# Just got the infamouse LYFT "customer support" scam phonecall



## goodfella718 (Apr 21, 2016)

pretty clever got to admit, they call from the 415 area code making you think its really lft with the passanger calling about there ride when you pick up. Sounded like some teenager, absolutely unprofessional, i pick up and they say this is customer support. I say from where. Again they just reply we are calling from customer support telling me we need to update your information for the 2017 year. And i reply again what customer support is this, they never answered. Just simply asked that we need to verify your mobile number. I replied with a nasty comment and the conversation ended awkwardly and i simply hang up.

Careful giving any information over the phone. Period....

This seems like an inside job. Noway they can obtain so many lyft driver phone # without someone actually working inside. This is a minimum 5-7 year sentance.


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## Smooth954 (Aug 25, 2014)

Maybe lyft have been hacked and they are being more than slow to tell us as they will have to provide free credit monitoring to all the drivers. These kids are more than likely getting drivers info from some dark web black markets. smfh Even more to worry about. Will be interesting when drivers get a pickup request from a rider with the name matching their own lol.


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## STIDRIVER (Sep 20, 2015)

I got the call.. they are defenilly hacking the lyft app. they get in and change your debit card info and call you to get the code that lyft send you... if you give them the code they get your money. but thats lyft responsibility. Not yours...


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## NYCDriver (Aug 20, 2016)

I got the call 2 mins after completing a ride and was told the credit card was "stolen" and they wanted to update my debt card info to make sure I get paid. They also knew my name. I wonder if someone hacked the lyft servers or if its a bunch of pax taking rides and then calling afterwards, since then they would know my name. I got the call after I picked up a pax named "Sydney"


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## staytune (May 21, 2016)

report this to lyft so they can investigate


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## eagle88 (Aug 14, 2016)

NYCDriver said:


> I got the call 2 mins after completing a ride and was told the credit card was "stolen" and they wanted to update my debt card info to make sure I get paid. They also knew my name. I wonder if someone hacked the lyft servers or if its a bunch of pax taking rides and then calling afterwards, since then they would know my name. I got the call after I picked up a pax named "Sydney"


my understanding is once you end the trip the pax can not use the app to contact you.


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## parbs (Apr 4, 2016)

eagle88 said:


> my understanding is once you end the trip the pax can not use the app to contact you.


yes they can. in-case they left something behind. Don't give anyone the pin that you get texted and no one can do anything. The scam is basic, they call try to verify phone# or ask you for a pin that was just sent to you. once you give them the pin they can log into your lyft account and steal your $$$. They aren't hacking lyft, they are just trying to take advantage of drivers that are gullible.


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## eagle88 (Aug 14, 2016)

parbs said:


> yes they can. in-case they left something behind. Don't give anyone the pin that you get texted and no one can do anything. The scam is basic, they call try to verify phone# or ask you for a pin that was just sent to you. once you give them the pin they can log into your lyft account and steal your $$$. They aren't hacking lyft, they are just trying to take advantage of drivers that are gullible.


so the scammer has to be one of your previous pax?


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## NYCDriver (Aug 20, 2016)

I think they can still contact you for a while after the ride. Ive received calls by accident from pax I just dropped off and ended the trip. The phone call I got came from an older lyft number I had saved on my phone and the text came from the legit lyft numbers that I always get a text from when I try to login into my account myself.


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## eagle88 (Aug 14, 2016)

NYCDriver said:


> I think they can still contact you for a while after the ride. Ive received calls by accident from pax I just dropped off and ended the trip. The phone call I got came from an older lyft number I had saved on my phone and the text came from the legit lyft numbers that I always get a text from when I try to login into my account myself.


Lyft should disable this feature immediately, Uber privacy policy states that the rider can not contact the driver once the trip ended. if a Lyft rider left something behind in the car they should contact Lyft customer support about it, they should never be allowed to contact the driver once the trip ended,


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## Brooklyn (Jul 29, 2014)

Not Uber/Lyft related but I had a scammer call me to tell me I had a virus on my computer.. he sounded like he jumped for joy when I told him I should place this anti virus software on 6 of my computers and tablets... messed with him for a while then asked him if he knows I have the viruses what model my computers and tablets are.. dude went off cursing at me calling me a bastard and etc...


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## Bart McCoy (Nov 4, 2014)

goodfella718 said:


> pretty clever got to admit, they call from the 415 area code making you think its really lft with the passanger calling about there ride when you pick up. Sounded like some black teenager absolutely unprofessional, i pick up and they say this is customer support. I say from where. Again they just reply we are calling from customer support telling me we need to update your information for the 2017 year. And i reply again what customer support is this, they never answered. Just simply asked that we need to verify your mobile number. I replied with a nasty comment and the conversation ended awkwardly and i simply hang up.
> 
> Careful giving any information over the phone. Period....
> 
> This seems like an inside job. Noway they can obtain so many lyft driver phone # without someone actually working inside. This is a minimum 5-7 year sentance.


so they call you on your mobile number, just to ask you to verify the mobile number they called?

let's say you do confirm, they only asking for phone number, how can they hack you or your bank account with just a mobile number?

Im confused


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## goodfella718 (Apr 21, 2016)

Thats all they need is the phone number of the account. The password to lognin will be a 4 number code lyft texts you. Once theybhave it. They log in and change bank details. Very simple..


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

Here's the Uber fishing scam going around:
https://goo.gl/f3kfaj








Do Not Fill This Form Out or Pass it Around.
THIS IS A PHISHING SITE 100% SCAM!!!
Fill in fake login and it will pass, lol.
Update (shut down) haha!


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## Danny3xd (Nov 7, 2016)

Like any one else, I find this really alarming.

I trully believe Lyft cares greatly. (It would be counter-productive not to)

But how can this not be countered some how?


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## UberAnt39 (Jun 1, 2016)

Bart McCoy said:


> so they call you on your mobile number, just to ask you to verify the mobile number they called?
> 
> let's say you do confirm, they only asking for phone number, how can they hack you or your bank account with just a mobile number?
> 
> Im confused


They don't have your number till you tell them it. They call the Lyft rider # which forwards to you. Then they get you to "confirm" your number. They still have to get you to tell them the login code that Lyft text you, unless they've some way of stealing/spoofing your number which seems unlikely else they'd be hacking every site that use 2 factor authentication.


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## El Janitor (Feb 22, 2016)

Thanks for the heads up, so many scams going around today, it's hard to tell sometimes if it's a scam. Here's what you do after you realize thats it's a scam, you should report it to Lyft. Also this is one of the best things you can do:

• Get a Permanent marker
• Find a payphone ( _I know one where all the neighborhood crazy people hang out at_)
• Write inside the payphone and make it visible : FOR A GOOD TIME CALL *( Insert whatever name you like)* then the full phone number.
• The back of bathroom stall doors in strip clubs, and bars work really well too.


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## 58756 (May 30, 2016)

goodfella718 said:


> pretty clever got to admit, they call from the 415 area code making you think its really lft with the passanger calling about there ride when you pick up. Sounded like some black teenager absolutely unprofessional, i pick up and they say this is customer support. I say from where. Again they just reply we are calling from customer support telling me we need to update your information for the 2017 year. And i reply again what customer support is this, they never answered. Just simply asked that we need to verify your mobile number. I replied with a nasty comment and the conversation ended awkwardly and i simply hang up.
> 
> Careful giving any information over the phone. Period....
> 
> This seems like an inside job. Noway they can obtain so many lyft driver phone # without someone actually working inside. This is a minimum 5-7 year sentance.


Why the hell are u using a black teen as an example? what does skin color have to do with how a person sounds on the phone? white people will always have preprogrammed stereotypes. U do realize your offending us brown skinned people on the forum by comparing that call with black teens. Those callers are offshore people from India stealing money. They also pose as IRS.


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## Brunch (Nov 4, 2016)

El Janitor said:


> Thanks for the heads up, so many scams going around today, it's hard to tell sometimes if it's a scam. Here's what you do after you realize thats it's a scam, you should report it to Lyft. Also this is one of the best things you can do:
> 
> • Get a Permanent marker
> • Find a payphone ( _I know one where all the neighborhood crazy people hang out at_)
> ...


Most scammers use a spoofed number, so you won't be able to call them back with the number shown on your caller id.


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## 58756 (May 30, 2016)

Brunch said:


> Most scammers use a spoofed number, so you won't be able to call them back with the number shown on your caller id.


IRS busts them often


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

staytune said:


> report this to lyft so they can investigate


Cops,and Lyft.
Sooner you get the ball rolling,the sooner these scammers get rolled over.


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## MsLaUber (Jul 9, 2016)

Brooklyn said:


> Not Uber/Lyft related but I had a scammer call me to tell me I had a virus on my computer.. he sounded like he jumped for joy when I told him I should place this anti virus software on 6 of my computers and tablets... messed with him for a while then asked him if he knows I have the viruses what model my computers and tablets are.. dude went off cursing at me calling me a bastard and etc...


Lmao


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## JBigotes (Oct 19, 2016)

I get calls all the time from scammers in mexican jails. I'm not even mexican I'm Salvi.


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)

I posted this a week ago in my local lounges: 

Driver friends - if you're not already aware there is a scam that has been going on for a few weeks where someone tries to get you to give them access to your Lyft account by telling them the 4 digit code Lyft sent to you for logging in. Some notes: 

1) At some point you'll receive a request which is immediately cancelled, usually from a driver (has a green ivy background). They do this to get the phone number Lyft gives your passenger for contacting you.

2) They call/text you from your rider number and identify themselves as working for Lyft. They say things like "We need to verify your account" or "we need to verify you've agreed to our latest terms of service". They ask you to state your phone number then they tell you to logout of the Lyft app, request to log back in and before logging in to tell them the 4 digit code texted to you. At this point they can log into your account by entering your real phone number into the app on their phone and using the 4 digit code sent to you.

3) They then withdraw your earnings via Express Pay after switching the debit card to their own.

The canceled ride is likely coming from the account of a driver that already fell for this. So don't demonize them by sharing their picture/name all over the Web as a con artist - they are a victim too.

Immediately contact Lyft support and make sure to use the word FRAUD in your email so that it gets sent to the correct department. 

Lyft will never call you regarding your login or banking info. If they do call (for things like Critical Response Line issues) that call WILL NOT come through from your rider phone number.

If you're active in other driver lounges feel free to copy/paste this there to help keep our fellow drivers safe.

In an effort to stop this scam Lyft has changed the flow for changing your express pay debit card info so now you must confirm (from a text sent to your actual phone) after changing it.


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## Karen Stein (Nov 5, 2016)

I've had two major changes in my 'digital footprint' recently.

The first? I started driving Uber.

The second? I have received two obvious phishing / spam / scam e-mails. 

I figure that someone has had their mailbox hacked - either Uber, or one of the apps I downloaded to do Uber. The apps I use are Gas Buddy, Waze, Weather Underground, and Simple Radio (for police scanner).

Solution? Simply delete. Anyone who wants to contact YOU will already know who you are.

Case in point: I received an invoice from a firm I did not recognize. I asked them 'who are you?' A prompt reply led me to a vendor I have had a long relationship with, and who recently merged with another firm. THAT was a legit invoice.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

JBigotes said:


> I get calls all the time from scammers in mexican jails. I'm not even mexican I'm Salvi.


I've had a lot of these too.


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## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

NYCDriver said:


> I got the call 2 mins after completing a ride and was told the credit card was "stolen" and they wanted to update my debt card info to make sure I get paid. They also knew my name. I wonder if someone hacked the lyft servers or if its a bunch of pax taking rides and then calling afterwards, since then they would know my name. I got the coiall after I picked up a pax named "Sydney"


No hacking needed.

Its the last person who CANCELLED on you


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## Wardell Curry (Jul 9, 2016)

STIDRIVER said:


> I got the call.. they are defenilly hacking the lyft app. they get in and change your debit card info and call you to get the code that lyft send you... if you give them the code they get your money. but thats lyft responsibility. Not yours...


The fact that you succintly summed up how the scam works makes me think they got you. Im so sorry bro.


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## AllenChicago (Nov 19, 2015)

I got 7 cancellations from the same person in a row Wednesday night (Thanksgiving Eve). Ping-Accept-Immediate cancel.. every 30 seconds. I wonder if they were attempting something? 

What can a crook learn about you after you have accepted the ride-request? Quite a bit I think. Name/Car Make/License Plate..anything else?


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## Brunch (Nov 4, 2016)

AllenChicago said:


> I got 7 cancellations from the same person in a row Wednesday night (Thanksgiving Eve). Ping-Accept-Immediate cancel.. every 30 seconds. I wonder if they were attempting something?
> 
> What can a crook learn about you after you have accepted the ride-request? Quite a bit I think. Name/Car Make/License Plate..anything else?


Your picture too. I used to have the app on when I was at home and rushed out the door if I got a call. While most passengers are fine, I don't want that one strange person to know where I live.

Maybe they were wanting a different driver... Or they were new to the app, but 7 is really excessive for that. Good for you though because that counts towards your acceptance rate. I will just turn my app off for a few minutes if someone has done that a couple times.


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## eagle88 (Aug 14, 2016)

Brunch said:


> Your picture too. I used to have the app on when I was at home and rush out the door if I got a call. While most passengers are fine, I don't want that one strange person to know where I live.


how about your Hack license number do they get it?


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## eagle88 (Aug 14, 2016)

some people are saying that if a PAX request then cancel they will be able to contact you after they cancel, is this a fact? or you guys are just speculating? why in hell would Lyft allow a pax to contact you after they cancel?


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## Brunch (Nov 4, 2016)

eagle88 said:


> how about your Hack license number do they get it?


Not sure. NYC has their own set of rules, so that's probably a good question to ask one of your passengers or Lyft.


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## AllenChicago (Nov 19, 2015)

Brunch said:


> Your picture too. I used to have the app on when I was at home and rushed out the door if I got a call. While most passengers are fine, I don't want that one strange person to know where I live.
> 
> Maybe they were wanting a different driver... Or they were new to the app, but 7 is really excessive for that. Good for you though because that counts towards your acceptance rate. I will just turn my app off for a few minutes if someone has done that a couple times.


It could be that they were attempting to reach a different driver, or that this Margorita didn't like my mugshot. Before she could ping/cancel the 8th time, I got a Ping from someone who really wanted a ride. Naturally that shut down the Marogrita teases.

Once the ride-requester sees that you've accepted them, they have your full name and can Google Search your address and phone number. That happened to me last Summer. Some prankster cancelled on me 4 times, and then called my home. I was at home at the time. Showed as "Private" on my caller ID. I contacted Lyft and they disabled that person's Lyft account..or so they said.


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## eagle88 (Aug 14, 2016)

AllenChicago said:


> It could be that they were attempting to reach a different driver, or that this Margorita didn't like my mugshot. Before she could ping/cancel the 8th time, I got a Ping from someone who really wanted a ride. Naturally that shut down the Marogrita teases.
> 
> Once the ride-requester sees that you've accepted them, they have your full name and can Google Search your address and phone number. That happened to me last Summer. Some prankster cancelled on me 4 times, and then called my home. I was at home at the time. Showed as "Private" on my caller ID. I contacted Lyft and they disabled that person's Lyft account..or so they said.


Are you sure they get your full name, not just your first name? I know Uber gives the PAX your first name only.


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## eagle88 (Aug 14, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> Cops,and Lyft.
> Sooner you get the ball rolling,the sooner these scammers get rolled over.


you think if we report it to cops they will do anything about it or investigate it?


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## Sub Guy (Sep 22, 2016)

BostonBarry said:


> I posted this a week ago in my local lounges:
> 
> The canceled ride is likely coming from the account of a driver that already fell for this. So don't demonize them by sharing their picture/name all over the Web as a con artist - they are a victim too.


Seriously!!?? Don't blame the person doing this ILLEGAL act because it was probably done to them first? Two wrongs don't make a right. I guess you would be okay with them stealing your car if theirs gets stolen or hit in an accident that wasn't their fault. After all, they need to drive and your car meets the criteria.


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)

Sub Guy said:


> Seriously!!?? Don't blame the person doing this ILLEGAL act because it was probably done to them first? Two wrongs don't make a right. I guess you would be okay with them stealing your car if theirs gets stolen or hit in an accident that wasn't their fault. After all, they need to drive and your car meets the criteria.


You misunderstood - the account used to commit this fraud is one that the scammers got access to. The picture and name are of a driver they scammed, not the actual person calling you. Why would the scammer use their own Lyft account with their banking details, background check, and photo? why not just walk into the police station and arrest themselves?


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## Sub Guy (Sep 22, 2016)

BostonBarry said:


> You misunderstood - the account used to commit this fraud is one that the scammers got access to. The picture and name are of a driver they scammed, not the actual person calling you. Why would the scammer use their own Lyft account with their banking details, background check, and photo? why not just walk into the police station and arrest themselves?


Okay, sorry, I did misunderstand. Thank you for explaining it because, I was shaking my head so hard I was hearing bells.


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## tcmitch1 (Apr 25, 2016)

This is crazy... I just got one of those calls yesterday from that area code and a voice said something about a Lyft passenger ride. I quickly hung up and added phone number to auto reject.
I signed for Lyft several months ago and have not driven for them yet, so I knew it was a bogus call!!


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)

TC, the number the scammers called is the number assigned to you by Lyft for all your passengers to call. Since you haven't driven yet I'm guessing your number was recycled from a previous driver. It's fine you blocked the number (and the computer voice saying this is a call from your rider is legitimate - it always says that, it's meant to tell you that it is NOT someone from lyft corporate calling so you don't fall for this) but you need to email lyft and ask them to assign you a different Twilio number. If you don't, your actual riders will never be able to call/text you if they need to give you instructions like which door their at, gate code, etc.


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## SmD71nG (Feb 25, 2016)

I don't know about you guys but anytime I get a call from a legit passenger there is always an automated message first that says "This is a call from your Lyft passenger, please hold". So I am sure Lyft knows about the scammers cause it is something new they implemented just a few weeks ago. First time I got it totally caught me off guard, but it is nice to know that it is there so if I get any scammer phone calls that will be the difference to look out for.


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## lyftuberandhopefullyjuno (Nov 3, 2016)

i got the call as well, i laughed at the guy and told them lyft was going to find them.they definitely called through the app. so it has to be a previous rider.


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## sicky (Dec 18, 2015)

BostonBarry said:


> You misunderstood - the account used to commit this fraud is one that the scammers got access to. The picture and name are of a driver they scammed, not the actual person calling you. Why would the scammer use their own Lyft account with their banking details, background check, and photo? why not just walk into the police station and arrest themselves?


I'm glad you cleared this up. If they got scammed it certainly doesn't give them the right to screw others over. This makes sense though.


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## Sueron (Sep 16, 2016)

Brooklyn said:


> Not Uber/Lyft related but I had a scammer call me to tell me I had a virus on my computer.. he sounded like he jumped for joy when I told him I should place this anti virus software on 6 of my computers and tablets... messed with him for a while then asked him if he knows I have the viruses what model my computers and tablets are.. dude went off cursing at me calling me a bastard and etc...


I love to "F" with these people. People will try anything to make money. Legal or not!


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## ebprodigy (Oct 4, 2016)

Ozzyoz said:


> Why the hell are u using a black teen as an example? what does skin color have to do with how a person sounds on the phone? white people will always have preprogrammed stereotypes. U do realize your offending us brown skinned people on the forum by comparing that call with black teens. Those callers are offshore people from India stealing money. They also pose as IRS.


How are you gonna come up in here and be offended about the OP stereotyping? Then use a stereotype about white people and people from India. A lot of people use stereotypes and assumptions. I think a lot of people can make reasonably accurate assumptions about an individual based on their speech. Such as a person's use of colloquial expressions, slang, dialects, cadence and accents.
*"Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones"*


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## Brooklyn (Jul 29, 2014)

Ozzyoz said:


> Why the hell are u using a black teen as an example? what does skin color have to do with how a person sounds on the phone? white people will always have preprogrammed stereotypes. U do realize your offending us brown skinned people on the forum by comparing that call with black teens. Those callers are offshore people from India stealing money. They also pose as IRS.





ebprodigy said:


> How are you gonna come up in here and be offended about the OP stereotyping? Then use a stereotype about white people and people from India. A lot of people use stereotypes and assumptions. I think a lot of people can make reasonably accurate assumptions about an individual based on their speech. Such as a person's use of colloquial expressions, slang, dialects, cadence and accents.
> *"Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones"*


I can see this turning out really well...


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## 58756 (May 30, 2016)

ebprodigy said:


> How are you gonna come up in here and be offended about the OP stereotyping? Then use a stereotype about white people and people from India. A lot of people use stereotypes and assumptions. I think a lot of people can make reasonably accurate assumptions about an individual based on their speech. Such as a person's use of colloquial expressions, slang, dialects, cadence and accents.
> *"Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones"*


That isn't a stereotype about about india--it is a fact. There are only 2 places they run phone scams from--Nigeria and India.


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)

Ozzyoz said:


> That isn't a stereotype about about india--it is a fact. There are only 2 places they run phone scans from--Nigeria and India.


LOLOLOLOLOL


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## 58756 (May 30, 2016)

BostonBarry said:


> LOLOLOLOLOL


I am not saying everyone in Nigeria or India does it, but those are the 2 places that scams come from. IRS Phone Scams and 419 Scams. It is true there can be scammers in other countries even USA, but not on the level that you will find in Nigeria or India.


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## Brooklyn (Jul 29, 2014)

Ozzyoz said:


> I am not saying everyone in Nigeria or India does it, but those are the 2 places that scams come from. IRS Phone Scams and 419 Scams. It is true there can be scammers in other countries even USA, but not on the level that you will find in Nigeria or India.


Dude.. just stop.


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## 58756 (May 30, 2016)

Brooklyn said:


> Dude.. just stop.


ok I am out.


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## NYCLyftMBA (Jan 25, 2017)

Lyft has been hacked, I got the same phony scam and I contacted them about it and here is my e-mail and their respond.


Lyft respond:
Hi

Thanks for writing in about this. Our team is currently looking into this issue, and we'll take it from here.

Please note: No one from Lyft will ever call you asking for you to provide your phone number or verification code. If you get a call soliciting this information, it's not us - and the best thing to do is hang up. While we may sometimes need to confirm your drivers license number, this is to be submitted via the portal or to a verify email address. We will not ask you to provide this over the phone.

Best,


Lyft Support Representative

My email:

I received a phone call today from someone claiming to be Lyft representative I knew it was a phony scam and I didn't give him any information but I can't help but to wonder, how did they get my phone number?, the number they called from was a Lyft number ?? This makes me think that maybe Lyft platform has been victim to a successful hack.. should I be concerned about my personal information such as: SSN, TLC license, bank account. I don't wanna be subject to identity theft!!!


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