just got a call from "social security"...

[parris]

HOLY POOP!!!!! I just got a call from Social Security! I'd better call them right back and give em all my info so they can confirm that my SSN doesn't get "suspended"... Maybe I should also give them all my banking information while I'm at it... :banana::banana::banana:

[Mzilliox]

this stuff sucks. I am currently dealing with an elderly father who seems to have fallen not for this scam, but for some others. Ive been on the phone all day. For folks in their twilight, this stuff is truly confusing and the folks who carry out these crimes are the lowest of the low. This is real, not all of the victims are stupid, some are senile, demented, alzheimers, or just naively trusting. its a shame we cant do more to stop this.

[Big Dan]

Basically you can't answer the phone anymore.
Unless you really know the number, wait for them to send you a letter.

[jtakeda]

this stuff sucks. I am currently dealing with an elderly father who seems to have fallen not for this scam, but for some others. Ive been on the phone all day. For folks in their twilight, this stuff is truly confusing and the folks who carry out these crimes are the lowest of the low. This is real, not all of the victims are stupid, some are senile, demented, alzheimers, or just naively trusting. its a shame we cant do more to stop this.

This happened to my grandmother. She got tricked into taking a high interest loan and her car was used as collateral. When I found out I tried to pay the loan off and was jumping through hoops to figure out how to pay this loan off

[john903]

Yup, we stopped answering the phone because we would get at least 5 calls a day of some sort of scam or another. ("is Louis there"). We live in a town known for having lots of retirees so sadly people are out there taking advantage of the elderly.

[Ozz]

we don't answer the phone either....

I blame the phone companies for handing out phone numbers like crack....getting a phone number should be like opening a bank account...for a legitimate purpose only, and verified by the phone company, with criminal penalties for non compliance.

[parris]

I've seen a ton of this over the last couple of years working the front desk at the dept.

The scumbags prey on peoples trust in particular agencies. Social Security, IRS, Police, etc. I had one lady about a month ago come in to lodge a complaint against one of our deputies after one such call. I figured that she had gotten scammed but as I was taking down the info it was confirmed when she got to the deputies name. I don't remember the particular name but it was a full on fake name. I told her that she'd been scammed and asked what info she gave the phone caller. I believe they got her ssn, address, and not bank account but bank. She told me that she was told NOT to contact us or she'd be arrested and taken to jail. I told her to head down to her bank asap and tell them what happened then to come back so she could finish filing a report. She was lucky in that she was able to get out in front of it before too much damage was done. I've seen a few that have gotten their accounts cleaned out though which is truly sad.

[dbnm]

I get calls about health care and business loans several times a day.

I recently got my 11 year old a phone with her own number. Within a week a local car dealer called her about a repair. Then she got a health care call. No one has the number. How does this happen?

[parris]

One other thing that I have seen a good amount of is the Nigerian Prince scam. The number of people that fall for this one is very big as well. I feel bad for these people but not as much as the first group due to the scam working off of some peoples basic greed.

[Mr. Pink]

Please, relax. I'm set for life for doing that thing with the Nigerian prince with his money all locked up in some bank account. God bless the internet.

[William]

I generally don't answer my phone if I don't recognize the number, leave a message if it's important. 99% of the time they don't.


There is a scam going around where they somehow get lists of college students and call them pretending to be from different student loan companies (which ever one they have borrowed money from) asking them questions and recording their voices. Then they call the parents and pretend the child is in some sort of trouble or accident and at some point in the call play child's voice in the background to convince the parents they are really there in whatever scenario the scammer has concocted. Parents who normally would not fall for scams have been caught in this particular one.








W.

[William]

Waiting for call backs for service times: I recently answered the phone to hear a woman's recorded voice jump right in and say she was so and so from some sort of award distribution service, then immediately says; "Can you hear me okay..."?

Obviously they were looking for me to say "Yes" into the phone. I wonder what I would be signing up for had I actually responded? Oh well, maybe next time. :rolleyes:








W.

[parris]

William you just reminded me that we've gotten several of those loan calls! Haven't returned them but you've hit another nail on the head.

[Dekonick]

How to manage scammers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QdPW8JrYzQ

[LegendRider]

Michael Scott: You know what Toby, when the son of the deposed king of Nigeria emails you directly, asking for help, you help! His father ran the freaking country! Ok?

[josephr]

my mom is 83 and she refuses to get rid of her home because she's had that phone number since 1961. Everytime I visit, the phone rings and she yells out "don't answer it, its a scam!" :rolleyes:

the worst scam is when she says 'hello' and this young dude's voice starts in, feigning injury, 'Grandma....I've been in an accident grandma...I'm at the hospital" and the scam just goes downhill from there. Its horrible.

[eddief]

caller id said scam likely but i was curious. so i answered it. this was about my healthcare plan and these guys wanted to arrange to do an in my house DNA test. OMFG.

[Peter P.]

I had a scammer call last week, claiming my computer was compromised and they needed to fix it ASAP.

I faked like we had a bad connection, "chopping" up my words into inaudible gibberish, then clearly saying "I think we have a bad connection". They hung up.

For tormenting this poor scammer, does it mean I'm going to hell?

[Dekonick]

I just was offered 10 TRILLION dollars! I am RICH! https://outrunchange.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/10t-zim.jpg

[William]

I guess a lot of people missed out.... :confused:



:banana:

[bikinchris]

Had a call today saying it was PayPal and they had taken $399 out of my debit card. New scam to me.

[metalheart]

I mostly hang up on the scam callers, but every so often I will put on my best Forest Gump imitation and play along just because. I did this a few weeks ago when a caller was trying to sell from funeral costs program and the conversation went something like this:

Caller: Hello Sir, I want to inform you about an important program that will save you money on your end of life costs.

Me: But I am still alive.

Caller: We all need to think about what to do after we are gone and our program will save your family money.

Me: I don’t have any family and I am still alive, so I don’t need your program.

Caller: But sir, if you buy this program before you pass-on, you will save money.

Me: How can I save money when I have passed on, please call me back when I have died.

He hung up.

[kohagen]

I have a friend who actually fell for the IRS scam for a while. He's at least a semi-intelligent guy, a banker, but overtrusting. He said the caller seemed to know enough about him and his taxes, at least in a general way. He was ready to arrange to send him some money until I heard him talking on his phone. I took the phone out of his hand and told the caller to **** off. My friend was convinced he was going to be arrested for tax fraud, but was finally convinced that the IRS never called people for tax issues, but only sent letters to leave a paper trail.

[paredown]

we still maintain a landline, since it is tied to my wife's business-but it it mainly junk calls.

A small improvement was switching to a VOIP account when we went internet only using an Obi device, With our service--Callcentric, you can effectively block calls--and my personal favorite is to set it to 'number disconnected' after receiving a call.

It takes a while, but it seems to be like crabgrass prevention, since the lists get passed around...eventually the phone only rings with real calls.

Oh, and don't give out your cell number to random web sites who claim to be interested in your "security"...

[kohagen]

I didn't actually type **** off. I typed the actual colloquial word, but it was magically changed to ****. The wonders of modern technology.

[kohagen]

My whole family uses Apple products. Phones, pads, laptops. I used to screw with the callers from the Windows help desk who told me to press the Windows key and some other one to bring up a message about problems on my computer. I'd play along, and when they asked me to read the message to them I'd say, "It says get a real job, asshole, and stop scamming people." This often pissed them off, and they'd start cursing at me. I'd just laugh.

[oldpotatoe]

we don't answer the phone either....

I blame the phone companies for handing out phone numbers like crack....getting a phone number should be like opening a bank account...for a legitimate purpose only, and verified by the phone company, with criminal penalties for non compliance.

I don't answer any phone number that my phone doesn't recognize..then wait for voicemail..if none, then I block the number..

The 'phone companies' don't hand out phone numbers..these companies have random phone number generators..that are just called..to see if one is attached to a phone. There really isn't any 'phone companies' anymore, really..

https://www.searchnewworld.com/search/search2.html?partid=snschbng&p=video+of+the+president%27s+analyst%2C+%27the+pho ne+company%27&subid=446null

[Ozz]

I don't answer any phone number that my phone doesn't recognize..then wait for voicemail..if none, then I block the number..

The 'phone companies' don't hand out phone numbers..these companies have random phone number generators..that are just called..to see if one is attached to a phone. There really isn't any 'phone companies' anymore, really..

https://www.searchnewworld.com/search/search2.html?partid=snschbng&p=video+of+the+president%27s+analyst%2C+%27the+pho ne+company%27&subid=446null
I was talking about the caller phone number that gives them access to the phone system....I am sure I don't know how it all works, but you should not be able to make a call (to randomly generated numbers) without verified access to the phone system...something must be done! (cue outrage music).:cool:

[oldpotatoe]

I was talking about the caller phone number that gives them access to the phone system....I am sure I don't know how it all works, but you should not be able to make a call (to randomly generated numbers) without verified access to the phone system...something must be done! (cue outrage music).:cool:

Agree but that's not how it works..some beanbag scumbag sits in a cube, with 5-6 numbers percolating to see which is an actual number..

Take yer phone, make up any random phone number...and chances are, it will connect to somebody..unless the prefix is '555'...:)

[Jeff N.]

We get bogus "robo-calls" of all types, all day long, on the land line. I just end up leaving it off the hook.

[Jeff N.]

I mostly hang up on the scam callers, but every so often I will put on my best Forest Gump imitation and play along just because. I did this a few weeks ago when a caller was trying to sell from funeral costs program and the conversation went something like this:

Caller: Hello Sir, I want to inform you about an important program that will save you money on your end of life costs.

Me: But I am still alive.

Caller: We all need to think about what to do after we are gone and our program will save your family money.

Me: I don’t have any family and I am still alive, so I don’t need your program.

Caller: But sir, if you buy this program before you pass-on, you will save money.

Me: How can I save money when I have passed on, please call me back when I have died.

He hung up.Hahaha! Hilarious.

[chrismoustache]

I sort of can't believe folks still have landlines.

Every once in a while I'll visit someone who still has a landline. Every time the phone actually rings I nearly have a heart attack! The sounds is just so intrusive and unusual to me at this point.

[Jeff N.]

I sort of can't believe folks still have landlines.

Every once in a while I'll visit someone who still has a landline. Every time the phone actually rings I nearly have a heart attack! The sounds is just so intrusive and unusual to me at this point.
My wife's home business requires and land line, otherwise I'dve removed it years ago.

[Dekonick]

I sort of can't believe folks still have landlines.

Every once in a while I'll visit someone who still has a landline. Every time the phone actually rings I nearly have a heart attack! The sounds is just so intrusive and unusual to me at this point.

We still have a landline - It is tied to our alarm system (and the alarm system has cellular back-up). The landline is cheap - and we keep a wall mounted phone in a closet on each floor (ringer off). The landline is also tied into Alexa. It sounds crazy, but our kids know they can call us from the landline. No charge to worry about. They can also call us using Alexa - over the landline. The alarm system is mostly for fire, but it monitors water leaks, CO, natural gas leaks. In case you didn't know, cell service is not always up - I don't mind having a redundant back-up. Thought I would give one reason landlines aren't obsolete... yet. Oh, and we also have an all in one that uses the same landline... for faxes... Yes, as archaic as faxing is, some places still want a fax. Crazy.

[HenryA]

The phone companies can’t beleive that people still have landlines and don’t want them to. The costs of maintaining the legacy equipment must be staggering and the profit small. I think that is part of why nothing is happening with eliminating spam calls. There is financial incentive for the companies to do nothing until the old equipment finally fades from use.

Readers of a certain age will remember when the U. S. Phone system was the envy of the world and as reliable as gravity. It was wonderful, but you could not carry it in your pocket.

[Mark McM]

The phone companies can’t beleive that people still have landlines and don’t want them to. The costs of maintaining the legacy equipment must be staggering and the profit small. I think that is part of why nothing is happening with eliminating spam calls. There is financial incentive for the companies to do nothing until the old equipment finally fades from use.

The cost of maintaining existing equipment is less than the cost of installing new equipment. Verizon wanted to roll out their FIOS optical system (which can carry telephone, television and internet) to my town. The town said, "Yeah, that would be great. As long as run enough lines so that the entire town has access - just like your existing land lines." Verizon didn't want to invest that kind of money, so they never install FIOS in my town.

Also keep in mind that large parts of the country do not have access to high-speed internet. Copper wire land lines are still the only access to the internet for large parts of the US.

[Keith A]

I sort of can't believe folks still have landlines.

Every once in a while I'll visit someone who still has a landline. Every time the phone actually rings I nearly have a heart attack! The sounds is just so intrusive and unusual to me at this point.I love having a landline still. That way I have a real number to give out when someone needs it, and we never give out our cell phone numbers. However, I still get an occasional Robocall on my cell number, but this doesn't happen very often and I never answer any number on my cell that isn't in my contact list. If it's real, then they can leave a message.

[Red Tornado]

I don't answer any phone number that my phone doesn't recognize..then wait for voicemail..if none, then I block the number..

The 'phone companies' don't hand out phone numbers..these companies have random phone number generators..that are just called..to see if one is attached to a phone. There really isn't any 'phone companies' anymore, really..

https://www.searchnewworld.com/search/search2.html?partid=snschbng&p=video+of+the+president%27s+analyst%2C+%27the+pho ne+company%27&subid=446null

Same here. I have only blocked one number so far. I tell my family to do the same. If you don't know the number and it's legit they will leave a message.

Another thing is the bogus e-mails. Received a handful over the years about issues with my credit card. I simply call the credit card company (using the number on the back of my card) tell them about the e-mail and they can tell me if they sent it or not.

A lot of people don't understand or know that the IRS, SS, etc. typically won't call you to discuss sensitive info. That kind of thing is still in writing IME or will pop up on your account when you log into their website.

[William]

We had a landline the whole time we lived in RI, mainly because we lived in a cellular blackhole and wanted to be sure we had a reliable way of contacting emergency services if they were ever needed. Glad we had it during many a Nor'Easter and other power outages. If you don't have power and that battery runs down you are SOL unless you have a tank or solar charger.









W.

[wc1934]

FBI just indicted 80 individuals, mostly in the L.A area - charged with conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft and money laundering.

[HenryA]

The cost of maintaining existing equipment is less than the cost of installing new equipment. Verizon wanted to roll out their FIOS optical system (which can carry telephone, television and internet) to my town. The town said, "Yeah, that would be great. As long as run enough lines so that the entire town has access - just like your existing land lines." Verizon didn't want to invest that kind of money, so they never install FIOS in my town.

Also keep in mind that large parts of the country do not have access to high-speed internet. Copper wire land lines are still the only access to the internet for large parts of the US.

Yeah but....
There’s no money in POTS compared to big fast internet. And I’m in that part of the world with copper internet. Its sometimes pretty sucky. A few miles away and its actual high speed connections. While not a fan of gubmint regulation, I think connectivity might benefit from regulation as a utility. Like phones were back in the day.

[Louis]

Don't tell the IRS where I live because they're after me.

How do I know this? Because a message left on my answering machine (I don't bother to answer even if I'm home) said so. You'd think that they would have tracked me down by now, but so far so good.

[HenryA]

I made it to 9:51 on a microsoft support scammer the other day. Got to talk to her supervisor. He only lasted a short while before he gave up. My hearing was very bad that day. :):)

[Peter P.]

I sort of can't believe folks still have landlines.

Every once in a while I'll visit someone who still has a landline. Every time the phone actually rings I nearly have a heart attack! The sounds is just so intrusive and unusual to me at this point.

What's REALLY intrusive is when someone's cellphone rings when they're with you. Apparently you're not as important as that inconsequential phone call, text, etc.

All I have is a landline. The need to be constantly available is way overblown and takes away from focusing on what I'm doing and who I'm with at any given time.

I also have DSL for internet, so I'm driving the phone company nuts as a luddite, I guess.

[chrismoustache]

Lots of good points FOR landlines!

After hearing a co-workers cell phone ringtone recently, I realized that maybe it's not the phone configuration but the tone that gets me. I'd be content if every time a phone rang it just played the girl from ipanema or something similarly inviting.

[Jeff N.]

Lots of good points FOR landlines!

After hearing a co-workers cell phone ringtone recently, I realized that maybe it's not the phone configuration but the tone that gets me. I'd be content if every time a phone rang it just played the girl from ipanema or something similarly inviting.Mine plays, "Back Door Man" (The Doors).

[fiamme red]

I just got a call from Social Security! I'd better call them right back and give em all my info so they can confirm that my SSN doesn't get "suspended"...The same thing just happened to me. I wonder how anyone could be taken in by such an idiotic scam... :)

[parris]

Fiamme I've seen many generally smart people get scammed. Many people in general are simply to trusting when they hear official sounding titles. It also depends on the age as well as where people live. Smaller "nice" places combined with an older called party tend to get sxammed more than younger more aware people.

[kohagen]

I often just tell the caller to stop making these scam calls and get a real job, with some more adult language added here and there.

[Keith A]

I had a new one last week, that was pretty slick. They tried to reset my password on Netflix, and so I got a legitimate from Netflix. I scrutinized the email pretty carefully, and determined it was real. So I logged in my account and everything seemed fine. Then a few hours later, I got their fake email which looked almost identical to the one I got from Netflix. This time, they were saying my payment method was no longer valid. I didn't look at this email closely and assumed it was real. I logged back into Netflix directly, not using one of the links in the email, and my payment info was good. Then I went back and examined the second email -- sure enough, all the links went the scammer's website which I'm sure wanted my CC info.

I must admit, that was pretty good.

[Ozz]

Mine plays, "Back Door Man" (The Doors).

"Lawyers, Guns and Money" for me.:cool:

[mulp]

I can't even answer calls anymore due to how often i get these scam calls

[makoti]

I can't even answer calls anymore due to how often i get these scam calls

You'd think my phone was always on Tinder, as often as I swipe left to hang up.

[Mark McM]

I had a new one last week, that was pretty slick. They tried to reset my password on Netflix, and so I got a legitimate from Netflix. I scrutinized the email pretty carefully, and determined it was real. So I logged in my account and everything seemed fine. Then a few hours later, I got their fake email which looked almost identical to the one I got from Netflix. This time, they were saying my payment method was no longer valid. I didn't look at this email closely and assumed it was real. I logged back into Netflix directly, not using one of the links in the email, and my payment info was good. Then I went back and examined the second email -- sure enough, all the links went the scammer's website which I'm sure wanted my CC info.

I must admit, that was pretty good.

This highlights an important point - never click on a link in an email (unless you were explicitly expecting to be sent a link). Even if an email looks legitimate, go to the web site directly, using a known legitimate web address.

[dsimon]

But I try to keep them on the phone and speak another language Bits and pieces of Spanish/Chinese/ and of course some Latin. I was tole to F$ck off and they hung up on me I make it a game:butt:

[Veloo]

My wife got a threatening email from what appeared to be her own email address.
Turned out to be a common scam as well but it did have me scratching my head. I got the tech support guys on the line and they showed me how to ID it as a fake.
Expand on the details of the sender info - this may require you to view the email in raw format. If the server that the email came from is not legit then you know the email is fake.

[kiwisimon]

We had trained our mother in her eighties to say "hang on a second I need to get my glasses" and put the phone down to anyone she didn't know. She'd walk away and hang up the phone about 5 minutes later.
She loved the idea that someone trying to steal from her was wasting time listening to her making scones. She also never had a computer so that was a good signal they were conmen.
Phones are important for people living alone to feel connected. They do need to be careful however.

[Keith A]

This highlights an important point - never click on a link in an email (unless you were explicitly expecting to be sent a link). Even if an email looks legitimate, go to the web site directly, using a known legitimate web address.You are so correct, never ever click on a link in an email unless you were expecting something. Even then, make sure you check where the link is pointing and make sure it's legit.

[Elefantino]

"Lawyers, Guns and Money" for me.:cool:

Mine's "Who Are You?"

[buddybikes]

If a candidate took on this issue seriously and hired some big time IT/security people for a plan, they would be guaranteed to win.