Baumblog EST 1968 - A blog for the Baumbachs who originated in Syracuse, NY


	Posts tagged with "scam"

Onstar, you suck!
posted by GJ on September 21, 2011 @ 6:15AM

Oh, Onstar...you bogus knight in shining armor, you.

You know the service--pay them a fairly outrageouly monthly or yearly fee for something they like to call "peace of mind," that will do the following:

notify them if the airbags go off so they can call emergency responders.
send you monthly emails about the health of your car...well, some parts of it anyhow.
turn by turn directions in an age when smartphones and TomToms are everywhere.
expensive hands-free calling in the age of bluetooth.
unlock service if you lock the keys in your car

Of course, should you decide that even the cheap level of service (safe & sound) is too much money, cancelling the service is painful. The rep goes overboard in explaining how dangerous it is for you and especially your loved ones if they crash in an area where there are no observers to call 9-11--a pretty rare occurrence when you look at the whole picture of typical crashes, but whatever. In any case, they are using emotional blackmail, which is Sleazy. See what I did there? :)

Now comes this little gem: they track you whether or not you are a subscriber. You may not be on the front lines of the privacy war (hint: still use facebook?) but this change is a deep push into your rights. What they're saying is, they reserve the right to sell your position and speed data to anyone. The government? Your insurer (both car and health)? Your employer? Do you see the potential for abuse? How about private investigators? I can promise you that divorce attornies will love this right away.

Anyhow, if you are a former subscriber, you'd be wise to watch for the email from Onstar and take the time to call them to demand they drop this surveillance that you get no compensation for.

8 comments | Tags: scam

Marc said about 3 hours later

This seems illegal. If you cancel your contract with OnStar, that should unbind you from any of their privacy policies, terms of service, etc. That means you no longer give them permissions to do all the crazy things those documents usually contain. It's one thing if you don't read it and find out a company can track you without telling you due to the contract, but the way this article phrased it, it sounds like they can continue to track you unless you let them know otherwise after canceling a contract.

I assume this is only the case for if you sign a contract with them and then cancel, but most vehicles that come with OnStar give you a free 6-12 months, so that enters you into it right away anyway...

I'm still waiting for the privacy revolution to happen. So far it hasn't been greatly obvious the damages of having your information so accessible to companies. In fact, with all the crazy smart phones and apps that use your location and information, people are likely seeing only benefits at the moment. It won't last long though... someone will screw up big time and people will get very protective over what companies know about them.
GJ said about 3 hours later

The email going out to customers is an updated terms of service. I find it funny they can send this to former customers and think it has any legal binding. I imagine lawsuits on this in 3...2...1...
Marc said about 8 hours later

They could pull an Apple and just say it was a bug and release an update to "correct the issue" like they did with the location logging. Unfortunately for OnStar, they kinda put it into their policies and it wasn't found by some rogue person tinkering with their hardware. :)

Apple still got sued for that though, so OnStar is screwed either way.
Geoff said about 13 hours later

They must love my speed reports :)

I've used their service a number of times to diagnose check engine lights, report a number of accidents (including one of my own), and they do have some good service in areas where a cell-phone is unusable....I actually used the service to carry a phone conference for work which worked out well.

All in all, if you don't like the big eye in the sky, just unplug the unit. It's in your trunk. I hit the damn thing every time I pull my hockey equipment out.
GJ said 1 day later

The whole "OnStar is better than my cell" is kinda bs. Onstar uses a much higher power antenna, which is why they seem to have better coverage. That said, guess what? If you're in a dead zone, you're in a dead zone for OnStar too. I'll grant that around cities this isn't a problem, but get a bit out of the cities and things can get interesting.

I don't have a problem with it if you believe there is value for me and I pay or subscribe to the service. But...when I cancel the service, the company must sever their connection to me. How would you like it if your alarm company continued monitoring your house system after you shut down the account? Even if they don't use the data for anything, the fact is, the data exists and can be stolen and used for nefarious purposes--or sold "legitimately."
Geoff said 2 days later

I don't disagree with you. Would be nice if I could *select* which things they monitor with an active account. Ah well.
GJ said 2 days later

Oh, and I plan to plug the plug as soon as my three month trial is up. I'm still toying with paying for Sirius, but no way am I paying for Onstar.
GJ said 6 days later

Onstar caves to common sense: http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2011/Sep/0927_onstar

Do you buy scratch-off lottery tickets?
posted by GJ on February 2, 2011 @ 9:59PM

Ever bought a scratch-off lottery ticket? You might want to avoid that in the future--the odds are likely far lower than what the lottery claims. Why? Read about what this Canadian statistical geologist discovered.

After reading this, I'm about ready to petition New York to drop the scratch off games entirely.

14 comments | Tags: scam, info, math

Marc said 1 day later

My roommate and I figured this out in college as well for one of the scratch off games we used to play sometimes (Lucky 7's if I recall). It wasn't a terribly interesting find in our minds and made perfect sense being computer programmers and understanding pseudo-random very well :).

The reason we didn't think it was too mind blowing is because I've never seen a case where you are in control of which scratch off tickets you get. Typically you get them from a machine or from a person behind the counter at a gas station who just grabs the next one off the big roll. So you're still up against the randomness of the distribution of the tickets on a per roll basis, which I'm sure is fixed and evenly distributed by some statistical means as well.
Geoff said 1 day later

Yup, unless you are the store clerk....or you bribe them. As the article indicated, this fella bought a roll of tickets and asked if he could return any of the unused tickets. You could do that.

Either way, it likely isn't worth the time, though it appears a few must have cracked the system and make a fair share off of it. I'm sure they illegally acquire these tickets anyhow. Interesting read none the less.
Marc said 1 day later

The part I found the most interesting are the ones where the pattern matched, but it was still a loser. I assume they are the result of needing more tickets to give out, but hitting the limit on number of winners.

The fix for this seems so simple though: Make the unique identifier which determines whether it's a winner be covered by the scratch off material too. If that number is scratched off the lottery ticket is considered used.

On a related note for scratch off tickets, I think it's pretty ridiculous they allow you to "win" the amount of money the ticket cost. It's obviously in the system to fuel addictions without losses. But hey, if any of these lottos use the $70 billion for some good, I guess we can let the suckers keep coming.
GJ said 1 day later

Geoff, organized crime finds this very worthwhile. So does a certain "lucky" woman in Texas.
Geoff said 2 days later

Yes, but the means by which they cheat the system, aka acquiring those tickets by bribes or what have you is also illegal. I doubt these mobsters are walking into 7-11 and buying rolls of scratch off tickets. They are likely in cahoots with someone to get these tickets I imagine.

What I meant was it's not worth you or I legally purchasing these tickets and trying to crack it. If you want to break other laws to get those tickets, then sure it could be worth it.
GJ said 2 days later

No, they're not "cheating" the system per se. Not necessarily, anyhow. Here's how it can work:

1. Buy lottery tickets in bulk (most states allow this), for the purpose of "office gifting."
2. Filter out the winning tickets (assuming you have successfully cracked the game, that is) and return the non-winners as "non-gifted" for full refund (again, most states allow this).
3. Profit.

GJ said 2 days later

One could argue that simply cracking the game and using it to increase your odds is illegal, per se.
Marc said 2 days later

You could always say you have mental abilities beyond normal humans to be able to pick winners with your ability to see into the future. Which is probably somewhere along the lines of pleading insanity, but a smart person just calls it probability and statistics. :)

The office gifting is an interesting thought though... that would likely work well.
Steve said 3 days later

I never bothered with scratch off's. What's the point? If you're going to go, go big. Megamillions baby!
Geoff said 3 days later

I didn't realize you could return tickets...i would think with the number of tickets you'd have to buy to make millions, someone would catch on
GJ said 4 days later

Texas has some Texas-sized scratch games. You know where that lucky woman lives, right? :)
Geoff said 4 days later

I am living in the wrong state....
GJ said 4 days later

Most of the ex-New Yorkers would agree with you. :)
Geoff said 4 days later

:)

Rise of the attack software
posted by GJ on January 30, 2010 @ 9:26AM

If you've spent any amount of time on the Internet, you've probably encountered some or all of the following:

viruses / trojans
spy / ad ware
spam
phishing
spear-phishing
dns poisoning

The Net is a dangerous place for the uninformed, but many products exist to minimize the risk. Over time, some people (hopefully) have learned to also stop their risky online behavior, so they're at little risk of damage.

However, most people still engage in unsafe online conduct. They fail to keep their antivirus up to date, don't use a router, open every attachment they get from people, and buy products sold by spam. The criminals are still at it, because there are marks freely available even after all these years.

Well, the fine researchers at Criminals R Us developed some nasty software that works like this:

You get infected the usual way (spware / trojan).
Windows alerts you to corrupted files (looks pretty official).
Holy crap--your TPS reports are corrupt! And you have no backup! (you, my friend, are asking for it).
Whew--Microsoft recommends a product to fix this. Data Doctor 2010 to the rescue!
You download it, run it, and it cleans up one file. See, now you can access TPS report #1...but you have 19 more to fix. The trial software only does one file.
You then pay those nice folks at Data Doctor $89.99 for the complete version of the software. Shortly thereafter, all your TPS reports are fixed. Yay! You tell all your friends...

Unfortunately for you, you didn't have corrupt files. What you had were encrypted files. The nice spyware app found a list of files, likely your Microsoft office docs, but maybe even just files you've recently touched hoping they're not backed up, and encrypted them (that means scramble them with a secret key, and you can only unscramble them with that same secret key). To the uninitiated, the files will indeed appear corrupt--a mess of weird characters if you try to view them directly.

The spyware then hijacks the windows security icon in the taskbar to alert you to the problem, and "Microsoft recomends" text is shown to the now panicked computer owner. You then download Data Doctor 2010, which is a sweet looking app (uh, I mean trojan), but it's only the unregistered trial version--to give you a taste of the "fix" b by correcting just one file. It picks up the encryption key stored in the original spyware app, and unscrambles your one file. It then helpfully gives you a way to pay for the full program.

By the time it's all over, you have:

paid a crook $90
effectively installed TWO pieces of bad code on your machine
given your credit card info to that same crook.
probably given this to your friends, either directly, or that bad code sitting on your box helpfully passes it to them.

How to protect against it?

First: don't get it. If you're following all the guidelines for safe computing, use a router, antivirus software, antispyware software, etc., you probably won't get this fun guy.

Second: Back up your files regularly. Best way to combat this would be to nuke the corrupted files, run an antivirus scan, and move on with your life without giving the crook anything.

Third: Got corrupted files, and now it's telling you to download Disk Doctor? Don't. Disconnect this computer from the web, and go to another computer and look up the information on this infection to see how it might be undone (today, I don't know of a way, but in the future someone may write a tool to extract the key from the spyware and decrypt your files for you...but don't bet on it).

For more technical information and screenshots of the infection's windows and popups, please see this report.

Safe computing, everyone!

2 comments | Tags: scam, internet, education, computers

Cash4Gold is (surpise!) a scam!
posted by GJ on September 2, 2009 @ 8:52AM

Yep, you probably knew this already, if you have an ouce of skepticism. Cash4Gold, they of the annoying TV spots with the nerdy guy going on an on about how valuable your gold is (to them), turns out to pay next to nothing for that gold of yours.

I guess it's not so much a scam (they aren't technically stealing), but the advertising is beyond false. Worse, they aggressively go after those that would have the temerity to post critical articles about them. Like this one!

As usual, if it sounds too good to be true, IT ALWAYS IS.

1 comment | Tags: scam

Revenge!
posted by GJ on July 7, 2009 @ 5:44PM

2 comments | Tags: video, scam, funny

As the economy stumbles, scammers flourish
posted by GJ on April 7, 2009 @ 11:54AM

Check out this story on Consumerist. A gal gets a very official looking notice that she's won second prize from Publisher's Clearing House--you know, the outfit that Ed McMahon for years plugged, ringing people's doorbells and handing them a gigantic check. She also gets a check for almost $6k as a "down payment on her winnings, and that she'd have to wire back about $3,700 of it to cover some kind of admin costs to arrange fulfillment of the full winnings.

This is known as a lottery scam, and they're nothing new. Any time you get a check you weren't expecting, especially for a large amount of money, you should check it out pretty carefully--no matter how official-looking the material that came with it looks. Decide to deposit it? Don't use the money for at least two weeks. Whatever you do, don't ever wire money back, or to a third party as part of the transaction. See, the scam is simple--they give you a bad check up front, and have you wire a smaller amount back to them. The check doesn't clear, and the monies are taken back from your account--but you are still on the hook for the amount you wired. See how the scam works? Wire transfers are notoriously hard to track down--chances are, once you're at that step, you're out the money permanently.

That said, don't email this to everyone you know. Point them to this blog instead! :)

No comments | Tags: scam, education

SCAM ALERT -- Adele Services
posted by GJ on December 3, 2008 @ 8:04AM

Watch your credit and debit card statements carefully. I'm hearing quite a bit about some itty bitty charges (about $0.21) showing up on people's statements in late November from Adele Services.

In all likelyhood, this is a scam-one where the scammer compromised a CC machine and is bouncing many random card numbers against the CC processors. They use this tiny amount because it probably matches the credit fee so the transaction amount will show as zero to the company being compromised. However, it's just the start of the fun for you, should this occur on one of your cards.

Next, they will get a list of good, active numbers based on which card numbers accepted a charge, and sell that to the highest bidder. Bingo--shortly thereafter, the multi-hundred dollar charges will start rolling in. So, if you have such a charge on any of your accounts, I strongly suggest you close the affected accounts immediately.

No comments | Tags: scam

Suspended License
posted by Geoff on October 1, 2007 @ 3:55PM

Yeah so I found out saturday night by a cop the my license was suspended. Luckily my friend was driving, not me. I figured that my latest ticket must have screwed up when I paid them or something. I went to the DMV today to settle the score, only to find out that I didn't pay the NYS Driver Responsibility fee. Some new stupid law that says if you receive 6 or more points in 18 months, you owe them an additional fee of $100 each year, for 3 years. Thats for 6 points...each additional point is $25 more a year.

I had received a moving violation March of last year for 2 points, plus this 4 point speeding ticket, which gave me 6 points, and a nice $300 fee, in addition to the $145 for my ticket. So basically, I paid $445 for going 12 mph over the speed limit (57 in a 45).

Had I even known about the law, I would have went to court to ensure I got it reduced. Instead I plead guilty and sent a nice letter (worked for me before)...Sodus didn't care.

Just thought you all would like to know, and ye, this applies to both NYS residents and out-of-state residents. You can read up more details here.

8 comments | Tags: scam, politics, law

Marc said 3 minutes later

This same exact thing happened to Laura. This must be rather new, as I'm pretty sure I've hit that 6 points before. Who knows, maybe mine is suspended as well!
GJ said about 5 hours later

It's about two years new. Oh, and Geoff...never do the nice letter thing. Always show up in court. It's worth the time.
Steve said about 7 hours later

Yup, they've been doing that in Michigan for a few years now. Oh, and in Michigan, if you don't have an up to date insurance stub in your car, automatic $300 fine, plus you have to pay the driver responsibility fee, no matter how many points you have. That's just if you don't have the stub, doesn't matter if you can later prove that you were properly insured. Just another scam by the state governments to get more money out of us (the insurance part anyway).

Hey, you probably haven't heard, but Michigan is now trying to compete with New York for stupid high taxes! They couldn't figure out a way to trim the budget, so they just dediced to hike our income tax from 3.9% to 4.35%. Oh, and now they are going to tax some service industries, but not all. Only the ones that don't have lobbyists feeding the legislators and sending them on paid vacations. Sure hope Jennifer Granholm isn't planning to seek re-election, and she just gauraunteed a loosing effort. Maybe they need to realize that the population of Michigan has shrank considerably over the past 10 years, and they need to significantly trim their budgets! No, that would be too hard. Just raise taxes, I mean, the people are too dumb to notice, right?

What I'm most disappointed in, is that 3 Senate Republicans voted for this change, which was enough to pass the bill with 20 votes for, 19 against. In the house, is passed 57 to 52, with just two Republicans voting for it. Fortunately, the one Democrat in the house that I voted for voted against party lines, and against the tax increase. He'll get a nice thank you note for his efforts from me.
Marc said about 8 hours later

Two years sounds about right, I haven't had a major ticket since then. But now that I just said that, I expect one soon.
Steve said about 9 hours later

Ah, I just checked up on the MI law, and it seems a year after they enacted the driver responsibility law, they amended it so that you could go to court and prove you had insurance WHEN you got the ticket in case you didn't have the stub in your car with you.

"Drivers will not be assessed the Driver Responsibility Fee if they provide proof of insurance that was valid on the date the citation was issued to the court prior to the court appearance date given on the ticket. Drivers who fail to provide proof of insurance to the court within the required time will be responsible for paying a Driver Responsibility Fee of $500 or $200 for two consecutive years. The second year fee may not be paid in advance. "

Don't ask me how they determine who pays $500, and who pays 2x$200. I think it was initially $500, and then a year later they dropped it to 2x$200.

"Category 1 offenses, such as speeding, improper turns, and following too closely, are assessed a fee based on the number of points on the driving record, with a required minimum of seven points. The fees assessed begin at $100 and increase by $50 for each additional point above seven points.

Drivers assessed a fee for seven or more points under Category 1 will be assessed only once per year. Category 1 fees will not be assessed in any year in which the number of points on a driving record falls below seven."

"Certain offenses are classified as "qualifying offenses" and carry their own driver responsibility fee independent from the number of points on the driving record. Drivers convicted of qualifying offenses will be assessed a driver responsibility fee of $150, $200, $500 or $1,000 for two consecutive years. The amount is determined by the relative seriousness of the offense. For example:

Drunk Driving (Operating While Intoxicated) = $1,000
Reckless Driving = $500
No Proof of Insurance = $200
Drove While License Expired = $150

Driver responsibility fees are assessed for two consecutive years for Category 2 convictions. The second year's fees will be assessed on the anniversary date of the first year's fees."

Oh yes, these are all on top of the normal fines...gotta love Michigan tax law.

GJ said about 15 hours later

Sorry, Steve...but at least in New York, Republicans were the ones behind all these stupid fees. Actually, one Republican in particular, George Pataki, who knew he had to raise money somehow but was allergic to raising taxes. So...instead, we get fee-ed to death.

Michigan's generally a blue state...did the Dems come up with these fees out your way?

Either way, it is a scam.
GJ said about 15 hours later

Oh, and regarding your post about taxes...tell me about it. It sounds like Schenectady all over again. :)
Steve said 1 day later

Yup, it was the Democrats. That's one thing I hate about living in a democrat controlled state. Stupid unions don't help.

Ah, credit scams...
posted by GJ on August 10, 2007 @ 10:44AM

Perhaps you've heard of LifeLock? Stay far, far away.

No comments | Tags: scam

A bad, evil number....according to the MPAA, anyhow.
posted by GJ on May 2, 2007 @ 11:57AM

09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0

That hex string will probably get me a cease-and-desist letter, because they seem to think that they can copyright a number. Let's see how long it takes.

11 comments | Tags: scam


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