Phone scams.

[Profpointy]

Where do they get your phone numbers from?

One method is to simply run through the numbers sequentially. You don't even need every number as the numbering plans are published. Not issued numbers simply don't connect. Just to be clear, this is <edit> NOT by someone dialling the numbers - a call centre will have an outbound dialler which only connects the call to an agent if someone answers. Some even play a pre recorded message or have voice recognition systems which are fairly convincing so you can't even swear at them till you've got through to a person

 

[classic33]

We had a new one (to us) today. A message left telling me there is a warrant for my arrest being issued. To discuss it with an officer press 1.
Right, yeah .

Bloomers?

 

[Globalti]

One method is to simply run through the numbers sequentially. You don't even need every number as the numbering plans are published. Not issued numbers simply don't connect. Just to be clear, this is by someone dialling the numbers - a call centre will have an outbound dialler which only connects the call to an agent if someone answers. Some even play a pre recorded message or have voice recognition systems which are fairly convincing so you can't even swear at them till you've got through to a person

The last of those is the one that annoys me the most. A pleasant-sounding young woman's voice says "Hello!" and if you reply, starts to ask about your accident.

 

[steveindenmark]

I have been told in the past that unless I tell them certain details that my bank accounts will be frozen as I am suspected of drug smuggling and money laundering.

I asked if they had found the prostitution and baby smuggliing accounts but they hung up.

I have told them that god will punish them and they will go to hell. They hung up.

As soon as you question their validity they hang up.

 

[Profpointy]

The last of those is the one that annoys me the most. A pleasant-sounding your woman's voice says "Hello!" and if you reply, starts to ask about your accident.

that's the one

 

[Globalti]

My Mum aged 89 almost got caught - somebody with a south Asian voice rang her pretending to be from Microsoft and berated her about a virus on her laptop, then got her to log on and download something. Luckily my Mum had a GP appointment she couldn't miss so she terminated the conversation telling the woman to ring back later. While she was out she began to worry about it so she 'phoned me and I said: "You did WHAT? Don't answer the phone, don't touch the computer, take it straight to the repair shop now!" She did and they managed to remove whatever had uploaded. The phone went on ringing for two or three days before the scammers gave up. My poor old Mum was in absolute torment.

 

[Milkfloat]

My late Grandfather fell victim to these 'lovely' fraudsters. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/listen-bank-terror-fraudster-con-7900248
He handed over a very considerable amount of money and the rest of the family only found out when he had spent a few days mulling over how silly he had been. Accompanying your grandfather being interviewed by the Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) was a strange experience. My grandfather was in his early 90's at the time, pretty much with all his marbles and was previously head of HR at a major international insurance company, so a pretty intelligent guy. The people that do this are very clever and manipulative.

 

[goo_mason]

A number of years ago I bought a pair of BT Call Blocker phones (these are the ones - there's a newer model now). Cost me less than £50. Best thing I ever did - I went from multiple daily scam calls to absolute silence the moment I plugged them in.

The phone allows you to vet any calls from numbers you haven't added to the phone's address book. The callers are given a recorded message asking them to say their name, and it then asks them to press the * key. Only when they do that does your phone ring, and you're asked if you want to accept the call from (recorded name). Not one scammer has ever done that to get through to me, so my phone never rings unless it's friends or family these days. If someone calls that you DO want to allow straight through in future, you can go into the call log, highlight their number and select the option to allow them through from now on.

Every so often, I go through the call logs on the handset and marvel at all of the numbers who've called but not got through, and I can then permanently block them so that they no longer even get through to my number; if they call again, they'll be told that the number could not be connected.

If you're utterly fed up of spam callers and still using a BT landline, they're the bees knees!

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I get very few scam/nuisance calls on my mobile but I've just had one, ladies voice advising it was about an accident I'd had, I asked if it was the one where I killed the dog or when I ran over the pedestrian, the line went dead for a second & then a man asked me the same question, I repeated the same answer at which point they put the phone down. It's an invalid number if you try to call back.

 

[pawl]

Mate of mine had one of those football referees whistles and blew it until the scammer put the phone down.

 

[goo_mason]

A workmate gets a lot of the "I'm phoning about a recent accident that you had" spam calls to his mobile whilst we're at work. His stock response is: "Is this the one involving the Nun and the bucket of blue paint? I thought I told them NEVER to mention that to anyone!"

Occasionally he changes it to,"Is this the accident where we crashed and the tubs of blue & red paint we had in the back seat burst open and went everywhere, leaving us marooned?"

They always hang up after those, but it doesn't stop a different lot of scammers phoning the next time with the same opening gambit.

 

[ozboz]

I was surfing the net last night looking at getting a new bike , I clicked on one link and this notice from 3 said I need to call them to lift viewing restrictions and I needed to give my credit card number ? I tried four times and the same page popped up , So I duly phoned 3 this morning and told them there was a scam going on , the bloke I spoke to said it isn’t a scam , that’s how 3 check your over 18 , I told him I do not give my CC details out over the phone , and asked why you had to be 18+ to look at a bike web site anyway ? No proper reply , but it was the official call center number , so after the usual security checks he said he would lift the restriction, I checked the link to bike site and it is now ok ,

 

[classic33]

I was surfing the net last night looking at getting a new bike , I clicked on one link and this notice from 3 said I need to call them to lift viewing restrictions and I needed to give my credit card number ? So I duly phoned 3 this morning and told them there was a scam going on , the bloke I spoke to said it isn’t a scam , that’s how they check your over 18 , I told him I do not give my CC details out over the phone , and asked why you had to be 18+ to look at a bike web site anyway ? No proper reply , but it was the official call center number ,

Couldn't you phone them when they asked for your credit card details?

 

[ozboz]

Couldn't you phone them when they asked for your credit card details?

It did cross my mind but it was late and the centres are not open 24 hours so waited till 8 this morn , I thought later on this morn that maybe it’s the way I googled the question ‘ Local Bike’ ...........centre !

 

[classic33]

It did cross my mind but it was late and the centres are not open 24 hours so waited till 8 this morn , I thought later on this morn that maybe it’s the way I googled the question ‘ Local Bike’ ...........centre !

They'll block your access, but have no way of sorting the issue at the time.

Then someone phones back to tell you you're access has been blocked. Scammer or genuine call?