A funny SCAM email and what I may have learned from it.

@TheHorse (224781)

Walnut Creek, California

March 12, 2025 11:49am CST

I received an invoice needing my signature this morning. It was supposedly from Geek Squad, the installation and tech support arm of Best Buy, a large electronics retailer in the US. Do they have Best Buy where you live? Anyway, the scam email had the following sentence in it: "Your Invoice from [Company] is Ready" Whoever sent the email forgot to insert "Geek Squad" where he was supposed to. This led me to wonder whether there is a "big boss" somewhere that sends scam text to his minions, and that the minions are supposed to add whatever language (company name, etc.) is necessary to make the scam email sound plausible. I wonder if this one was sent by someone who doesn't speak English at all. Or is just very stupid. Do any of the "big bosses" ever get caught? I have never researched it.

24 people like this

22 responses

@lovebuglena (46040)

• Staten Island, New York

12 Mar

There are a lot of spam/scam emails going around. And they’re getting good at making them seem legit.

5 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

I haven't seen any that really looked legit.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

@lovebuglena It does.

2 people like this

@lovebuglena (46040)

• Staten Island, New York

12 Mar

@TheHorse that’s good. Makes it easier not to fall for it.

2 people like this

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@arunima25 (89487)

• Bangalore, India

12 Mar

My inbox is full of spam mails and I keep getting message that my storage space is full. I keep deleting them without even opening and they keep pouring every day. It's annoying. With the use of AI these days, the scammers are getting smarter and there is a very blur line between the authentic and fake ones.

4 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

Do they go to your SPAM filter?

3 people like this

@arunima25 (89487)

• Bangalore, India

17 Mar

@TheHorse Yes, most of them are in my spam folder. Sometimes, even the genuine first time mails go to spam folder. So, I check it once before deleting them all

@kareng (71041)

• United States

12 Mar

A lot also do not have matching "from" email addresses. That is another sure give away!

3 people like this

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@kareng (71041)

• United States

12 Mar

@TheHorse Have you ever gotten one that addresses you by the wrong name? Those are super funny!

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

Yeppers, I have notice that.

2 people like this

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@Tampa_girl7 (52212)

• United States

12 Mar

I would think that there is a big boss for every scam team. They never give up.

4 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

The minions are probably just poor people who can't find a decent job. I wonder how the Big Bosses live with themselves.

3 people like this

@cabuyogty (3390)

• Philippines

12 Mar

I use to ignore scam email because they are not worth of my time.

3 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

I just delete them.

2 people like this

@cabuyogty (3390)

• Philippines

13 Mar

@TheHorse I delete them also sometimes if I'm getting insulted by these disturbing spam and scam emails.

1 person likes this

@lilacskies (12962)

• United States

12 Mar

I receive them all the time, but they go straight to my spam box so I only delete the whole spam box. When it's empty I move on to reading my inbox emails.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

I wonder if I can delete my entire SPAM box. It gets pretty full.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

13 Mar

@lilacskies Wheee! Thanks. I will try to find it.

2 people like this

@lilacskies (12962)

• United States

13 Mar

@TheHorse You are welcome. Good luck!

1 person likes this

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@rsa101 (38256)

• Philippines

13 Mar

I believe this one is ai generated draft letter that the scammer just copied and pasted and send it to everyone. I used that too from time to time when i havebthe hard time composing a reply in an email then just fill it up correctly when neccesary.

2 people like this

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@rsa101 (38256)

• Philippines

14 Mar

They can get assistance from ChatGpT in writing any kind of email. Before sending it to their potential victims, they will simply fill in the blank email message that AI can generate. Unfortunately, they just copied and pasted it without making any changes.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

Can you elaborate?

2 people like this

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@pahak627 (5043)

• Philippines

13 Mar

I had experienced being scammed thru an email. It was my order in Lazada wherein I received an email that I have to pay 50% of the amount of the goods for it to be delivered. I paid the amount and found out that it was a scam later. No time to back out. f spent the amount of the goods plus the 50%. I did not cancel it since I already spent so much. I guess that was an inside job.

2 people like this

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@pahak627 (5043)

• Philippines

14 Mar

@TheHorse I didn't report it since it was an online purchase and I thought it would be a waste of time to report it since I was still in the province at that time. If I had reported it what would be its benefits. If a case be filed I don't know which jurisdiction.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

13 Mar

I hope it was not an inside job. Were you able to report the incident to someone?

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

@pahak627 I often feel the same way.

2 people like this

@wolfgirl569 (113306)

• Marion, Ohio

13 Mar

I don't look at emails. But I did get a text saying I owe a toll charge. That truck needs to stop exploring without me

2 people like this

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@wolfgirl569 (113306)

• Marion, Ohio

14 Mar

@TheHorse The truck was roaming again. I got another today. I need to go have a discussion with that Bambimobile

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

@wolfgirl569 Hey, trucks need to have a good time too!

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

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@xFiacre (13362)

• Ireland

12 Mar

@thehorse I got something similar from Geek Squad.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

Do they HAVE Geek Squad in Ireland?

1 person likes this

@xFiacre (13362)

• Ireland

12 Mar

@TheHorse No but they seem to like me.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

@xFiacre Heh. I guess an email is an email.

1 person likes this

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@Fleura (31368)

• United Kingdom

12 Mar

I expect there is. Scamming is big business these days. Having said that I have previously received similarly careless responses from genuine companies.

2 people like this

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@Fleura (31368)

• United Kingdom

12 Mar

@TheHorse Reasonably-sized ones. Where they have just sent a generic reply without bothering to fill in the spaces for my name and other details.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

Really? Big companies?

2 people like this

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@Shiva49 (26996)

• Singapore

13 Mar

We need to remember "fools rush in where angels fear to tread". There are always the naive to recall "A fool and his money are soon parted":??

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

Do angels fear to tread there? Or refuse to tread there? That's my philosophical question of the day.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

@Shiva49 We have an issue in the US with criminals roaming free.

2 people like this

@Shiva49 (26996)

• Singapore

14 Mar

@TheHorse The angels will keep an arms length from those up to no good. The latter will be "taken care of" by those specialized in handling them with knuckle dusters.

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@LindaOHio (184773)

• United States

13 Mar

Yes we have a Best Buy here. Scam email is very annoying.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

13 Mar

I try to approach it with a sense of humor. Have you seen JJ's videos where he "messes" with scammers?

2 people like this

@LindaOHio (184773)

• United States

14 Mar

@TheHorse No. Was it on Facebook?

1 person likes this

• Lagos, Nigeria

13 Mar

This so funny, because it's very common where I come from and they use different tactics now you almost can't keep up.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

What kinds of scam emails do you get?

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

15 Mar

@fracis22 I do not understand what you have said.

• Lagos, Nigeria

14 Mar

@TheHorse what!! You get people get your numbers from groups u join,then chat you up and if you are standing on one feet you fall for it and get your Whatsapp hacked and your contacts scammed.they will get messages from you asking them to lend you money.hmmm tip of the iceberg

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@GardenGerty (162756)

• United States

13 Mar

Got the same e mail. I just throw them into the spam list. Some people must fall for these scams or they would not be willing to buy our information to send them to. I also have been getting a lot from "docusign" about a purchase of cryptocurrency.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

I have gotten a few crypto ones as well.

@popciclecold (39959)

• United States

14 Mar

I don't think they ever get caught.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

15 Mar

Being on a firing squad would be interesting. Did you you know that some people shot blanks on firing squads, so the did not have to know whether they had killed someone or not? At least that what I read.

@kaylachan (76283)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

12 Mar

I know there are scam baiters out there that routinenly shut down scams, but new ones pop up. and people try the old same tricks.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

12 Mar

I wonder what kind of prison sentences scammers get.

1 person likes this

Anne Marie Guyer

@LeaPea2417 (37648)

• Toccoa, Georgia

13 Mar

I wish all scammers got caught.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

If wishes were dollars, I'd be wealthy.

2 people like this

@Faster16 (3252)

• Indonesia

13 Mar

That's a classic phishing scam tactic, and the missing company name is a huge red flag! It's very common for these scams to have grammatical errors or missing information, which often points to them being mass-produced and sent out without careful review.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

I wish more of these people ere caught and put before a firing squad.

1 person likes this

@MarkPaul (234)

•

13 Mar

I think it's more that the "Big Boss" (most likely a Nigerian Prince or General) bought a scam template letter and instead of reading the instructions, he/she enthusiastically mass mailed it as is, leaving the rest to the slave-phone workers. Remarkably, they will probably still get calls.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (224781)

• Walnut Creek, California

14 Mar

I may be too old to be a spy. But it would be fun to infiltrate their network and figure out how all of this works.

1 person likes this

@MarkPaul (234)

•

14 Mar

@TheHorse There have been undercover operators who have videoed what actually goes on and quite a few youtube videos of hackers who have hacked into the scammer systems to reveal what is actually going on. In many cases, the phone workers are trying to earn a small stipend to feed their families aware they are running a scam, but so in need of the money to rationalize what they are doing. The real money is going to 1 or 2 people who present themselves as heroes to a local economy for providing jobs and are removed enough to avoid legal ramifications.

1 person likes this