Related – Has anyone been receiving an increased number of unknown or spam calls recently? I don’t answer any unknown numbers, but the constant calls are bothersome. I vaguely remember an increase early last year, that eventually diminished. Hoping for the same reduction soon.
1 Like
Definitely an uptick here. I just send them to voice mail. So far, no voice messages left. All good. 
1 Like
Me yes- several a day- as well as text spam, oddly H got like one!
2 Likes
Yes, all of a sudden from one per month to several per day, on my cell phone. I’m blocking them all. But I assumed it was because I [foolishly] responded to some solar power questionnaire, and now I’m being bombarded with calls from solar power companies.
2 Likes
I got a funny email just now, with the subject line “(Firstname) your package is out for delivery.” The sender’s email address was newsletter@newyorkonk.organiccrap.com. 
2 Likes
I’ve noticed in the last few weeks that maybe half the stuff my spam filter catches is from something like “newsletter@somethingorother.com” But I think yours wins the prize for truth in advertising!
2 Likes
Here’s one I just got on FB messenger: "Look who died, in an accident I think you know him I’m so sorry- came with a sad emoji and a link. It came from my brother in law who probably doesn’t know any of my friends. I was more alert as I had just been reading this thread.
I don’t know if this is actually some sort of scam as I can’t imagine what’s in it for whoever originates these posts, but perhaps you can enlighten me.
At least once a month, D’s MiL posts on her Fb page that Fb/Meta is “hacking” accounts or otherwise stealing from them their photos, personal information, etc. and an attorney has advised them to post a statement on their page that everything they post is their personal property and they do not give permission for anyone else to use it. Sometimes there’s a (magic?) phrase that if used word for word will somehow legally prevent Fb from spying, stealing, etc. These posts always end with “do not share” and instruct the reader to copy and paste to their own account, often with instructions on how to do it.
Can searches be run for a phrase used in these posts that enables the originator to see who’s gullible enough to believe them and then target those accounts for money making scams? I haven’t come up with another reason to do it, expect perhaps some immature person getting his jollies from fear-mongering.
This dumb thing has been floating around for well over a decade…
2 Likes
Thanks. I don’t recall seeing it before D’s MiL began posting it repeatedly. I’d send her (and her son) a link to the Snopes page, but they and my D (I’m sorry to say) don’t believe anything from Snopes which they’re convinced has a strong leftist agenda and cannot be trusted. Sigh… not much I can do with that.
That drives me crazy when I see it. Friends who should know better post it!
I have to be careful if I correct people. A couple of friends have blocked me for politely telling them they’re incorrect. 
4 Likes
@MaineLonghorn : Then you really didn’t want to be friends with them anyway, did you.
1 Like
Talked with the lady who delivers our mail yesterday because we had been getting someone else’s mail (legitimate mistake on that). However, she told me they were warned by her boss recently that scammers are accessing the Preview option USPS offers online (H has it - we like it) and putting in random addresses. Then they look at what’s coming. If it looks like a check, they intercept it.
Apparently USPS has no safeguard stopping anyone from putting in someone else’s address? Or if there is, the scammers are getting around it.
It’s infuriating that it’s happening locally enough for our postal workers to be hearing about it.
Our local news did a segment on similar things with stolen mail - the thieves would take the checks, wash the ink out, and rewrite them to themselves for a bit of money. The news station cautioned to use gel pens writing checks to stop them from being able to be washed. You wouldn’t get the check back, but at least they couldn’t change them. I switched to using a gel pen right after seeing that segment since there were local incidents where it had happened, but it also bothers me knowing people could be looking at our mail online to see if there’s anything they want to get to first. H generally gets paid from clients via the mail - checks they write out. Sometimes they’ll pay online or with a bank issued check, but most often not.
1 Like
We got a locked mailbox to stop the mail theft on our street.
2 Likes
We’re rural and have a traditional mailbox that the mail lady opens to put our mail in - delivery from the mail van - she doesn’t even have to get out. It’s big enough to hold small packages. We also mail things out from the box most of the time instead of taking it to the post office, though there are far fewer things being mailed now than in the “old days” since I pay most bills online. It’s pretty much a similar type everyone in our rural area has.
2 Likes
Not a digital scam… Watch your license plates, all! We are in WA where the front plates are required on cars. Our front plate was stolen at the mall last weekend. We quickly got new plates to avoid any issues. The people at the licensing agency said there has been an uptick in such thefts - the plates are sold to be used for anything from toll bridges crossing to smash and grab thefts. Owners generally don’t notice that the plate is gone until some time passes. My husband is modifying the Law so it would be harder to unscrew the plate from it.
2 Likes
@BunsenBurner - sheesh, what next? 
For the 2 or three with husbands who allowed external ‘fixit’ access, do you think the scam is the money they charge or the access to the computer getting personal info…or both?
I hope it’s just the money but I fear it’s the personal info.
I hope it’s just the $$$. After H stopped talking to them, we’ve never had any ID or $$ theft and it was some years ago.