Pianotech

Expand all | Collapse all

Free Piano Scam is back.....

  • 1.  Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Member
    Posted 02-13-2022 22:32
    This past week I got two offers for a free piano . I wonder how many people on the internet get hooked by these fishing schemes. I also wonder how many members of the PTG will get the same email since they tend to make the rounds. I did not respond . One was the deceased spouse pitch and the other scammer said her son gave up lessons

    ------------------------------
    James Kelly
    Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
    Pawleys Island SC
    843-325-4357
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Posted 02-14-2022 07:22
    Got few , deceased father and hidden diamonds versions

    Alexander Brusilovsky




  • 3.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-14-2022 09:07
    I get about one scam per day now, but only one to two per week is the piano scam. There is a NEW scam that made me laugh out loud until I realized people might fall for it: The FBI is investigating scam emails and would like your help. They only need your SS# & other personal information so they can track the scammers. *bang-head-on-desk*

    ------------------------------
    Maggie Jusiel, RPT
    Athens, WV
    (304)952-8615
    mags@timandmaggie.net
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-14-2022 10:50
    2014 Steinways must be really bad-everyone has one they want to give away!

    ------------------------------
    Scott Cole, RPT
    rvpianotuner.com
    Talent, OR
    (541-601-9033
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-14-2022 11:20
    This may be a little sadistic but I like to get the scammer on the phone (if possible) and then when they're good and comfortable...SCREAM as loud as I can (which is pretty loud) right into their headphoned ears.  Then they hang up on me instead of me hanging up on them which is a little bit rude...

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor

    ------------------------------
    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    603-686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Posted 05-04-2022 07:27
    I received the deceased spouse email featuring a like-new Yamaha Upright in high gloss black with a player mechanism on it. I almost fell for it because I get legitimate free piano emails often. However, legitimate free piano emails are almost always a 50+ year old spinet piano, which I always decline.  What almost fooled me was that this person wrote in normal english. Usually scam emails are written in an "English as a second language" type of text.  Here is how I figured out it was a scam:
    1: I used the online white pages to find out there was no such person by that name in the state he claimed to be moving from
    2: The moving company he refereed me to had an excessively generic website with no tangible information on it. 
    3. The moving company's facebook page hadn't had a post in over two years and their entire facebook page had a total of only two pictures.
    4. When I called the moving company, It went straight to voicemail. The recording didn't offer any company info, it just said, "You have reached the voicemail of (xxx) xxx-xxxx".
    5. When I looked up reviews of the company, there were none to be found. 

    But up until that point, he really did almost trick me. Even to the point that I told my wife we were getting a free Yamaha.

    ------------------------------
    Gary Howell
    Buckeye Piano Tuning
    Massillon OH
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-04-2022 11:12
    Also, another scam: "We are the FBI investigating scam emails. You have been identified as one of the targeted individuals. Please send us your social security number and the credit card that may have been impacted by this scam." ...or something like that.

    ------------------------------
    Maggie Jusiel, RPT
    Athens, WV
    (304)952-8615
    mags@timandmaggie.net
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Posted 05-05-2022 12:09
    I believe that were this particular forum restricted to PTG membership only, we would not be having this problem.

    ------------------------------
    Barb Bernhardt
    Montrose, Colorado
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Posted 05-05-2022 12:38
    I don't think it's bad that we have a front row seat on this issue. These emails go lots of places.  My experience is that people look to me to ask what I think of the offer they are looking at. It is best that I am not in the dark.

    ------------------------------
    Floyd Gadd
    Regina SK
    306-502-9103
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Member
    Posted 05-05-2022 16:05
    I had a customer who fell for it even though I vehemently insisted it was a scam.  She lost 700$.





  • 11.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-05-2022 17:32
    Considering you warned her, i did don’t feel sorry for her one bit.

    Wim

    Sent from my iPhone




  • 12.  RE: Free Piano Scam is back.....

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-06-2022 10:19
    I had one forwarded to me from a faculty member, then another one forwarded the next day from a staff member. The first email was pretty rough, English was obviously a second or third language. The second email had much more sophisticated wording and a different name but they both had the EXACT same picture of a Yamaha grand!

    ------------------------------
    John Pope
    University of Kentucky School of Music
    Lexington, KY
    ------------------------------