This is an old one, but I should tell you guys about it.
A couple of years ago, we had a phone call from a deaf guy asking about expensive bearings. If you don't know, the deaf have a service that they use to comunicate with a operator, who does the talking. I am somewhat fuzzy on the exact mechanics, but the operator communicates exactly and only what they are given by the deaf individual.
So after some time, he settles on bearings that a a few hindred dollors each. Now, the boss is smelling something fishy, but can't quite put his fingure on what it is. Also, the large ammount we are going to make is distracting.
Since he decides not to set up a credit account, whe need his payment up front. He is evasive, but finally relents and gives us a credit card.
So we run it, and it is rejected. We ask about this, he gives us another card, under another name. Which is also rejected. By this time we know this is very very wrong. We tell him we arn't shipping out a thing to him. He gets pissed and I belive shouts discrimination. In the end we eat the shipping charges.
Then we contact the authorities. This is where the story gets very very depressing. First and formost, they tell us, there is absolutly no chance this guy is really deaf. Second this has become a popular scam for a simple reason. It's not a crime in anyway.
The mechanics function as such. If the guy called us directly and pulled this it would be a crime, but instead they act deaf, and use the service. Therefore, legally we were only dealing with the operator, and the "deaf" person is not involved. Also the operator is insulated from any responsability, because, by law, they have to say what the "deaf" person tells them, and they are not respocable for what is said. Therefore, neither the scammer or the operator are legally liable for anything.
The operators almost always know when they are being used as the instrament of the scam, but it would be a crime for them to do anything, other then repeat exactly what is being told to them by the scammer.
A couple of years ago, we had a phone call from a deaf guy asking about expensive bearings. If you don't know, the deaf have a service that they use to comunicate with a operator, who does the talking. I am somewhat fuzzy on the exact mechanics, but the operator communicates exactly and only what they are given by the deaf individual.
So after some time, he settles on bearings that a a few hindred dollors each. Now, the boss is smelling something fishy, but can't quite put his fingure on what it is. Also, the large ammount we are going to make is distracting.
Since he decides not to set up a credit account, whe need his payment up front. He is evasive, but finally relents and gives us a credit card.
So we run it, and it is rejected. We ask about this, he gives us another card, under another name. Which is also rejected. By this time we know this is very very wrong. We tell him we arn't shipping out a thing to him. He gets pissed and I belive shouts discrimination. In the end we eat the shipping charges.
Then we contact the authorities. This is where the story gets very very depressing. First and formost, they tell us, there is absolutly no chance this guy is really deaf. Second this has become a popular scam for a simple reason. It's not a crime in anyway.
The mechanics function as such. If the guy called us directly and pulled this it would be a crime, but instead they act deaf, and use the service. Therefore, legally we were only dealing with the operator, and the "deaf" person is not involved. Also the operator is insulated from any responsability, because, by law, they have to say what the "deaf" person tells them, and they are not respocable for what is said. Therefore, neither the scammer or the operator are legally liable for anything.
The operators almost always know when they are being used as the instrament of the scam, but it would be a crime for them to do anything, other then repeat exactly what is being told to them by the scammer.
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