atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information New Scam

Got a nice letter from "Mystery Shoppers, Inc" 330 West 42nd street NY,NY 10036, Voice 1-403-667-4218, Fax 1-516-208-4844, today. They included a check drawn on Wachovia Bank, for $4,500.00, to deposit in my account! 3 paragraphs of explanation and instructions. And a couple of forms to fill out and fax/mail back. Surprisingly they don't ask for checking account number or credit/debit card number!

Anyhow, the breakdown of what is supposed to happen to the 4500 is as follows:
Probation training pay 300.00
Funds to be transferred moneygram test 3,900.00
Service Charges 200.00
Funds for shopping test 100.00
Total 4,500.00

Now, didn't someone mention a middle of the night call from ? american savings bank ? at the same address, several months ago? Was it Silversam that investigated enough to discover that the bank really exhisted and had previously the problem over to the FBI? I looked around for the post and didn't find it, but, I don't do searches of any kind very well.

Hmmm, just noticed the postage on the letter is Canadian! "96" something, I suppose Canadian pennies. Something that looks like a yellow 5-petaled flower with a red center is the 'Decoration' on the stamp.

Anyhow, gee, I guess I'm excited, I haven't gotten very many 'scam' offers, and they were the standard 3 kazillion in some African country, send me 5K in earnest money and I'll transfer the 3 Kazillion to your account and we'll split it.

John C. (Not Garand)

I'm not sure where area code 403 is. It ain't Manhattan. 516 A/C is Long Island.

330 West 42nd Street is just off Times Square. (Between 8th & 9th Avenue).

American Savings bank is gone. Wachovia may have bought them out.

Sam

Area Code 403 is the southern half of the Canadian Province of Alberta.

I ran the number through a reverse directory and it comes up as
(403) 667-4218 is a cell phone based in Calgary, Ab, AB
The registered service provider is Fido Solutions**.
Detailed listing information is not available.

**Due to number portability, some numbers have been transferred to a new service provider

to the BB....it is nice to have another Canuck around here. Interesting information. Because it is a X-Border scam maybe the RCMP might be helpful.

Hang in there, keep your sense of humor, and enjoy the BB.

The BIX made me do it....

Hmm, wonder if 403 is a free call on MagicJack. Guess I'll check when it gets here and I set it up. Wouln't it be fun to load up the cell phone w/calls? Probably pointless, they'll have unlimited incoming, no doubt! Well, maybe I'll load up their fax with garbage!
And mbhydro, let me join Ken in saying, Welcome Aboard! You'll enjoy this site, stay awhile and you'll see! John C. (Not Garand)

What irks me is the "legal" scams used by CC companies. They mail you a check for like 9 bucks saying it is a "rewards check." It's a real check. I suppose many people just would cash it thinking it was a CC rebate that some offer. But if you read the fine print, cashing the check enrolls you in some program that you never would enroll in. Then you get the first month's charge at you are stuck paying it and more until you possibly resolve the problem. I have gotten several of those over the years. When I get them I imediately close my CC account and open a new one elsewhere.

Thanks for welcome, I have been lurking here for a while and decided to join.

Looking at the MagicJack web site it says calls to Canada are free. I bet this company probably has their number forwarded to voice mail so not to deal with their "shoppers"

Doing an internet search there is a company with the same name as the one that contacted you but they are in Texas.

And I checked the fax number and came up as:

(516) 208-4844 is a land line based in Nassau, NY
The registered service provider is Cablevision Lightpath**.

I guess they could be call forwarding back to Canada if they have the free long distance on their line.

Hmmm... New York company, Alberta phone number.

Sounds like the e-mails I've had from somebody who is supposedly a manager in a big London bank, then says to call him with any queries on 00-234-xxxxxxxx.

I'm going to make nice here and modify the saying. When I get e-mail scams I reply with the statement that I will be happy to co-operate with them just as soon as they send me a video clip of themselves "'consuming defecant' and howling at the moon". Never hear from them again!

As for the VM comment, when I called, I got a real person and advised them that the FBI would be knocking on their door soon. Obviously, that ain't gonna happen! And I have a feeling the RCMP won't be willing to deal with this minor international criminal activity.
John C. (Not Garand)