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Scamming Idiot Calling Me at Home

by AprilCT
14 replies
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Just a heads up, I got a totally unsolicited call from Microsoft Tech Support for Windows from some man with a heavy accent (sounded like he was from India). As soon as he said that, I asked: Really? As he went into his spiel, I told him I didn't think so and hung up.

I understand this scam has been going on since around 2008 so they must be finding people to scam that haven't got a clue what they are doing is scamming them.

And while I'm busy on a rant, I called one of the utility companies to complain about getting so many calls about my service. It's just another offshore scam they apparently can't do anything about. Then there are numerous calls about my credit card, which is another scam. Oh, there's more calls than that, but you get the idea.

It's probably a good thing I seem to be a bit on the cranky side for unsolicited calls because the scammers get nowhere. Some have been calling me for months because I just hang up on them.

Offshore telephone scams are definitely the new business model and I wish some gov't agency would do something to catch them. Ever wonder how many of these scammers were hired from here? I do.

Okay, ranting is over, except to mention that call centers here pay absolutely no attention to the do not call list. Those are the people I let waste their time and then ask them why they don't know my phone number is on it.

If so many legitimate companies didn't have robot calling, like the water company to advise of work in the area or the grocery store when they've had a serious recall, it wouldn't be such a waste of time to wait to see who is on the phone.

Now the rant is over. Sort of. I should go see exactly what the law gives as a remedy for the do not call list and turn them in. I think my phone number must be listed as please call me, I'm lonesome and stupid.
  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    Originally Posted by AprilCT View Post

    I think my phone number must be listed as please call me, I'm lonesome and stupid.
    I'm sorry you are mad, and rightly so, however I had to write and thank you for the laugh. I needed that.

    Mark
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    • Profile picture of the author AprilCT
      Glad you got a laugh, it's so maddening, because it's every day.
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      • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
        Originally Posted by AprilCT View Post

        Glad you got a laugh, it's so maddening, because it's every day.
        You need to find a way to make it fun.

        - Ask them irrelevant questions.
        .....Have you been castrated, because your voice sounds very squeaky?
        .....Do you have a rubber chicken in your closet?
        .....Do you think I should have my car painted?

        - Blow a police whistle into the phone as loud as you can. Or an air horn.

        - Ask them to speak up until they're shouting ... then tell them to quit shouting at you. Then when they lower their voice tell them you can't hear them, could they please speak up? Go in circles!

        - Play really stupid and ask them to define easy words. (I don't understand, what is "tech support?" Is that like a bridge?)

        - Or go the other way and have a string of tough questions with words only an egghead would know the meaning of.

        You get the idea. The telemarketers from a carpet cleaning company used to call me all the time offering to clean the carpet in one room for free (so they can demonstrate the product and try to sell it to you). I got fed up with them so one time when they called I asked them if it would get out blood.

        Blood?

        Yeah, there's blood everywhere. I think we need to get it up fast before it dries. Can you come over right now?

        lol - they couldn't get off the phone fast enough, and they never called again.

        Have some fun, it beats letting them get to you.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Two things;
    Be glad they have not started on your cell yet.
    You are right. The do not call lists are a sham.
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    • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
      Glad you got a laugh, it's so maddening, because it's every day.
      Do Not Call Lists, work well in AU, but some have to be reminded of that.

      Best thing you can do is get a private number, cuts out most if not all of this crap!

      Shane

      PS you can also play a recorded message, which says in a nice way that you don't accept unsolicited sales calls, etc.


      When l first moved into my apartment, l get half a dozen nuisance calls every day, and found this approach to cut down on this crap, until the "do not call, register" kicked in, which removed most!
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      • Profile picture of the author AprilCT
        I love the idea of playing stupid games with them--waste as much of their time as they are trying to do to mine.

        We have an answering machine with a pre-set up robot voice, I don't know if we can change it or not, you can hear who is on the line when they are speaking. I''ll have to ask my husband if he knows how to change that and do our own.

        A friend of mine had theirs set up by her husband and he was outright rude...if you are soliciting or we don't know you, we aren't calling back! He's since changed it, but I'll have to ask her how many calls she gets now. It's just been so maddening because of some tough family circumstances happening the last six months and we've got another one going on now and sure don't want to hear from scammers and soliciting telemarketers.
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Tip: If you don't know the name/number via caller ID, don't answer the phone, your only telling the telemarketer (or whoever) that your phone number is active.

    Most junk calls are being dialed by a number generator or database, they have no clue you even exist until after you answer the phone.

    If the call is legit and important, they'll leave a message on the voice mail, that's why voice mail exist.
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    • Profile picture of the author AprilCT
      Yukon, we have to answer the phone, my husband refuses to let it ring more than 3 times until the answering machine picks it up, so either way, they know it's a live number, it's just not a "cooperative" phone number
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      • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
        Most junk calls are being dialed by a number generator or database, they have no clue you even exist until after you answer the phone.

        If the call is legit and important, they'll leave a message on the voice mail, that's why voice mail exist.
        Sounds similar to sales people at shopping centers, walk past them slowly, they may leave you alone, but walk past them quickly, and it is like a vulture going after a cow with a broken leg!


        I look forward to the day when they can remotely see, who you are, or see a sign above my head, saying, "I don't talk to telemarketers, unless you have a death wish!"

        Might help!

        Shane
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrician
    April - I hear you loud and clear - They are very 'clever' (devious) and the credit card one even keeps changing the phone number, the number on the caller ID is out of service, etc.

    I have fun hanging up on them without saying anything and have tried reporting them to the FCC - with no change in the behavior. I feel that my phone is being held hostage and I never answer it unless I recognize the caller ID.

    Make your husband happy - just answer it and hang up without even saying hello. Stops ringing, they may call back from a different number, hang up again. It is true though they will keep calling - either way - so might as well stop the ringing.

    I have to go and find the one of the funniest things I ever heard which is a recording of a prank they played on a telemarketer -

    Just that "I have to laugh to keep from crying" sometimes - besides might as well do something with them since we can't get rid of them.



    .... so funny
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  • Profile picture of the author slater50
    My wife and I are ex-directory in the uk but that still doesn't seem to stop them making dodgy phonecalls and they usually call when you're watching your favourite programme on tv. I think the police whistle sounds good to me but if you make the caller deaf i bet they sue. Haha!!
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Tell them "just a minute, please", put the phone down and just leave it there. They will sit there for a long time and finally hang up. Repeat that whenever you get one of these calls. They'll finally take you off their list on their own.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cobaki
    I love how you ended your post! Call center agents can really be a pain but my cousin-in-law (she's from the Phils.) who worked as an agent shared how stressful it can be especially when she's handling technical support. She receives insults, curses, and a lot of shouting during her entire shift. She said it wasn't healthy for her so she didn't last for a year.
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    • Profile picture of the author AprilCT
      Thanks everyone, some very funny answers. Patrician, I remember that guy pretending to be a policeman and frightening the telemarketer.

      Sal, I have done that a few times, but I hate to tie up my phone. I used to have two lines coming in, but it got too expensive to keep up. I've even put them on hold until the light goes out. The whole problem is that about 90% of the time, it's robot callers.

      Some calls ask you to press a number on your phone to speak to an operator, but I vaguely remember another scam from way back where a telemarketer asks you to press numbers on your phone and they somehow use your phone service to run up the bill to thousands of dollars, so I won't do that.

      I've had this number for so long it would be very inconvenient to change it. Even changing it won't stop the calls because the robot dialers just dial numbers in order, so even private lines aren't immune.
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