Author Topic: Phone Scams  (Read 4444 times)

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Offline matt523

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Phone Scams
« on: February 08, 2018, 09:06:32 AM »
We are all too familiar with the Email scams. "A Nigerian Prince wants to give you money......"
Now the latest thing is phone scams. With VOIP technology there in very little way to know where the call is originating from. So a call from Pakistan can show on your caller ID as coming from Chicago, or anywhere else in the world. To make matters worse they also incorporate recorded computer generated voices to eliminate accents, and save the scammers the time of wasted calls that don't find a sucker.
This one that I received yesterday was just too funny not to share.
Quote
"We have just received a notification regarding your tax filing from the headquarters which will get it expired in the next 24 working hours and once it get expired after that you will be taken under custody bu the local cops as there are 4 serious allegation pressed on your name at the moment. We would request you to get back to us so that we can discuss about this case before taking any legal action against you the number to reach us is 747-200-9552. I repeat 747-295-5552. Thank you."
::hysterical::
Naturally I did not return the call. I hope "the local cops" don't arrest me "when it get expired".  ::laughonfloor::

Offline IronDioPriest

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2018, 09:20:55 AM »
After the "do not call" registry came around, there was a distinct drop-off of unsolicited calls to the home phone. Never had unsolicited calls to the cell phone. Now we're inundated with both. I'd say quite literally, about 95% of the calls that come in on the home phone are solicitors and/or scammers. "You've won a free vacation." "This is your final notice regarding your credit account." Etc.

We've clung to the idea of a "family phone" - that rings in the house for anyone to answer. It's the number our parents use, etc. But we're seriously considering just going with the cell phones now. We're paying for a service we hardly use, and it's just a conduit to telemarketers and scammers.
"A strict observance of the written laws is doubtless one of the high duties of a good citizen, but it is not the highest. The laws of necessity, of self-preservation, of saving our country when in danger, are of higher obligation. To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to written law, would be to lose the law itself, with life, liberty, property and all those who are enjoying them with us; thus absurdly sacrificing the end to the means."

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Offline matt523

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2018, 09:30:02 AM »
I dropped the land line about 14 years ago. I had to have a cell phone for work, so there was no point to the added expense of a phone in the house.
Still get plenty of scam and sales calls on the cell.  ::cussing::

Offline John Florida

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2018, 09:38:12 AM »
  I get the calls on my cell all the time. On some of the calls I dial 2 and they stop for a while. I got one half an hour ago from publishers clearing house and yesterday for my car. 
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Offline matt523

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2018, 10:49:24 AM »
Another one going around is a guy with a thick accent that always gives an American sounding first name.
Claims that he is from Microsoft, and your computer is sending out viruses. He then tries to get you to allow him to remote into your computer to "fix" it.

Microsoft will NEVER call you. Not even to return your call after you call them.
Sadly a lot of old, not so tech savvy people fall for this. I'd like to find that guy and feed him his own testicles.  ::cussing::

Offline IronDioPriest

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2018, 10:53:06 AM »
There's one scam going around with a robocall, saying, "Can you hear me OK?" If you say yes, they capture that audio and use it somehow to hack into your accounts. Not sure how it works, but warnings against this particular scam have been pretty prolific a lately.
"A strict observance of the written laws is doubtless one of the high duties of a good citizen, but it is not the highest. The laws of necessity, of self-preservation, of saving our country when in danger, are of higher obligation. To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to written law, would be to lose the law itself, with life, liberty, property and all those who are enjoying them with us; thus absurdly sacrificing the end to the means."

- Thomas Jefferson

Offline Libertas

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2018, 12:22:45 PM »
I don't answer squat. I don't know the number or no caller ID, ignore it.  Decades ago before digital displays and caller ID those poor dumb bastards calling at dinner time didn't get a "hello" but they did get a nice air horn blast!

 ::evilbat::
We are now where The Founders were when they faced despotism.

Online paulh

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2018, 01:04:09 PM »
The problem now is that air horn is blasting a recording. I yell, if a human answers I put the receiver up to whatever I'm streaming. If I've had several beers I just debate them

Offline AlanS

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2018, 01:23:52 PM »
On some of the calls I dial 2 and they stop for a while.

How does that work? Android or Iphone?
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Offline matt523

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2018, 01:31:54 PM »
There's one scam going around with a robocall, saying, "Can you hear me OK?" If you say yes, they capture that audio and use it somehow to hack into your accounts. Not sure how it works, but warnings against this particular scam have been pretty prolific a lately.
What can they get from a recording of me saying "Who the hell are you?"  ::thinking::

Offline NHTom

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2018, 01:48:55 PM »
Q.  Who can curse someone out better than any 5 sailors put together?
A.  A telemarketer.  They've heard everything.

There's just something about jumping to "satisfy" someone else's machine that tics me off.

If I see a number I don't recognize, I just lift the phone and hang it up immediately.  If someone really care they'll call back.

I'd like to get a machine that answers the phone immediately and says something like "If you're a real person please press any key."  If a key get's pressed then the call goes through to the rest of the house.

Online benb61

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2018, 01:57:05 PM »
My oldest sisters husband (who is retired) has nothing better to do all day and when he gets a telemarketer call he screws with them royally.  He said he had one guy trying to sell car insurance that he had on line for hours before he told the guy he wasn't interested.  He figured if he is yacking to this dolt the dolt cannot be calling anyone else.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2018, 02:27:37 PM by benb61 »
Eschew Obfuscation

Offline NHTom

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2018, 02:10:33 PM »
Oh yeah.  The all time worst is when they call and tell you you're being recorded.

What could be more rude or intimidating than instantly putting someone on the defensive with a "Everything you say can and will be used against you?"

That's when I rip them a new one.   >:(

Online paulh

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2018, 02:46:41 PM »
Q.  Who can curse someone out better than any 5 sailors put together?
A.  A telemarketer.  They've heard everything.

There's just something about jumping to "satisfy" someone else's machine that tics me off.

If I see a number I don't recognize, I just lift the phone and hang it up immediately.  If someone really care they'll call back.

I'd like to get a machine that answers the phone immediately and says something like "If you're a real person please press any key."  If a key get's pressed then the call goes through to the rest of the house.

A pissed off Marine ::cussing::

Offline John Florida

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2018, 07:30:47 PM »
On some of the calls I dial 2 and they stop for a while.

How does that work? Android or Iphone?

 Doesn't work with all of them.  Android.
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Offline John Florida

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2018, 07:35:15 PM »
  Just got one from a guy raising money for the PAL I ask are you a cop he says no Where are you calling from he says DC I ask then why do you have a West Palm area code?? He hangs up.
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Online patentlymn

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #16 on: February 08, 2018, 07:59:32 PM »
I recall that the IRS had recently outsourced some of its collections to bill collectors.

It used to be that anyone claiming to be working on behalf of the IRS was a sammer. Now, who knows.

When the law becomes a ruse, lawlessness becomes legitimate. -unknown

Online Pablo de Fleurs

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #17 on: February 09, 2018, 05:09:55 AM »
We also have a landline to the house (in addition to cell phones). This is mostly for old aunts & relatives who don't have cell-phones & think we pay extra if they call ours. About every 8-9 solicitor/scammer that calls receives a return call.

I tell them I'm coming to their office armed & will shove a shotgun barrel up their azz & blow their brains out. I bait the "IRS" agents, pretending to be concerned - & then ask them the jail time for slitting their throats & raping their dead carcass. I am extremely vile & vulgar with women, asking them if they are lesbians or are currently servicing their male bosses - & the men are asked if their bosses regularly sodomize them over their desks.

Lately it's been Student Loan consolidation calls on my cell  - same treatment: Press 5 (more info), & berate them.

I have to be in the right mood & always apologize if I've mistakenly expressed these things to a missionary, pastor or church choir director.  ;D
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Offline Libertas

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #18 on: February 09, 2018, 06:59:28 AM »
Q.  Who can curse someone out better than any 5 sailors put together?
A.  A telemarketer.  They've heard everything.

There's just something about jumping to "satisfy" someone else's machine that tics me off.

If I see a number I don't recognize, I just lift the phone and hang it up immediately.  If someone really care they'll call back.

I'd like to get a machine that answers the phone immediately and says something like "If you're a real person please press any key."  If a key get's pressed then the call goes through to the rest of the house.

I can curse like a sailor, I have legitimate experience. 😀
We are now where The Founders were when they faced despotism.

Offline matt523

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Re: Phone Scams
« Reply #19 on: February 09, 2018, 08:42:47 AM »
There's just something about jumping to "satisfy" someone else's machine that tics me off.

If I see a number I don't recognize, I just lift the phone and hang it up immediately.  If someone really care they'll call back.

I'd like to get a machine that answers the phone immediately and says something like "If you're a real person please press any key."  If a key get's pressed then the call goes through to the rest of the house.
I get a lot of grief from people because I refuse to be a slave to my phone. I often don't even carry it. Once I was at a business meeting when my phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket, and turned it off without even looking to see who it was. Everybody was staring at me like I had three heads. When one asked why I didn't answer it I told them what I was doing right now is far more important than whatever that call might be about.
They still didn't get it. Our society has become like Pavlov's dog. Conditioned to think nothing is more important than that electronic leash.

As far as that automated answering machine, I could tell you how to build one.
It's not as difficult as one might think.