Got a scam call today

[bcla]

It was weird. Received a call (caller ID identified as coming from Louisiana) and had my name. However, I could imagine that someone might have gotten it from paid list or possibly from when I was looking for a job and my resume has my phone number.

Thought that it might be a recruiter where I might gently say no. South Asian (likely Indian) accent claiming that I was in trouble with the federal government. I said "thank you but no thank you" and promptly disconnected. Called back, I answered again where the caller asked why I previously hung, when I said I didn't believe her. Then I blocked her. I looked up the number and it looks like someone spoofed the phone number for the Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, Louisiana. It's a privately operated prison that serves both the state and federal government. However, I don't think they generally call anyone claiming that someone is in trouble.

 

[kymom99]

I got one a while back. While I knew it was a scam call, it shook me up anyway. There was a lot of background noise and the sound kept cutting in and out. I think that was on purpose to confuse me. The guy identified himself as “officer Harris” but I couldn’t understand the name of the supposed department. He said a case came across his desk. I hung up because I couldn’t hear him. The thing that almost hooked me was that we had called our city police to report a broken window. Someone had hit a golf ball through our garage window. The kid who did it was identified and his family made arrangements to pay, so there was no reason for anyone to be following up. And I looked on our city website snd there was no “officer Harris”. My phone rang like 4 more times and I didn’t answer. He left a similar message one time. Again hard to understand. I called the number back from my work phone and got a recorded message from “officer Harris”. When I did a search of the phone number, it actually gave me a name, but not Harris. So I know it was a scam. I should have probably informed local law enforcement but I didn’t. These people make me really angry. My mother in law fell for the grandparent scam.

 

[bcla]

My worry is maybe I get swatted, although they’d also need my address. But I’m not surprised that my name and phone number are floating around.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

I’m sorry that happened. It’s an awful feeling even when you’re sure it’s a scam.
You could report it to the police. Our local police department asks to be notified when anything like this happens. They send notifications to residents about scams that are currently happening.

 

[Disneylover99]

I don’t answer any unknown calls. It’s either a scam or someone pushing a service. No thanks. If somebody legitimately needs to reach me they can leave a message.

 

[AnnaS]

We never answer the phone if we do not recognize the person or number. If it's important or someone we know and they obviously want to talk to us, they can leave a message and we will call back.

 

[CynBeth]

I don’t answer any unknown calls. It’s either a scam or someone pushing a service. No thanks. If somebody legitimately needs to reach me they can leave a message.

Same here.

 

[Jangles]

Same here.

In the U.K., doctors, hospitals etc. call from a ‘no caller ID’ number. It is very annoying.

 

[mikehn]

The freaks were out yesterday. I set my phone up to silence calls coming from numbers not in my contacts. But I got a bunch of spam messages anyways.

 

[_19disnA]

Unfortunately it seems like making scam calls to your home phone is a big business. We also don't answer if from a number we don't recognize. Too many spoof their caller ID and seems the phone company should have a way to prevent that but doesn't care. Virtually NO legit business/govt organiztion/law enforcement makes threatenting sounding phone calls as the first point of contact. On the IRS website, there is even a notice saying they NEVER call you to demand money/back taxes/etc. and first contact will be via letter. Usually the caller speaks with a heavy accent and rattles off some official sounding number to make it seem legit............but it's still a scam probably to get money from you.

Scammers never leave a message or call-back # since they know you are probably not going to call them back. If we happen to answer a scam caller, we just hang up and move on with our lives.

 

[kanerf]

Of course you could screw with them and record your voice mail response as 'Welcome to the 'cityname' Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, please leave your name and number and an agent will call you back'.

 

[china mom]

Depending on my mood, I sometimes answer the phone "Fourth Precinct" or "Homicide" but they are usually too focused on their script to catch it. If I am bored and have time on my hands, I will play along as long as I can just to tie them up. But you have to have your cover story and background information ready because as you are talking to them, they or their teammate is fact checking your answers and when they catch you, they just hang up.

For example, I had the Social Security Police (that sounds like a real thing, right?) on the phone for about 20 minutes. I was crying, he was comforting me and telling me we can fix it etc. He had been asking me identifying questions throughout the conversation. He ended the call shortly after I provided my address. Daggonit, I goggled my "address" and I was off by a couple of numbers and accidently gave him an address that didn't exist.

I also have a list of gag female names (too inappropriate to post here) that I pull on them. Sometimes they catch it and hang up, other times, they totally miss it

 

[Travel60]

I have an aunt, age 90, who routinely answers the phone "attorney general's office, fraud division. How many I help you?" All family and friends know that's what she's going to say.

 

[princesscinderella]

We have set up a code word with our kids and parents just in case the ransom scam happens to us where they say they have so and so. Our first question to the actor will be what’s the code word.

 

[sam_gordon]

Also, be on the lookout for "Voice Impersonation"

I need to tell my mom about this one.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

My aunt got one the other day-the caller told her that her Medicare card had expired and that she needed to verify her address and social security number. My aunt is a smart cookie, so she told the caller to tell her the address and SSN they had on file first, and she would say if it was correct. Medicare cards don't expire. They hung up.

 

[tazdev3225]

My husband, who is retired and bored, loves playing with the scammers. He answers the phone "City Morgue". Usually the caller will respond with something so he follows up with "Do you wish to report, claim or identify a body?" That gets a real quick hang up. His other favorite is "City Morgue, you kill them and we chill them."

I have gotten the IRS call a couple of times and they were going to arrest me if I didn't pay. I usually respond with can I use my own handcuffs and make sure you have a sheriff with you as they are the only ones that can arrest us. My husband was a Deputy Sheriff. One time the guy kept on that this is not a joke. I told him to take it out if the many thousands I am owed by the IRS. They hung up. When I called the number back the guy got really angry. So I asked for someone who speaks English. He told me that my father speaks English. I laughed and responded that I know my father does but you sure don't. They refused to answer any more calls from me and stopped calling for a while.

Retirement does bring boredom at times and the urge to play around with these people.

 

[focusondisney]

My husband, who is retired and bored, loves playing with the scammers. He answers the phone "City Morgue". Usually the caller will respond with something so he follows up with "Do you wish to report, claim or identify a body?" That gets a real quick hang up. His other favorite is "City Morgue, you kill them and we chill them."

Love it!

 

[LYSE]

Next time thank them for calling the extended warranty department

 

[kanerf]

I wonder if you can setup a forward on your phone to actually send the scammer to the police call center?