Had a pearler of a night last night. Came home early from dinner with friends to watch QI on ABC, my favourite show.
For those yet to experience this brilliant UK show, the quiz show, hosted by Stephen Fry, is based around the idea that the questions are almost impossible and so contestants are given points for funny answers rather than incorrect answers.
Contestants only lose points if their answers are wrong AND predictable.
It made my night when I sat down to see that the theme for the show was Fakes and Frauds. Instead of scratching my head, I knew all the answers.
What did Count Victor Lustig do to the Eiffel Tower? He sold it.
Where did the trio of phone box thieves hide their stash? In their bras.
Why did Robert McCulloch of Arizona buy the Old London Bridge? No, he didn’t think he was buying Tower bridge. He bought it to relocate it to Arizona is 1967.
For once in my life, I felt smart watching a quiz show.
AS FEATURED ON ‘SCAM OF THE WEEK’ ON ABC’s STATEWIDE DRIVE
If you could get away with a crime would you do it?
Most of my friends download movies illegally because they know they can get away with it.
Most people speed on quiet roads because they think the police are not around.
Most people shoplift from the women’s underpants section if no one is watching…or is that just me?
But how far would you take it?
Tony Muslin, a French van driver, has raised the bar when it comes to crimes of opportunity. While his colleagues stepped out of the van for a few minutes, Tony decided to take advantage and steal the contents of the truck….$19 million.
Three hours later, the truck turned up empty and Muslin was on the run with almost 50 sacks of cash. He hasn’t been seen since.
Following his impulsive crime, Tony has become some what of an internet sensation with fan sites and facebook groups popping up congratulating the everyday Joe for sticking it to the man.
JUSTICE IS BLIND (AND BLIND)Two teenagers in the UK have been busted pretending to be deaf and collecting money for Hearing Dog’s For The Deaf. Aside from having a donation form riddled with spelling mistakes the two girls (aged 13 and 15) got away with it until they were questioned by a local woman…in sign language.
RIP AMAZING BALLANTINE - Actor and magician Carl Ballantine has passed away. The general public will remember him as con artist Lester Gruber from McHale’s Navy but I’ll always remember him as The Amazing Ballantine.
ANZ SWINDLE - An ANZ teller has been convicted of ‘cunningly setting up a complicated system of false transfers, security circumnavigation and red herrings to steal $800,000 from her employer. She used the money to bet on the pokies proving that you can swindler and swindler.
TUNNEL VISIONS - Palestinians have been defrauded out of millions off dollars after they invested in tunnels out of the Gaza Strip. The tunnels are used to smuggle good in and out of the Gaza Strip and are the econonic lifeline for people living in the area.
GRANDPARENTS SCAM - Vulnerable nannas have been called by con artists claiming to be their grandchildren. They fake an emergecny and ask for money to be wired immediately. The scam operates via email, phone and facebook. Protect your nanna!
AS FEATURED ON ABC STATEWIDE DRIVE WITH KATHY BEDFORD
The big Aussie scam story this week is reports coming in of con artists flying in from Eastern Europe to skim credit cards, pick pockets and generally cause trouble at the spring racing carnival.
As an Australian con artist I’m not sure how I feel about these Romanian and Bulgarian swindlers coming in, stealing jobs away from hard working local.
But it could be far worse. The current cost of an airfare to Australia is around $2000AUD. So only the most dedicated swindlers are making the trip down under. However, in Europe, thanks to low budget airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet, you can fly almost anywhere for under $50.
Now, all of the major European cities are hit by con artists who fly into town, make as much money as they can and then move on to the next city. In June, I bumped into the same con artist in Barcelona and Stockholm in the same month.
If you do go the races and you find yourself up against these Eastern European hucksters, here are a few tips:-
1) Always keep your wallet in your inside jacket pocket. Better still, keep it in my inside jacket pocket.
2) Don’t make a big deal if you win. Your “Watch-Me-Rub-My-Thousands-Of-Dollars-Cash-All-Over-My-Body” dance may draw unwanted attention.
3) Avoid women in head scarves and peasant dresses or men with a single gold hoop earrings and a puffy piratesque shirt. This is how all Eastern Europeans dress.
4) Avoid situations where people rub up against you. This includes lines for the toilet, public transport and the Lambada – the forbidden dance.
5) Be aware if someone offers to help clean a mark of some kind off your coat. This is a classic ploy of pickpockets. They secretly spill ice-cream on your jacket then offer to clean it off, stealing your wallet. This is a criminal waste of ice cream.
You might also enjoy this video I put together from earlier this year. It’s from the 1959 film The Pickpocket and features annotation by me…
AS FEATURED ON ABC STATEWIDE DRIVE WITH KATHY BEDFORD
I have to step carefully here.
Back in ‘07, when the Australian government brought in the Do Not Call register, I warned people in the Australia media that a new scam might pop up.
Turns out I gave the scammers the idea and soon, swindlers started going door to door charging people to put their names on the free register.
In other words, an annoying marketer sold people a free service that stops annoying marketers from calling you.
And it’s all my fault.
Now, there is a new email doing the rounds surrounding the swindle.
This is legit YOUR CHOICE……….. This is for Australian phone numbers!
REMEMBER: Mobile Phone Numbers Go Public next month.
REMINDER all mobile phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls.
YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS
Below is a link where you can enter your phone numbers online to put an end to telemarketing calls
https://www.donotcall.gov.au/
In other words, the creator of the email is suggesting that Australian phone companies are selling the names and numbers of their customers to marketers.
Not only that, for some very strange reason, you will be charged for the calls!
Of course, none of this true but is hasn’t stopped the email spreading like wildfire.
