Wed Jun 28, 2017, 07:53 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
Phone Scammers Accidentally Call A Programmer, Regret It ImmediatelyLast edited Thu Jun 29, 2017, 10:25 AM - Edit history (1)
Phone scams may be getting more and more clever by the day, but one office full of phony IRS agents made a decidedly dumb move when they called a computer programmer who happens to specialize in scam prevention.
The programmer and Redditor, who goes by the username YesItWasDataMined, but operates an anti-scam operation called Project Mayhem, received a voicemail from someone claiming to be an IRS employee. When he called them back and was asked to pay a massive fine for unclear reasons, he knew immediately that he was being had – and came up with a genius way to pull the plug on them. He wrote a script that called each of their phones 28 times per second with an automated message, tying up their lines and making it impossible to reach other potential victims. The actual IRS recently published a report declaring these kinds of schemes a “major threat to taxpayers,” and estimates that over 10 thousand victims have been affected since 2013, collectively being defrauded of more than 54 million dollars. Project Mayhem’s official YouTube channel now proudly features a hilarious 10-minute sample of the havoc wreaked upon the unfortunate scammers, which has already gained over 1 million views. Watch it below, and always remember to protect yourself against any suspicious requests for your private information. http://www.boredpanda.com/programmer-writes-script-against-scammers/ Beautiful satisfying video at the link. It's worth watching the whole thing. I've reported scammers to the FCC but this programmer takes it up to 11 and beyond. There are legitimate IRS employees and contractors with foreign accents, but they won't call you about paying fines. Original Youtube Video:
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60 replies, 15127 views
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Author | Time | Post |
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IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | OP |
ExciteBike66 | Jun 2017 | #1 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #2 | |
dae | Jun 2017 | #16 | |
Corvo Bianco | Jun 2017 | #27 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #28 | |
NutmegYankee | Jun 2017 | #47 | |
SamKnause | Jun 2017 | #3 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #7 | |
SamKnause | Jun 2017 | #10 | |
shenmue | Jun 2017 | #15 | |
Happyhippychick | Jun 2017 | #4 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #11 | |
Ilsa | Jun 2017 | #21 | |
mopinko | Jun 2017 | #46 | |
Ilsa | Jun 2017 | #50 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #59 | |
Gore1FL | Jun 2017 | #51 | |
Pacifist Patriot | Jun 2017 | #5 | |
DarleenMB | Jun 2017 | #13 | |
Pacifist Patriot | Jun 2017 | #14 | |
AllaN01Bear | Jun 2017 | #6 | |
ResistantAmerican17 | Jun 2017 | #8 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #12 | |
customerserviceguy | Jun 2017 | #55 | |
annabanana | Jun 2017 | #9 | |
Fla Dem | Jun 2017 | #17 | |
forgotmylogin | Jun 2017 | #18 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #19 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #20 | |
JayhawkSD | Jun 2017 | #22 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #23 | |
Plucketeer | Jun 2017 | #24 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #25 | |
TeapotInATempest | Jun 2017 | #26 | |
niyad | Jun 2017 | #29 | |
Initech | Jun 2017 | #30 | |
harun | Jun 2017 | #31 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #35 | |
progressoid | Jun 2017 | #32 | |
ProudProgressiveNow | Jun 2017 | #33 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #34 | |
Lunabell | Jun 2017 | #36 | |
pansypoo53219 | Jun 2017 | #37 | |
OilemFirchen | Jun 2017 | #38 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #58 | |
mdbl | Jun 2017 | #39 | |
Cha | Jun 2017 | #40 | |
ailsagirl | Jun 2017 | #42 | |
Cha | Jun 2017 | #43 | |
ailsagirl | Jun 2017 | #60 | |
ailsagirl | Jun 2017 | #41 | |
malaise | Jun 2017 | #44 | |
discntnt_irny_srcsm | Jun 2017 | #45 | |
klook | Jun 2017 | #48 | |
oberliner | Jun 2017 | #49 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #52 | |
oberliner | Jun 2017 | #53 | |
IronLionZion | Jun 2017 | #54 | |
oberliner | Jun 2017 | #57 | |
Doreen | Jun 2017 | #56 |
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 08:07 AM
ExciteBike66 (2,006 posts)
1. Depending on his state of residence, couldn't the programmer have committed
a crime with this revenge? I know there are states that have laws concerning dialing a number repeatedly with intent to harass.
Anyway, I hope the IRA scammers complain to the police about this "harassment" and get themselves arrested instead! |
Response to ExciteBike66 (Reply #1)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 08:11 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
2. The scammers should definitely report him to the FCC or FBI
I'm sure they'll take care of it!
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Response to IronLionZion (Reply #2)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:48 AM
Corvo Bianco (1,148 posts)
27. Ha, reminds me
of when my cousin robbed his dealer and his dealer called the cops--everybody goes to jail (Mario accent)!
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Response to Corvo Bianco (Reply #27)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:53 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
28. There was an SNL skit with Liam Neeson
where some potheads misplaced their weed and went to the police to borrow a drug dog to sniff it out.
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Response to ExciteBike66 (Reply #1)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:52 PM
NutmegYankee (15,461 posts)
47. It's the same reason I abuse these guys with abandon - who are they going to complain to?
Contacting the authorities would incriminate them for far worse crimes.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 08:23 AM
SamKnause (12,654 posts)
3. Well played.
I wish we all had the knowledge to do this.
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Response to SamKnause (Reply #3)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:01 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
7. With great power comes great responsibility
plenty of malicious uses for this too
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Response to IronLionZion (Reply #7)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:04 AM
SamKnause (12,654 posts)
10. I am very aware.
My post pertains to scammers.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 08:27 AM
Happyhippychick (8,361 posts)
4. Can we email this guy with phone numbers of scammers that call us?
Response to Happyhippychick (Reply #4)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:04 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
11. Post it online
There are sites where people report scam numbers after they have reported it to the FCC. That's where he pulls the numbers from.
Here's a good starting point until Trump cuts the budget for this site: https://www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds and post numbers here: http://whocallsme.com/ |
Response to Happyhippychick (Reply #4)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:04 AM
Ilsa (59,865 posts)
21. I think many of the numbers are not "real" any more.
Wherever the call originates, I think many of their phone systems have a way to copy your area code and display it. I have gotten phone calls from people in the area where I used to live who believe I've called them, and I've gotten scam calls from operations too sophisticated to be from the area where I previously resided.
I'm not sure how it all works, but I've stopped returning calls to those numbers that pop up with no voicemail. |
Response to Ilsa (Reply #21)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:50 PM
mopinko (64,436 posts)
46. i got a call from a moocher that came up in my caller id as
someone from my contacts.
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Response to mopinko (Reply #46)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:37 PM
Ilsa (59,865 posts)
50. I've gotten calls from my own number! nt
Response to Ilsa (Reply #50)
Thu Jun 29, 2017, 09:15 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
59. They have ways to spoof caller ID
same with spoofed email addresses. It can make it harder to report, but it is doable.
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Response to Happyhippychick (Reply #4)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:37 PM
Gore1FL (19,789 posts)
51. It's better to have a number that they expect the scammed to call
Then it's knowable that the number isn't spoofed.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 08:37 AM
Pacifist Patriot (24,087 posts)
5. Project Mayhem saved the charitable organization I run from losing money.
Our Treasurer was close to being taken in by a scam when they contacted us to inform us of what was happening. Not entirely sure how they knew, so that's a tad creepy. But it did save us about $4,000.
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Response to Pacifist Patriot (Reply #5)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:06 AM
DarleenMB (408 posts)
13. The IRS does not call anyone
They send you a nicely worded, frightening letter.
We've been on the receiving end of both. Stupid IRS agent wanted to double tax our Railroad Retirement income. Stupid scammer got laughed at and hung up on and then promptly blocked. As if that does any good any more. They just generate a new number and call back. |
Response to DarleenMB (Reply #13)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:07 AM
Pacifist Patriot (24,087 posts)
14. In our case, it wasn't an IRS scam.
We were almost victim to the "Fake President Fraud."
ETA: Not quite the same thing the country is experiencing at the moment. That is way more frightening! |
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 08:48 AM
AllaN01Bear (9,507 posts)
6. i just route them to my answerbone
any strange numbers now get hung up on. my mother and i for 27 years kept getting a call for*****.
and if we tried to ask questions, they hung up i took over the line and one day i just swore at one of them and then they starteted to say is this you , OR IS THIS YOU? (meaning me) i challenged one fellow by saying for 27 years you and your predicessors have been calling heere . , the voice on the other end said we just bought the list in the last month, i asked , can you put me on your do not call list . no calls since. interesting tacttics, but am sure there are some legalites that may be in play |
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:01 AM
ResistantAmerican17 (2,817 posts)
8. Made My Day
Revenge without an iota of violence or threats.
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Response to ResistantAmerican17 (Reply #8)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:06 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
12. I enjoyed the scammers getting frustrated
their threats sounded so hilarious!
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Response to ResistantAmerican17 (Reply #8)
Thu Jun 29, 2017, 12:33 AM
customerserviceguy (25,182 posts)
55. I prefer the threats
Or the insults, suggesting that they take honest jobs, like garbage picking. Sometimes I get much more rude than that.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:03 AM
annabanana (52,791 posts)
9. VERY satisfying YouTube there!. . . . n/t
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:18 AM
Fla Dem (19,845 posts)
17. Priceless.
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:19 AM
forgotmylogin (7,070 posts)
18. The actual IRS will never *ever* call you.
They will send a series of letters, and if you don't respond, they will garnish your wages. They don't mess with outbound calls. (My knowledge comes from interviewing and testing to work there, and a neighbor who had her bank account drained because she thought not talking to the IRS was a good course of action...kids, always communicate with the IRS if there is an issue. They will work with you.)
This may be a *tad* out of date as there was news about them possibly selling some old accounts to debt collectors, but I'm suspecting these are issues of small amounts that are old enough for people they can't contact or find a bank account for. |
Response to forgotmylogin (Reply #18)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:30 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
19. Indeed, the real IRS is not very threatening either
https://www.irs.gov/uac/tax-scams-consumer-alerts
They're mostly reasonable people to work with. And if in doubt, a person could always go to the real IRS website, find their real number and call them to talk to a real agent to verify if there is a problem. Unfortunately scammers have done this to Medicare/Social Security and other folks too. As in, give us your bank account info or we will stop your benefits. |
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 09:42 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
20. Scam Phone Calls Continue; IRS Identifies Five Easy Ways to Spot Suspicious Calls
From the real IRS
https://www.irs.gov/uac/newsroom/scam-phone-calls-continue-irs-identifies-five-easy-ways-to-spot-suspicious-calls WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service issued a consumer alert today providing taxpayers with additional tips to protect themselves from telephone scam artists calling and pretending to be with the IRS. These callers may demand money or may say you have a refund due and try to trick you into sharing private information. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They may know a lot about you, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. If you don’t answer, they often leave an “urgent” callback request. “These telephone scams are being seen in every part of the country, and we urge people not to be deceived by these threatening phone calls,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said. “We have formal processes in place for people with tax issues. The IRS respects taxpayer rights, and these angry, shake-down calls are not how we do business.” The IRS reminds people that they can know pretty easily when a supposed IRS caller is a fake. Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam. The IRS will never: Call to demand immediate payment, nor will we call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.. Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe. Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card. Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying. If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do: If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040. The IRS workers can help you with a payment issue. If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1.800.366.4484 or at www.tigta.gov. You can file a complaint using the FTC Complaint Assistant; choose “Other” and then “Impostor Scams.” If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes. [See update at top of page.] Remember, too, the IRS does not use unsolicited email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issue. For more information on reporting tax scams, go to www.irs.gov and type “scam” in the search box. Additional information about tax scams are available on IRS social media sites, including YouTube and Tumblr where people can search “scam” to find all the scam-related posts. |
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:07 AM
JayhawkSD (3,163 posts)
22. Thanks for the link - not
It played an advertisement and then told me that the video could not be loaded.
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Response to JayhawkSD (Reply #22)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:23 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
23. 50 recs, 22 replies
tells me the problem is located between your keyboard and chair. It worked for me just now.
It took me less than a second to find the original youtube video for it: |
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:32 AM
Plucketeer (12,882 posts)
24. You have to wonder
how much they were taking in prior to this programmer throwing some serious sticks in their spokes!
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Response to Plucketeer (Reply #24)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:37 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
25. There was a group of them that got arrested recently in India
In a rare bit of cooperation between the two countries' law enforcement.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2017/04/10/police-arrest-millennial-behind-multi-million-dollar-irs-phone-scam/#11b011f26ffc "The alleged ringleader, Thakkar, known as "Shaggy," was said to be making more than 10 million rupees ($155,000) a day, or over a million dollars per week, at the scam's peak." Not bad for a 24 year old millennial. |
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:47 AM
TeapotInATempest (804 posts)
26. A nice little DoS attack!
I love to see hacking used against the bad guys.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 12:49 PM
niyad (89,801 posts)
29. one up on the scammers. now, if we could only get transcripts that don't have such serious
spelling and grammatical errors in them. "I" before "E" EXCEPT after c, misplaced apostrophes, and on and on.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 12:52 PM
Initech (93,012 posts)
30. That number was calling my cell phone so much I finally blocked it.
Good to know there's people fighting back against this nonsense!
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 02:23 PM
harun (11,282 posts)
31. Fake news
Response to harun (Reply #31)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 02:51 PM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
35. 76 recs
For a video posted from Bored Panda...to the lounge.
My reason for waking up each morning are DUers like you! ![]() |
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 02:38 PM
progressoid (47,006 posts)
32. That's a thing of beauty.
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 02:38 PM
ProudProgressiveNow (6,009 posts)
33. K&R nt
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 02:48 PM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
34. If you're ever surprised to hear from the IRS
it's probably not the IRS.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 04:09 PM
Lunabell (3,434 posts)
36. This is wonderful!
I love this story. Thanks for sharing!
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 04:53 PM
pansypoo53219 (19,590 posts)
37. my great-aunt only made it to the 6th grade i think. but she had a great bullshit detector.
gotta have a BS detector.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 05:36 PM
OilemFirchen (6,789 posts)
38. There are tons of these on YouTube.
This is probably the best:
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Response to OilemFirchen (Reply #38)
Thu Jun 29, 2017, 08:09 AM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
58. That was so awesome!
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 06:14 PM
mdbl (4,972 posts)
39. I think he should be a sub department of donotcall.gov
he's far more effective than that worthless site.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 06:15 PM
Cha (277,719 posts)
40. Thank you for this.. I was called a couple
of times by an IRS scammer. It scared me at the time.. I called the IRS to make sure.
And, when I called the numbers back they had been disconnected by then. Those poor suckers who actually fall for this. |
Response to Cha (Reply #40)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 06:36 PM
ailsagirl (21,763 posts)
42. Scared me too, Cha
All I heard was this official sounding man saying there was a warrant out for my arrest.
Yikes! ![]() |
Response to ailsagirl (Reply #42)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 06:39 PM
Cha (277,719 posts)
43. Yes! Very "offical sounding man"!
It was like wth did I do wrong now
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 06:34 PM
ailsagirl (21,763 posts)
41. Well done!!
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 07:30 PM
malaise (247,033 posts)
44. Hilarious
There was a great one a few years ago with a telemarketer - too good.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 08:28 PM
discntnt_irny_srcsm (17,810 posts)
45. Well, I'm jealous
I got such a call 3 years ago. After a few minutes I got kind of suspicious. I continued listening to scammer who had transferred my call a few times to "supervisors". When they reached the payment phase I suggested that they contact my banker in Nigeria who was holding several million dollars awaiting my collection. I offered an email address.
![]() The line went dead. |
Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:05 PM
klook (11,148 posts)
48. Angry Atlantan's Computer Ties Up Falwell's Phone Line
Here's a scammer retaliation I enjoyed. Those were the days... the things you could do with an Atari in 1985!
Dec. 24, 1985 - NY Times:
An Atlanta man angered by a television evangelist took it out on the Rev. Jerry Falwell by having his home computer call Mr. Falwell's toll-free phone line every 30 seconds for eight months. Edward Johnson, who stopped the calls Friday after Southern Bell threatened to cut off his phone service, said the calls were intended to hurt Mr. Falwell's fund-raising by tying up the phone. Mr. Falwell heads Moral Majority. From Falwell's page on Wikipedia: Falwell was an enemy of the revenge humorist "George Hayduke", who called Falwell a "fund-grubbing electronic Bible-banger" and "pious pride-in-the-pulpit". In his book Screw Unto Others, Hayduke mentions the story of Edward Johnson, who, in the mid-1980s, programmed his Atari home computer to make thousands of repeat phone calls to Falwell's 1–800 phone number, since Johnson claimed Falwell had swindled large amounts of money from his followers, especially Johnson's own mother. Southern Bell forced Johnson to stop after he had run up Falwell's telephone bill an estimated $500,000. At one point, prank callers, especially gay activists, constituted an estimated 25% of Falwell's total calls, until the ministry disconnected the toll-free number in 1986.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 10:32 PM
oberliner (58,724 posts)
49. Ironically this link is actually a click bait scam itself
That page is almost nothing but ads.
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Response to oberliner (Reply #49)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 11:03 PM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
52. 121 Recs, 5 stars, on top panel of greatest page now
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Response to IronLionZion (Reply #52)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 11:07 PM
oberliner (58,724 posts)
53. "12 Mysterious Photos That Cannot be Explained #5 Will Scare the Life out of You!"
After Losing 70lbs Susan Boyle is Unbelievably Gorgeous
10+ Genius T-Shirt Pairs You Will Be Mad You Didn't Think About First 10+ Times Pets Were Caught Red-Handed All can be found on the link you provided in your OP (and much more!) |
Response to oberliner (Reply #53)
Wed Jun 28, 2017, 11:17 PM
IronLionZion (39,647 posts)
54. The pets one is worth checking out
And the t-shirts one too
Happiness is a choice, and we can all choose what to click on |
Response to IronLionZion (Reply #54)
Thu Jun 29, 2017, 06:25 AM
oberliner (58,724 posts)
57. They often are
That's what makes click bait sites like Bored Panda so effective.
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Response to IronLionZion (Original post)
Thu Jun 29, 2017, 02:25 AM
Doreen (11,682 posts)
56. Two years ago right during tax season
and right after my brother did my taxes for me I got a call from the "IRS" telling me I owed money. All I said was "uhmm" then hung up and called my brother. He told me I did the right thing. My brother is a tax lawyer so he knows how this works. It turned out that the year they did that it had been happening at a higher rate than usual.
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