I just had the strangest call. "cousin" called. Though he didn;t tell me his name. I though it was Tommy . Phone said

[debm55]

Unknown.. I should have hung up then. He went drinking last night and was in a wreck.Spent the night in jail as he was drunk . He asked for bond money.I have no idea if it was my cousin. I told him I had no extra money. He hung up on me. Did I do the right thing?

[Be The Light]

1. yes!

[Karadeniz]

2. This is an old scam !!!

[jimfields33]

3. Call his parents to see if the story was true.

There are scams out there. Grandparents get calls like this. They typically call their kids to get the scoop which always ends up with a good laugh.

[debm55]

8. His parents are dead . I asked him if called his wife, he said not yet. I do have the money, but maybe he needs to get

help again. As drinking has been his life long thing. He was a privileged child, smart, parents paid for his college. That wasn't the case for me. I was thinking if my anger toward him caused my reaction.

[TommyT139]

11. Thinking logically

Wouldn't his wife have been the first call? Either for money or, at the very least,to let her know where he was.

[Ocelot II]

13. Chances are it wasn't him at all.

Scammers can find out details about people from their social media and other public records. If it was really a guy in jail who needed bail money he'd call his wife first.

[RandomNumbers]

16. It probably wasn't him, but if he is in jail, it probably isn't urgent.

(unless he is black)

I won't bail a drunk out of jail. At least not in a hurry. (unless I think they're at risk in the jail for some reason - I don't think that applies to anyone who would be calling me)

[yardwork]

29. I know a couple people who finally sobered up after spending time in jail.

[jimfields33]

17. I'm sorry. I didn't realize this was real.

I hope he gets the help. It’s tough out there.

[Ocelot II]

4. You did the right thing. Sounds like the scam where the caller claims to be a relative -

often a grandchild - and says they are in some kind of trouble and they need money right away.

Avoid the Scam
Resist the urge to act immediately, even if the story is very dramatic or you’re scared for your loved one’s safety. Act with your head, not just your heart.
Scammers may know names, relationships or other details that they can easily find on social media Web sites or the Internet. Try to verify the caller’s identity by asking questions that a stranger could not possibly know.
Call supposed family member on a phone number that you know to be genuine.
Call another family member (a grandchild’s parent, for example) to verify that there is an actual problem or emergency. Check out the story with someone else, even if you’ve been told by the caller to keep it secret.
If you’re convinced that you want to send money, don’t wire the money. Send a check or money order by over- night delivery or courier. If you do wire money, know that the likelihood of recovering that money if the call proves to be a scam is almost nonexistent.
Tell your family members and your friends about this scam, and urge them to be cautious. The best way to avoid falling victim to a scam is to be educated about how a scam works, to look for those warning signs and to simply hang up the phone.

https://portal.ct.gov/ag/consumer-issues/hot-scams/the-grandparents-scam#:~:text=The%20phone%20rings%2C%20and%20the,worried%20grandparent%20rushes%20to%20help.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

5. If they won't identify themselves by name,

it is a scam. You did right in just hanging up.

[sarge43]

6. A useful quote from the film Carlito's Way

"I don't know ya; I don't owe ya".

[Niagara]

7. You did great, Debbie! The Federal Trade Commission has a section explaining scam phone calls and texts

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/scammers-use-fake-emergencies-steal-your-money


Also, the IRS will never call you and insist that you pay your "debt" with electronic gift cards.


Be safe, be aware.

[flakey_foont]

9. It's a scam. Ignore it

Someone tried that on my mother. Got a call, caller said it was her grandson and he was in jail and needed bail money. She asked which grandson, and he said, “guess which one”. She asked, “Steve?” He said yes. My mother then goes, “ Well, I don’t have a grandson named Steve” and hung up

[TommyT139]

10. Another option

Sounds like you did the right thing.

Another way to check, his parents being deceased, would be to ask where he was locked up, and look up the info yourself online to call. Only call a number that is from an official site, like one ending in dot state abbreviation. (Federal sites are dot gov.)

Even if he had given a name, it still may have been a scam. If you know other relatives, let them know about the call. That could confirm things one way or another, and also gives them a heads up that there might be a call coming their way.

[RainCaster]

12. The phones in jails have caller ID enabled

At least where I live.

[True Dough]

14. Probably Tommy Tuberville

He's just as well off in jail!

[debm55]

15. I don't know how he knew my number and the voice was just like my cousin and they used AI to use it.

[TommieMommy]

18. Yes I don't answer any of the numbers I don't know, way too many scammers pulling the same stuff asking for money

[debm55]

19. Thank you , but I am getting all kinds of messages for Kamala. --take this survey, we are crying because you did

Last edited Sun Sep 15, 2024, 06:40 PM - Edit history (1)

not complete the questions. Who do I donate to? I have no idea which is real? Thank you for your help.

[TommieMommy]

20. I've been getting tons of emails for donations for Kamala. Be careful please

[TommieMommy]

21. Also a lot of information has been hacked. I put a credit freeze on mine just to be safe

[HeartsCanHope]

25. I only donate to ActBlue or here on DU.

Here is the URL: https://secure.actblue.com/
I look up the person I want to donate the money to on the site and donate that way. I know then it's not a scam and the donation will get to the right people and not line some scammer's pockets. I don't even donate through my own email account. "Once burned, twice shy!"

[delisen]

31. Donate to Dem congressional campaigns

And only donate through safe sites like DU.

We need to win Congress and there are many close races.

You did the right thing on rejecting the “relative in emergency situation” scam.

We are now living in the Artificial Intelligence Age and scams are becoming even more realistic. Do not second guess yourself on this. Report the calls or emails to DU and tell us you said “No.”

[Kali]

22. scam

using "fortune teller" skills to play on sympathy. they trick you into telling them things you don't even realize.

for donating go to the pinned thread at the top of General Discussion. delete and unsubscribe to all spam, it will start again every time you donate but if you stay on top of replying with "stop" and unsubscribing from emails they do slow way down. don't even read them, they may seem personalized but they aren't and there is nobody who actually reads anything.

I have my phone almost completely clear now, and when a donation kicks in from MY time and choice to make one and the spam starts up, I have no guilt or concern about hitting STOP and delete.

when they call I say I don't do donations over the phone please remove this number from call list.

[Elessar Zappa]

23. Definite scam.

You did the right thing.

[Hekate]

24. You did the right thing. If he's related to you, I'm your Aunt Molly. Let him call someone else in the City Directory.

Cautiously yours,
Hekate

[rzemanfl]

26. I got that type of call from someone trying to be my grandson who was trouble in New York City.

It's a common scam.

[Raven123]

27. Oh my yes. This is a scam, until proven otherwise.

[elleng]

28. Yes

[Mark.b2]

30. No. It was a mistake to answer an unknown call.

My elderly parents have wearied me with stories of scammers and telemarketers theyve interacted with all because they feel compelled to answer their damn phone every time it rings.

[arkielib]

32. You did the right thing whether it was a scam or not.

[leftieNanner]

33. Scam

Go see the movie Thelma!

[Jacson6]

34. This is a known scam.

In the future ask for their full name and something that only they would know about you.

[LudwigPastorius]

35. It's a variation of the "Grandma" call.

https://www.fcc.gov/grandparent-scams-get-more-sophisticated