Posted on 07/12/2012 5:50:39 PM PDT by kristinn
As much as President Barack Obama wants your vote, he's not actually offering to pay your monthly bills.
But thousands of Americans have been persuaded otherwise, falling victim to a fast-moving scam that claims to be part of an Obama administration program to help pay utility bills in the midst of a scorching summer.
The scheme spread quickly across the nation in recent weeks with help from victims who unwittingly shared it on social media sites before realizing they had been conned out of personal information such as Social Security, credit card and checking account numbers.
"No one knows who is behind this," said Katherine Hutt, spokeswoman for the Council of Better Business Bureaus in Arlington, Va. "We're pretty concerned. It seems to have really taken off."
People from all corners of the country report being duped, from New Jersey to California, Wisconsin to Florida and all parts in between.
The scam benefits from being cleverly executed and comes at a time when air conditioners in much of the country are running around the clock to tame record-high temperatures.
Here's how it works: Victims typically receive an automated phone call informing them of the nonexistent utility program that will supposedly pay up to $1,000. There have also been reports of the hoax spreading by text message, flyers left at homes and even personal visits.
Victims are told that all they have to do is provide their personal information. In exchange, they are given a bank routing number and checking account number to provide their utility company when making a payment.
The swindle works because the payments with the fake bank account number are initially accepted. Only when the payments are processed hours or days later is the fake number caught and rejected.
(Excerpt) Read more at cfnews13.com ...
Brilliant idea for a scam. Obama supporters have been looking for those Obamabucks since 2009.
You get what you deserve when you constantly expect others to pay your tab.
Who will they blame for this? Romney, Tea Party, Bush, all of the above?
Well these Obama dumbasses are already getting free phones I guess they figured they would get their electric bills paid too..and gas, and housing, and food, and everything else “Obama money” can get you
Greedy bastards had it coming.
Some people fall for anything. It’s an email it must be legit.
Obamabucks was just shuckin’ and jivin’. LOL!
“Obama gonna pay my mortgage!”
It is brilliant. Because it is logical to the marks. Scams work because the appeal to the mark's sense of greed, the idea that they are getting something for nothing and getting away with it.
Seriously, being told you are getting your utility bills paid by the government is entirely consistent with what people have been getting free from the government for years. Mortgage forgiveness, free phones, debit cards that buy alcohol, tattoos and lotto tickets. Student loan forgiveness for those who take politically approved jobs (with the government, as teachers). Taxpayer subsidized home loans via no money down, and below market interest rates guaranteed by the taxpayer. Monthly checks because being a effin drunk is a "disability". Various "programs" already subsidize rent and utilities for huge numbers of people. The list is very long. All of which makes the belief that you can get free money for your electric bill completely logical.
Bottom line is that the lazy and the greedy are always easy to scam. Nothing about human nature changes. Which is why it is surprising that our republic lasted as long as it did. Longer than an understanding of human nature would give one to expect.
how long before the RaceCard gets played???
Useful idiots get scammed twice...once by the utility con-men and once by the con-man at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
This is a classic scam, and many of the Baraqqi Coalition are eagerly signing on.
I heard an “expert” on the local news today talking about this, he said most of the “victims” don’t have much money in their accounts to steal, but the scammers open up credit card accounts in their name and run those up.
I sometimes feel sorry for the stupidity of Obama voters, but not for long.
...still waiting for my pony....
Luckily you've been upgraded to receive a free Unicorn that poops skittles.....
Please remit $7.95 to M-Cubed to cover shipping and handling....Hurry! a limited time offer!
Mr. N!delie Nkruma Umbooko will release the funds upon receipt of your bank routing information!
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