ScamVictimsUnited.com

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I'm not a victim, but I'm a person who knows a LOT of victims. I'm a relay operator. I am forced to make relay calls from Nigerians to unsuspecting people and businesses so that they can buy merchandise using stolen/manufactured credit cards.

In case you don't know what a relay operator is- here's the basics of it. When a deaf person wants to make a phone call, obviously they can't just pick up the phone and call. They have to use a TTY machine, and more recently, they can do it over the computer, or using a sidekick or blackberry. They connect to the relay operator through one of the IP Relay websites. They type in the number they want to call, and I get that info on my computer. I dial the number, and introduce the relay call to the person who answers the phone. They then carry on a conversation back and forth. I speak what the deaf person is typing- and I type back what the speaking person is saying. Relaying.

What's happened, though, is that Nigerians have hijacked this service for the deaf, and they use it to make their long distance calls to the US businesses they want to scam. The operator is mandated by the FCC to just relay the call, regardless of content. Confidentiality is the key to maintaining the service. You cannot reveal anything to the person on the phone ANYTHING about what's going on, or you would be "breaking transparency".

That all said, I've come to know a LOT about scams, scammers and victims. You can come to our website through this link. http://relayscams.aimoo.com

It's a website owned, maintained and used by relay operators. We are just getting it off the ground, so bear with us until all the kinks are worked out. But if you're looking for info, that's a good place to start.

I'm new to the website, that's why I'm answering you two months after your post. I'm a librarian. I get TTY calls all the time, so I know what you're talking about. And I know about not being able to do anything but relay the call. Man that must be frustrating. As librarians, we're restricted, too, but sometimes I'll offer more information than is asked for. I can fudge the rule--after all, people are calling me for info. For example, that Kevin Trudeau book, "What They Don't want you to know about worthless supplements..." (not actually its name) That guy spent two years in jail for fraud. So when people ask for that book, I alert them. It's probably not kosher, but I do it.

You're in a different situation, though. Man. I relate. I'm going to go look at your site. Good luck with that. Maybe somehow you could work that URL into your conversation--like, "Excuse me for typing 'relayscams.com'. I don't know what got into me. One moment while I connect you to Nigeria..."