February 14, 2007

anatomy of a scam: giftcards

scamcard.jpg

SCAM.PREREQUISITS
* empty gift card
* recently thrown away receipt with timestamp you can point to.

SCAM.NARRATIVE
"I just returned this sweater... but they wouldn't give me cash, so they credited this gift card [sympathy]. I can't find anything I want [more sympathy], so would you buy this gift card from me at 75% of its value [the hook]. Here's the receipt [build trust]... if you want to use my cell phone, you can call to verify the card [impractical offer, but more trust]..."

SCAM.EXECUTION
scamee hands over $10. scammer heads straight for the door, but not suspiciously fast.

SCAM.SUMMARY
i immediately went to a cashier to verify the card after our transaction. waiting in line was the LONGEST two minutes of my life. luckily, everything was legit.... this time... but i'll never again hand over money without verifying the card first.... no matter how grisly and smoke-filled his voice sounds...

Posted by steveh at February 14, 2007 12:00 AM
Comments

for sale :: dictionary with word "gullible" removed. $50,000 or best offer.

Posted by: fargis at February 14, 2007 12:36 AM

oh dear, gb. you have a heart of pure gold. and apparently a liking for grisly voices?

Posted by: dsplit at February 14, 2007 09:51 AM

also, didn't you think it was weird that he had purchased a sweater for 13 dollars and 33 cents (approx.)?

Posted by: dsplit at February 14, 2007 09:54 AM

you under-estimate the value of jc penney's... i picked up a $100 velvet blazer for $14... ANYTHING can happen in that store...

Posted by: gb at February 14, 2007 10:05 AM

ah, hence the tunnel!

Posted by: dsplit at February 14, 2007 11:32 AM

i totally missed your tunnel comment... but it reminds me of an interview Hitchcock did about N by NW... he said the movie was "completely devoid of symbolism.... well.... except for the train and tunnel at the end...."

i hope that's not what you are referring to...

Posted by: gb at February 14, 2007 11:24 PM

didn't underblog accuse you of building a secret tunnel between your bedroom and some department store? hitchcock is a riot.

Posted by: dsplit at February 15, 2007 10:04 AM

yes he did... makes perfect sense now... it wasn't some department store... it was also JC Penney's....

Posted by: gb at February 15, 2007 10:21 AM
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