What scam was this?

[Pooh2]

My friend's lonely, elderly mom got scammed and they cleaned out her entire retirement account (about $200,000).
The kicker was the IRS charging her thousands of dollars for taxes on the withdrawal which was eventually overturned with the help of elder abuse attorneys.
It was an incredibly stressful mess for their whole family.
It's infuriating that these scum buckets get away with their crimes against the elderly.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I got a voicemail yesterday from someone with a very strong accent from the “IRS” saying that if I didn’t call this number and give them my banking info and social security number the police would be contacted and a warrant for my arrest issued. Yeah,ok. Who falls for this? Doesn’t even make any sense.

 

[Sacahara]

My grandma once got a scam call claiming to be her granddaughter in jail and needing to be bailed out, she asked whether is was me or my cousin and they gave my name and she looked across the table at me (we were eating dinner) and said "When did you go to jail?!" they hung up on her.

 

[Her Dotness]

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.

You also don't want to answer, "How are you?", with "Fine." That can be used as an affirmative for whatever they're scamming.

If I absentmindedly pick up to either of these, I say nothing but "Who's calling?" or if feeling less inclined to play, "What do you want?"

 

[Sacahara]

You also don't want to answer, "How are you?", with "Fine." That can be used as an affirmative for whatever they're scamming.

If I absentmindedly pick up to either of these, I say nothing but "Who's calling?" or if feeling less inclined to play, "What do you want?"

I also like to answer the phone and then mute my end and just leave them on until they hang up, they can't scam someone if they're held up by me....even if it is just a couple of seconds.

 

[Cadiewampus]

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.
View attachment 736949

I got that as well but I threw it away. I just assumed it was some sort of club that was going to cost more than it was worth.

 

[sam_gordon]

I got that as well but I threw it away. I just assumed it was some sort of club that was going to cost more than it was worth.

I actually called the number. There was going to be a 60-90 minute presentation on how we could save money on vacation. If they would have had evening times, I probably would have signed us up. They had 10am for three days and 1p for two of those days. "Are you and your wife available?" "Nope, we both work." "OK, maybe next time."

I would have liked to have some more information about the plane tickets...
1) Would they work from our home airport?
2) What airlines?

I mean two RT tickets and two nights at a Marriot or Hilton would be a nice little getaway for us.

 

[DLgal]

Don't pick up the phone for unknown numbers. This just cements your number as valid for scammers.

Set up spam filtering on your cell phone and ignore any calls from unknown numbers.

I never get spam calls anymore.

 

[Random Ninja]

You also don't want to answer, "How are you?", with "Fine." That can be used as an affirmative for whatever they're scamming.

If I absentmindedly pick up to either of these, I say nothing but "Who's calling?" or if feeling less inclined to play, "What do you want?"

I answer the phone in Japanese. Nobody yet has replied in kind. Usually all I get is an uh..uh..click.

 

[barkley]

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 2 ringtones on my cell phone-'sci fi' which is assigned to dh/both my kids/my brother, and 'ducks' which is for anything else that comes through. if my purse starts quacking i'm not reaching for the phone (all my doctors and such use my landline number).

Don't pick up the phone for unknown numbers. This just cements your number as valid for scammers.

never do on cell, most of the time never on landline except when caller i.d. is periodically acting wonky and not identifying when i'm expecting a call. seems like since the first of the year i'm getting hammered with both scam calls on my cell phone (8 or 10 a day) that just fill my voicemail with empty air and an ABUNDANCE of scam emails-in particular supposed notifications about 'your bank account' at banks i've never been associated with so they are really phishing.

 

[kdonnel]

Why are you all answering your phones for unknown numbers?

Just don’t answer the phone unless you know the person calling.

If it is an unknown caller you need to speak with they will leave a voicemail.

 

[mrodgers]

This has me wondering. I don't have a cell plan. I have a pre-paid account, although my name is associated with it and I log on to AT&T just like someone on a contract plan. I don't ever get any calls like this (knock on wood.) Wonder if the pre-paid thing has anything to do with that.

Anyone else with a pre-paid service but from a major provider like ATT or Verizon not get calls that everyone seems to complain about?

 

[DLgal]

i have 2 ringtones on my cell phone-'sci fi' which is assigned to dh/both my kids/my brother, and 'ducks' which is for anything else that comes through. if my purse starts quacking i'm not reaching for the phone (all my doctors and such use my landline number).



never do on cell, most of the time never on landline except when caller i.d. is periodically acting wonky and not identifying when i'm expecting a call. seems like since the first of the year i'm getting hammered with both scam calls on my cell phone (8 or 10 a day) that just fill my voicemail with empty air and an ABUNDANCE of scam emails-in particular supposed notifications about 'your bank account' at banks i've never been associated with so they are really phishing.

Yeah, the email spam is getting crazy, probably because the FCC has finally started going after phone scammers in a real way.

 

[ChrisFL]

if I don't recognize the phone number I don't pick it up, if it's important they can leave a voicemail.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My dad, retired cop/detective, used to get the grandpa calls all the time. He loved to mess with them! He only has two grandsons (my two boys) who call him by a name other than grandpa. He knew immediately if it was an actual grandson or not. When the guy would say, "Grandpa! It's me!." My dad would say, "Michael, is that you?" The guy would say, "Yeah! It's me, Michael!" Neither of my boys are named Michael. Then they would give some story about being in jail. One guy broke his nose and was stuck in Canada and couldn't get home. My dad would keep them on the phone for as long as he could to waste their time and entertain himself. Then he would call me and laugh about it.

After my dad passed away, my mom started answering the phone more and they turned into Grandma calls. She listens to their story and gives them a one-liner before hanging up. One guy said he cut his leg badly and needed to go to the ER but didn't have any money. My mom said, "Oh that's terrible. I guess you're going to bleed to death, aren't you?" Another guy said he needed money for an attorney and was too embarrassed to call his parents. My mom said, "Just ask for a public defender." The guy said, "But Grandma, I need a really good attorney or I might get locked up for a long time and then you'll never see me again." She said, "You never come to visit me anyway. Why would I care if you get locked up?" Then she hung up. One thing I've never worried about with my elderly parents is getting scammed!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Why are you all answering your phones for unknown numbers?

Just don’t answer the phone unless you know the person calling.

If it is an unknown caller you need to speak with they will leave a voicemail.

Sometimes I get phone calls from my doctor. She uses whatever phone is handy. Unknown number, but I'm expecting a call, so I answer.

Voicemail only works if you set it up.

 

[leebee]

Our most frequent unknown caller these days is "Spam Risk." I always laugh- they are ADVERTISING themselves!

 

[kdonnel]

Sometimes I get phone calls from my doctor. She uses whatever phone is handy. Unknown number, but I'm expecting a call, so I answer.

Voicemail only works if you set it up.

Set up voicemail. Your doctor will leave a message. You never need to answer an unknown call.

 

[barkley]

If it is an unknown caller you need to speak with they will leave a voicemail.

Sometimes I get phone calls from my doctor. She uses whatever phone is handy. Unknown number, but I'm expecting a call, so I answer.

this is one of my issues or it's that to call someone back at a medical providers (or insurance company) almost no one has direct lines-you have to go through phone tree hell and hope you can connect with them. i am dogged when leaving a message for a medical provider (or staff) or any type of insurance provider to say specifically in my voice mail message that i am expressly giving permission for them to PLEASE leave whatever information i am seeking on what is my absolutely private voicemail but i guess they are so paranoid about breaking confidentiality laws 9 times out of 10 they will only identify themselves and ask for a call back (so it's another minimum couple of days of phone tag unless i risk it and pick up a call from a number being shown as unknown or just blank on my caller id).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

almost no one has direct lines-you have to go through phone tree hell and hope you can connect with them.

so it's another minimum couple of days of phone tag unless i risk it and pick up a call from a number being shown as unknown

Totally.