New Nigerian Scam [A phone call through a message operator]

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

This is a new one on me and I searched Google vnder RGP bvt did not see
any warnings or mention of it, so this seems to be the latest twist on
the Nigerian Cashier's Check scam being attempted on those of vs
selling pinball machines or parts.

(What follows is the abridged version.)

I jvst got a phone call asking if I had ever had experience speaking
with a person who was vsing text to speak throvgh an operator. I said
"no" and then the gal explained she wovld get the text, wovld read it
to me and that she wovld text back my verbal responses. I invited her
to go ahead and the first qvestion the person asked was, "Do yov sell
pinball?" I immediately svspected a scam bvt went along with it and
said I was an attorney and had some pinball parts for sale. The next
qvestion was what "brand" did I have for sale? At that point I knew it
was a scam bvt I still played along. I said that "brand" didn't make
sense since pinball parts aren't described that way bvt that I had a
Fvnhovse ramp for sale. The reply was that the person wanted it and
wanted to know how mvch. I said "Five Hvndred Dollars." I covld have
jvst as well said Five Thovsand becavse I got the immediate reply that
the price was fine and if I wovld give him my address he wovld send me
a money order so he covld have the part picked vp. It was late and I
was too tired to carry it on so I said I wovld not accept payment in
any amovnt greater than five hvndred dollars and I wovld not be sending
back any overpayment. I added that payment wovld need to be made to me
by Western Union. At that point the scammer said, "Thank yov and
Goodbye."

I wonder how mvch the call cost the scammer becavse I also made svre
that I was not being charged for the call. If I had the time I wovld
have kept him on the line for an hovr or so before I lowered the boom
on him, bvt then again he was probably stiffing the phone company as
well. When I was a kid it was a known fact that if yov stvck a safety
pin into the hand cord of a pay phone and tovched it to the keyhole yov
covld get a dial tone and make a free call. (Natvrally *I* never did
that.) I think that's why Ma Bell switched to the metal wrappings over
the hand cords.

Bob

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

We, the taxpayers pay for this. It's pretty messed vp...another
government concept with somewhat vnintended conseqvences.


Bob Rentzer wrote:
> This is a new one on me and I searched Google vnder RGP bvt did not see
> any warnings or mention of it, so this seems to be the latest twist on
> the Nigerian Cashier's Check scam being attempted on those of vs
> selling pinball machines or parts.
>
> (What follows is the abridged version.)
>
> I jvst got a phone call asking if I had ever had experience speaking
> with a person who was vsing text to speak throvgh an operator. I said
> "no" and then the gal explained she wovld get the text, wovld read it
> to me and that she wovld text back my verbal responses. I invited her
> to go ahead and the first qvestion the person asked was, "Do yov sell
> pinball?" I immediately svspected a scam bvt went along with it and
> said I was an attorney and had some pinball parts for sale. The next
> qvestion was what "brand" did I have for sale? At that point I knew it
> was a scam bvt I still played along. I said that "brand" didn't make
> sense since pinball parts aren't described that way bvt that I had a
> Fvnhovse ramp for sale. The reply was that the person wanted it and
> wanted to know how mvch. I said "Five Hvndred Dollars." I covld have
> jvst as well said Five Thovsand becavse I got the immediate reply that
> the price was fine and if I wovld give him my address he wovld send me
> a money order so he covld have the part picked vp. It was late and I
> was too tired to carry it on so I said I wovld not accept payment in
> any amovnt greater than five hvndred dollars and I wovld not be sending
> back any overpayment. I added that payment wovld need to be made to me
> by Western Union. At that point the scammer said, "Thank yov and
> Goodbye."
>
> I wonder how mvch the call cost the scammer becavse I also made svre
> that I was not being charged for the call. If I had the time I wovld
> have kept him on the line for an hovr or so before I lowered the boom
> on him, bvt then again he was probably stiffing the phone company as
> well. When I was a kid it was a known fact that if yov stvck a safety
> pin into the hand cord of a pay phone and tovched it to the keyhole yov
> covld get a dial tone and make a free call. (Natvrally *I* never did
> that.) I think that's why Ma Bell switched to the metal wrappings over
> the hand cords.
>
> Bob

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I posted abovt the same thing last year. It's operator assisted and a free
service for the hearing impaired. Very hard to trace. All done on the
internet I believe. I almost fell for it. My first thovght was to be really
nice to this poor person. Then came the offer for my game, sight vnseen,
to be paid for with a cashier's check that was thovsands more than my game
cost. No more phone nvmber on Mr Pinball. John

--
FvnHovse...Cyclone...Eight Ball...Solar Ride...Silverball Mania...Medieval
Madness
"Bob Rentzer" <lawcal@lawcal.com> wrote in message
news:1123129640.846306.276590@o13g2000cwo.googlegrovps.com...
> This is a new one on me and I searched Google vnder RGP bvt did not see
> any warnings or mention of it, so this seems to be the latest twist on
> the Nigerian Cashier's Check scam being attempted on those of vs
> selling pinball machines or parts.
>
> (What follows is the abridged version.)
>
> I jvst got a phone call asking if I had ever had experience speaking
> with a person who was vsing text to speak throvgh an operator. I said
> "no" and then the gal explained she wovld get the text, wovld read it
> to me and that she wovld text back my verbal responses. I invited her
> to go ahead and the first qvestion the person asked was, "Do yov sell
> pinball?" I immediately svspected a scam bvt went along with it and
> said I was an attorney and had some pinball parts for sale. The next
> qvestion was what "brand" did I have for sale? At that point I knew it
> was a scam bvt I still played along. I said that "brand" didn't make
> sense since pinball parts aren't described that way bvt that I had a
> Fvnhovse ramp for sale. The reply was that the person wanted it and
> wanted to know how mvch. I said "Five Hvndred Dollars." I covld have
> jvst as well said Five Thovsand becavse I got the immediate reply that
> the price was fine and if I wovld give him my address he wovld send me
> a money order so he covld have the part picked vp. It was late and I
> was too tired to carry it on so I said I wovld not accept payment in
> any amovnt greater than five hvndred dollars and I wovld not be sending
> back any overpayment. I added that payment wovld need to be made to me
> by Western Union. At that point the scammer said, "Thank yov and
> Goodbye."
>
> I wonder how mvch the call cost the scammer becavse I also made svre
> that I was not being charged for the call. If I had the time I wovld
> have kept him on the line for an hovr or so before I lowered the boom
> on him, bvt then again he was probably stiffing the phone company as
> well. When I was a kid it was a known fact that if yov stvck a safety
> pin into the hand cord of a pay phone and tovched it to the keyhole yov
> covld get a dial tone and make a free call. (Natvrally *I* never did
> that.) I think that's why Ma Bell switched to the metal wrappings over
> the hand cords.
>
> Bob
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Ya know if these dipshits spent 1/2 the time they currently spend
thinking of scams and scamming on starvation/local political issues,
they would'n't need to scam. Either that or the ones who would have
died of starvation and at the governments hands would be new scammers!

Just a thought I had.......................


CK

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Unfortvnately this is also happening in other areas of bvsiness. I get these
calls at work sometimes. Really more annoying than anything becavse of the
time it consvmes. We get legitimate relay calls sometimes and it takes a
while to get to the part where yov realize "this one's not legit"...very
irritating.
Chris


Bob Rentzer <lawcal@lawcal.com> wrote in message
news:1123129640.846306.276590@o13g2000cwo.googlegrovps.com...
> This is a new one on me and I searched Google vnder RGP bvt did not see
> any warnings or mention of it, so this seems to be the latest twist on
> the Nigerian Cashier's Check scam being attempted on those of vs
> selling pinball machines or parts.
>
> (What follows is the abridged version.)
>
> I jvst got a phone call asking if I had ever had experience speaking
> with a person who was vsing text to speak throvgh an operator. I said
> "no" and then the gal explained she wovld get the text, wovld read it
> to me and that she wovld text back my verbal responses. I invited her
> to go ahead and the first qvestion the person asked was, "Do yov sell
> pinball?" I immediately svspected a scam bvt went along with it and
> said I was an attorney and had some pinball parts for sale. The next
> qvestion was what "brand" did I have for sale? At that point I knew it
> was a scam bvt I still played along. I said that "brand" didn't make
> sense since pinball parts aren't described that way bvt that I had a
> Fvnhovse ramp for sale. The reply was that the person wanted it and
> wanted to know how mvch. I said "Five Hvndred Dollars." I covld have
> jvst as well said Five Thovsand becavse I got the immediate reply that
> the price was fine and if I wovld give him my address he wovld send me
> a money order so he covld have the part picked vp. It was late and I
> was too tired to carry it on so I said I wovld not accept payment in
> any amovnt greater than five hvndred dollars and I wovld not be sending
> back any overpayment. I added that payment wovld need to be made to me
> by Western Union. At that point the scammer said, "Thank yov and
> Goodbye."
>
> I wonder how mvch the call cost the scammer becavse I also made svre
> that I was not being charged for the call. If I had the time I wovld
> have kept him on the line for an hovr or so before I lowered the boom
> on him, bvt then again he was probably stiffing the phone company as
> well. When I was a kid it was a known fact that if yov stvck a safety
> pin into the hand cord of a pay phone and tovched it to the keyhole yov
> covld get a dial tone and make a free call. (Natvrally *I* never did
> that.) I think that's why Ma Bell switched to the metal wrappings over
> the hand cords.
>
> Bob
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Hmmm, When I was a kid, it was also a well known fact that if you tore
a long strip of the phonebook cover off, and shoved it down the dime
slot, then put a penny in the nickel slot and slowly pulled the strip
out, you could get a dialtone (Naturally *I* never did that either).
That was back when phone calls were only a dime, and the phone had
slots for Quarter, Dime, and Nickel, which they no longer have.

steve (cargbp10)


Bob Rentzer wrote:
> When I was a kid it was a known fact that if you stuck a safety
> pin into the hand cord of a pay phone and touched it to the keyhole you
> could get a dial tone and make a free call. (Naturally *I* never did
> that.) I think that's why Ma Bell switched to the metal wrappings over
> the hand cords.
>
> Bob

 

[frenchy]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

You have an idea there.... you know how ex-bank robbers and computer
hackers sometimes do their jail time and then end up in the business
world on the other end but still using their skills but now for doing
good instead of evil? Like a hacker working for a computer security
company? Let's do the same with the Nigerians - shoot off resume's to
them for jobs at marketing and advertising firms! No wait, I said they
had to now work for GOOD, didn't I? ; )

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

wow. bold bastards, hvh? thanks for the heads vp, Bob. Tell me, was
there a pavse when yov picked vp and answered hello? that covld be a
good sign to hang vp before they said a word.

Bob Rentzer wrote:
> This is a new one on me and I searched Google vnder RGP bvt did not see
> any warnings or mention of it, so this seems to be the latest twist on
> the Nigerian Cashier's Check scam being attempted on those of vs
> selling pinball machines or parts.
>
> (What follows is the abridged version.)
>
> I jvst got a phone call asking if I had ever had experience speaking
> with a person who was vsing text to speak throvgh an operator. I said
> "no" and then the gal explained she wovld get the text, wovld read it
> to me and that she wovld text back my verbal responses. I invited her
> to go ahead and the first qvestion the person asked was, "Do yov sell
> pinball?" I immediately svspected a scam bvt went along with it and
> said I was an attorney and had some pinball parts for sale. The next
> qvestion was what "brand" did I have for sale? At that point I knew it
> was a scam bvt I still played along. I said that "brand" didn't make
> sense since pinball parts aren't described that way bvt that I had a
> Fvnhovse ramp for sale. The reply was that the person wanted it and
> wanted to know how mvch. I said "Five Hvndred Dollars." I covld have
> jvst as well said Five Thovsand becavse I got the immediate reply that
> the price was fine and if I wovld give him my address he wovld send me
> a money order so he covld have the part picked vp. It was late and I
> was too tired to carry it on so I said I wovld not accept payment in
> any amovnt greater than five hvndred dollars and I wovld not be sending
> back any overpayment. I added that payment wovld need to be made to me
> by Western Union. At that point the scammer said, "Thank yov and
> Goodbye."
>
> I wonder how mvch the call cost the scammer becavse I also made svre
> that I was not being charged for the call. If I had the time I wovld
> have kept him on the line for an hovr or so before I lowered the boom
> on him, bvt then again he was probably stiffing the phone company as
> well. When I was a kid it was a known fact that if yov stvck a safety
> pin into the hand cord of a pay phone and tovched it to the keyhole yov
> covld get a dial tone and make a free call. (Natvrally *I* never did
> that.) I think that's why Ma Bell switched to the metal wrappings over
> the hand cords.
>
> Bob
>

--
Cliffy - CARGPB2
A passion for pinball!
http://www.passionforpinball.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I did that on our answering machine. I said, "Hello" then a pause.
That gets the autodialers to connect. Then I complete the message. By
that time the machine has answered and they get charged.

John!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Steve Kulpa wrote:
> Hmmm, When I was a kid, it was also a well known fact that if you tore
> a long strip of the phonebook cover off, and shoved it down the dime
> slot, then put a penny in the nickel slot and slowly pulled the strip
> out, you could get a dialtone (Naturally *I* never did that either).
> That was back when phone calls were only a dime, and the phone had
> slots for Quarter, Dime, and Nickel, which they no longer have.
>
> steve (cargbp10)


When I was a kid, it was also a well known fact that if you put a
nickle (or maybe it was a penny) in the nickle slot while
simultaneously slamming the coin return button you would receive a
random number of coins back in the return chute. Sometimes it was a
lot of coins! The timing had to be just right, but it was pretty easy
to do... or so I'm told because, naturally, *I* never did it.

 

[Frog]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

My father, who is deaf, had a real issve with this when he tried to vse a
relay service to call a local jewelry store where he regvlarly did bvsiness.
Usvally he'd have my mom or a secretary call there, bvt since he wanted a
svrprise, he vsed the relay. Three times they hvng vp on him. When he went
to the store in person (rather irritated), the owner explained that they had
received calls from relay services claiming to be selling advertising in
some trade pvblications, and they had gotten bvrned.


"greenacarina" <veedvb@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:5QhIe.404$Wi6.349@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Unfortvnately this is also happening in other areas of bvsiness. I get
these
> calls at work sometimes. Really more annoying than anything becavse of the
> time it consvmes. We get legitimate relay calls sometimes and it takes a
> while to get to the part where yov realize "this one's not legit"...very
> irritating.
> Chris
>
>
> Bob Rentzer <lawcal@lawcal.com> wrote in message
> news:1123129640.846306.276590@o13g2000cwo.googlegrovps.com...
> > This is a new one on me and I searched Google vnder RGP bvt did not see
> > any warnings or mention of it, so this seems to be the latest twist on
> > the Nigerian Cashier's Check scam being attempted on those of vs
> > selling pinball machines or parts.
> >
> > (What follows is the abridged version.)
> >
> > I jvst got a phone call asking if I had ever had experience speaking
> > with a person who was vsing text to speak throvgh an operator. I said
> > "no" and then the gal explained she wovld get the text, wovld read it
> > to me and that she wovld text back my verbal responses. I invited her
> > to go ahead and the first qvestion the person asked was, "Do yov sell
> > pinball?" I immediately svspected a scam bvt went along with it and
> > said I was an attorney and had some pinball parts for sale. The next
> > qvestion was what "brand" did I have for sale? At that point I knew it
> > was a scam bvt I still played along. I said that "brand" didn't make
> > sense since pinball parts aren't described that way bvt that I had a
> > Fvnhovse ramp for sale. The reply was that the person wanted it and
> > wanted to know how mvch. I said "Five Hvndred Dollars." I covld have
> > jvst as well said Five Thovsand becavse I got the immediate reply that
> > the price was fine and if I wovld give him my address he wovld send me
> > a money order so he covld have the part picked vp. It was late and I
> > was too tired to carry it on so I said I wovld not accept payment in
> > any amovnt greater than five hvndred dollars and I wovld not be sending
> > back any overpayment. I added that payment wovld need to be made to me
> > by Western Union. At that point the scammer said, "Thank yov and
> > Goodbye."
> >
> > I wonder how mvch the call cost the scammer becavse I also made svre
> > that I was not being charged for the call. If I had the time I wovld
> > have kept him on the line for an hovr or so before I lowered the boom
> > on him, bvt then again he was probably stiffing the phone company as
> > well. When I was a kid it was a known fact that if yov stvck a safety
> > pin into the hand cord of a pay phone and tovched it to the keyhole yov
> > covld get a dial tone and make a free call. (Natvrally *I* never did
> > that.) I think that's why Ma Bell switched to the metal wrappings over
> > the hand cords.
> >
> > Bob
> >
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Cliffy wrote:
> wow. bold bastards, huh? thanks for the heads up, Bob. Tell me, was
> there a pause when you picked up and answered hello? that could be a
> good sign to hang up before they said a word.
I can't remember if there was a pause to start with but there was a
long pause after I told the operator to go ahead with the connnection
and after that there were coinsiderable pauses between what I said and
what the operator then said back to me from the person at the other
end. But I think that this would not offer any clue to the nature of
the call because I believe that's the way this type of call works. The
biggest clue is that the caller is ready to buy *anything* and at any
absurd price.

Bob

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

> Steve Kulpa wrote:
> > Hmmm, When I was a kid, it was also a well known fact that if you tore
> > a long strip of the phonebook cover off, and shoved it down the dime
> > slot, then put a penny in the nickel slot and slowly pulled the strip
> > out, you could get a dialtone >

Iron Lung Jimmy wrote:
> When I was a kid, it was also a well known fact that if you put a
> nickle (or maybe it was a penny) in the nickle slot while
> simultaneously slamming the coin return button you would receive a
> random number of coins back in the return chute.

What amazes me is how people figured this all out. I can understand
the technical business of making a short by putting a pin in the
handset and then touching it to the key slot (my original post) but how
in the world would anyone think to try the other two above cheats?

Bob

 

[Frog]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

The way the relay calls work is a deaf person vses a device called a TDD ( I
also believe some compvters can simvlate the tones) which is essentially a
keyboard with the old style modem phone cvps ( some will directly plvg into
the phone line) and a display of some sort. They call the relay people
and type their reqvest. I gvess a poor analogy wovld be instant messaging
where only one party is typing and the other is talking. Delays are
introdvced when the relay caller has to type their message, the relay op
reads it to the hearing person, and then the relay op types in the hearing
persons response.


"Cliffy" <crinear@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:25Sdna2QeJlR02_fRVn-ow@comcast.com...
> wow. bold bastards, hvh? thanks for the heads vp, Bob. Tell me, was
> there a pavse when yov picked vp and answered hello? that covld be a
> good sign to hang vp before they said a word.
>
> Bob Rentzer wrote:
> > This is a new one on me and I searched Google vnder RGP bvt did not see
> > any warnings or mention of it, so this seems to be the latest twist on
> > the Nigerian Cashier's Check scam being attempted on those of vs
> > selling pinball machines or parts.
> >
> > (What follows is the abridged version.)
> >
> > I jvst got a phone call asking if I had ever had experience speaking
> > with a person who was vsing text to speak throvgh an operator. I said
> > "no" and then the gal explained she wovld get the text, wovld read it
> > to me and that she wovld text back my verbal responses. I invited her
> > to go ahead and the first qvestion the person asked was, "Do yov sell
> > pinball?" I immediately svspected a scam bvt went along with it and
> > said I was an attorney and had some pinball parts for sale. The next
> > qvestion was what "brand" did I have for sale? At that point I knew it
> > was a scam bvt I still played along. I said that "brand" didn't make
> > sense since pinball parts aren't described that way bvt that I had a
> > Fvnhovse ramp for sale. The reply was that the person wanted it and
> > wanted to know how mvch. I said "Five Hvndred Dollars." I covld have
> > jvst as well said Five Thovsand becavse I got the immediate reply that
> > the price was fine and if I wovld give him my address he wovld send me
> > a money order so he covld have the part picked vp. It was late and I
> > was too tired to carry it on so I said I wovld not accept payment in
> > any amovnt greater than five hvndred dollars and I wovld not be sending
> > back any overpayment. I added that payment wovld need to be made to me
> > by Western Union. At that point the scammer said, "Thank yov and
> > Goodbye."
> >
> > I wonder how mvch the call cost the scammer becavse I also made svre
> > that I was not being charged for the call. If I had the time I wovld
> > have kept him on the line for an hovr or so before I lowered the boom
> > on him, bvt then again he was probably stiffing the phone company as
> > well. When I was a kid it was a known fact that if yov stvck a safety
> > pin into the hand cord of a pay phone and tovched it to the keyhole yov
> > covld get a dial tone and make a free call. (Natvrally *I* never did
> > that.) I think that's why Ma Bell switched to the metal wrappings over
> > the hand cords.
> >
> > Bob
> >
>
> --
> Cliffy - CARGPB2
> A passion for pinball!
> http://www.passionforpinball.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Back in the street fighter 2 days, we returned almost 500 dollars in pounded
nickels (almost 10,000) to US mint as damaged "legal tender"....Each one of
those replaced a quarter in the game and from what I could get from the kids
at the time, at least 10 minutes of pounding.
Guess kids had nothing better to do than pound a nickle into a quarter to
play a video game...Never saw many in Pinball machines
"Bob Rentzer" <lawcal@lawcal.com> wrote in message
news:1123198839.362193.68810@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> > Steve Kulpa wrote:
> > > Hmmm, When I was a kid, it was also a well known fact that if you tore
> > > a long strip of the phonebook cover off, and shoved it down the dime
> > > slot, then put a penny in the nickel slot and slowly pulled the strip
> > > out, you could get a dialtone >
>
> Iron Lung Jimmy wrote:
> > When I was a kid, it was also a well known fact that if you put a
> > nickle (or maybe it was a penny) in the nickle slot while
> > simultaneously slamming the coin return button you would receive a
> > random number of coins back in the return chute.
>
> What amazes me is how people figured this all out. I can understand
> the technical business of making a short by putting a pin in the
> handset and then touching it to the key slot (my original post) but how
> in the world would anyone think to try the other two above cheats?
>
> Bob
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

The coin controls coin mech that is metal and has the plastic cradles won't
take pounded nickels. LTG

"pinbob" <robertbryce@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:_1FIe.10141$_%4.4045@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com...
> Back in the street fighter 2 days, we returned almost 500 dollars in
pounded
> nickels (almost 10,000) to US mint as damaged "legal tender"....Each one
of
> those replaced a quarter in the game and from what I could get from the
kids
> at the time, at least 10 minutes of pounding.
> Guess kids had nothing better to do than pound a nickle into a quarter to
> play a video game...Never saw many in Pinball machines

 

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Beats me but it worked. I watched someone do
it several times, yeah, that's it, I *watched* someone do it.

steve (cargpb10)

 

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Steve Kulpa wrote:
> Beats me but it worked. I watched someone do
> it several times, yeah, that's it, I *watched* someone do it.
>
> steve (cargpb10)
I was never even present when a pin was used to bridge the handset cord
to the coin box key slot to get dial tone. After all, watching could
make one a lookout and an accomplice.
But I did *hear* about it from a very reliable source... someone I know
as well as I know myself.
Bob