The Big Dog Takes On a ‘Scammer’

So here I was killing off another boring afternoon in my home during my pandemic existence. What will I do next? I longed for someone to call me. I said to myself, "Self, I think I will keep the next person who calls me on the phone for as long as possible". There, that should eat up some pandemic time. Well, the call didn't come for some two hours later. When it finally came, I felt like a kid hearing Santa land on my roof as that phone rang a 2nd and 3rd time. I picked it up and guess who it was? A guy telling me that I had just won playing the Publisher's Clearing House Contest.  You know, the contest where Family Feud host Steve Harvey surprisingly shows up at your door with an entourage of balloon carrying people to award you copious amounts of money.

Well, in all of my 462 dog years on this planet (you do the math), I have never hear of anyone ever winning anything from the Publisher's Clearing House. Have you? Now with that said, and to keep the lawyers off my back, I am not saying they don't have winners. I just have not heard of any.  So for me to be a winner and without Steve Harvey ringing my doorbell, I became a little suspicious.

So here's what the guy told me. He gave me his name of David Allen and his "badge" number of 876-503-1618. He gave me my winning account number as well.  He said I signed up to win back on October 11, 2013. (Hmm, I don't recall ever doing that) He also said since my name was drawn, I was the winner of $2.5 million and I would also be paid $5,000 a month for the rest of my life. That's not all.

He told me I was the winner of a brand new 2019 Ford Explorer. Then came the kicker. He wanted me to select one of three locations, Walmart, Walgreens or CVS, where I could collect my first $5,000 and show up there in 90 minutes to get my money, fill out some paperwork and get my picture taken as the winner. (this was to get my  personal information).

So I asked why 90 minutes? His answer was he is "driving over from Springfield, Illinois now to meet me" (this was to get me out of my house for someone else to break in). Then I asked why one of those three locations?  His reply was they are the local financing bodies for the Publisher's Clearinghouse (seriously?). Then I asked why a 2019 and not a brand new 2020 Ford Explorer?  He replied, "well, it has no miles on it".

I had this guy pegged from the minute I said hello, but I did accomplish what I wanted to.  I kept him on the phone for as long as I could. I did ask him excitedly again about getting my picture taken. I asked if it was going to be a mug shot like yours is going to be when you get arrested?  He hung up!  Gee, I really wanted to meet Steve Harvey too! Any other scammer want to call me?