Filed under both "I'll Be Darned" and "Is This The Latest Scam?":
We had a "wrong number" message left on our answering machine over the weekend detailing a stock that will surge on Monday. We had no idea who the tipper was, and the name she was leaving the message for (no, not Martha Stewart) was unfamiliar to us as well. The underlying "news" that was meant to spark the stock came out last Wednesday.
Well, the stock did surge. My question - did some scammers leave 10,000 "wrong number" messages just to hype the stock?
And no, I did not buy any. Just doing my civic duty here.
Checking out the 6-month trend of this stock on the above link (Yahoo! financial), it looks like this stock was at or near its historical low on Friday, following a long decline. Then as soon as the market opens, it has doubled in price?
The last headline involving the company (found on the same website) was August 4th. Nothing over the weekend, unless the site is not updated that quickly.
I'm suspicious.
Posted by: Tim Hamilton | August 09, 2004 at 01:19 PM
Helluva smart scam, though. It's going to be a bear to prove, especially if the calls were made from overseas through appropriate trained seals.
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | August 09, 2004 at 11:13 PM
I received the same type of message today, different names and different stock. The caller told her friend to buy PWRM. Was sure that I wasn't the only one so I came online to research. So, is this something that could be pursued in a court of law if one could actually pinpoint the callers?
Posted by: Ali | August 12, 2004 at 10:10 PM
We got the PWRM message yesterday. It was a good piece of scamming, but not great. The "lady" who left the message sounded very (too) professional -- the profession here being voice artist. It sounded as though she was reading a radio commercial script (or a scam script). Also, the stock tip was a big secret but she was telling someone with whom she was so out of touch that she wasn't sure if she had the right number! She also left a (made up?) cellphone number and said she was still in New York. Again, if we're so close, surely I know in which city you live! She then signed off with "I love you". Hey steady on, honey! You had to get my "new phone number" from a friend, and you have to tell me you live in New York, but I'm one of your loved ones?
It's a pity this is an OTCBB stock (aren't they all in these scame?). I can't short it.
Posted by: Rob | August 17, 2004 at 11:06 AM