Scammer fun

[calmloki]

Just had a call from "Microsoft Technical Center": " Hello? Mr. Tom? This is Justin Brown with Microsoft Technical Center".

Well what fun - this is a known scam, I've had the calls before and have been polite and negative, abusive and negative, and mostly non-communicative (and negative). Today I went with "Hello?" "yes, can you hear me? This is Justin Br.." "Hello?" "snigger Hello, this is Justi" "Hello?" Got about five Hellos in before I got hung up on. Poor Justin - if only he could have communicated with some doddering deaf old coot....

 

[Davis65]

I like to tell people selling long-distance plans that I don't have a telephone.

 

[growing_older]

Got a similar call from Microsoft Technical Center and feigned surprise that he detected a problem with my computer while it was off. We went back and forth as I played ignorant and he kept trying to talk me into turning it on. He kept escalating the danger it could pose until he started warning me that it might explode if they didn't get online to fix it for me, at which point I declared that if it was an explosion danger I could never turn it on again, so I had to hang up the phone to go buy a fresh one. I thanked him for his helpful service in alerting me to the danger. Microsoft is a lovely company.

 

[powerplay]

The scam call I got today was from the anti-hacking folks. She had my name, address, and of course phone number. I keep wondering if people are really falling for this crap and why don't these scammers just give up and go away.

 

[folivier]

My call 2 days ago from Jamaica went like this: Hello, what is this call about? "It's about your credit card you need to give me the number for". OK, bye now!

 

[jollystomper]

I have a call blocking program that we to provide custom recorded answers for calls received. Most are phone company tone + "number not in service" or "number has been disconnected". But for fun I have one that can answer "Hello? <pause> Hello? <longer pause> Can you speak up, I can't hear you! <long pause> Hello? <pause> Hello, is anyone there??" and just loops. It is funny hearing the scammers trying to interact with it.

 

[LoneAspen]

This is why I never answer my phone unless I recognize the number calling. If the number calling doesn't match a pre-existing contact entry I've made for that number, and I don't recognize it, I just let it go to voice mail.

9 times out of 10 they don't leave a message and it was just some telemarketer BS or scam. If it is somebody I know and it's important, they'll leave a message.

 

[Sojourner]

This is why I never answer my phone unless I recognize the number calling. If the number calling doesn't match a pre-existing contact entry I've made for that number, and I don't recognize it, I just let it go to voice mail.

9 times out of 10 they don't leave a message and it was just some telemarketer BS or scam. If it is somebody I know and it's important, they'll leave a message.

+1000

Has anyone noticed a recent uptick in the number of calls you're getting from 800 numbers? Just in the past few months, I have been called anywhere from 3 to 10 times per day from all kinds of 855, 877, 866, and 800 numbers, which I always ignore. They never, ever leave a message. I am on the national do-not-call registry, and they clearly are just totally ignoring that. It boggles the mind how aggressive and intrusive these telemarketers are becoming.

 

[marko]

DW pretends to not speak English and goes: "AAALLOO?...AAALLOOO?...ALLOOO?"

I"ll sometimes say: "Ok, wait, let me get him" and then let the phone sit there on the table for 5 or 10 minutes or until they hang up.

Now...over the past few days, I get a call from...ME! The caller ID says my name and number as the one calling. I haven't answered these yet but I'm curious what they're selling.

 

[kcowan]

DWs working name was Cardenas so we regularly get calls in Spanish or asking for Sr Cardenas. Quick ends.

 

[Walt34]

This is why I never answer my phone unless I recognize the number calling. If the number calling doesn't match a pre-existing contact entry I've made for that number, and I don't recognize it, I just let it go to voice mail.

Usually that's what I do but if I'm in a playful mood I'll answer and start by asking what color their underwear is and it goes downhill from there. Perhaps that will get me on their do not call list.

 

[target2019]

Is this the party to whom I am speaking?

 

[swakyaby]

"I see," said the blind man.

 

[Rick_Head]

Or, when they tell you your computer is spamming the world, you can ask for a supervisor. Then suggest that the Spam is coming from your computer because you are paid to supply it. Ask if SPAM wouldn't be a better method of ripping off stupid people. Try to make a deal. I've tried, but no success so far.