Have you ever been scammed?

@sweet_pea (3322)
Philippines
September 27, 2010 2:59am CST
I received a text scam about 10 years ago, stating i won a car! Geez, I was so excited then, I hurriedly called the number. I figured out I have to send to that number prepaid cards before I can claim my prize. That's when I figured out it was just a scam. In the first place, I didn't join any contest so why would I expect a prize? Recently, I received some text from unknown numbers, saying they are my relatives and notifying me it's there new number and they are asking for text loads, I just ignored them. But some, fell victims to these scammers. I just joined some PTC sites last month, and yes I was scammed by one of them. I didn't lose much because it's just 40 cents. I don't know what satisfaction do they get from cheating other people. So let us all be aware of these scammers. Have you also been scammed? Can you share your experiences so we can also learn from it and be able to avoid these scammers. Thanks to all those who would share.
4 people like this
17 responses
• India
27 Sep 10
Yes even i was scammed like a couple of times saying that i had won around $25,000 since my mobile number was picked out from a lucky draw and i was given a number to which i had to call. When i called i found that it was out of my country and it was some company's toll free number as long as i remember. Even some sites like readbud scammed me because i was expecting to get a lot of money from that site but frankly i am dissapointed so the next time i get any suspicious links i would post them so that i can get your view on them to know if a site is scam or not. Cheers!
@RamRes (1723)
• Argentina
29 Sep 10
Never in real life. I receive many of those text telling that I've won prizes that i don't play for and so on. Some are from my mobile company, trying to sell something that of course i don't want. This is just spam. But there are from time to time those rare text that come from an ordinary phone number asking me to reply with an "ok" to claim my new car!!!! Never replied, as it will cost me money and for sure they will ask me for more before my "prize"
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
29 Sep 10
I guess they are just waiting for someone to bite their offer.
• Philippines
28 Sep 10
I was scammed before, but it's actually very embarrassing since I was scammed on a buy and sell site. At that time, I wanted to buy an Ipod and I saw a post where it seemed it was a great deal. I asked the seller why he was selling it for a low price and he answered promptly. So I made the purchase, deposited my payment in his account.. and never heard from him again. I decided not to file a case with the buy and sell site anymore since I figured I wouldn't get my money back anyway, what was the use? But I felt really bad that I had been scammed. Mostly, I felt bad for the money I lost. I felt so stupid and I guess I knew at the back of my mind that there was a very great chance that it was a scam since the Ipod was selling at a low price compared to the other more reliable sellers. But I just wanted one and I ignored my instincts. I'm sort of an impulse buyer. I know I have to be more smart and think first before I act.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
29 Sep 10
I think we should trust our instincts, our gut feel and this little voice inside our head saying that something is not right.
@tomitomi (5429)
• Singapore
27 Sep 10
I'm not sure if my experience is related to this post. Anyway I'm happy to share it here hoping it would be of help to anyone who reads this. It happened about 8 years ago. There was an email from one of the African states. In flawless English the sender introduced himself and how he got my email. The son of an army general he almost convincingly related how his whole family was killed by the guerillas and his war-torn country. And being the only survivor and heir to a multi million dollar riches he was looking for someone overseas whom he could trust to transfer his money to while he made his escape. So he wanted all my particulars as well as my bank account and promised to meet me again within the next week if the deal got through as well as to leave a million dollars in my account as a reward. Over the course of a few months later the same kind of stories were in the papers and how a few people were cheated of their money. There was one man who actually traveled to meet the person who promised him the reward-money but did not return instead. Glad I wasn't convinced. My dear myLotters just be careful! Don't easily trust any stranger or any story like this. When you are faced with things like this talk it out with your families or just delete it.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
27 Sep 10
I also got the opinions of my co-workers when I received the text that I've won a car. It pays to get another opinion. Sometimes in our excitement, we don't tend to be logical. NEVER divulge your bank information or credit information to anyone. They might use it for their own greedy purpose. Thanks for sharing tomitomi. Have a nice day!
@aeisle (377)
• Philippines
27 Sep 10
Yes I do receive those kind of texts messages but I never believed them. Besides I never joined any promos or contests, plus if I did really win, they shouldn't require me to call them but they are the ones who should make a call for me instead. I have never been a winner to kinds of promos but at least I know how it should work. Sometimes my parents do receive those kinds of texts too but when I already told them how it works, they don't get excited at all anymore. However, one of our neighbors fell for these kind of scams and did attempt to call the contact person who's usually and Attorney any respected titles possibles. I can't remember anymore if they have reached to the point that they have deposited some amount of money I just knew that in the end, they have realized that it was just a scam.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
27 Sep 10
It really sucks to part with your hard-earned money and in the end would just end up to those cheaters.
• Indonesia
27 Sep 10
There are a lot of kind of scam in my country, it happens almost every day, they usually using text message as their media. The scam is usually about winning some price, like car or prize money, and ask us to send them money for administration or tax. Usually they who have lower education that get scammed, it happens right in front of my eyes once, while on q in an atm, a couple of girls in front of me is talking in the phone taking instruction from someone while they are doing transaction in the atm machine, I was already suspicious and tell them to be careful, but they said that they are certain and trust speaker on the phone, so i tell the security guard about it, and he told them that they might be scammed, but its already to late the transaction is done, and then they when they finally relies that they were scammed they are crying but their money already taken. They are just some housemaid with low education and earning little money and they money that was taken probably worth several months of their income.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
27 Sep 10
We sometimes like to have easy money, so we fall for these scams. It is too good to be true that money would fall from the heavens. Thanks for sharing!
• United Kingdom
27 Sep 10
I'm getting really annoyed with these scam emails that I keep receiving! I receive them on a daily basis and I actually receive hundreds of them in my inbox! I have become so accustomed to seeing them now that they are very easy to recognise and I just ignore them now, I delete all of them! I think the most common types of emails are those that mention that you've won some kind of huge lottery prize! The email then asks for you to disclose your personal details and this can be very dangerous! I think as well as receiving the lottery scam emails I also receive those that relate to some oil baron or a prince that has passed away and one of his relatives needs my help in transferring funds into a bank in the UK and by agreeing to do this I receive a huge percentage of the funds! Can you imagine what goes through the mind of these people? They are sick and should be imprisoned for life! They ruin the lives of people and they care very little about how they affect others! Anyway, I know that I will keep on receiving these scam emails and I will continue deleting them! The only way to avoid them completely is to change my email address but I'm not going to do that as it's very easy to delete all these emails in one go! I play the real lottery and it's my hope that one day I will receive a genuine email from the National Lottery saying that I have won the jackpot! Andrew
@adhyz82 (36249)
• Indonesia
27 Sep 10
i think every online business always get scammer or being scammed.. but it`s good to make them realize that too many scam site..and always be careful in next steps
@freymind (1351)
• Philippines
1 Oct 10
yes.. i also got a message on my cp regarding a 700k worth of cash but i need to send load to that person. since i already smelled something fishy i sent the card number of all used prepaid cards that i have.. and the number that sent me that message didn't replied to me anymore after i sent those numbers... i was naughty to send used prepaid cards numbers... maybe he/she thought that they already scammed me LOL... also i am supposedly $1 BILLION RICHER FOR GETTING SO MANY SCAMMED EMAILS... i'm getting tired of them needing to be erased or be transfered to spam mail.. i just hope they can't scam other people anymore...
@SilverKing (1003)
• Canada
27 Sep 10
Well yes on e bay i got scammed by an overseas seller in istanbul.They were selling a 2.5 gram gold bar of pure gold for around 100 dollars back late last year.I paid they seller promptly and waited for the item to be shipped.The seller had 100 percent feed back so i assumed that they were a legit seller.Little did i know that it was a scam and they never responed to my emails or shipped the item.I put in a claim to ebay and thank goodness they gave me my 100 dollars back and disabled the users account.They probably made a bogus account and change it every month.While on the interent you have to be very careful as it is full of scammers that just want your money.
@mickizzy (130)
28 Sep 10
scams have been with us for centuries but with the birth of the internet they have invented different ways to try and squeeze us out of our cash, caution should be observed at all times
• Philippines
28 Sep 10
Well I guessed what I had read today was a scam or I don't know not sure. It said that I have been selected to their survey and just have to answer the question. It's was quite a try, there was only one question. but even if I don't answer the survey still they will forward me to the next step and new website. But i have to pay some release fee in order to have that price. They somewhat imitated youtube's logo but I can see it myself that there was something wrong with their logo. How could they used well known sites for scam. Here is the site try to find out if this was really a scam. http://youtube.com-prizes.com/win/
@harry89 (2330)
• India
27 Sep 10
no i havent ever got scammed yet
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
27 Sep 10
lucky you! Still be aware that there are scammers out there lurking around for their next victims. Have a nice day!
• Philippines
27 Sep 10
yeah i had been scammed b4. but it was from a guy i met online. he said he was looking for a nanny for his 2 children and i badly needed a job at that time and he offered to help me pay for my visa. so had an agreement that he will pay most of the fees. so i agreed with it. after i sent the money, he suddendy disappeared and never talked to me again... only then i realized i was cheated and lied to. thats why i dont believe to anyone who is offering help at the web anymore... so guys beware of scammers....
• Singapore
27 Sep 10
There was once when my mother received a call claiming to be my mother's son. The way he called 'mother' was also different from what I call. How retarded can that scammer be? Luckily me and my mother was at home at that time and we were also warned against such calls by the media and the police. That scammer probably wants to extort money by claiming that he's kidnapped. Stupid idiot scammer.
• Philippines
27 Sep 10
yeah i did got myself scammed. i was buying a used PS2 and i remember that i was so excited that i never tested it and by the time that i got home with the ps2, the lenses were broken and i can only play 2 cds. hahaha
• Bulgaria
27 Sep 10
Once i recieve a call by phone in which man says that i'm winner and i'll win TV,1000$ and cellphone if i send to him four vouchers for mobile conversation which will be cover his expenditure for supply.All that cost 40$.I immediately catch the lie,because i never participate in any game.I think that they simply found my tel.number in telephone directory and try to catch someone on the fishing rod.May be with thousand attempts he will succeed to deceive someone.