Telemarketer scam du jour

[The Sicatoka]

So which annoying telemarket or autodialer calls are you getting lately? (And yes, I have all my numbers on Do Not Call. Like that matters lately.)

The "technical support for your home computer" have slowed down recently.

The new one seems to be, "This is < name > and I'm a case specialist on a recorded line ... Can you hear me?" I guess the scam there is to record you saying the word, "Yes."

[The Sicatoka]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

I got one on the road last week coming out of a diner with one of my techs (who is really sharp and figured out to play along). I got about a minute into a counter-scam with this as inspiration and using my tech "Mulroney*" as a second voice to play in the scam.


First time I've ever been told to < bleep > off by one of those callers and I declared it a victory.



*"Hey, Mulroney, cover the body. Where's that coroner? The widow just pulled up in the driveway." I figured a good Irish sounding name would be a cop.

[Kepler]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

I got about a minute into a counter-scam with this as inspiration

That's so beautiful.

[The Sicatoka]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

That's so beautiful.

Like I said: inspirational.

[Hammer]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

One night I got Windows Update Boy to call me a f-into c-nt. I figured once he did that, it was my turn. For some reason, after I got done questioning why his sister laughed at him when he took his underwear off every night, he didn’t want to talk anymore.

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

Like I said: inspirational.

Mexican midget? Amazing

[The Sicatoka]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

Mexican midget? Amazing

Clearly not all aspects; but, the base concept (called an active crime scene) is fabulous.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

I don't answer most of those. With my co-worker's "Hindi time" (i.e. he learned Hindi from another co-worker and typically insults the person on the other end of the line in said language), it's typically been credit card debt resolution.

[Kepler]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

It's funny but it's not the poor dumb guy from Bangalore's fault.

Call up the company's president's home at 3 a.m. and insult him.

[St. Clown]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

It's funny but it's not the poor dumb guy from Bangalore's fault.

Call up the company's president's home at 3 a.m. and insult him.

It's tough to do that when many scammers have turned to masking their phone numbers, often using a phone number that looks very similar to your own. If I see any phone call or text from 612-### that matches my own, then I will not answer that call. I also have no recourse in tracking the call as it's listed to a Bob Smith across town. I've even received texts from people asking me why I've called/texted them. I have to explain that my number was spoofed, and that if they get any more calls from numbers beginning 612-###, then don't answer them.

[Kepler]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

It's tough to do that when many scammers have turned to masking their phone numbers, often using a phone number that looks very similar to your own. If I see any phone call or text from 612-### that matches my own, then I will not answer that call. I also have no recourse in tracking the call as it's listed to a Bob Smith across town. I've even received texts from people asking me why I've called/texted them. I have to explain that my number was spoofed, and that if they get any more calls from numbers beginning 612-###, then don't answer them.

Meh. Then just fire shoulder-launched missiles into the 1%er's houses.

Bound to hit one eventually.

[The Sicatoka]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

It's tough to do that when many scammers have turned to masking their phone numbers, often using a phone number that looks very similar to your own. If I see any phone call or text from 612-### that matches my own, then I will not answer that call. I also have no recourse in tracking the call as it's listed to a Bob Smith across town. I've even received texts from people asking me why I've called/texted them. I have to explain that my number was spoofed, and that if they get any more calls from numbers beginning 612-###, then don't answer them.

Yeah, that's a theme lately. I'll see an ND area code and even an ND town name on the caller ID.

And yeah, I've had the "no, you called me" call also (spoofing).

[The Sicatoka]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

I just got a new one. (Lucky me?) It was a text however.

Something from the 201 area code to "Bruce" (not my name) about "still need money?" and then gave a link to click.

Click link? Uhhhhh-no.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

It's tough to do that when many scammers have turned to masking their phone numbers, often using a phone number that looks very similar to your own. If I see any phone call or text from 612-### that matches my own, then I will not answer that call. I also have no recourse in tracking the call as it's listed to a Bob Smith across town. I've even received texts from people asking me why I've called/texted them. I have to explain that my number was spoofed, and that if they get any more calls from numbers beginning 612-###, then don't answer them.

This is why it's helpful to not have a local number.

[St. Clown]

Re: Telemarketer scam du jour

This is why it's helpful to not have a local number.

It doesn't matter what your number is, they can spoof it. Every US-based number can be a local number with the advent of cellular mobile phone, Flaggy. My 612 number isn't local to my home either, but it's still in-state and in-country.