Scam Callers.

[ws23jrt]

Had a few more of the overseas calls this past few days.

As soon as we pick up the receiver.......they hang up.

The scam is that they are preying on people to call then back to find out what is going on. From that point on, your phone account is charged at an exorbitant rate per minute....from which they profit.

NEVER EVER call them back.

Not so with where I am and my phone plan. BTW good advice -never call back an unknown -hang-up call. They are just fishing for numbers that work and it is often automated. -These poor folks have millions of numbers to deal with and-seek any nibble to help with their vast call list that is their means of making a living.

Two days ago I got a hang-up call and called it back only to find out it was from my phone company. From there I had a long conversation with them about how to stop the hang-up calls that their system was generating. After at least a half-hour with them, they eventually told me that their automated promotional system was at work and had flaws.

 

[Spare Parts]

I answer (your location)police department, is this a emergency !

 

[ws23jrt]

Had another one this morning. --The amount of my "winnings" was $18,000,000.
It took me about twenty min. to find out that my cost to receive my "check" was only $900.- Then $699 etc.
As the negotiation -on that cost continued, it ended at an impasse over me getting a $25 gift card (for them) to receive 18 million.
When I declined the expense of $25 to receive 18 million I was rudely accused of playing games with the caller. I agreed.
My response (as usual) was that--they called me with their game and I was playing that game with them. I then asked them how does it feel to be losing at their game thirty min. in with it.
As usual, I promptly got the rude go F$ck myself and a hang-up.-- BTW in the last month, I passed up over $50 million in winnings and checks because I just can't afford to receive them.

 

[Ron H]

Can imagine some ways to irritate scammers; sure some have done. Example in your case say wow only $900 to receive 18 mil? Seems unfair to you; I should send you more than $900…how about $9,000…where do I send the check?

Another would be pretending to be hard of hearing making them repeat things 3 or 4 times and keep screwing up what they’ve said…or pretend to not understand English well. Tempted to try this for chuckles and see how long before they hang up.

 

[Ranger16]

or pretend to not understand English well.

Somewhat related. Not long ago I received the usual call from an Indian. As usual he started by asking how I was. In my best Indian accent I said "Verry verry gut". He immediately hung up. Still not sure if he realized I was screwing with him or he thought he had one of his brothers on the phone.

 

[YY1]

We've been getting calls from people wanting to buy one of our houses.

Probably legit, but WTF, why are are you cold calling us to offer a ridiculous low ball amount?

Lately we've taken to one of us politely listening to their pitch while the other one screams in the background about how desperately we need to sell our home for cash, and how overwhelmed and hassled we are with repairs, showings, strangers in the home, and dealing with inherited property. Basically everything they list in the mailings we get, all while the other one of us is talking to them and hemming and hawing on a decision. It's amazing how long it takes for them to catch on that they are being F'd with. Amazing.

 

[Sixpactogo]

Thank God for caller ID! If it says unavailable, We obey. If we don't recognize the number, they get the recording and option to leave a message if they want a call-back. The scammers never do. It is the best of both worlds, They are wasting their time and not mine. Job complete.

 

[YY1]

Agree.

That's generally what I do.

 

[Cranky]

I used to mess with them but not so much here lately. Got better things wasting my time than wasting it on them but thinking about trying to made a deal with the house flippers about buying my house for half of what it's worth and letting me live in it until I die and telling them I'm in bad health and probably won't make it for another year and yada yada yada

 

[ws23jrt]

Today's caller had a check for me for nine million. I stopped his pitch speech to let him know about the other identical winning checks I had won in the last few days.
He said he was sorry to hear about that but his check was "legit".
So -the call proceeded as typical- (I swear I recognized this voice)-- and asked him if he remembers calling me a few days back about an eight million dollar check. He ignored my question -and about ten min. later was the time he finally said -"get off my phone mother f$cker" -and that he was going to "kill" me. Thankfully he hung up before he killed me. (I refused to get a $25 gift card for them).

 

[Pops1967GTX]

 

[Cranky]

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In Texas (Harris County at least) you can sign up for the 'Are You OK' program if you are 55 or older You can chose daily or weekly calls....

 

[Ron H]

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Being retired the frequent emails and phone calls have ended so I'm in the same sitch...get more spam calls than anything else.

 

[ws23jrt]

I'm convinced that the reason I get many scam calls is due to my being in a -ripe for picking age group- and have a very old phone number that has found its way onto perhaps hundreds of phone lists that are traded and or shared within the world scam industry.
Sometimes I get a caller ID number that works and call in back relentlessly until they block my number.

 

[Pops1967GTX]