SCAM, SCAM AND SCAM AGAIN!

I have been subjected to three scam attempts in the last week. The first was a 'phone call. The guy said that there was a security alert on my bank account and asked me to answer a few questions to check my identity. I said I didn't answer questions over the 'phone. He suggested that I should immediately go to my local branch and ask them to confirm the validity of the telephone number he gave me. I guess this must have been to increase my alarm and lure me into answering his questions. Instead I rang the bank call centre who said that it wasn't a genuine number. To double check I went into my branch. They confirmed that it wasn't a recognised bank number, and that there was no security alert on my account. They said if he rings back suggest that he writes.

The second and third scams related to OG's car which I have up for sale. The first was the usual company that claimed to have buyers within a 30 mile radius interested in the car. As my resistance grew his claims became more outragious so I googled the company and it came up a string of complaints against them. It was obviously a scam. I said "you know what, I have decided not to go ahead because I've just googled your company". He put the 'phone down on me.

The third scam came in the form of an email forwarded to me via a well known website that the car is being advertised on and went like this :

" I am glad to inform you that i am satisfied with the details and condition of the car .

Presently i am in offshore in Ireland but i will be traveling down to uk to complete the transaction, so first of all, I will like you to please put this car off advert to avoid interruptions from other interested buyers and count it sold, ok.

Concerning the price and payment , i will be happy to pay you £.......... for it . I will send you a Bankers draft of £4,500.00 which i will allow to clear into your bank account . You will deduct £1,000.00 as a deposit for it which is non-refundable. You will send £3,500.00 to shipping agent asap the cheque has cleared because I was informed by him that, he will need the money for shipping in advance at least a weekend before i will be in UK. The remaining balance of £.............. payed into your bank account or by cash before it can be pick up.

i will be waiting for 48hrs for you to confirmed the balance before the shipping agent can pick it up . Let me know the best way you want the balance to be paid? You need not to worry as our prepaid shipping Agent will come to pick it up from your base for shipment asap the balance has been confirmed by you . the reason for this shipment method is as a result of the congestion at the Singapore seaport, which does not make it directly shippable there.

I will compensating you with £100 for the time involve in paying the shipping agent and also for you to withdraw the advert.If you accept my terms of payment,The details and picture of the car will be sent to the shipping agent and get back to me with the NAME , ADDRESS AND CONTACT MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBER for Bankers draft to be delivered to you . I look forward to a successful transaction with you and await your urgent response.

PLEASE NOTE,ITS WHEN THE FULL PAYMENT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY YOU BEFORE THE CAR DOCUMENT WILL BE RELEASE TO ME AND SIGN

As you can imagine, the shocking grammar, English and spelling didn't inspire confidence. I rang the company that I have the car advertised with and he said "was he suggesting he send you a bankers draft"? The scam goes like this. The bankers draft is fake. You put it into the bank and they pay out within 3 days but have 10 days to withdraw clearance. I would paid the guy the money and the bank would make me pay it back again. Dah! Dah!

Note to all scammers. I didn't come over on the last banana boat. Oh! I'm probably not allowed to say that now because it's un-PC. Drat! Look at this face, do I care? Nah!!

A VERY GOOD THING HAPPENED TO ME TODAY

I've had a pretty awful week which included having a dodgy tummy again and booking a flight to America in a very dittzy way.

The problem with the American flight was that I wanted to fly into New York and return from Seattle. My head is still not right since Davy died. If he was still with me I would have run it by him before pressing the button. he would have called me a silly girl (or something stronger), I would have corrected my obvious error, then pressed the button.

This time I had to rely on myself and, knowing the mess I can get myself into, I checked and checked again. Then pressed the button. When I went over to the office I told them that a single fare was dearer than a return and, therefore, I had booked a return and would have to do the same for my return from Seattle. But. they said, you should have booked a return into New York and back from Seattle. Simples. Why did I not see that myself because I've done it many times before. Dhhhh!!

This morning I spoke to a very nice BA man who quoted £1210.60 for my Seattle ticket. I asked if it would be cheaper to book a return and not use it. He said "Ehh.....No?" Outragious! I asked him to check the next day. Whew it had gone down to £309.60. Now this ain't rocket science. I booked the cheap ticket. Result.

HOPE FOR THE WORLD

I am going to very boring now and do a bragging grandma blog. My grandson Morgan is a graduate trainee at one of the big banks in the City of London. Recently he sat the Chartered Financial Analyst exam level 1 which has an international pass rate of 34% and scored nearly top marks. One of his friends emailed him to say "Congratulations mate! You’re one step further to being qualified to wreck the world’s economy." This loving grandma thinks that he is one step further to being qualified to save the world's economy! It's all a matter of perspective.

Now I have another grandson who went an entirely different route. Today he 'phoned me from the French Alps where he us working as a chef for the second year running. He cooks like an angel, skies like a demon, wins awards, is a babe magnet and the apple of his grandmother's eye.

And yet another who graduated from Nottingham University with a maths degree and couldn't get a job in finance. Did he moan and go on the dole? Not on your life, he took a job in a cocktail bar, plays in a band, has a wild social life and doesn't ask anyone for anything. He is Mr Niceguy, loved by everyone including, needless to say, this loving grandmother.

Yet another is doing great at Grammar school and in the middle of taking his GCSE's. He is optimistic, intelligent and always has a smile on his face. I love him dearly and hope that life gives him happiness and all that he would wish for. He lives with his aunt. I would love if he would live with me but we are a bit rural and he has a huge circle of friends in town. In fact, if I had my way I would have them all live with me but I'm old and they need young people about them.

HOWEVER, my grandaughter and her husband were so concerned for me when Davy died. They thought I would be lonely and moved in with me that night bring with them my four adorable great-grandchildren. The house is now full of laughter again and I love it. Also the activity keeps me from getting sombre.

They had been planning to build a house on the plot in our garden (sorry I should have said "my garden". It's sometimes hard to remember that I'm not an "our" any more) but IF they do they said they might rent it out because they love living with me. Early days yet though, we do have a "get out" clause if we start wanting to kill each other!!

The other grandchildren are still at school and don't have their lives mapped out before them yet. It will be interesting to see the paths that they take in life. ..........And then there are the greatgrandchildren, but that's the subject of another blog.