It seems that scammers are getting more elaborate to trick people out of their money every single day. From phishing emails to copycat websites, from romance scams to fake charities, there seems to be endless schemes to trick clueless folks into giving up their cash.
Sometimes, however, targeted folks are not as clueless as the scammers like to believe. On the contrary, sometimes vigilant people are aware of the tricks a scammer is playing on them and they serve them a sweet taste of their own medicine.
Below we wrapped up a collection of posts that show scammers getting owned, caught red-handed and given a well-deserved cold shower.
After you’re done scrolling through this article, make sure to check out Bored Panda’s previous feature with more scammers who got served a lesson and ended up regretting their nasty deeds.
This post may include affiliate links.
Scam Text Message. Tricking Them With Cat Facts!
Whatsapp Scam, I Don’t Know Why They Didn’t Respond?
Learn The Script, Break The Script
To find out more about the mind of the scammers, as well as the most popular online scams and what can we do protect ourselves, we reached out to Daniel Markuson, the cybersecurity expert at NordVPN.
“Usually, scammers choose their victims quite randomly,” Markuson said. “However, people who don’t take care of their digital hygiene get scammed much more often because they are much less cautious and share their personal information online a lot.”
The cybersecurity expert explained that having a lot of personal information about their victim helps criminals to make their scams look much more trustworthy.
Message I Got From My "Grandma" A While Ago
I wouldn't want you to die in a barn fire. Unless you scam people that is.
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My nana bless her soul RIP would send cheques to "save the donkey foundation", "adopt a leopard, elephant" etc etc . She would go to the post office and mail all these cheques of to stupid fukin scammers monthly in India. I live abroad and i and my familly didn't know about this until she blew her entire savings and then the heating for the small cottage was turned off. She died penniless. FFS. One of my friends set up this re-scam website/phone number or something so that when anytime the wanker tried to phone etc they would have to pay for it themselves which made us feel better. We obviously never got any donkey's or elephants or leopards but it felt nice knowing the f*****s were being f****d!!! F**k you scammers. Apologies for my language but i hope you all agree that this is how we felt.
@assdog....I'm so sorry your Nana was scammed and I wish that you and your family had been able to help her stop it from happening.
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The concept of 'bussiness' intrigues me. Tell me more about 'bussiness', Grandma, you know how much i like buses.
If you f**k with my head like that and I get a scam message from one of my deceased loved ones I’m liable to set that barn fire myself, after I remove the barn animals and get the mother****er inside alone. Simply put, I’d fly off the handle.
May they be struck by lightning 10 times for every person they've hurt.
I don't know why it made me laugh so hard... but I will henceforth be incorporating "I hope you die in a barn fire" into daily conversation.
Barn fire, oddly specific. I'd be incredibly upset if I got a text from my deceased grandpa/grandma and it was a scammer.
Not really oddly specific. It was a cruel method of execution of whole families during various conflicts, for example by Nazi Germany in Poland, Ukraine, Russia etc. But it's not exclusive to them. So it's just a cruel death wish.
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ah should've let it run awhile I had someone try to scam me on tinder, it was so fun. In then end I had to tell whoever that I wasn't actually going to transfer money. They got really s****y especially when I told them to go back to Scamming 101 as theyt were only a learner scammer
Well. That fire location was rather specific, wasn't it? Wonder what his problem with barns is?
I always write back and say.."she knows what you did and is going to the police this morning..you better hook it up and leave now...."
Oh, I'll bet saying you wish their died in a barn fire got you sent to FB jail. Because that's how FB works. No mean words, but sure, scam the s**t out of everyone on the platform, no biggie.
I agree. Who's Grandma says "What's up?" I know my Grandparents wouldn't that's for sure. People can just be plain disrespectful, rude & cruel! 😡😤🤬
Yeah, I just had to post on my late husband's page this week (he died last month) to remind people to not accept friend requests from him as I had reports they were sending them out. He's still dead and doesn't need any new friends right now, thank you very much. Wankers.
Why pull the owner of the barn into it (unless he scammer is the owner)? Let them just spontaneously combust.
I am 100% sure the scammer stole someones image. No way they're using a pic of themselves.
Well That Escalated Quickly (Common Whatsapp Scam That I Have Been Getting)
I Used To Live In Los Angeles
I've never owned a house. I get these texts ALL THE TIME! I have no idea how this scam even works or what the end game is. But I've started replying in ways that make me giggle.
Yeah... it really is a pain. Both for you and the person whose blood is in the carpet.
Interestingly, many scams are seasonal, and their cases grow depending on the time of the year. Markuson explained: “In spring, a lot of travel-themed scams start to emerge, with criminals contacting people with too-good-to-be-true holiday offers, fake travel insurance, and vacation rental scams.”
Meatball
why do you think im fake? is there a lot of fake people on Panda or something?
My Dog Has Been Missing For A Week And Some Sick Bastard Pulled This Bs
This happened to me last year when one of my pet's disappeared. Thanks to post like this I didn't get scammed.
Someone Pretending To Be The Chair Of My Department Tried To Scam Me. Did I Do This Right?
We also wondered what online scams are the most common, and it turns out that one of the most widespread online scams is phishing. “Cybercriminals send you an email pretending to be writing from an organization you trust. If you open that email and download an attachment or click on a button or link, that’s it — they can get your sensitive information,” Markuson said.
Meanwhile, catfishing is another popular scam when scammers create fake social media profiles. “They use other people’s or celebrities’ photos, videos, and even their personal information. These fake identities are usually used to seek attention, cyberbully, or get your private information.”
Got A Message From A Scammer, Decided To Play With Em A Little
Very Well Thought Out Scam
I Think I Have Come On Too Strong
Markuson warns that if you receive a pity story and a request to donate money, check it twice.Contact spamming is the oldest trick in the book, Markuson said. “A cybercriminal will hack into your email or your social media account and reach out to your friends with a message such as 'I’ve seen this amazing video, check it out!' Hopefully, your friends will recognize online scams and inform you.”
I Was Surprised To Get A Message From A High School Friend's Father
At Least He Admitted It
Luckily, there are proven ways to protect yourself and your data online. “The most basic thing people can do to protect themselves online is to stop oversharing on their internet platforms.”
Markuson’s advice is to keep your contact information private, and scammers will have a much more difficult time trying to contact you.
“Online privacy tools, like a VPN, are also very helpful in protecting your digital data. VPNs help to encrypt user internet traffic, thus making it impossible for third parties to intercept,” the cybersecurity expert suggested.
Special Item For Ebay Scammers
Ah Yes The Tinder Scam
A Bot Love Story
This One Made Me Laugh
The Heavenly Scam
Nice Try Buckaroo
I would answer this with "Are you sick in the head! I was in a car crash 7 years ago and lost everything below my waist, you insensitive prick!"
Facebook Is Full Of Scam Giveaways And Fake Profiles Commenting On Them
Facebook Powerbal Scam
Say Potato
Just Glad To See My BF Has A Good Head On His Shoulders
Trust Me Bro
At Least Theyre Honest
An Old Co-Worker Messaged Me. Got Blocked Lol
Some Number Texted Me, Said He Was An FBI Agent, And He Sent Me A Picture Of His Id
I image searched the pic if his ID, and turns out it was photoshopped version of a movie prop, the guy on his ID picture is Michael Peña. He didn't even try.
"Wiretap the internet"? Sounds too big a task for just one FBI agent (and a probationary one at that)
When You’re An Online Veteran
Sorry, I Don't Trust You. Not By That Logic
My Office Got An Email From Our “Site Manager” Asking Us To Get Ebay Gift Cards For A “Client”
And send the codes on the back to somebody named Danny. I tracked their IP address to Enugu, Nigeria and sent this to the number.
Shows you the state of the world economy now. Danny isn't even a prince.
I’m On The Books Guys. I Cannot Wait For My Appointment
Unfortunately, you just let him know it was a real working phone number. They're evil little twits.
I Finally Got One
I Gave This Scammer The Phone Number Of The Nypd
I Can Tell He’s “Seriously”
Ah Yes, The Negotiator
Somebody Didn’t Go To Scamming School
Casually Dealing With Scammers
I Thought I Was Worth A Bit More Lol
Hot Bot But Not The Smartest
Bs Scammer Gets Called Out By Comedian
I Finally Received One Of These! I Feel Like A Full Member Of Society Now
This One Has Just Given Up And Gone For The Direct Approach
If You're Going To Try And Scam Me, The Least You Could Do Is Spell "Please" Right
Note: this post originally had 71 images. It’s been shortened to the top 45 images based on user votes.
A friend of mine is an English teacher out on disability. She's having fun with scammers, but she can't help being an English teacher. Let's just say she's done enough to educate Nigeria than most UNESCO grant recipients.
Congrats! You’re eligible for a FREE 20% discount on an ALREADY free item! Only a $105.98 startup fee! Go to www.obvious/scam.iamabot!
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Okay these made me laugh. Still upsetting to know how many people fall for them though
A local couple where I live almost got caught out by the "grandchild in trouble" scam last winter. At the last minute, one of them said "You know, that really doesn't sound like (grandchild)". So they had the satisfaction of helping the police set up a sting and seeing the scammers arrested.
I save all my scam calls and texts to my phone contacts under "scammer". Since they're in my contacts, Facebook and Instagram are always recommending them as "people I may know". Every now and then I look at their profiles just to see what sort of people are scammers... If I was more industrious I could really mess with them that way.
I spent two days getting a scammer to agree to come to my cousin's big gay wedding and pre-wedding orgy as well as bring Michelle Obama to officiate the whole thing so he could get some gift cards and finish processing the delivery of the 50 vibrating pocket 😸's for the centerpieces. I honestly hoped he'd give up but he never did.
That was pretty inventive. Paints quite a picture. Lol.
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I usually just tell them to straight-up go f**k themselves. These inspire me. On a separate and unrelated note, am I the only one who feels a bit anxious when I see the battery life lower than 50% on some of these? 🤪
I've never laughed so hard at these posts. I got so many great ideas on how to stop these scammers in their tracks. Now I can't wait for the grandparent scam to come back around so I can use some of these. "Kill him, he owes me $5" was the best! Lol.
Bot* if you're wondering.
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I called a texting scammer out in the 00s on my flip phone He set some kind of auto-text to deliver a msg to my phone once a second, it never stopped until I powered the phone off.
Oh wow. That's bad. We're those the days before we could block numbers?
Load More Replies... I never get tired of seeing these posts. The scammers are really as dumb as i think.
Especially when you see all the misspelled words. Dead giveaway. Lol.
Load More Replies... Scammer: Hello, this is... Me: Hello, this is Siri how may I help you today? Scammar: Sorry, I think I have the wrong number... Siri: Here are the top search results. ~Hangs up~
Scammer: Hello, you have signed up for... Me: This is 911, what's your emergency?
I guess I'm missing out on some fun. I never answer any number that isn't in my contacts and immediately label any mystery text as junk and delete. I don't want them to know it is an active number. I just have the generic voice message. It is the same with email. I hate having to be so defensive and paranoid about communications.
I love these! Very creative! I'm dealing with a scammer right now. Been stringing him along for a few days now. He keeps telling me how much he loves me and how we were meant to be together. The other day he asked for $5000 and just now he asked for $50. I told him I that I don't have that kind of money but if he married me, I will get my money from grandma. I have not heard back from him yet. 😂
I am ashamed to say that at least 2 family and friends would fall for at least half of these 🤦... Lol
A friend of mine is an English teacher out on disability. She's having fun with scammers, but she can't help being an English teacher. Let's just say she's done enough to educate Nigeria than most UNESCO grant recipients.
Congrats! You’re eligible for a FREE 20% discount on an ALREADY free item! Only a $105.98 startup fee! Go to www.obvious/scam.iamabot!
Load More Replies... Okay these made me laugh. Still upsetting to know how many people fall for them though
A local couple where I live almost got caught out by the "grandchild in trouble" scam last winter. At the last minute, one of them said "You know, that really doesn't sound like (grandchild)". So they had the satisfaction of helping the police set up a sting and seeing the scammers arrested.
I save all my scam calls and texts to my phone contacts under "scammer". Since they're in my contacts, Facebook and Instagram are always recommending them as "people I may know". Every now and then I look at their profiles just to see what sort of people are scammers... If I was more industrious I could really mess with them that way.
I spent two days getting a scammer to agree to come to my cousin's big gay wedding and pre-wedding orgy as well as bring Michelle Obama to officiate the whole thing so he could get some gift cards and finish processing the delivery of the 50 vibrating pocket 😸's for the centerpieces. I honestly hoped he'd give up but he never did.
That was pretty inventive. Paints quite a picture. Lol.
Load More Replies... I usually just tell them to straight-up go f**k themselves. These inspire me. On a separate and unrelated note, am I the only one who feels a bit anxious when I see the battery life lower than 50% on some of these? 🤪
I've never laughed so hard at these posts. I got so many great ideas on how to stop these scammers in their tracks. Now I can't wait for the grandparent scam to come back around so I can use some of these. "Kill him, he owes me $5" was the best! Lol.
Bot* if you're wondering.
Load More Replies... I called a texting scammer out in the 00s on my flip phone He set some kind of auto-text to deliver a msg to my phone once a second, it never stopped until I powered the phone off.
Oh wow. That's bad. We're those the days before we could block numbers?
Load More Replies... I never get tired of seeing these posts. The scammers are really as dumb as i think.
Especially when you see all the misspelled words. Dead giveaway. Lol.
Load More Replies... Scammer: Hello, this is... Me: Hello, this is Siri how may I help you today? Scammar: Sorry, I think I have the wrong number... Siri: Here are the top search results. ~Hangs up~
Scammer: Hello, you have signed up for... Me: This is 911, what's your emergency?
I guess I'm missing out on some fun. I never answer any number that isn't in my contacts and immediately label any mystery text as junk and delete. I don't want them to know it is an active number. I just have the generic voice message. It is the same with email. I hate having to be so defensive and paranoid about communications.
I love these! Very creative! I'm dealing with a scammer right now. Been stringing him along for a few days now. He keeps telling me how much he loves me and how we were meant to be together. The other day he asked for $5000 and just now he asked for $50. I told him I that I don't have that kind of money but if he married me, I will get my money from grandma. I have not heard back from him yet. 😂
I am ashamed to say that at least 2 family and friends would fall for at least half of these 🤦... Lol
