Spam Callers

[ReSTored]

You can set your iPhone to ignore callers not in your contacts.

We still have an old landline phone number, but we use a VOIP service, Ooma. Their software gives us a range of anti-spam call options and we have it set up to permit calls on our Contact list to ring through, to ring continuously for known spammers and to send to voicemail for all other calls. Software also notifies us and sends an audio file to email for all voicemail. Requires a bit of fine tuning and keeping your Contact list current, but works well.

 

[Maniac]

Don't be surprised if one day your call volume goes through the roof.

"Confirmed real person" lists fetch more money on the scammer market.

Can't wait!

 

[backmarkerducati]

The do not call list just provided a list of valid phone numbers to scammers...

Pretty much 99% of the marketing calls we get at home are scammers with the odd charity or telecom (the last one is usually trying to sell us service we already have with them...).

 

[timtune]

Wow. I get like maybe 2-3 a week, but then just have a land line.

I spoke too soon. Yesterday I got a record 4 calls in one day.

 

[timtune]

I answer each and every spam call I receive and then waste their time, my wife simply ignores them. I receive 1-2 calls a month, she receives 1-2 a day.

Gotta admit sometimes it's fun asking if you're speaking to the head cawksucker.

 

[just-me]

Older friend has a referee's whistle by his phone. Can you imagine what that sounds like over a headset?

 

[nobbie48]

The do not call list just provided a list of valid phone numbers to scammers...

Pretty much 99% of the marketing calls we get at home are scammers with the odd charity or telecom (the last one is usually trying to sell us service we already have with them...).

The charity is questionable. Ask for their registration number and click. Dial tone.

To not be total liars all they have to do is pick up your used clothes from your wealthy postal code area and give the generic stuff to Sally Ann while keeping the designer stuff for resale.

 

[Jampy00]

I use VOIP as my business number and this seems to be where I get the most. Some mornings I walked in to see 20+ missed calls and the phone numbers are all 1 digit apart so from a auto dialer. I spend a few seconds blocking them etc. After about a year I now get 1 or 2 a week so pretty easy to manage.. I will say I don't think there will ever be a way to beat spam/scam calls, emails etc.

 

[mimico_polak]

Literally just got called for duct cleaning. Didn’t have time to play with them so just hung up.

I’ll have to remember the phrase said earlier for next call.

 

[backmarkerducati]

Covered in the other related thread. The numbers displayed for scam callers are random so blocking them is not going to stop them (just blocking other random people), but if it was legit telemarketer blocking may help. If it is a autodialer there will a gap from when you say hello to when an "operator" is connected, if you do not get an immediate reply hang-up.

When you know it is Benchod calling, you can mess with them or to annoy them just say I am glad you called and I am very interested but I need to call you, I have your number on my call display....I will call right back.

 

[Maniac]

Older friend has a referee's whistle by his phone. Can you imagine what that sounds like over a headset?

Thanks for the idea, I have this:

 

[DownUnder]

Best practices says you need to answer the phone while holding it at arms length and talk quietly for a little, so the person on the other end cranks their volume to max to hear you before sounding an airhorn in their ear.

 

[nobbie48]

Best practices says you need to answer the phone while holding it at arms length and talk quietly for a little, so the person on the other end cranks their volume to max to hear you before sounding an airhorn in their ear.

That's better than my fake laryngitis voice. Put in ear plugs first.

 

[ReSTored]

Literally just got called for duct cleaning. Didn’t have time to play with them so just hung up.

If you have a few minutes to kill you tell the guy that you're thrilled he called, just finished your build on a 8,000 square ft. house and that you have 2 forced air furnaces in different wings of the house that need to be cleaned and when can they come............ Then go silent and stay that way until they hang up.

 

[sburns]

I am very curious who actually get's scammed by these calls? Most of the time it's a robot voice in with badly structured sentences, which you can't take seriously. I know seniors might be a target, but I've told my parents not to answer or just hang up. The real elderly might not get it though, but then again they might not be able to follow through either. More annoyance then anything.

 

[timtune]

Thanks for the idea, I have this:

I have one. Got it to head north in case of bears. The Squeeze thought real bear spray was too pricey.

 

[ReSTored]

I am very curious who actually get's scammed by these calls? Most of the time it's a robot voice in with badly structured sentences, which you can't take seriously. I know seniors might be a target, but I've told my parents not to answer or just hang up. The real elderly might not get it though, but then again they might not be able to follow through either. More annoyance then anything.

I can remember my FIL and MIL calling about 25+ years ago to tell us they'd won a Cadillac, all they had to do was pay the sales tax and they gave the caller their CC #. Needless to say the Cadillac never arrived................ These folks were as honest as the day is long and it never occurred to them that someone would call and cheat them. I told them that this was a common scam and my FIL replied, "But, that's fraud". Well, exactly.

 

[backmarkerducati]

I am very curious who actually get's scammed by these calls? Most of the time it's a robot voice in with badly structured sentences, which you can't take seriously. I know seniors might be a target, but I've told my parents not to answer or just hang up. The real elderly might not get it though, but then again they might not be able to follow through either. More annoyance then anything.

I went down the rabbit hole in researching this a while back, posted some of it in another thread. Couple quick ones...

The main target these days for phone based scams are seniors. They are not as technically savvy so they make easier targets. That is why the calls pretty much only come during working hours and not so much on weekends or after 5PM local, and mostly landlines. They are looking for people who are home during the day (not working/retired), WFH has put a wrinkle in it for them.

For phishing, lottery win, etc. scam emails and robo calls. The grammar and other mistakes are often on purpose to filter "smart" people out from responding and wasting their time. Social engineering.

For the above, they are targeting the people who can afford to be scammed the least... fixed income etc.

Scams can be simple CC, banking, take over computer, etc. or more and more common access to your home to hook/force you on rental scams (winter, your furnace is not to code, I need to shut off your gas right now, you can rent one for $XXX a month installed today--and they put a lean on the house)--this is a new angle since door-to-door is not allowed, they book an appointment for a free or cheap service.

 

[Mikedezo44]

Seniors in Hamilton just lost out on 8k a month ago. "Don't tell the bank teller what it's for" a man will come to your house to pick up the cash. Very brave of these fraudsters, police could easily set up a sting if they were warned about it. I've said before, retailers need to train cashiers to ask many questions to people (mainly seniors) attempting to purchase over $1,000 in small amount gift cards.

Hamilton couple out $8,000 in 'grandparent scam'

Almost every day in our area, a senior is scammed out of thousands of dollars by someone pretending to be their grandchild, in trouble, and needing financial help.

www.chch.com

 

[backmarkerducati]

Seniors in Hamilton just lost out on 8k a month ago. "Don't tell the bank teller what it's for" a man will come to your house to pick up the cash. Very brave of these fraudsters, police could easily set up a sting if they were warned about it. I've said before, retailers need to train cashiers to ask many questions to people (mainly seniors) attempting to purchase over $1,000 in small amount gift cards.

Hamilton couple out $8,000 in 'grandparent scam'

Almost every day in our area, a senior is scammed out of thousands of dollars by someone pretending to be their grandchild, in trouble, and needing financial help.

www.chch.com

They call them Money Mules/Smurfers.

They pick up the money and get some small cut or may even think they are part of some legit "gig economy" business picking up and transferring money. They pick up the money and send it via courier or other transfer to the scammers outside the country. If they get busted the trail pretty much ends with them, unless it is some local scammer and they actually have any clue who it is.