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TitanPa 
"Here four more"
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 Posted - 08/26/2007 : 06:03:06
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I just got home after being away for a few days. There was a message on my answering machine. THe guy was hard to hear, so I had to play it over and over again. I will tell you later what the message said. I could understand the phone number. So I did a reverse phone number look up. WHat I got in return could be the weirdest thing that has happened to me. You need to hear about this. This is strange. The phone number led me to a Pittsburgh PA resident. The name of the resident?? I now can hear his name on the message. He even spells it. It is hard to understand without know what the actual name is. I bet your wondering the name. His name is Phil Klass. I did not recognize the name. It asked me if I wanted further information on Phil Klass. So i kept searching. It led me to a Wikipedia entry Phil Klass
This guy is from Pitt and he used to live around this area. He even mentioned his daughter in the message 'Adina'. iT seems he's till alive and is a writer of Science fiction. Now for the very Eerie Message.
"Hello Brandon,
THis is Phil Klass, Adina's father. I am calling to throw myself at your mercy. I need a few word's of advice from you. I hope you have the mercy.
In any event my number is ........ I am calling you at 7:18pm on Thursday. I would appreciate to hear from you as soon as you get this message.
Again, Phil Klass. K-L-A-S-S. Adina's father. Please please please.
YOu are one of the few people in the billion population that will be able to help me."
Ok so what is up with this???? Its too late now so I cant call. But who is this guy? How does he know me and how did he get my number? What kind of scam is this?????? It cant be a scam. The number led me to his name in Pitt. He is hard to understand. But he doesnt really sound British. He sounds old though. WHat do you people make of this? Check out the wikipedia entry. THis guys sounds interesting. But can I really believe this????? |
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Conan The Westy
"Father, Faithful Friend, Fwiffer"
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 07:00:52
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Cue theme from The Twilight Zone or The X-Files.
If it is him, he'd be 87 by now, so don't leave him waiting for too long. 
It would be freakier if it was Philip J. Klass because he died in 2005. |
Edited by - Conan The Westy on 08/26/2007 07:03:41 |
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bife
"Winners never quit ... fwfr ... "
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 07:20:21
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Can't see quite how - but it sounds like a scam to me.
Be careful  |
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 07:39:05
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What exactly do you DO for a living, that would make someone ask for advice and mercy from you?
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GHcool 
"Forever a curious character."
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 08:08:34
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| I'd recommend waiting a couple of days before responding. If he is truly in need of your help, he'll call again. |
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w22dheartlivie
"Kitty Lover"
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 08:27:51
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There was an episode of The Twilight Zone, or maybe The Outer Limits, that ended up as a movie. It was about a woman alone in her dark house after a storm and the phone rings. Except the phone lines are down. And in the end when they trace the call, the wire has fallen into a grave...
So, this begs a few questions:
1) Are you named Brandon?
2) Do you know Adina?
3) Wouldn't she be in her 40s at least by now?
4) Did he sound like he might be senile?
The article says that he moved to Brooklyn when he was 2 years old, so he probably wouldn't have a British accent. How bizarre! |
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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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thefoxboy
"Four your eyes only."
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 09:47:38
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There's also an episode of TZ that Bruce Willis is at a pub and picks up the phone to call a friend. He dials his own number by mistake and he answered the call.  |
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bife
"Winners never quit ... fwfr ... "
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 09:56:06
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Hi
I think I've tracked down who they are and what they want, but not how they know your number.
William Tenn does seem to be the aka for Klass, but the key is the daughter. She's involved in soliciting donations for the American Cancer Society because her fiancee of two years ago [dunno if they did finally marry] got cancer and there's a project called Hope Lodge they're building -- which is in Pennsylvania.
Still sounds like a scam to me - a renowned author personally contacting random people (who he knows by name) to solicit funds or otherwise support a charity close to his heart?
Unless Titanpa really is the 'one in a billion' who can help, which let's be honest would be pretty far-fetched, then this sounds like a setup.
Note that dispite titanpa being the one-in-a-billion, "Mr Klass" doesn't propose to call back every day until he gets an answer, nor does he leave any details to validate his claim - he just gives enough to get Titanpa curious and calling
Edit: adding Mr Klass's name in speech marks - if this is a scam, then it is likely being perpetrated in his name, rather than by him |
Edited by - bife on 08/26/2007 09:57:50 |
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 10:16:11
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quote:
Originally posted by bife
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Hi
I think I've tracked down who they are and what they want, but not how they know your number.
William Tenn does seem to be the aka for Klass, but the key is the daughter. She's involved in soliciting donations for the American Cancer Society because her fiancee of two years ago [dunno if they did finally marry] got cancer and there's a project called Hope Lodge they're building -- which is in Pennsylvania.
Still sounds like a scam to me - a renowned author personally contacting random people (who he knows by name) to solicit funds or otherwise support a charity close to his heart?
Unless Titanpa really is the 'one in a billion' who can help, which let's be honest would be pretty far-fetched, then this sounds like a setup.
Note that dispite titanpa being the one-in-a-billion, "Mr Klass" doesn't propose to call back every day until he gets an answer, nor does he leave any details to validate his claim - he just gives enough to get Titanpa curious and calling
Edit: adding Mr Klass's name in speech marks - if this is a scam, then it is likely being perpetrated in his name, rather than by him
Crikey -- you didn't think my message meant I believed Titanpa shouldn't be cautious or even to reply to the message.
I was just trying to follow the breadcrumbs about what the scam might be about.
I suppose, given some of the clues, and provided he wants to take it further he needs to find out whether the Hope Lodge is actually connected to the American Cancer Society, and, if it is whether Adina Klass is a legitimate point of contact. That is -- IF - and it's a big if so far as I'm concerned - he'd want to donate money.
TPa doesn't say whether his number is unlisted, but if it is -- I'd be far more skeptical about how 'Klass' got my number. Assuming the phone company isn't being bribed or run by morons [hmm] there are only a few explanations:
1. he inadvertently has his number on some accessible list which is available to charity workers
2. the scam is massive enough to afford a digital trawler that harvests legitimate phone number and auto-dials
3. it was a genuine mis-dial to someone named Brendan
But, hey, bife - I'm with you on the probably scam front. Personally, I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole.
Oh, yeah -- I wonder if the call back number is a premium rate?
Oh, yeah again -- if I ever DO get a please help me phonecall - or someone clearly wanting to sell me something ... and I'm feeling not quite so pissed as to slam the phone down ... I always interrupt the spiel to say: Will you help me get my book published?
Pardon, they say -- off their script.
Can you get my book published?
Uhm, no.
Thank you, I say. Bye. Clunk.
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Edited by - BaftaBaby on 08/26/2007 10:19:30 |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 11:36:16
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I'd have hit the 'delete' button 1 second after the message had finished playing, and forgotten about it 1 second after that.  |
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bife
"Winners never quit ... fwfr ... "
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 15:17:18
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Crikey -- you didn't think my message meant I believed Titanpa shouldn't be cautious or even to reply to the message.
Wasn't suggesting anything of the sort, BB  |
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ragingfluff 
"Currently lost in Canada"
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 16:44:54
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Firstly, Bafta Babe needs to be commended for her sleuthing. She's a regular Miss Marple...if there was an emoticon for "patronising", I'd insert it here. Oh, look there sort of is: 
Secondly, it sounds severely non-kosher to me. Although I assume TitanPa's name is Brandon, otherwise he'd have ignored the message, and although it is possible there is someone else in Pennsylvania called Brandon whose phone number is similar to TitanPa's, and Philip Klass (or whoever he is) misdialled, the entire thing smells like long-dead fish. Were it me I'd steer well clear of it.
Thirdly, if you decide to go ahead and call the number to ascertain how he got your name and number and why he exactly he called you, be a clever boy and first call the Better Business Bureau or whatever organisation monitors phony charities so that you are armed and ready for any potential solicitation.
Fourthly, it could be genuine. Maybe the guy does need your help. You haven't actually said what you do for a living. Maybe you could help him and really are the one in a billion. Are you, perhaps, The Equalizer? Face from the A Team?
Fifthly, if you do follow up with this could you post here with the results? I'm very curious. good luck
I just reread the original posting from Titan Pa and I was struck by the odd sentence construction in the original message:
"THis is Phil Klass, Adina's father. I am calling to throw myself at your mercy. I need a few word's of advice from you. I hope you have the mercy."
I HOPE YOU HAVE THE MERCY?? It is grammatically correct, but would anyone actually say that without adding something after "mercy"? (...hope you have the mercy to listen/to respond/to hear me out..)
I would appreciate to hear from you as soon as you get this message.
No native English speaker would say "I would appreciate to hear from you.."
YOu are one of the few people in the billion population that will be able to help me."
Again, that sounds odd to me. Did anyone else notice this? Did the caller have any distinguishable accent??
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Edited by - ragingfluff on 08/26/2007 18:10:29 |
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GHcool
"Forever a curious character."
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 18:39:06
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quote:
Originally posted by ragingfluff
I just reread the original posting from Titan Pa and I was struck by the odd sentence construction in the original message:
"THis is Phil Klass, Adina's father. I am calling to throw myself at your mercy. I need a few word's of advice from you. I hope you have the mercy."
I HOPE YOU HAVE THE MERCY?? It is grammatically correct, but would anyone actually say that without adding something after "mercy"? (...hope you have the mercy to listen/to respond/to hear me out..)
I would appreciate to hear from you as soon as you get this message.
No native English speaker would say "I would appreciate to hear from you.."
YOu are one of the few people in the billion population that will be able to help me."
Again, that sounds odd to me. Did anyone else notice this? Did the caller have any distinguishable accent??
That is very odd. I didn't really pay attention the first time because I am used to reading poorly structured sentences on the Internet, but I had not considered that these words were being spoken aloud. |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 22:05:33
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Let me assure you that "William Tenn" is long gone, so it ain't the noted sf writer. Kudos for parsing the sentences: they looked shifty to me from the get-go. The only other question is, how did the presumed phisherman get Titanpa's first name [I assume it's correct], and how did s/he add 2 + 1.9999999999 to make just close enough to 4 to creep everybody out?
My gut tells me this is some sick telephonic version of a Nigerian 419 scam, if Titanpa's positive that there's no way this info could legitimately back up to him. |
Edited by - randall on 08/26/2007 22:08:52 |
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TitanPa
"Here four more"
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Posted - 08/26/2007 : 22:43:41
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Wow. Thanx to all for your insight. Some of you super sleuths have dug deeper than I ever thought of. I will get to your questions and then will share some of my thoughts. I have not done anything yet. It is Sunday. I will wait til Monday to do anything if I do. Now your questions.
1. My name is Brandon
2. i dont think I know an Adina
3. I have moved within the last 8 months so I dont know if my phone number is listed. I need to check that out.
4. I dont do anything for a living or on my own that is of importance to this guy.
5. I played it over again and again to get all the wording right
Now the things that I noticed were. I thought it was a recording, but it is not. there is a thought process, he has somewhat of an accent, he sounds a bit muffled and he stumbles over some words. He also says the time that he called. Also. why does he feel the need to say Adina's father????? I dont know her. And who would have their 87 year old father call people for money???? it doesnt sound as if it is for money. What advice does he need?
Also I need to correct something that I said earlier. I said that after I looked up the number it took me to ask if I wanted more info about Phil. Actually the phone number was under his wife's name. FURMA. Which then took me to the wikipedia entry. If I do call I will use a calling card number. I will be careful. I think this is a bit shady. Of course I will let you all know what becomes of this. Thanx for your valued interest in this.
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Edited by - TitanPa on 08/26/2007 23:15:11 |
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An Eerie Phone Message
