The off topic thread

[Shoei]

Some ******* campaigner nearly got my mum with the ATO Scam. Some ******* scumbag called her and threatened her saying she owed the ATO $120k, bailiffs were coming in 45 mins and were going to arrest them and all of their assets were going to be seized. The campaigner kept her on the phone for 3 hours saying the police were watching, saying she couldn't tell anyone who was on the phone etc etc. Wouldn't be able to work again etc.

Mum and dad went to the bank and withdrew all their money (which isn't much - dad hasn't worked since 2009 and mum lost her job last year), and then and to go to Bank Of Queensland branch which is about 20 mins away from my place. They were ready to transfer it to the account but the bank manager said the account was flagged and alerted her it was a scam.

Dad nearly had a heart attack and couldn't breathe properly cos he was having a panic attack.

People are ******* scum. If I ever saw the campaigner I'd beat him to within an inch of his life, then wait till he recovered and do it again. Maybe not. But he is a fvcking campaigner.

I hate to call your parents out but where's the common sense?

1. No Government department makes collection calls over the phone without contacting you about the debt prior in writing.
2. No debts are ever "pay us this amount right now or else". Both Government departments and Debt collection agencies have a set of legislated guidelines they must follow in order to have a debt enforced (Having worked for a Law firm dealing with insolvency and personal debt i've seen what needs to be done). Nobody will ever show up out of the blue and demand payment of a debt, 99% of the time they require Court Orders to be enforced.
3. Payment are very very very rarely demanded in lump sums. Both Government departments and debt collectors will offer payment plans and methods to have the money paid back over a period of time.
4. If someone calls me and tells me i owe them something, probe them for information. So you're calling from the ATO? Ok, what's my address? What's my Tax File Number, what was my tax return for the prior year? What's my employment? etc etc...Oh you can't answer any of that? Well **** off then.
5. The police are not involved in general debt collection or enforcement of court orders for debt collection. The police have better things to be doing.
6. If you get a phone call like this and you believe it to be real, hang up, and call the ATO back. They'll soon tell you what's going on. Check check check and check again. Get their identification, push the phone call up the chain of command - if these calls are legitimate then there will be no problems getting names and numbers.

I understand how upsetting it can be but people really need to be bullish about protecting their own interests. These people prey on those that don't think logically.

 

[jod23]

Just binged the first season and a half this long weekend

Another unexpected death midway through season 3! A biggie too.

 

[jod23]

I hate to call your parents out but where's the common sense?

1. No Government department makes collection calls over the phone without contacting you about the debt prior in writing.
2. No debts are ever "pay us this amount right now or else". Both Government departments and Debt collection agencies have a set of legislated guidelines they must follow in order to have a debt enforced (Having worked for a Law firm dealing with insolvency and personal debt i've seen what needs to be done). Nobody will ever show up out of the blue and demand payment of a debt, 99% of the time they require Court Orders to be enforced.
3. Payment are very very very rarely demanded in lump sums. Both Government departments and debt collectors will offer payment plans and methods to have the money paid back over a period of time.
4. If someone calls me and tells me i owe them something, probe them for information. So you're calling from the ATO? Ok, what's my address? What's my Tax File Number, what was my tax return for the prior year? What's my employment? etc etc...Oh you can't answer any of that? Well **** off then.
5. The police are not involved in general debt collection or enforcement of court orders for debt collection. The police have better things to be doing.
6. If you get a phone call like this and you believe it to be real, hang up, and call the ATO back. They'll soon tell you what's going on. Check check check and check again. Get their identification, push the phone call up the chain of command - if these calls are legitimate then there will be no problems getting names and numbers.

I understand how upsetting it can be but people really need to be bullish about protecting their own interests. These people prey on those that don't think logically.

All true no doubt. I think it happens to very old people who dont know better. My parents are in their early 60's but are far too clued in. They wouldnt even listen, they would be like sure buddy, ill be sure to say hit to the debt collection people and police when they turn up.

It's amazing that people fall for it.

 

[Thistle]

Another unexpected death midway through season 3! A biggie too.

Thanks for the spoiler bro

Both Ragnar's wives are smoking!

 

[Shoei]

All true no doubt. I think it happens to very old people who dont know better. My parents are in their early 60's but are far too clued in. They wouldnt even listen, they would be like sure buddy, ill be sure to say hit to the debt collection people and police when they turn up.

It's amazing that people fall for it.

Yeah I know. I don't blame them, it happens so often to people from all walks of life so it's not an intelligence thing.

Just makes me sad and angry that people don't fight or argue to protect themselves.

 

[jod23]

Thanks for the spoiler bro

Both Ragnar's wives are smoking!

Haha it's not a spoiler. I didnt say who. People are dying all the time in Vikings.

 

[glenferry23]

I hate to call your parents out but where's the common sense?

1. No Government department makes collection calls over the phone without contacting you about the debt prior in writing.
2. No debts are ever "pay us this amount right now or else". Both Government departments and Debt collection agencies have a set of legislated guidelines they must follow in order to have a debt enforced (Having worked for a Law firm dealing with insolvency and personal debt i've seen what needs to be done). Nobody will ever show up out of the blue and demand payment of a debt, 99% of the time they require Court Orders to be enforced.
3. Payment are very very very rarely demanded in lump sums. Both Government departments and debt collectors will offer payment plans and methods to have the money paid back over a period of time.
4. If someone calls me and tells me i owe them something, probe them for information. So you're calling from the ATO? Ok, what's my address? What's my Tax File Number, what was my tax return for the prior year? What's my employment? etc etc...Oh you can't answer any of that? Well **** off then.
5. The police are not involved in general debt collection or enforcement of court orders for debt collection. The police have better things to be doing.
6. If you get a phone call like this and you believe it to be real, hang up, and call the ATO back. They'll soon tell you what's going on. Check check check and check again. Get their identification, push the phone call up the chain of command - if these calls are legitimate then there will be no problems getting names and numbers.

I understand how upsetting it can be but people really need to be bullish about protecting their own interests. These people prey on those that don't think logically.

Agree with all of the above. Will also add that the government banks with the RBA, not some 3rd tier bank like the BoQ.

But you're right, these scammers prey on the elderly and hope to catch them in a weak moment. 4/5 they probably fail, but the ones they do can be lucrative.

 

[Gak Attack]

Agree with all of the above. Will also add that the government banks with the RBA, not some 3rd tier bank like the BoQ.

But you're right, these scammers prey on the elderly and hope to catch them in a weak moment. 4/5 they probably fail, but the ones they do can be lucrative.

We've had a few clients ring up worried about these scams, the elderly are certainly very vulnerable. A lot of them have been left behind with technology and wouldn't have a clue what's true or not, best bet is to talk to someone if you're not sure. Most accountancy firms would tell you it's bs and not charge you a dime.

 

[Loonerty]

Also, House of Cards is severely overrated.

Season 3 wasn't great but 1, 2 and 4 were all excellent and Kevin Spacey is magnificent.

 

[SM]

Yeah struggling through 3 slowly.

 

[Loonerty]

Yeah struggling through 3 slowly.

It's worth it for season 4.

 

[Gak Attack]

Have finished 4, it's great. I probably would have given up otherwise as 3 was poor.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

go to last read - page 976 - Cruyff going on about music
skip to page 990 - Still the same shit.

zzz

Since they cut out sports talk it now should be renamed the Football board entertainment thread

That's really what it is now. Tv, movies and music

 

[Art Vandelay_]

So, Iwas just on the stadiums board and I was wondering.

What stadiums have people here been to to watch sport?

Me

AFL
Gabba
MCG
SCG
Stadium Australia
Manuka Oval
Adelaide Oval
Footy Park

EPL
White Hart Lane
Emirates Stadium
Selhurst Park

NFL
Georgia Dome

non-proffessional sports
Penrith Stadium (was for school rugby competition)
Bronco Stadium (Boise Idaho)
Rentschler Field (Hartford Connecticut)
Bower Field (Stalybridge England)

Kardinia Park
Etihad
MCG
Junction Oval
Chirnside Park (Werribee VFL)
Whitten Oval
Eden Park
Bellerive Oval
The Gabba
Manuka Oval

Not an oval but also been to Augusta National as well.

 

[moomba]

I've spent the night at Upton Park three times.

The Boleyn, not the park.

 

[Van_Dyke]

I've been to a disturbingly small number of grounds.


Subi, WACA, Nib.

That's about it

 

[SM]

EPL:
KC
Stadium of Light
Old Trafford
Anfield
Goodison
Carrow Road
Selhurst Park
The Emirates
The Hawthorns
The Liberty Stadium

Australia:
SCG
MCG
Etihad
ANZ
Allianz

 

[Zidane98]

EPL:

Anfield
Boleyn Ground
Ewood Park

FA Cup

Old Trafford (2006 semi final)

OZ:

Etihad
MCG
Kardinia Park
AAMI Park
Adelaide Oval
Hindmarsh
SCG
SFS
ANZ Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Members Equity Stadium
Bruce Stadium

 

[Cruyff14]

I hate to call your parents out but where's the common sense?

1. No Government department makes collection calls over the phone without contacting you about the debt prior in writing.
2. No debts are ever "pay us this amount right now or else". Both Government departments and Debt collection agencies have a set of legislated guidelines they must follow in order to have a debt enforced (Having worked for a Law firm dealing with insolvency and personal debt i've seen what needs to be done). Nobody will ever show up out of the blue and demand payment of a debt, 99% of the time they require Court Orders to be enforced.
3. Payment are very very very rarely demanded in lump sums. Both Government departments and debt collectors will offer payment plans and methods to have the money paid back over a period of time.
4. If someone calls me and tells me i owe them something, probe them for information. So you're calling from the ATO? Ok, what's my address? What's my Tax File Number, what was my tax return for the prior year? What's my employment? etc etc...Oh you can't answer any of that? Well **** off then.
5. The police are not involved in general debt collection or enforcement of court orders for debt collection. The police have better things to be doing.
6. If you get a phone call like this and you believe it to be real, hang up, and call the ATO back. They'll soon tell you what's going on. Check check check and check again. Get their identification, push the phone call up the chain of command - if these calls are legitimate then there will be no problems getting names and numbers.

I understand how upsetting it can be but people really need to be bullish about protecting their own interests. These people prey on those that don't think logically.

Yeah, in hindsight mum looked back at things like that and thought duh?

But at the time, this guy was incredibly intimidating and making threats etc etc. She just couldn't think straight due to all the threats and this guy demanding things over the phone. Coupled with my dad having a panic attack, and nearly a heart attack, it made things worse. My parents don't have much money so they would have been ****ed if things went how the scammers wanted.

It's all done now, lucky the bank manager was there to help out.

Very traumatic for her. Only had 2 hours sleep last night she said

It sucks even more cos she starts a new job today and all she wanted to do yesterday was relax, and then that ****ing campaigner rang.

 

[FAITH]

cant expect old people to think the way young people do.
family have also been scammed, always wondered why they cant find them?

 

[elhadjihenry]

Yeah, in hindsight mum looked back at things like that and thought duh?

But at the time, this guy was incredibly intimidating and making threats etc etc. She just couldn't think straight due to all the threats and this guy demanding things over the phone. Coupled with my dad having a panic attack, and nearly a heart attack, it made things worse. My parents don't have much money so they would have been stuffed if things went how the scammers wanted.

It's all done now, lucky the bank manager was there to help out.

Very traumatic for her. Only had 2 hours sleep last night she said

It sucks even more cos she starts a new job today and all she wanted to do yesterday was relax, and then that ******* campaigner rang.

Have they reported it to the police? Would like to think there are ways that people like this can be caught through phone records etc.

 

[SM]

EPL:

Anfield
Boleyn Ground
Ewood Park

FA Cup

Old Trafford (2006 semi final)

OZ:

Etihad
MCG
Kardinia Park
AAMI Park
Adelaide Oval
Hindmarsh
SCG
SFS
ANZ Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Members Equity Stadium
Bruce Stadium

If you're breaking it up like that, I was at OT for the League Cup SF second leg against Sunderland, and it was glorious.

I also forgot Southend's stadium for the FA Cup. Man I ticked off a lot of grounds.

Oh and I went to The Den back in 2010.

 

[Zidane98]

Yeah, in hindsight mum looked back at things like that and thought duh?

But at the time, this guy was incredibly intimidating and making threats etc etc. She just couldn't think straight due to all the threats and this guy demanding things over the phone. Coupled with my dad having a panic attack, and nearly a heart attack, it made things worse. My parents don't have much money so they would have been stuffed if things went how the scammers wanted.

It's all done now, lucky the bank manager was there to help out.

Very traumatic for her. Only had 2 hours sleep last night she said

It sucks even more cos she starts a new job today and all she wanted to do yesterday was relax, and then that ******* campaigner rang.

Same thing happened to a friend last week but they didn't buy it. Phone number came up on caller id as a sydney no but from what I've read the scammers are spoofing the Australian number from overseas. Unfortunately not much can be done about it by the police here.

 

[SM]

Mum has had numerous telemarketer/prank calls from people claiming to be from Telstra. They don't ask for anything though, it's bizarre. They'll laugh in the background, and hang up on her, or other things like that. No idea what their motive is.

 

[Zidane98]

My mum still gets the odd call from Microsoft telling her she needs to remove a virus from windows on her PC.

Funny thing is she runs Mac OSX.