23 replies to this topic

[Phil Hackett]

I'm placing this in the General forum because there are an increasing number of phone calls being made that are totally fraudulent. They are robocalls that often claim "YOU" are being sued and you need to contact whatever phone number they leave on your message machine.
 
The latest is a threatening call from the "IRS" and that they are taking you to court. Of course there is a number left for your convenience.
 
The thing is... in the USA, and the IRS in particular, no notice of lawsuit is done by telephone. EVER... Don't fall for this scam. Don't even call back...

[Tom Eatherly]

If you happen to pick up and answer, you'll get a live person. This happened; I heard the message, but the phone was handed to me. Not too happy, I replied that I am an enrolled agent. Click. Let the message play through and ignore. Don't answer. A-holes!

[HarV Wallbanger III]

I have been in trouble with the IRS scam for over a year and it's always my second or last effort before it goes to a Magistrate..?! The robo call says its so-and-so... a different person's name every time but it's the same voice and a English name but the guy's first language is not the King's English. Heavy Indian or Pak'ee accent. Tells you to call blah-blah number.... Do not call! They will never leave you a message. I can't believe in this day and age people still call them or they would not be doing it still!

[James Wendel]

I don't even bother to answer the phone if the number is not in my directory... send it straight to voicemail. If it's legit, they will leave a message. The fraudulent messages are easy to identify and delete.

[slotbaker]

There was a scam down here a while ago where calls were made to you, but they hang up making it a missed call.

If you had caller ID or on mobile, most people would ring to see who it was, and there was a recording talking about life in general, or some other time wasting topic.

Sounds pretty harmless, but calls to that number were charged at many $s per second, costing you big time.
 
Don't get fooled into ringing back, if you don't recognize the number.

[Cheater]

When I dropped my landline, my phone scam problems went away... until just recently when I started getting a few robo-calls on my cellphone.

When I am asked to furnish my telephone number by someone or a company who doesn't really need it I will sometimes reverse a couple of the numbers...

[Phil Hackett]

So, Greg, you're potentially sending these people to another person's phone... It's better to find a local number for a police station or the state tax authority (the IRS is too obvious) or even better the FTC non-800 number...
 
About 70% of the calls to Sonic are either Google listing agents, "banks" looking to loan money, or some other scam...

[Cheater]

You're right, Phil. I need to do that...

[Les Boyd]

I have gotten scam calls before, I always tell them that they are up a s...t creek because they have not sent me a notice in the mail.

 

By the way if they send a notice in the mail it is mail fraud, and then the US Postal service will take over and they are in deep, deep, s...t.

[SlowBeas]

We recently had a very successful scam perpetrated by someone claiming to be with the local sheriff's office and that I was being notified of a bench warrant being issued for my arrest for a parking ticket that fell overdue when I failed to appear in court. I knew nothing about any such ticket.

 

The caller said I need to go to the bank, obtain a specific type of money order in the amount of $xxx to cover my "bond," then call him with the bond's number prior to my scheduled court appearance the next day.

 

Of course, if you give someone the number from the bond, they have the immediate ability to cash it.

 

And I'm sure the phone number he used and gave me is from one of those Trac phones or other throwaways.

 

He didn't get my money, but I suspect he got it from many others. BTW, he called me again when I didn't call him with my bond number, to inform me that either he or another deputy would be stopping by my house to serve the arrest warrant. I returned his message to call him a few choice names, but I suspect he never got that message and couldn't care less. Unfortunately, he was laughing all the way to the bank.

[Mike Patterson]

The oddest robocall I ever received had my name & phone number in the caller ID. I didn't answer, but I was very curious...

[slotbaker]

There was a talk back segment on the radio where callers were asked to say how they respond to telemarketing/prank/scam calls etc.

Best response by one lady, was to give the phone to her 5yo daughter to have a chat with the caller.

[Pappy]

It would be my luck to give the phone to my 5 year old daughter and then find out the guy on the other end is also a pedophile. 

[SlowBeas]

Some ideas for responses to telemarketers when they call...just pick up the phone and say something like:

 

"Code RED. The fox is in the henhouse." (Then, hang up -- provided they don't do it first.  )

 

" 'Bang a Gong' from T-Rex. Did I win??!!"

 

Whisper "I think someone is hiding under my bed."

 

I'm sure someone more creative than I can come up with better lines, but it's certainly a start.

[slotbaker]

Hello, this is (your town's name) police department, Sargeant Simanowitz speaking (or pick another famous copper's name).

[John C Martin]

I bought a whistle and man is it ever loud... with a robo call just push the number they want then let that person have it...

Robo calls are against the law...

[James Wendel]

Sienfeld:

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=Yor0jd33mow

[Samiam]

Guys,

 

I can clear up any problems you are having with the IRS or Sheriffs Dept.

 

Just send $500 cash or cashiers check. I also accept PayPal.   

[old & gray]

I got a scam call at work. The guy said my number had been picked at random and I would receive a $500 credit to my credit card or checking account. I informed him that I was at work and it would only be fair for the company to receive the money. (I could hear him drooling at the thought of a corporate account to loot.) When he asked for the name of the company I replied "(local city name) Police department Fraud Division." He almost bit his tongue apologizing for taking my time when I wasn't eligible.

 

The folks in the next cube were laughing so hard they almost fell out of their chairs. 

[DPmax]

I used to have a memorized number for a Radio Shack that I'd use if I "had to" put a number on something I didn't want to.

Many of you may remember back when Radio Shack basically required you to give them your number for any purchase, that's when I started doing this, I'd give them their own number for another store across town.

With Radio Shack going under I've switched to a 7/11 number.

[Samiam]

Just a FYI:

 

Radio Shack has taken on water but is still afloat and has not gone under yet. The few remaining stores have paired up with Sprint and have retained much of the electronic kibbles and bits. 

[GotToRace]

When asked for an email address I usually respond Oliver.north@cia.gov

[Big Durl]

I like to ask the caller what they're wearing, and to describe it in detail.

Or, I'll tell them I'm VERY interested, them ask them to hold on a sec. Then I just put the reciever down on the desk, and go back to what I was doing.

Ain't I the lil' stinker?

[Bill from NH]

Durl, you need a music box  to give them "music-on-hold."