Work from Home and other recent scams
Preying on people's worries of unemployment and fear of contamination, the scam now involves selling COVID preventative essential oils from your doorstep. From the one phone call I received on this matter, it sounds like a call center in the Philippines or Thailand, and they are pushing essential oils that will counteract COVID symptoms. Of course, this is just scented water with no proven healing or curative factors and using people's desperation & panic to bilk them out of their money.
There is also the Work from Home Scam, where you are supposedly a shipping clerk for an office supply company. But once you buy and ship the office supplies requested, the "reimbursement check" suddenly bounces and leaves you in the red.
I also encountered many years ago, when I worked in NYC, a scam that involved Security Guard job placement assistance. This one, you would actually interview and meet the scumbags face to face while they chat you up about a starting pay rate of $22/hr. and immediate jobs hiring. Only to demand $199 for training classes, where they show videos or movies, give you a security guard certificate printed on Loose leaf paper and then tell you go out and find your own way. I remember smelling a rat when I asked the guy's name over the phone and he said Mr. White. Did a quick search online and saw hundreds of complaints about the company and the scam itself.
One can only hope society doesn't stoop any lower once businesses open, but these rats always come out when things are at their worst.
The best are the Instagram "money flippers", send them $300 and they'll send you back $3000! And their "proof" is pics of various people holding money and giving a thumbs up. But you only see young, urban folks wearing baggy jeans and durags in the pictures and a number to call Jamal at 555-***-9855.
I saw a news report where they tracked down the figure head of the job scam, an old Jewish fella named Herb Marion from NYC. I wonder if he was working with the Hasidic guy in Brooklyn who bought up all the medical masks and gloves and sold them at a 700% mark up?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnNZyajqZPs
Now, I look at her and would like to ask, "Other than putting gas in your car what kind of experience do you have to supervise this kind of work?" Really?
Some pitches entice people down on their luck or not that bright in how things work.
It is why I am for Life Skills classes in high school. Flat out say, "You have to either be the kid of the owner or start at the bottom doing the awful job. Someone that works there already wants the better jobs."
Guess some scammers take their act to Vegas! I remember when Trump Plaza in AC was accused of filling their Bottled Water with tap water and waitresses removing the cap when you ordered it.
I always thought Ice Cream men were a big scam, buying frozen popsicles in bulk at 20-25 cents a bar and selling them from $2-$3 a pop. As a kid, I probably paid them $50 for $5 worth of ice cream over all.
Yes and convenience, plus the thought of whether or not the guy is a pedo or chicken f*****.Quote: VenthusEh, what they're really selling are the tertiary elements, like bringing it to your house and the nostalgia of the parents who remember getting it when they were young (and probably the realization of how annoying they were when they were kids)... it's like the old lesson in marketing: "You're not an insurance salesman. You sell peace of mind."
Quote: BedWetterBetterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtXN5LBP_lk
Guess some scammers take their act to Vegas! I remember when Trump Plaza in AC was accused of filling their Bottled Water with tap water and waitresses removing the cap when you ordered it.
I always thought Ice Cream men were a big scam, buying frozen popsicles in bulk at 20-25 cents a bar and selling them from $2-$3 a pop. As a kid, I probably paid them $50 for $5 worth of ice cream over all.
I don't consider the ice cream guy a scam. He is selling a product that you can either choose to buy or not. Yes he has a big markup but I don't think that is a scam.
They also held back 10% of sales as a deposit on the truck. Rent was $200 a week rain or shine. It was fun but barely profitable. If I worked five days, I'd clear about $250 a week. I'd work a sixth day every couple of weeks but some guys worked seven days a week for the whole summer. If you finished your contract you'd get your 10% of sales back, which was a great going away bonus.
They also held back 10% of sales as a deposit on the truck. Rent was $200 a week rain or shine. It was fun but barely profitable. If I worked five days, I'd clear about $250 a week. I'd work a sixth day every couple of weeks but some guys worked seven days a week for the whole summer. If you finished your contract you'd get your 10% of sales back, which was a great going away bonus.
Quote: billryanI drove a Good Humour truck one summer, 1986 or 87. The markup wasn't that great. I'd sneak in some Good Humour I'd buy from the supermarket when it was on sale. At the time, most bars sold for75 cents and I'd pay 50% upfront to 70% if I paid after I sold them.
They also held back 10% of sales as a deposit on the truck. Rent was $200 a week rain or shine. It was fun but barely profitable. If I worked five days, I'd clear about $250 a week. I'd work a sixth day every couple of weeks but some guys worked seven days a week for the whole summer. If you finished your contract you'd get your 10% of sales back, which was a great going away bonus.
So if I understand the numbers right, you'd make something like 700 in sales each 5-day week,they'd take about 650, yielding about 50/wk or 10/day in profit. If you finished out the contract, you'd end up with 10% of the sales back, making about 120/week, pulling the equivalent of 24$/day. If you did 7 days a week with the same averages, you'd yield 20.5/day and 34.5/day if you finished off the contract.
That actually doesn't come across as downright awful for something like a high school job in the 80s... though I'm also thinking you're not doing 8-hours a day. Unfortunately, I also suspect a lot of people working it aren't doing it as a high school gig either.
I'm possibly not remembering them correctly. I know if you worked five days, it was a bit above the minimum wage but the sixth day was all gravy.
They held ten percent of purchases, not sales so if you bought $100 worth of ice cream you paid $110 for it which was about $50 a week. After the season, you'd get 1,000-1500 back.
The guys who owned their own truck could do much better but were responsible for wear and tear plus insurance. At the time, you could buy an old 1965-69 truck for about $2500. One of my friends bought a truck, thinking he would work pt when he retired. One thing lead to another and he never did, but the market skyrocketed and he sold the truck for about $20,000 maybe fifteen years later.
Quote: DRichI don't consider the ice cream guy a scam. He is selling a product that you can either choose to buy or not. Yes he has a big markup but I don't think that is a scam.
I don't know, I would say playing a loud, obnoxious jingle up and down every street while targeting schools and playgrounds for customers who can't drive to buy the product is kind of scummy. If they were really "helping the kids" or providing them a service, they would charge the same or less than stores, no?
Granted, the kids are just taking money from their parents but it still reeks of opportunism at its worst.
You're a pessimist. Those trucks don't sit in front of your house all day until you come out and buy something. Bill Ryan was just talking about how he had to basically steal from his business partners to make ends meet and you're complaining these people aren't working for GD FREE? When I was a kid, we were only allowed ice cream a few times a year max and all the other times the truck just kept driving by the house. I assume you're willing to drive around at your expense 50 hours a week providing a service PEOPLE WANT? If I have a choice between going to the nearest gas station, RT 15 minutes, 3 miles and having someone bring it to me for $2-5, I'd pay. Great f***** deal IMO.Quote: BedWetterBetterI don't know, I would say playing a loud, obnoxious jingle up and down every street while targeting schools and playgrounds for customers who can't drive to buy the product is kind of scummy. If they were really "helping the kids" or providing them a service, they would charge the same or less than stores, no?
Granted, the kids are just taking money from their parents but it still reeks of opportunism at its worst.
Quote: billryanI drove a Good Humour truck one summer, 1986 or 87. The markup wasn't that great. I'd sneak in some Good Humour I'd buy from the supermarket when it was on sale. At the time, most bars sold for75 cents and I'd pay 50% upfront to 70% if I paid after I sold them.
They also held back 10% of sales as a deposit on the truck. Rent was $200 a week rain or shine. It was fun but barely profitable. If I worked five days, I'd clear about $250 a week. I'd work a sixth day every couple of weeks but some guys worked seven days a week for the whole summer. If you finished your contract you'd get your 10% of sales back, which was a great going away bonus.
My neighbor has a Schwan's truck gig, similar to your position you had with Good Humor. I think their ice cream is pretty good and he tells me he's making about $2,000 on an average week after all expenses, he works six days a week and he's gone about 12 hours a day but he says he definitely enjoys what he's doing and he's making the most money he's ever made, he's even got a college education and he came out of some type of corporate job a few years ago. LoL, no jeopardy of losing what he's doing now best thing about it.
If I hear “excuse me, sir”....in the distance, I know they want money. Every time. I’ve learned to not hear it anymore.
The scam artists are working overtime and the scams and operations get more sophisticated every day. Be careful. If you are getting called, getting approached, getting an email or text ....hang on tight to your wallet.
Caller ID’s getting spoofed. Latest was Apple. Emails that look totally official from your bank. Text messages that indicate your credit card has been compromised.
You really need to stay sharp. Even more so now.
Btw, I have no issue with the ice cream man.
Quote: Marcusclark66My neighbor has a Schwan's truck gig, similar to your position you had with Good Humor. I think their ice cream is pretty good and he tells me he's making about $2,000 on an average week after all expenses, he works six days a week and he's gone about 12 hours a day but he says he definitely enjoys what he's doing and he's making the most money he's ever made, he's even got a college education and he came out of some type of corporate job a few years ago. LoL, no jeopardy of losing what he's doing now best thing about it.
The trick seemed to be knowing your route. That is the advantage the vets have over the rookies and why there is such a huge turnover of new drivers. By August, I knew which blocks were great and which to avoid. You also learn that few parents buy ice cream for their kids after 4 PM so instead of trawling streets, you find a park or place that kids hang out. Parking in front of the gyms was pretty good. After dinner, it starts all over again. There were a few days when I didn't have all day and would only hit the super-premium spots, and I'd make 66% of my average in a couple of hours. I had the old fashioned pickup type truck so I couldn't sell soda or candy. Guys with step-vans could sell those and baseball cards, balloons, even hot dogs, but the company didn't rent vans.
Of course, by the time you figure it out, school starts, and old patterns are disrupted. When school started, I'd park right in front of this high school and did well until an administrator told me I couldn't be within 500 feet of the school.
I know nothing about today's conditions but back then I gave some thought to buying a truck an doing it fulltime. Had I had a partner willing to work some of the days, I think it would have been a great investment.
One guy with his own truck told me he collected unemployment 20 weeks every year and wintered in Florida but didn't explain how he did it.
Quote: BedWetterBetterI always thought Ice Cream men were a big scam, buying frozen popsicles in bulk at 20-25 cents a bar and selling them from $2-$3 a pop. As a kid, I probably paid them $50 for $5 worth of ice cream over all.
By telling us what the markup is, you're showing how transparent it is, which means it is not a scam. Anyone who buys that stuff does so with full knowledge of what they're getting. We all know we're paying 25-cents for ice cream and $4 for convenience. If someone doesn't think that's a good value they'll simply never eat ice cream that comes from anywhere other than the grocery store. Bad value does not equal a scam. A scam requires some combination of dishonesty, asymmetric information, and a predatory manner. An ice cream truck at a park or beach doesn't come close to fitting any of that.
Quote: BedWetterBetterWith the job market in a state of flux, you had to know the greedy, low life scammers would find another angle.
Preying on people's worries of unemployment and fear of contamination, the scam now involves selling COVID preventative essential oils from your doorstep. From the one phone call I received on this matter, it sounds like a call center in the Philippines or Thailand, and they are pushing essential oils that will counteract COVID symptoms. Of course, this is just scented water with no proven healing or curative factors and using people's desperation & panic to bilk them out of their money.
There is also the Work from Home Scam, where you are supposedly a shipping clerk for an office supply company. But once you buy and ship the office supplies requested, the "reimbursement check" suddenly bounces and leaves you in the red.
I also encountered many years ago, when I worked in NYC, a scam that involved Security Guard job placement assistance. This one, you would actually interview and meet the scumbags face to face while they chat you up about a starting pay rate of $22/hr. and immediate jobs hiring. Only to demand $199 for training classes, where they show videos or movies, give you a security guard certificate printed on Loose leaf paper and then tell you go out and find your own way. I remember smelling a rat when I asked the guy's name over the phone and he said Mr. White. Did a quick search online and saw hundreds of complaints about the company and the scam itself.
One can only hope society doesn't stoop any lower once businesses open, but these rats always come out when things are at their worst.
Both of these are long running schemes. They have peppered Craigslist for years. Look at any CL region and you will find the same Shipping Clerk and Security Officer postings.... Another common one is being paid to put ads on your personal vehicle.
I would imagine the only difference is now people are more desperate and likley to fall for it.
Quote: onenickelmiracleYou're a pessimist. Those trucks don't sit in front of your house all day until you come out and buy something. Bill Ryan was just talking about how he had to basically steal from his business partners to make ends meet and you're complaining these people aren't working for GD FREE? When I was a kid, we were only allowed ice cream a few times a year max and all the other times the truck just kept driving by the house. I assume you're willing to drive around at your expense 50 hours a week providing a service PEOPLE WANT? If I have a choice between going to the nearest gas station, RT 15 minutes, 3 miles and having someone bring it to me for $2-5, I'd pay. Great f***** deal IMO.
And you're clearly triggered by this. Rather than get baited into your trolling attempt, I'll just leave at this. Nobody demanded these guys drive up and down neighborhoods, schools and playgrounds. Someone sat and thought how could I turn a profit on something that is cheap and addictive to children?
If you'd rather pay the same amount for a minute's worth of ice cream than a gallon or box of the same product at the supermarket that would last you a month, that's fine. But with that kind of business savvy, I doubt anyone would invest with you!
You would definitely be responding by calling me an asshole if I told you how I really feel.Quote: BedWetterBetterAnd you're clearly triggered by this. Rather than get baited into your trolling attempt, I'll just leave at this. Nobody demanded these guys drive up and down neighborhoods, schools and playgrounds. Someone sat and thought how could I turn a profit on something that is cheap and addictive to children?
If you'd rather pay the same amount for a minute's worth of ice cream than a gallon or box of the same product at the supermarket that would last you a month, that's fine. But with that kind of business savvy, I doubt anyone would invest with you!
Quote: GandlerBoth of these are long running schemes. They have peppered Craigslist for years. Look at any CL region and you will find the same Shipping Clerk and Security Officer postings.... Another common one is being paid to put ads on your personal vehicle.
I would imagine the only difference is now people are more desperate and likley to fall for it.
Exactly my point, with the world in peril and people desperate for money, it will probably see an uptick in job scams. With current photo and print editing technology, spyware, and other hacking tools, it could possibly even advance in terms of fraudulent checks and bank hacks.
Quote: onenickelmiracleYou would definitely be responding by calling me an asshole if I told you how I really feel.
Nope, don't care. But opinions are like assholes and we'd be better off if you kept yours shut!
You say Over-Priced. I say Priceless.
Quote: AxelWolfI always thought the ice cream men were creepy predators with popsicles.
How dare you speak ill of these noble, pioneers who couldn't possibly have a dishonest bone in their body. A pox on thee you naysayer!
Anyway, back on topic. It would appear that scammers are using the federal funding applications submitted online for small business affected by the pandemic. By sending fake confirmation emails and asking for a tax form to be filled out requesting their SS# and other private info, they are getting people's data posing as government funding groups. There's also apparently an App that claims to indicate individuals who tested positive and will notify you of their proximity, but it is in fact bogus and a way for them to hack your phone. Oh the wonders of technology!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTz4kigh3iU&t=29s
Here's another interesting scam that's come up in recent weeks. They've started doing facebook Mobile Home "giveaway" contests in which you like their post and share it on your timeline. Of course, they never give anything away and they use the thousands of likes and shares as a way of increasing value & equity of the facebook page and then sell it for hundreds to thousands of dollars to someone trying to promote on FB.
Reminds me of the mall Car giveaways where you fill out a ticket, drop it in a bucket and never win the car. Only to be bombarded by Cruise giveaway calls and other telemarketing gimmicks.
Quote: BedWetterBetterAnd you're clearly triggered by this. Rather than get baited into your trolling attempt, I'll just leave at this. Nobody demanded these guys drive up and down neighborhoods, schools and playgrounds. Someone sat and thought how could I turn a profit on something that is cheap and addictive to children?
If you'd rather pay the same amount for a minute's worth of ice cream than a gallon or box of the same product at the supermarket that would last you a month, that's fine. But with that kind of business savvy, I doubt anyone would invest with you!
I would say the markup is more egregious at baseball stadiums and movie theaters.
With the ice cream truck if you feel so offended by the higher prices then you are free to go trudge to the supermarket.
But at the stadium or amusement park or movie theater leaving to enjoy decent pricing is rarely an option.
They even have rules forbidding outside food which is practically extortion. People always scream about their freedoms here but plenty of rules block our freedoms just to put money in someone else's pockets.
Disneyworld had a McDonald's selling 6 piece chicken mcnuggets for $12! When I asked why so high they said they were carved in the shape of Mickey mouse ears. For crying out loud I just wanted a six piece for a buck. And yes I had to pay cause my kids wanted it.
Ice cream truck??? Disney takes the cake
Quote: BedWetterBetterhttps://www.wthr.com/article/features/trending-today/facebook-contest-scam-likes-shares-rv-tiny-homes/531-f5a2b1d1-4aeb-4f41-9356-fc9f76c1ee61
Here's another interesting scam that's come up in recent weeks. They've started doing facebook Mobile Home "giveaway" contests in which you like their post and share it on your timeline. Of course, they never give anything away and they use the thousands of likes and shares as a way of increasing value & equity of the facebook page and then sell it for hundreds to thousands of dollars to someone trying to promote on FB.
Reminds me of the mall Car giveaways where you fill out a ticket, drop it in a bucket and never win the car. Only to be bombarded by Cruise giveaway calls and other telemarketing gimmicks.
Nothing new about this; I made a post referencing this back in 2014
Quote: billryanI have many fond memories from my childhood of getting ice cream with my friends and parents. None of them involve a trip to the supermarket.
You say Over-Priced. I say Priceless.
I do too. It was exciting the one time or so every month the parents would give us money for the ice cream truck.
Quote: darkozI would say the markup is more egregious at baseball stadiums and movie theaters.
And yes I had to pay cause my kids wanted it.
You CHOOSE to go to a ball game, theme park or theater KNOWING that their prices are inflated. You are within your rights to eat before or after the event and in most cases, people are sneaking in items without fear of reprisal. Mothers can hide food n' drinks in their baby bags or purses and dads can use the old fanny pack!
And if in fact your children are so entitled that they can squeeze you so easily for overpriced goods, then it is your own doing for taking them. Not saying you're a bad parent, but you are essentially asking for it by making the trip. All the while, the wife is poking you in the back saying "C'mon honey, we're on vacation!"
But this is capitalism at it's finest, the notion we should give more money to people for things that are priced less elsewhere because it's "fun." So if you can afford it, then buy it and enjoy it!
Quote: ThatDonGuyNothing new about this; I made a post referencing this back in 2014
I see, a phishing expedition?
You would think this guy is greatest marketer or damage control specialist by the way he keeps getting work?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t4XvBza97Q
