Relay calls for the deaf being used for scams *PLEASE READ*

[mssheila]

My teacher was aware of this scam. She said that users are supposed to have a US IP address, or a US-geo-location-identified IP address range to use relay. I think what you are saying is that this is not the case. She said she cannot even use her blackberry because the MCI Relay service is located in Canada. She said that they need to have to have people register to use the service, much like video relay, which should cut down fraud somewhat.

There is absolutely NO registration for IP relay. It's internet based. You can access it from anywhere. I've accessed it myself from Mexico. However, the nigerians abusing the service do use IP address scramblers. Relay is all over the US. The biggest reason this fraud exists is because there is no registration process. If people had to register to use it, like... say.. handicapped license plates- there would be very, very little fraud. If we could log the IP addresses, there would be little use for the fraud, they believe it's completely anonymous.

 

[mssheila]

mssheila-
I have received a reply from my friend I mentioned to you yesterday. She had never heard of this, but thanked us for enlightening her. She has forwarded the info to her daughter (a student at Gallaudet) to share with her friends there. Thank you for the work you do and thank you for sharing this information.

Thanks for passing it along, Opie. Only the deaf/hoh/speech disabled communities can stop this.

 

[jaybird]

You definetely cannot stop a scam in progress as an operator. You cannot warn the poor soul who's being scammed... Thankfully, where I work, they've implemented procedures where the person being scammed can be warned by a supervisor, MOST of the time, but these Nigerians, they're smart, and they've found a way around that now. I don't want to get into the criteria to warn a victim, because I don't want anyone who shouldn't know, to know. Know what I mean? But we do it all the time. People ARE getting warned.. thankfully, I don't have to lose my job to do it.

I couldn't tell what was happening but I tried to give them (less than ) subtle clues....like if I was on hold or waiting for the hard of hearing person to type, I'd softly hum "Smooth Criminal" or if I had to spell something out, like Timothy, I'd say, "T as in Thief, I as in Illegal," etc. I probably would have gotten in trouble but I felt horrible when I knew that due to one call, two teenagers who fell for the scam lost their jobs. I knew because I had to call back and ask specifically for them. I went home that night and cried.

 

[mssheila]

I know jaybird. I give off clues. I love the S as in Scam. F as in Fraud. But I've gotta be careful. I want to stay at the job so I can help put a stop to this, so the last thing I need is to get fired for doing that. But.. What I do on my own time after work with a memorized phone number of some poor guy who just got scammed for a few grand, well.... that's my business . I do what I can where I can.

I was just telling someone in a PM today that I'm asking people to contact their local TV news stations and alert them to the situation. Often times local TV news will have consumer protection segments once in a while. This is the perfect thing for that type of broadcast. I know our local station has a segment that they do called "Five on your side" (or words to that effect) because it's channel 5. If anyone wants to do this, it's a great way to spread the word. If you want, you can email them and add some of the links I posted above. Thank you so much to everyone here who's read all of this and who's paying attention. I appreciate your help.

 

[mssheila]

Thank you those of you who took notice. And to the couple of people that let me know they contacted their local media outlets, I am THRILLED about it. I appreciate you. If you are able to get through to your news stations, please let me know. I'd be happy to give them my perspective if they run a story.

And again, if anyone wants to know more, please let me know. If anyone else wants to join me in this (contacting the people who do the "Consumer awareness" segments of your local TV stations)- well, the more the better. TIA......

 

[T-Rex]

That Relay Operator chat board is hilarious!

A friend of mine posted a profile on a personals web site, and was surprised how many of the men who answered were Nigerian!

Another friend strings the scammers on for weeks--convincing them to call back again and again, and make multiple (frutless) trips to Western Union. I think it's meanspirited, but then yesterday I heard of another person who got scammed out of $8000.

 

[mssheila]

I've heard it's fun to string them along.. I couldn't stomach it, but that's because I have to do their dirty work all day, and then clean up behind them when my day is over. I'm glad you went to the board. It's a fun place. I like it there, it's nice to vent about my work when I can't talk about it anywhere else. Thanks for taking notice. Tell your friend to scam them good, they deserve whatever they get. :woohoo:

 

[sabego]

Thank you for posting this. I received one of those phone calls a few months ago, I did not really understand what was going on, they used my last name and then I would wait, finally something was said about needing to have something delivered to me to hold for someone from Canada. That is when I hung up.

My mother-in-law lost her hearing in the last years of her life and did not welcome the hearing aid. It became so difficult for her and was so sad to realize that you could not carry on a conversation with her. She was a wonderful woman but somehow got lost in the silence.

But I think more people need to be aware of these scams. I will certainly pass the word to all I know.

Thanks again for all your work.

Sabego

 

[mssheila]

Thank you so much.

 

[mssheila]

I wanted to bump this back to the top. This topic is near and dear to my heart.
Since I posted this thread a while back, I've done a TON of research this. I have found out SO much info. I've been to many different scam victims sites. Amazingly, hardly any of the victim sites know anything about relay... so those scams are in ADDITION to all the scams on relay. But they're all similar. The scammers using relay are doing the same thing they're doing in emails, regular phone calls, instant messages, and dating websites. They're conning people.

I don't know why some of the Nigerians use relay and some don't. I think that with a lot of the "shopping" they do (with fraudulent credit cards), they need an american accented voice speaking for them. Most relay centers are in America. This way the person selling something to them over the phone might really believe they are in America, (not Nigeria) so they will be less suspicious.

The most important thing I wanted to do with bumping this post is to let you know that the operator's board that I had previously linked has turned into a train wreck. Please avoid that site. The operators who maintained that one, and posted there faithfully, have all packed it up and created a new site. If you're looking for up to date information on this topic, please use the new site.

That link is: http://relayscams.aimoo.com/

 

[mssheila]

We are finally getting some national TV exposure to shine the light on this. One of the big 3 networks has taken the story. I am to be interviewed next week in Washington DC. Once I know for sure that it's airing, I'll let you know the time and date and name of the show. For now, the network name, etc... is being kept under wraps.

 

[hoppyfrog]

We are finally getting some national TV exposure to shine the light on this. One of the big 3 networks has taken the story. I am to be interviewed next week in Washington DC. Once I know for sure that it's airing, I'll let you know the time and date and name of the show. For now, the network name, etc... is being kept under wraps.

Good! Post it here and PM me too, if you don't mind.

Hoppy

 

[gardenmom]

We are finally getting some national TV exposure to shine the light on this. One of the big 3 networks has taken the story. I am to be interviewed next week in Washington DC. Once I know for sure that it's airing, I'll let you know the time and date and name of the show. For now, the network name, etc... is being kept under wraps.

I am so proud of you. You really cared and are proactive. Thank you. :blowkiss:

 

[T-Rex]

Good job!!!!!!

 

[mssheila]

I don't want to count the chickens before they hatch.... They're taping the interview, they say it will be aired in Oct..... but I've heard many stories of people being interviewed and the story never airs...... so I gotta just hope for the best!

 

[mssheila]

The Today Show did a segment on these scams, and my interview with Lisa Myers is there. Here's the link:

http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=CAA87E47-9035-448E-B4C3-4CE95C3C08A7&f=00&fg=email

 

[gardenmom]

Way to go, Sheila. You are gorgeous, by the way.

 

[mssheila]

Thank you so much! I am really proud that the network had the gumption to air this, and I"m so happy that it's over too! But.. I've been screaming about this for so long, it just looks like an old thread that has no new info.

I hope this reaches people all over the country!

 

[hoppyfrog]

The Today Show did a segment on these scams, and my interview with Lisa Myers is there. Here's the link:

[url="http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=CAA87E47-9035-448E-B4C3-4CE95C3C08A7&f=00&fg=email"]http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=CAA87E47-9035-448E-B4C3-4CE95C3C08A7&f=00&fg=email[/url]

Just saw it. Way to go! Were you the one in the pink top?

Hoppy

 

[mssheila]

Yes maam... that was me, in the pink! Thanks for watching the video, it means a lot to me, and many other operators fighting for this. :blowkiss: