What scam was this?

[anniemae]

Seems the scam calls are increasing lately. The other day I got one with a guy saying, "grandma? I need help." I hung up because I have heard of these scammers looking for money trying to trick you into thinking it's your grandson. Also, I don't have any grandchildren

Today I got a call with a guy who said, "Hi, are you home now? we have your check." I hung up but was wondering what his end game was. If I said "yes I'm home come on over and give me my check!" then he would not get any banking info which is what I assume he was after.

Just curious if anyone has heard of this scam?

 

[fla4fun]

Haven’t heard of that one. They could be after banking info or it could be a home invasion thing. Either way, hanging up is always the best solution.

 

[TeresaBelle]

Haven't heard of that one either. My mom got that grandma call a few years ago. She knew it wasn't my nephew because since he could talk he's always called her by her name, Alma... lol

 

[RedAngie]

I’ve heard of the Grandma scam but not the other. My aunt once fell for a Microsoft scam.

I usually don’t answer unknown number phone calls but I did several months ago. The person asked for me by name. I said “speaking.” He once again asked “is this Angela xxx?” I again replied “this is her speaking.” He then said I needed to answer “yes” before he could continue. I hung up.

Apparently some scammers record you saying “yes” then apply it to you agreeing to some scheme.

And several years ago I received a voice mail threatening to arrest me if I didn’t call back immedIately. I was disappointed that no police ever arrived.

 

[tvguy]

Surprised in this day and age that anyone falls for those scams.

 

[anniemae]

I’ve heard of the Grandma scam but not the other. My aunt once fell for a Microsoft scam.

I usually don’t answer unknown number phone calls but I did several months ago. The person asked for me by name. I said “speaking.” He once again asked “is this Angela xxx?” I again replied “this is her speaking.” He then said I needed to answer “yes” before he could continue. I hung up.

Apparently some scammers record you saying “yes” then apply it to you agreeing to some scheme.

I heard of this, they ask you a question like, "can you hear me?" Then you say "yes" and they can use that as you consenting to whatever the scam is.

 

[anniemae]

Surprised in this day and age that anyone falls for those scams.

Unfortunately many people do. Lots of elderly people get scammed out of a lot of money.

 

[tvguy]

I heard of this, they ask you a question like, "can you hear me?" Then you say "yes" and they can use that as you consenting to whatever the scam is.

Which is why they tell you never to answer "yes" to that question, but instead say "what can I help you with?"

 

[loves to dive]

Haven't heard of either one. Since my grand daughter is too young to talk, I'd know that one wasn't for me. Are you home? I would have alarm bells ringing all over the place.

I have specific music assigned to people I know I want to or need to talk to. If it's not that song, or my doctor's office name doesn't pop up, I don't answer then check my voice mail later.

By the way, hubby's is Elvis "Can't help falling in love", sons is Jackson 5 "ABC", brothers is "Ode to Billie Joe" Mama's was Doris Day "Que Sera" work is "Working on the chain gang".

 

[sam_gordon]

Speaking of scams, got this letter in the mail. Usually I'd expect having to sit through a time share offer, but you can see (in the area of the fine print I highlighted) it says not a time share offer. So what are they offering? Probably a vacation club? I'll admit, I'm a little tempted.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I just don't answer the phone truly. I get too many scam, fraud, spam and spoofing calls to do so and it's been that way for a long time. Most voice mails are automated scam/spam calls too.

Funnily enough we were in Puerto Rico these past several days and I actually had great signal the whole time (my husband did not and was on a contracted out network). However there were a few spots where I had low enough signal to not be able to pull up certain things but lo and behold I get a call and it's one that HiYa detected as Scam Likely

 

[tvguy]

I have specific music assigned to people I know I want to or need to talk to. If it's not that song, or my doctor's office name doesn't pop up, I don't answer then check my voice mail later.

I've been to so many specialists in the last two years I HAVE to answer my cell phone. First, because they all call from phones that have the caller ID blocked,. Second, trying to get a hold of them by calling them back after checking a voicemail is darn near impossible.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I get a lot of spam/scammer calls too. It's gotten to a point where I don't pick up if it's a number I don't recognize.

Recently I started getting scam texts on Whatsapp. Mostly consisting of people wanting me to buy Bitcoin or send them money to invest into cryptocurrency. No thanks, I'm good.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Haven't heard of either one. Since my grand daughter is too young to talk, I'd know that one wasn't for me. Are you home? I would have alarm bells ringing all over the place.

I have specific music assigned to people I know I want to or need to talk to. If it's not that song, or my doctor's office name doesn't pop up, I don't answer then check my voice mail later.

By the way, hubby's is Elvis "Can't help falling in love", sons is Jackson 5 "ABC", brothers is "Ode to Billie Joe" Mama's was Doris Day "Que Sera" work is "Working on the chain gang".

I have special songs for DH & DS. One of my sisters asked why I only had special ringtones for them. I told her I chose those, because the songs were particularly nostalgic to me. I like hearing them often, because they bring back special memories. She didn't buy it & accused me of doing it, so I'd know which calls to always answer. I think she knows me too well. In my defense, my answer was also true.

 

[mikehn]

Once my dad got a call from a person who said they had just kidnapped his son, which is me, and they demanded a ransom. Funny thing was I had just gotten off the phone with my dad about 2 minutes earlier. No we didnt report it to the police, it came from some 'unknown' number.

 

[Her Dotness]

Unless you're bored and want to toy with them, saying nothing with sound effect <disconnect> is best.

I had fun once with one of those "Your computer has a virus" guys. Went something like this--

Virus Guy: Your Weendows computer has a virus. (condensed some here because I rudely interrupted his script reading)
Me: Really? Which one?
VG: Your Weendows computer.
Me: I understood you. Which one? We have several. (Actually, that was true.)
VG: It is your Weendows computer. It has a bad virus.
Me: That still doesn't help me. We have more than one Windows computer.
VG: (a little irritated) I am saying it is your Windows computer.
Me: Oh, you mean MY personal computer. It's a Mac. Doesn't have Windows. Which of the others is it?
VG: <CLICK>

 

[sam_gordon]

Unless you're bored and want to toy with them, saying nothing with sound effect <disconnect> is best.

I had fun once with one of those "Your computer has a virus" guys. Went something like this--

Virus Guy: Your Weendows computer has a virus. (condensed some here because I rudely interrupted his script reading)
Me: Really? Which one?
VG: Your Weendows computer.
Me: I understood you. Which one? We have several. (Actually, that was true.)
VG: It is your Weendows computer. It has a bad virus.
Me: That still doesn't help me. We have more than one Windows computer.
VG: (a little irritated) I am saying it is your Windows computer.
Me: Oh, you mean MY personal computer. It's a Mac. Doesn't have Windows. Which of the others is it?
VG: <CLICK>

I've done the same ploy multiple times. I figure if I'm tying them up, they're not scamming someone else.

 

[Moliphino]

We had a weird one at my parents' house the other day. We didn't answer because the caller ID was clearly telemarketing or scam, but the answering machine picked up and it sounded like what you'd hear through a baby monitor.

 

[Her Dotness]

I've done the same ploy multiple times. I figure if I'm tying them up, they're not scamming someone else.

I'm not that civic minded.

I just do this for malicious revenge.

 

[Mysterian]

What a golden opportunity to lead the scammer on, that Granny scam.

I heard of one where they scam you out of money through some zany claim there's a warrant for your arrest and the police are on their way. There's YouTube videos of people tormenting these scammers. The scammer asks to verify their address, and the women gave her address as 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The scammer was completely oblivious, and tells her the cops are on their way.

Another guy had gotten his hooks so deeply into a scanner in another country, that he even made the scammer videotape his own recreation of the "dead parrot" Monty Python skit.