How much can a phone scam artist know from my phone number?

[SecondCor521]

Thanks all.

I've decided not to engage with them.

I have an Iphone 4 with an MVNO (Page Plus), so it's a low budget operation here. I may stop by the local reseller and see if they have any technological suggestions.

 

[RunningBum]

I set up a ringtone group for all of my contacts (and a few specific ringtones for some friends and family). I then set up a default ringtone that plays pretty quiet music. If I get a call from someone not in my contacts, I can recognize it from that quiet music and ignore it, unless I'm expecting a call from a doctors office or something like that. So I'm interrupted by the call but don't even have to pull out my phone to ignore it. It's kind of like having someone come up to me and hum a pleasant song, and then walk away.

 

[easysurfer]

I use the Sentry call blocker for my landline. I had one scam caller that would call a few times a week using the number spoofing strategy, even in early morning hours. My Sentry blocker was set up for one ring (my preferred set up) before getting blocked.

When the scammer figured out he was getting blocked, he called back to to back several times to the point I had to set up the blocker to block with no ring.

Eventually the &$#% scammer gave up after knowing he wasn't going to win . Now my call blocker is set up back to one ring before intercepting. He must have moved on to an easier target.

 

[JustCurious]

The text came through from USAA and he repeated the number back to them.

That was his mistake right there. I like to have fun with scam callers sometimes so I answer the calls and mess around with them, but I NEVER give them any real information, I make up all fake names and numbers, etc (my favorite fake name is Haywood Jiblome) and I would never respond to confirm anything, a text or a real number or anything else. Never, ever confirm anything back to them and never every give them any real information and you will be fine.

 

[audreyh1]

That was his mistake right there. I like to have fun with scam callers sometimes so I answer the calls and mess around with them, but I NEVER give them any real information, I make up all fake names and numbers, etc (my favorite fake name is Haywood Jiblome) and I would never respond to confirm anything, a text or a real number or anything else. Never, ever confirm anything back to them and never every give them any real information and you will be fine.

How did he know it was a scam call? He didn't. Scam calls aren't always obvious, and your bank calling you from a spoofed number to let you know about fraudulent charges on your credit card does not immediately appear as a scam call.

 

[JoeWras]

How did he know it was a scam call? He didn't. Scam calls aren't always obvious, and your bank calling you from a spoofed number to let you know about fraudulent charges on your credit card does not immediately appear as a scam call.

Exactly.

Just watch the movie "The Sting."

 

[JustCurious]

How did he know it was a scam call? He didn't. Scam calls aren't always obvious, and your bank calling you from a spoofed number to let you know about fraudulent charges on your credit card does not immediately appear as a scam call.

He may not have known it was a scam call, but you should never give out information over the phone or "confirm" any information if you did not initiate the call. Ever. If necessary, call the company back by using a phone number that you obtain or verify independently. If you follow this rule then you will not be scammed, at least not by a phone call.

 

[street]

If we don't know the number they can leave a message and if they don't leave a message then it isn't anybody I want to talk too.

I do it with cell phone also leave a message if they don't I block that number from calling me again.

Every number I have looked up are all scam numbers. The problem is really bad.

 

[zinger1457]

If we don't know the number they can leave a message and if they don't leave a message then it isn't anybody I want to talk too.

I do it with cell phone also leave a message if they don't I block that number from calling me again.

Every number I have looked up are all scam numbers. The problem is really bad.

+1 I never answer calls that aren't on my contact list, if it's important they'll leave a message.