The weirdest thing happened yesterday, I must share this with you. Yesterday I came home because I had to pick something up, and I already heard the televison when I hadn't even entered. It was on a sports channel (which I usually avoid), and blaring. Couldn't have been my wife, she wasn't even home (and she's not a huge sports fan either). Well, switched it to standby again, and also lowered the thermostat, as it was pretty hot in the house (way too hot, as a matter of fact).
The door bell rang; there was a guy with a huge box for me to sign for. "You're lucky I'm home", I said. He said he was a few blocks down the road and got through that I came home just now, so turned round to deliver. "Don't leave it out too long", he said. It turned out to be 8 literpacks of icecream. Eight?! I hadn't ordered any (though I do like icecream), but he showed me a manifest (or whatever it's called) with my name and address on it, and the mentioning of all the flavours. "I'm not going to pay for 8 liters of icecream", I protested, but he laughed (well, more of a polite grin), and told me it was already paid for, pointing at a few lines of wording which said it was indeed paid for... automatically from my own account.
I protested again, as I don't have an agreement with this icecream business, nor do they have authority to be paid automatically. But the guy was only delivering, he said, and he got kind of itchy, wanting to get on.
I must explain that we have some of the newest web-related gadgets in the house, and I got the queer feeling that we've been hacked. How could he have known I was near my home? Who ordered the icecream; my wife (no, she doesn't even like icecream), the fridge itself? How come the telly was on? I always make sure it's on standby when I leave....
Isn't it frightening? I think I'm going to shut down a thing or two.
Is your house build on a former cemetery? :)
YOU ONLY MOVED THE HEADSTONES! WHY?! WHY?!
Hehehe, good one AP. ;)
But seriously Ulco, you should have called the police and incapacitate this so called "delivery man"... Seriously. I would have never accepted something that I did not order, much less let the guy go!
Yes, in all seriousness, I would not let that go. No doubt it is rather an odd situation.
And remember that the CIA wanted to assassinate Fidel with a poisoned icecream cone. :P
Ulco, but did you check your account? What does the balance say? I believe that this is the first thing you need to check.
Wow, that's indeed frightening! I hope you'll find out what happened!
Quote from: Dune on December 02, 2016, 02:34:02 AM
we have some of the newest web-related gadgets in the house
It sounds like you have HAL-9000 installed at your home Ulco...
Quote from: N-drju on December 02, 2016, 04:53:20 AM
Hehehe, good one AP. ;)
But seriously Ulco, you should have called the police and incapacitate this so called "delivery man"... Seriously. I would have never accepted something that I did not order, much less let the guy go!
I don't think that the delivery man has been any responsibility, in my opinion, he's only paid to do his job, that's all.
Wow! :o
For sure chk with the bank who pulled the money...etc. Perhaps tell them to freeze your account/card temporary. This is pretty alarming.
This is the why I do not go for the modern everything on the net stuff. Minimal internet, mobile use, no cloud services...etc.
Wish you good luck getting that in order again.
Quite strange indeed, does sound like a prank web hack of some sort (but if I was in middle school I'd make sure I ended up with the ice cream) or like the start of a spy movie.
Modern day St. Nicholas ? Maybe go out and check the yard for Reindeer droppings.
I have seen one of my TVs on unexplainably 2 or 3 times during the couple of years I've had it. I think they can receive stray signals to make them come on or something flips inside the circuitry in the wireless section that can make them come on for no apparent reason. I would consider the TV coming on by itself as something independent from the delivery guy bringing you ice cream. My first thought about that was that an anonymous friend gave you a gift but because it was paid for with your account then probably not. So what kind of account was it paid with? Credit Card? Debit Card? For your sake I hope it was a credit card. I think a CC company won't hold you liable if you explain it to them.
;D ;D ;D 8)
Well, to be honest, I pulled your leg(s). Didn't you think there was something fishy about it? So it's pretty real, huh? This was a little story I woke up with, thinking about how dangerous the web-related technology can get... you know: smart electricity meters that can be influenced from some (far away) server, cars being driven off the road by ingenious hackers standing on bridges looking at their havoc created, televison sets downloading (illegal) stuff without you knowing it, huge amounts of icecream being delivered (and the delivery man knowing exactly where you are, because your phone tells it to the world!!!)..... even entering a shop, the attendant probably already knows (from your internet behavior) what you come looking for, and he will say: "Come this way, sir, I have exactly what you are looking for, if I'm not mistaken..." (grinning)
Hmm... and I was thinking the most likely explanation is that a homeless person broke into your house and ordered ice cream with your debit card.
Matt
Something in the back of my mind was telling me that this story was not quite adding up but I did not want to say anything too soon, however I will have to give credit for your creativity and the tagging along.
Glad to see there is a simple solution. ;)
Good one. May there be an extra lump of coal in your stocking this year.
;D ;D ;D
Still, people fall for the "unexpected delivery" scam so it is probable that something like that can happen. ;) Even without advanced technology. So that's why I reacted like I did.
A scam I know of involves a "delivery man" coming to your house with a package. When you say you did not order anything, he asks you to call his "supervisor" for explanation... If you fall for this, the call you make will cost you some astronomical amounts, like 14.90 Euro per minute and it usually takes more than that to contact the guy's "supervisor". True scam.
Quote from: Dune on December 04, 2016, 02:57:28 AMI pulled your leg(s).
One of my questions was whether one of the flavors of ice cream was Anthrax. Was it? You are writing a mystery novel aren't you?
I vaguely remember seeing something like Anthr.... indeed ;D And; yes and no, I did start writing a book long time ago, but after 300 pages never got to finish it.
That's a sneaky way of shaking one's wallet, N-drju. I'm glad I'm extremely cautious/paranoid ;)
There are more, and there are even better.
One of my favorite schemes involves carrying a package full of broken glass around the city in rush hours. Then, you "accidentally" bump into someone and drop the package (contents of which were already "pre-broken", mind you). You tell them that it was a very precious vase that you bought for a special occasion. Then after some discussion, or after the victim offers you reimbursement, you"reluctantly" accept to take the money.
You're a pro! ;D
CHANGE ALL PASSWORDS
Quote from: Dune on December 04, 2016, 02:57:28 AM
Well, to be honest, I pulled your leg(s). Didn't you think there was something fishy about it? So it's pretty real, huh? This was a little story I woke up with, thinking about how dangerous the web-related technology can get... you know: smart electricity meters that can be influenced from some (far away) server, cars being driven off the road by ingenious hackers standing on bridges looking at their havoc created, televison sets downloading (illegal) stuff without you knowing it, huge amounts of icecream being delivered (and the delivery man knowing exactly where you are, because your phone tells it to the world!!!)..... even entering a shop, the attendant probably already knows (from your internet behavior) what you come looking for, and he will say: "Come this way, sir, I have exactly what you are looking for, if I'm not mistaken..." (grinning)
Oh you are evil today Ulco...I'll take some of what ever you're smoking for sure!
;D
Quote from: Dune on December 07, 2016, 02:26:11 AM
;D
Actually it's a pretty good parable on a :smart house: and it]s potential downside and underlines why I'm a "landline guy" and will stay so as long as I have a house around me. I even binned my micro wave oven I inherited out of radiation paranoia....tied to my phone by a cord....
Better safe than sorry, Bobby. They want to install smart electricity meters everywhere, but I will postpone as long as possible. I don't need to be able to see how I can save on electricity (that's their selling story), I can save by thinking myself. If forced there's always the aluminium foil trick (wrapped around the meter) :D
Quote from: Dune on December 07, 2016, 11:35:01 AM
Better safe than sorry, Bobby. They want to install smart electricity meters everywhere, but I will postpone as long as possible. I don't need to be able to see how I can save on electricity (that's their selling story), I can save by thinking myself. If forced there's always the aluminium foil trick (wrapped around the meter) :D
Heh heh Think.For.Yourself. is the first commandment in the Book of Bobby.
Yeah they're pushing those invasive meters here as well...I said no, I'll self read if it comes to that and phone it in. Actually as here they only actually come to read every 2nd month I've been phoning in since I took over my Mom's house when she passed 14 years ago so I'll hardly notice the difference.
Quote from: Dune on December 07, 2016, 11:35:01 AM
.... If forced there's always the aluminium foil trick (wrapped around the meter) :D
This ought to work : (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/50/52/ff/5052ff9e4b0487c9cf5f48e81dffbe2f.jpg)
Yeah, he won't reach Whomever he wants to reach ;D
BTW, wonderful painting!
Just reading the story now, I think there were too many coincidences in it for it to be true. The TV, the ice cream AND the delivery guy knowing you were home is a bit much. Any one them by themselves is much more plausible (and just as strange). The chances of all those things occurring together is likely in the billions.
But fyi, there are some Russian websites out there that are streaming people's smart devices live because they never changed the default password... ::)
"BTW, wonderful painting!"
Yes, I was remiss not to give credit. That is the work of Teodora Axente.
Teodora Axente was born in Sibiu, Romania in 1984 and belongs to the newest generation of artists coming from the School from Cluj. Succeeding graduates such as Adrian Ghenie, Ciprian Muresan, Victor Man and Serban Savu, Axente is finding her own unique voice and a new story to tell. During 2011 Teodora Axente was the recipient of the Essl Art Award resulting in a group exhibition at Essl Museum in Vienna.
http://www.anacristeagallery.com/2379972-teodora-axente (http://www.anacristeagallery.com/2379972-teodora-axente)
Cool thanks, I love that style of work.
@ UI: Russians are good at that sort of stuff 8)
Quote from: Dune on December 08, 2016, 10:51:50 AM
Cool thanks, I love that style of work.
@ UI: Russians are good at that sort of stuff 8)
I'll say, a pal o mine got hit with a ransomeware burn going to russian sites for music downloads. Lost all the .jpg files on his C drive but it stopped at the .avi files. I was once again happy that I play music live when I need it and rarely listen to recorded tunes other than youtube to stay current.
Please don't read and drive.....