For some reason I am getting dozens of spam calls from seemingly legit numbers around the country. I put the numbers into google and they are from Drs offices, restaurants, etc. I don't pick up obviously, but what the hell is going on? Anyone else getting these?
Robocalls and scam calls persist during pandemic, so Americans have stopped answering the phone
The reason you're getting what looks like legitimate phone numbers is because of spoofing
On the cell, if it does not show a name in my directory I do not answer.
While legislation might help, I suspect most of these calls are generated overseas, so I don't know how much good it would do.
Meh...still doesn't top the $10M I'm going to receive from a Nigerian prince for answering one email.
Nigerian Prince > Irish Sweepstakes
The longer they are on the phone dicking around with me is less time they have to steal money from vulnerable people.
unbelievable
I can't count how many "this is your last reminder" calls from "Linda" I've gotten from the car warranty jerks...
Robocalls and scam calls persist during pandemic, so Americans have stopped answering the phone
The reason you're getting what looks like legitimate phone numbers is because of spoofing
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Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Scammers often use neighbor spoofing so it appears that an incoming call is coming from a local number, or spoof a number from a company or a government agency that you may already know and trust. If you answer, they use scam scripts to try to steal your money or valuable personal information, which can be used in fraudulent activity.
I do not have caller ID on my land line so I do not ever pick up my phone until someone starts to talk.
98% of the calls that come to my house during the day - NEVER do (start to talk).
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Covid put a damper on how many people you could put in a call center, but that restriction is being lifted, apparently. USA Today had an article about it here:
Robocalls and scam calls persist during pandemic, so Americans have stopped answering the phone
The reason you're getting what looks like legitimate phone numbers is because of spoofing
Quote:
Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Scammers often use neighbor spoofing so it appears that an incoming call is coming from a local number, or spoof a number from a company or a government agency that you may already know and trust. If you answer, they use scam scripts to try to steal your money or valuable personal information, which can be used in fraudulent activity.
I do not have caller ID on my land line so I do not ever pick up my phone until someone starts to talk.
98% of the calls that come to my house during the day - NEVER do (start to talk).
Hell, my son's cell phone is getting a ton and he never uses the damn phone, has no social media accounts, has virtually no digital footprint.
on these scammers. "Scammer Paybacks", Kitbago", Scammer revolts".
I posted a link to a youtube video where this 1 guy had him on the phone for 10 hours ...
I still laugh my ass off listening to this. The scammer will not hang up but, is clearly frustrated
the shorter version - ( New Window )
We had an issue a couple years ago when one of the robocallers got stuck in a loop and kept calling that number over and over again. Every ten or twenty minutes you'd hear a spam call for some bullshit thing played over the loudspeaker.
The solution from the telecom people was to tell me to find the rack where it lives and unplug the phone jack.
on these scammers. "Scammer Paybacks", Kitbago", Scammer revolts".
I posted a link to a youtube video where this 1 guy had him on the phone for 10 hours ...
I still laugh my ass off listening to this. The scammer will not hang up but, is clearly frustrated
the shorter version - ( New Window )
Sorry - I think I copied the link where it was almost 1/2 way through. Start it from the beginning .... I dare you not to laugh. lol
The number counting in the top right corner is the number of hours he has had this jackass on the phone. I urge you to listen to as many as you can find. 1 is funnier than the next.
Some of these guys take over the SCAMMERS computer and DELETE all of THEIR files - the scammers files (in the cases where they try to take over the victim's PC and charge them a "Ransom").
It really is very gratifying to listen.
I get that call pretty much every day. Serious question - why is the car warranty the subject of so many calls? I mean ... why not other things? Or are more people worried about car warranties than I'm aware of?
I stopped answering the phone if I dont recognize the number, and the spam service is completely useless.
The kicker is I live in NYC, so I don’t own a car. Whose warranty are you speaking of? I am not the car owner you are seeking.
I get these calls all the time anymore. Just seems to have gotten get worse and worse. They are such a pain in the ass, I wonder why I even bother having a landline anymore.
I've wondered that myself - who does this work on???
I call bullshit. Everybody gets multiple calls a day, whether or not they pick up.
You can be the guy who never picks up and gets six calls a day, or the guy who picks up and gets 8 calls. Picking up has nothing to do with it (except being a waste of time).
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and they sell that further down the line.
I call bullshit. Everybody gets multiple calls a day, whether or not they pick up.
You can be the guy who never picks up and gets six calls a day, or the guy who picks up and gets 8 calls. Picking up has nothing to do with it (except being a waste of time).
Well, you’re wrong.
Link - ( New Window )
Perhaps you should take up your position with the FTC or the folks who were interviewed in that article.
The caller says that the IRS has filed an action against me for collection of back taxes and that if I do not cooperate the FBI is going to come to my house to arrest me at any moment.
I reply, "oh my god, what do I have to do to keep from getting arrested?"
Then the fun starts.
I usually play along with them for between 5 and 10 minutes before I get bored.
What is not so funny is that my ex-wife got scammed by fake IRS agents out of 45K in a similar manner. She wired the money from her bank account to The Bank of China after getting called from purported IRS agents.
How in God's name anyone would think wiring money to The Bank of China to pay an IRS debt is legitimate is beyond me. That's why she is my ex-wife.
What I really can't believe is that a Wells Fargo Bank employee personally facilitated the transfer and did nothing to intervene.
Incredible.
Other people, ask the caller for a reference number for the matter at hand, and tell them you will call them back on the phone number youve already been provided by the bank, etc.
Everyone else can eff right off. Truly awful people who take advantage of mostly elderly folks by scaring them into submission.
Jim Browning on YT does God’s work.
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In comment 15159549 glowrider said:
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and they sell that further down the line.
I call bullshit. Everybody gets multiple calls a day, whether or not they pick up.
You can be the guy who never picks up and gets six calls a day, or the guy who picks up and gets 8 calls. Picking up has nothing to do with it (except being a waste of time).
Well, you’re wrong.
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That initial call you get, with silence on the other end, "[is] essentially the first of the reconnaissance calls that these fraudsters do," Balasubramaniyan says. "They're trying to see: Are they getting a human on the other end? You even cough and it knows you're there."
Link - ( New Window )
I have suspected for years now that those calls with silence were tests to see if you would answer.
The problem then is how to allow legitimate calls in. If you're expecting an important call from some switchboard how do you let it in ?
The problem then is how to allow legitimate calls in. If you're expecting an important call from some switchboard how do you let it in ?
Yeah. That is the problem...
For instance, and for some unknown reason, my local pharmacy calls are labeled "spam likely" by T-Mobile. This one instance gives me pause regarding enabling the IOS 14 spam call blocker.
Seemingly, nothing will ever stop these scams because humans are largely preditory bastards that ruin just about everything they touch.