21st January 2019 - Never too old to be scammed - once in a blood moon

Thought for the day :"If your eyes hurt after drinking coffee – take the spoon out of the mug…"

Never too old to be scammed. 
Now I like a bargain the same as everyone and subscribe to the old adage that if it looks too good to be true then it is too good to be true - but I have had a number of small items from china over the months that have been ridiculously cheap by comparison, cables, radio converters, speakers, headphones. So when I saw some LED lights reduce 80% which would provide good lighting for the Bothy it seemed that I would not worry if it took a couple of months to arrive from China or Korea or somewhere unknown. Postage free - well it happens that way with most stuff that comes by shipping - and bulk buys seemed legitimate..

A clue should have been that there was no Paypal link. I find that annoying these days but still happens on sites - but is going to be a guide for me in the future. Paypal seems to have really made its way in maintaining security on on -line transactions.

Anyway - went to check out and checked the £1.48 and free postage and hit the button with the Tesco Card details thereon ....  and sat back... Two minutes later Tesco Fraud algorithms  must have flagged - as I get a text message saying "Have you authorised a payment to AGlkljlj!! for £73.30?

Um - no I answer - is this coincidence or is it a scam ?
I text N for no I do not recognise this transaction  and five minutes later I have a phone call from a real Fraud type person...

Well it is not my card - but Susie's so we have to go through the can I give you my wife for security - which sounds worse than it means!!  and we discuss.

Now - apparently - as I have actually made a purchase under normal circumstances I would have to take it up with the supplier, wait 30 days to see what arrived, (looking back on the site they have now placed 17 items on order rather than my LED light) and then take it to dispute...  Because it is a foreign transaction - the cost difference can be changes in currency conversion - but we both agree that this would be a little excessive - even for Brexit Times. So it seems I am to be lucky and they will pass to dispute straight away and refund my money....

We discuss a number of other transactions that are a little dodgy - like why I spent £6 for diesel last Friday, and then another £13 for more diesel - and then £75 for more diesel in the space of two hours... Seem suspicious - but I will tell you the story of the fuel pipe that came off the fuel pump and caused me to call the RAC for the CashQuai, and how they changed the battery on warranty "just in case"..  but that is how I missed the Executive Dinner last Friday and nothing to do with the scam...

And so - they cancel the cards - which is reasonable. Apparently I will have to contact all the standing order people - but that is a task for  next week when the new cards arrive...

So - back to the company - a check ( a little late I agree) on Scam Check shows..

Domain only 4 days old - oops
Registered in USA - but coming from China - well I expected that
Ho Hum ...

In other news...  Blood Red Moon last night
I got up and was totally unimpressed - My wife reminded me that I did not put my glasses on and I was not wearing contact lenses so the blur I saw in the distance was not what was there - she took some photos but they did not come out as well as she had hoped...
I found this one though...

Apparently we do not see again until 2021 - so I will leave that there ...

Or maybe I will add to it slightly ..

seems legit

Cheers !