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James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years. Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i with his best friend and spiritual adviser, Ivanka "Costco" Obama, The Bipartisan Dog!   Sunrise/weather/photos~January~2021 (These photos made it to Hawaii News Now) Photos courtesy, James "Kimo" Rosen Blog #2065~Kimo's world #311 |
Compromised, even the cons have aloha
My stimulus money had just arrived and I was scanning Craigslist under cell phones
since I’ve been contemplating upgrading my iPhone. I see an ad for an iPhone 12 Pro Max 128 storage for $570.00. This is a great deal; new they are twice that and the phone has only been out since November.
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| Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max- 128 GB, Pacifica blue, brand new receipts upon request, $570 OBO. |
since I’ve been contemplating upgrading my iPhone. I see an ad for an iPhone 12 Pro Max 128 storage for $570.00. This is a great deal; new they are twice that and the phone has only been out since November.
I think to myself this must be a typo or a scam. I decided to respond with a note that I’m very interested please call me if still available.
7:30 PM the guy calls and says he’s willing to deliver and help this old guy with the transfer 
of the sim card and transferring my apps onto the new iPhone from my current iPhone. Since he was helping me, I was at his mercy for when was convenient for him. He wanted to come over that evening, although I am not a night person. He got over around 9:00 PM, a time I am usually getting ready for bed.
of the sim card and transferring my apps onto the new iPhone from my current iPhone. Since he was helping me, I was at his mercy for when was convenient for him. He wanted to come over that evening, although I am not a night person. He got over around 9:00 PM, a time I am usually getting ready for bed.
I was a little nervous about a stranger coming over, however, I figured, the guy is 
willing to do me a favor, he came over and we struck it off. We talked story and seemed to know a few mutual acquaintances and had a few laughs all while this man who looked in his late twenties transferred my sim card to the iPhone 12.
willing to do me a favor, he came over and we struck it off. We talked story and seemed to know a few mutual acquaintances and had a few laughs all while this man who looked in his late twenties transferred my sim card to the iPhone 12.
The downloading completed after approximately an hour and a prompt came up on the iPhone 12,
which said, 'try again.' We kept hitting the prompt on the screen that said, 'Try again.' At this point, it was around 10:45 P.M., and Nick, the name the guy gave me, said he used to work at the cell phone kiosk at Costco and needed to call apple support, however, they would not open until 2:00 AM Hawaiian time. He was smooth and said he could stay at my place but knew I was tired, so said he could take the phone home with him and call apple support from home and come back to me the next day. He gave me back my sim card and put it back in my iPhone10.
which said, 'try again.' We kept hitting the prompt on the screen that said, 'Try again.' At this point, it was around 10:45 P.M., and Nick, the name the guy gave me, said he used to work at the cell phone kiosk at Costco and needed to call apple support, however, they would not open until 2:00 AM Hawaiian time. He was smooth and said he could stay at my place but knew I was tired, so said he could take the phone home with him and call apple support from home and come back to me the next day. He gave me back my sim card and put it back in my iPhone10.
I told Nick, I really want this phone, especially for the camera. How do I know you will come back and sell it to me?
He said I could give him a $300.00 deposit. I said I was thinking more in the lines of $100.00? On that note, he said that's OK, and said, "I'll just be back in the morning," and left.
He said I could give him a $300.00 deposit. I said I was thinking more in the lines of $100.00? On that note, he said that's OK, and said, "I'll just be back in the morning," and left.
After he left, I felt wow, nice guy, he didn't even take a deposit.
The next day, 
I hadn't heard from him therefore I texted him and with no response, I texted him again, " Any news?" He texted back, "Hi sorry not yet, been on the phone most of the day."
I hadn't heard from him therefore I texted him and with no response, I texted him again, " Any news?" He texted back, "Hi sorry not yet, been on the phone most of the day."
The following day I text him, 
Good morning Nick, were you able to get in touch with apple support? Hoping to complete the sale of the iPhone-12. Let me know what's happening?" "Nick, Can you call me?"
Good morning Nick, were you able to get in touch with apple support? Hoping to complete the sale of the iPhone-12. Let me know what's happening?" "Nick, Can you call me?"
(Nick responds,) "OK I will after work."
Eight hours later I text back to him, 'What's up, do you still want to sell the phone?"
(No response.)
I try calling, I get sorry this number is not a working number. I redial two additional times to make sure I dialed the correct number.
I realized I've been compromised, hacked, bamboozled. I get anxious and start freaking out that this
guy must have taken off with all my apps when he was pretending to help me transfer everything and acted like the transfer didn't work. I believe it actually somehow worked and he must have stolen my identity onto some sort of iCloud?
guy must have taken off with all my apps when he was pretending to help me transfer everything and acted like the transfer didn't work. I believe it actually somehow worked and he must have stolen my identity onto some sort of iCloud?
The next day I called the police. I spoke with officer Kerry, for over an hour he was very informative
about cybercrimes being prevalent amongst seniors and praised me for being vigilant. He advised me to cancel my debit card, so nothing could be backdoored through any app connected to it.
about cybercrimes being prevalent amongst seniors and praised me for being vigilant. He advised me to cancel my debit card, so nothing could be backdoored through any app connected to it.
I also called apple support and they walked me through changing my apple password and passcodes.
I changed all my passwords on all my accounts online.
This con who came to my place befriended me and was full of aloha.
I felt embarrassed this happened
to me and wasn't going to go public, however, the public needs to beware. Crime is much different these days. Your life, your identity, your money all can be gone with the click of the mouse or touching the screen of a smartphone without even leaving your home.
to me and wasn't going to go public, however, the public needs to beware. Crime is much different these days. Your life, your identity, your money all can be gone with the click of the mouse or touching the screen of a smartphone without even leaving your home.
If anybody gets anything from me online that is insulting, it ain't me. I've been compromised!
When you think it can't happen to you, it can. An anonymous quote says it all;
"Don't trust everything you see. Even salt looks like sugar.
This blog appeared in the 01-26-21
edition of the Garden Island news!
My Op-ed's and guest columns
usually make the most popular read
articles of the day! As you can see above!
Hana Hou, (Encore)
6 comments:
Thanks for sharing! Hope you get everything straightened out
Sorry that happened to you, Kimo, I think a rip off feels worse when it's by someone who managed to win your trust. I was glad to see Bernie in your blog. He has certainly become ubiquitous.
So sorry this happened to you 😢
I read it this morning. Thinking who in the heck would let a stranger in their house like that. Gotta be Kimo....
I saw a Vampire once January 26, 2021 4:27 am Reply
How much$1200 dollars? Congrats. What is happening on east Kaua’i? No tourist. But busy. Interesting.
Uncleaina January 26, 2021 6:11 am Reply
What? You got conned? Yes those people are evil and could care less about you. They just want your money. Plus they staged an attempted coup that failed! It’s a shame you got conned too! This is what they’ve done for decades, so don’t feel bad. Also, too bad about the iPhone.
manawai January 26, 2021 7:53 am Reply
People who look for deals from unknown sources that are far below market price are victims just waiting to be ripped off. Kimo, an intelligent person such as yourself should have known better.
Andrew January 26, 2021 8:44 am Reply
Kool Aid Karma? I think to myself this must be a typo or a scam. Perhaps a Giulianian attempt of avoiding liability??
Rev Dr Malama January 26, 2021 10:05 am Reply
Wow, sorry that happened to you and it strikes me as ironic that during the dtrump idolatry era that so many were and still are conned into believing that the prophet was among us when all the while it was a huuggge con job.
Jesus died and then arose to eternal life here on Earth as the Savior to all. To know the Savior in a personal way will protect and destroy enemies…. first and foremost, our own ego.
We are all vunerable from the cradle to the grave of being con-fused
by the glistening or glittering of fools gold….
Aloha means more than what you have been programmed to believe and please don’t use Hawai’ian language unknowingly…..
Mahalo KE AKUA
Fraud Cell Phones January 26, 2021 12:08 pm Reply
Aloha James…sorry to hear of your bad luck purchasing your iPhone12. That’s why I prefer purchasing my cell phones through either a provider, or Amazon ( or Costco). You cannot take trust for granted in this day and age…..even if the payoff is a deeply discounted price. Hope you have a better experience elsewhere.
This blog appeared as a guest column on Tuesday-01-26-21 in the Garden Island news! https://www.thegardenisland.com/2021/01/26/opinion/voices-compromised-even-the-cons-have-aloha/
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