Beware of this phone call ...

[Adam Goi]

Hi ... just got this ridiculous call ...

The caller was crying and claimed that he had got into trouble and was beaten up. He urged me to go and help him. I was very disturbed, thinking he's my NOK so and when I queried him, he claimed he's my son! Oh no ... not my son ... hang on, I'm not even married!

When I told him that I don't even have a son and to stop wasting my precious time (I was watching some boring TV programme), the bugger instead claimed that he's my friend. Okay ... that's the last straw ... I asked whether he had a serious problem with indigestion which could have led to constipation, he hanged up.

Jokes aside, I was quite disturbed at first but I was quite glad that I was present @ home cos if my mom took the call, I really wonder what she'd do ...

So people, please pass this piece of information ... really hate to see any of us (or even our parents) taken advantage by these con-men ...

 

[Astin]

I typically will ask them question in cantonese (or any of your family dialect), and always they will hang up faster than me.

 

[Exposure]

Hi ... just got this ridiculous call ...

The caller was crying and claimed that he had got into trouble and was beaten up. He urged me to go and help him. I was very disturbed, thinking he's my NOK so and when I queried him, he claimed he's my son! Oh no ... not my son ... hang on, I'm not even married!

When I told him that I don't even have a son and to stop wasting my precious time (I was watching some boring TV programme), the bugger instead claimed that he's my friend. Okay ... that's the last straw ... I asked whether he had a serious problem with indigestion which could have led to constipation, he hanged up.

Jokes aside, I was quite disturbed at first but I was quite glad that I was present @ home cos if my mom took the call, I really wonder what she'd do ...

So people, please pass this piece of information ... really hate to see any of us (or even our parents) taken advantage by these con-men ...

if i would u , i will replied in melayu.. and watch her reaction... :bsmilie:

 

[rOnGrEn]

I think these kind of scams was reported in the news not too long ago..

My mother also kana similar call saying I was kidnapped and panicked for a while until she got my father to call me..luckily he was able to reach me... :bsmilie::bsmilie:

 

[redstone]

I typically will ask them question in cantonese (or any of your family dialect), and always they will hang up faster than me.

Haha best if the dialect is not common like Hakka, Hokchow or what.

 

[snowspeeder]

A lot of desperate pple out there dying to make a quick buck by resorting to stupid tactics hoping to prey on some weak person to give in.

 

[wee_ly]

What if the joker reached a family who really hates the son? What do you think the family would say to the "son"? :think:

Anyway, thanks Adam for alerting the all of us here.

 

[ninelives]

hi adam, call police. please do it now to prevent people from been cheated.

 

[denniskee]

few month back, my mom's friend received a call, claiming to be my aunty, saying mom in need of money cause we (me and siblings) are all oversea so could not get immediate cash.

my mom's friend believed the con woman, proceed to give the con woman 1k.

few days later, con woman called again, saying my mom needed even more money. again mom's friend gave.

another few days later, mom;s friend call my mom, that when she realized she had been con and made a police report.

the stupid con woman than called for the 3rd time, this time round, mom's friend call the inspector handling her case and arrested the con woman.

my mom always thinks these thing only happens to people who are not alert, but now that it happened to her friend, she realized how simple it is to con old folks.

sometime, these things just have to happen to somebody we knows and thinks that that person will never falls for these con jobs inorder to wakeup, reading from papers and hearing from tv news is just not enough.

 

[lennyl]

Oh no ... not my son ... hang on, I'm not even married!

Last I checked, that is not a pre-requisite :bsmilie:

Jokes aside, I hope there's a special place in hell (and Changi prison) for these scammers.

 

[pisduck]

my colleague actually chit chat with that guy for like 30mins trying to make them meet him to get money. but in the end never succeed.

 

[phoakm]

I did received this call last week. This guy claims he owned loanshark's money. I asked for his name thinking is my friend in trouble a couple of times. But he hanged up.

My question is, if we report this to the police. Are the police able to trace the call if we have the time and date the call was made? :think:....BTW, the call did not showed any ID and was blocked.

Next, how did he get our numbers? :sweat:

 

[daxdigital]

Lucky me, Se habla Español!

Try screwing them up in Francais, Deustche, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Latin, Nihonggo, Portuges, Thai, Cymru, Baden-baden, Dutch, Hmong...

They'll get the picture they're messing with the wrong people.

 

[sbs99]

It's not really us who are in danger, it's our family members who are not well informed, or maybe it's one of the grandparents? When a person is worried for a child, it's genuine... the scammers are preying on that. :sweat:

 

[mohgui]

this kinda thing happens to everyone and in every ways the scammers can cook up.

i was at Genting (last sunday) happily wasting my money and trying to beat the slot machines. i was mindlessly pressing the buttons and watching the pictures align themselves and hoping to get something out of it. and what do you know, a woman (probably in her mid-30's approached me).

she claimed she's from China and had no money for food. of course, she spoke in chinese and i told her it would be better if she can converse in english. she tried but gave up.

anyway, she got back to chinese and pleaded for some money. i told her i don't have any too as i need them for my bus ride back. she then asked where i was heading and i told her singapore.

after some thoughts, she backed out and i tried looking for her to see what is she up to next. never got to see her.

like what the brothers here mentioned, if a scam is detected, converse with the scammer in a different language/dialect. it should get you out of the situation.

 

[killingb]

That's very true. I remember once when I was in Rome, got a group of 'friendly' locals, came forward and converse with me. I immediately sensed something is amiss, Italians aren't known for their friendliness. I quickly replied in Chinese and act dumb, 不知道！
They went away after that.

 

[smallaperture]

Well, here are some of the conman in action:

Nigerian scam

Magic stone scam

Kid got kidnapped

Son got accident

Pay to claim lottery

Time share vacation scam... you get in and got stuck.....

A few months ago, after a frustrating meeting, driving home, I got a call that sounded like a lottery scam that is from some folks from Guangzhou. I shouted out the F word in canto and hung up. :devil:

 

[foxwagon]

Had a few calls all asking for "surveys".
Just acted as if didnt understand & was hung up.

 

[micky]

This happened to me...

Stranger: 先生，您会讲华语吗
Me:Eh.... 不会
Stranger: Huh? 先生，你会讲华语对吗？
Me:Eh........不会
Stranger: hahahahhaha.. 好的好的... *hang up*

Seriously I intended to answer her I dun understand mandarin.. but I just unconsiously blurted out 不会 in the end. I guess it was quite obvious i didn't want to continue the conversation with her.

Anyway, thanks for the warning... I better warn my parents...

 

[foxwagon]

That's very true. I remember once when I was in Rome, got a group of 'friendly' locals, came forward and converse with me. I immediately sensed something is amiss, Italians aren't known for their friendliness. I quickly replied in Chinese and act dumb, 不知道！
They went away after that.

Some work in a group
They would squeeze surround the victim, one would tap the shoulder, one would talk, just to distract the victim, others would steal the stuff which would be quickly passed down to others.
Especially in crowded trains, buses.