Got a scam call today

[RamblingMad]

I get them almost daily. You can report them if you're on the do not call list, but I really don't want to answer them. Instead, I have them all go to voicemail.

 

[RamblingMad]

The problem is, it could be the doctor (or nurse) actually calling you back. Sure, they leave a message, but when you call back, THEY'RE busy.

This is actually an easy one. My carrier will say the call is from healthcare as the caller id.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

This is actually an easy one. My carrier will say the call is from healthcare as the caller id.

How does the carrier know it's from "healthcare"? The nurse or doctor, when returning my call uses either their personal phone or the "clinic" phone. It comes in as "unknown".

 

[bcla]

I get them almost daily. You can report them if you're on the do not call list, but I really don't want to answer them. Instead, I have them all go to voicemail.

They don't always do it, but typically they spoof caller ID with something official. I've heard some might use something like a number that corresponds to an official government office. But they can be sloppy too.

But if they want a call back, they might give a different phone number that's connected via VoIP.

 

[bcla]

How does the carrier know it's from "healthcare"? The nurse or doctor, when returning my call uses either their personal phone or the "clinic" phone. It comes in as "unknown".

I think the carrier might have a list of phone numbers and then that number corresponds to a category. Verizon calls their system a "call filter" where they have something called a "category list"

https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-neighborhood-spoofing-scams​

https://9to5mac.com/2022/10/18/verizon-spam-call-filter-category-labels/​

Verizon is out with an update for its Call Filter and Call Filter Plus system that automatically labels and fights spam/robocalls and spam texts. The carrier’s customers are starting to see category labels like “Healthcare,” “Public Service,” and more for more context on unknown callers.​

I used to get regular phone calls for a local business. My cell phone number was one digit off, and I found one source where that was in a directory. But I suppose it could have also happened if someone misdialed. And it was really weird too because I was a customer at the place once and noticed the number on the receipt and said something about it because they needed my contact phone number.

 

[Lilsia]

Lots of people get those calls all the time. If that is your first time ever, you are in the minority. And yes, they are from India. It is a huge issue there.

 

[bcla]

Lots of people get those calls all the time. If that is your first time ever, you are in the minority. And yes, they are from India. It is a huge issue there.

Not my first. But the first time that someone called me with a scam call using my own name and where the scam caller called back after I hung up. Most decide to just move on to the next mark, and for the most part these calls are blind calls to random numbers where they don't even have a name and it becomes a confidence trick to try and get someone to buy gift cards or something else.

It did occur to me that with that kind of info that an angry enough scam caller might call 911 spoofing me, although my address might not be known depending on the source. My old resume is available on various job sites and I don't have my home address listed there. That was my thought as to how anyone got my name and mobile phone number.

I've heard of scams coming from more than just India - like Pakistan and the Philippines.

 

[Lilsia]

Not my first. But the first time that someone called me with a scam call using my own name and where the scam caller called back after I hung up. Most decide to just move on to the next mark, and for the most part these calls are blind calls to random numbers where they don't even have a name and it becomes a confidence trick to try and get someone to buy gift cards or something else.

It did occur to me that with that kind of info that an angry enough scam caller might call 911 spoofing me, although my address might not be known depending on the source. My old resume is available on various job sites and I don't have my home address listed there. That was my thought as to how anyone got my name and mobile phone number.

I've heard of scams coming from more than just India - like Pakistan and the Philippines.

You should check out some of the YouTube videos of people who mess with these callers. There are a few that actually have software and they get into the scammer's system and do what they can to refund people and erase their whole system.

 

[happily single]

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

We might be related lol. I love to keep these scammers on the phone with all kinds of nonsnse.

 

[china mom]

Not a scam but I am inundated with calls from wholesalers who want to but one of my houses. I probably get four or five a week sometimes. I have started responding with "I have a 2.5% interest rate...I will DIE in this house!"

They sometimes ask for my husband by name but have called my cell. They know the address. I have yet to find the source of where they are getting my number in relation tot he address. For a while I was getting calls asking for my deceased father and if he want to sell a house (the same house every time) in Florida that he has never owned but is owned by someone with almost the same name. How on earth did they get my number from that?

 

[Kennywood]

Oh, you're concerned about my Windows computer? Well, isn't that thoughtful of you!
What do you need me to do?
Okay, which way should I sit? It doesn't matter? Are you sure?
Now what?
(Wait a minute or two....)
Oh, silly me! I forgot to turn it on!
(Wait another minute or two....)
You'll have to be patient. It takes a while for it to do its thing.
Oh, darn! I forgot my password! Since you work for the Windows company, can you tell me what my password is?
No? Well, that's odd.
Well, let me try to see if I can remember.....
(tap...tap....tap....)
No, that wasn't it. I'll try again.
(tap...tap...tap...)
Rats! I know it's something like what I tried! Hold on....let me try again.
(tap...tap...tap...)
Hooray! It was my 2nd cousin's-twice-removed, mother-in-law's sister's maiden name. I should have remembered that!
Okay....what do you need me to do?
No....I don't see that. No, that's not on my computer either.
Look, all I can see on my computer is something about Mac. I don't know who Mac is, but maybe he can help.
Hello? Hello??

 

[sam_gordon]

Oh, you're concerned about my Windows computer? Well, isn't that thoughtful of you!
What do you need me to do?
Okay, which way should I sit? It doesn't matter? Are you sure?
Now what?
(Wait a minute or two....)
Oh, silly me! I forgot to turn it on!
(Wait another minute or two....)
You'll have to be patient. It takes a while for it to do its thing.
Oh, darn! I forgot my password! Since you work for the Windows company, can you tell me what my password is?
No? Well, that's odd.
Well, let me try to see if I can remember.....
(tap...tap....tap....)
No, that wasn't it. I'll try again.
(tap...tap...tap...)
Rats! I know it's something like what I tried! Hold on....let me try again.
(tap...tap...tap...)
Hooray! It was my 2nd cousin's-twice-removed, mother-in-law's sister's maiden name. I should have remembered that!
Okay....what do you need me to do?
No....I don't see that. No, that's not on my computer either.
Look, all I can see on my computer is something about Mac. I don't know who Mac is, but maybe he can help.
Hello? Hello??

Caller: "There's a problem with your Windows computer"
Me: "Which one"
C: The Windows one.
M: Yea, I got that, which one?
C: The one with windows
M: You're going to have to more specific.
C: The one running Windows
M: Well, are you referring to a laptop or desktop, we have more than one computer.
C: click

 

[china mom]

Caller: "There's a problem with your Windows computer"
Me: "Which one"
C: The Windows one.
M: Yea, I got that, which one?
C: The one with windows
M: You're going to have to more specific.
C: The one running Windows
M: Well, are you referring to a laptop or desktop, we have more than one computer.
C: click

OK, that's the routine I go through with the people who call trying to buy my house. Sometimes they don't know the address, they are just randomly cold calling so I try to get them to tell me which house and then tell them I am not interested anyway.

 

[Kennywood]

Caller: "There's a problem with your Windows computer"
Me: "Which one"
C: The Windows one.
M: Yea, I got that, which one?
C: The one with windows
M: You're going to have to more specific.
C: The one running Windows
M: Well, are you referring to a laptop or desktop, we have more than one computer.
C: click

You've got the makings of a "Who's On First" routine...LOL

 

[_19disnA]

And Microsoft NEVER calls you to tell you there is some sort of computer 'issue' that needs resolution. ANY call like that is clearly a scam.

 

[bcla]

The deal with all those instances where people bait scam callers is that they're usually planned. They only work when the scam callers call people blind and leave phone numbers to call back. They don't necessarily have any names and probably don't have detailed records of who they previously called. Those pranking the scammers can spoof phone numbers too.

I remember one time I saw one where a police officer got one of these return phone numbers from a resident of the place he served, and when the scam callers said something about being law enforcement, he gave his name and job title and the scammer didn't know what to do.