost fallacy, and they refuse to listen to reason.”
Jobs
“Applying for jobs that don’t list an accurate wage/salary.”
“It’s becoming a legal requirement to list an accurate pay range on job listings in some places, so we’re working on it.”
Romance Scams
“My coworker, who was widowed three years ago, met a man online and has been speaking with him for over a year. They haven’t met in person yet because he is building a bridge in Dubai. He was going to come home for Christmas, but the flights were very expensive. I am 95% sure this is a romance scam.”
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