Messing with phone scammers, looks I've been ID'd

[kranky]

For whatever reason (Have I offended the gods? I really don't remember doing that.), I'm getting multiple calls a day from scammers in India pretending to be Visa or MC and telling me my credit card interest rate will be reduced to 0%. They always spoof caller ID with a different local number - no way to block. The calls are annoying but I realized on days I work from home, I can keep them engaged for a while and still get work done. I'd like to think I'm saving some other people from getting called by tying up one of their scammers for a while. Their script never changes, I just hit speakerphone, I talk slow and try to sound old, and keep working while the dance begins.

Starts with the enticing offer, want to know roughly how much I owe, then they want me to "verify my information" by giving them info from my credit card...

"So which credit card do you owe the most balance? Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express...?"
The one from the bank.
"What bank?"
Maple Valley Bank.
"OK, is it a Visa or Mastercard?
It's blue. From the bank.
"What kind of card is it?"
It's a blue card.
"Yes, but is it Visa or Mastercard?"
I don't know, it's blue. It's a blue card. It has a blue color.
"No, no, is it a Visa or Mastercard? What does it say on the card?" <frustration level rising>
I don't know, I don't have it in front of me.
"Could you get your card?"
It's upstairs, I have to go get it.
"That's OK, take your time, I will hold."
<at this point I stop talking. While I work I can still hear background noises from their end. Then after a couple minutes I will hear...>
"Hello? Hello? <pause> Are you there? <pause for a minute or two> Hello? Are you there?"
My personal best was one guy who stayed on for 10 minutes before hanging up.

But today was different.
<typical opening>
"Is it a Visa or Mastercard?"
It's blue.
"You can roll up that blue card and shove it up your ass."

I guess we had spoken before.

 

[eng2d2]

They have a new one now or semi new telling you about cable bill. They want to lower your cable bill. They have a box from shaamtv (legitimate) from india. You can purchase using credit card, debit card or gift card.

 

[Muse]

That's great stuff, good imagination there! I have watched a few Youtube videos of guys working scammers. Great stuff.

I just don't answer my phone anymore unless I have good reason to believe it's legit. I glance at the LCD, hear the automated voice saying where the call is from. My automatic message states that if they don't leave a message, they're going to be blocked in the future. My phone does have call blocking.

 

[ElFenix]

 

[VirtualLarry]

Got any of them, claiming to be the local electrical utility company? (With a HEAVY, not-really-understandable Indian accent.)

Friend has a good policy. If they don't sound "American", hang up.

 

[KMFJD]

Got any of them, claiming to be the local electrical utility company? (With a HEAVY, not-really-understandable Indian accent.)

Friend has a good policy. If they don't sound "American", hang up.

that policy sucks ass for some of my coworkers that don't sound 'merican but have to do support

 

[Hans Gruber]

I have actually said my name is Sanjay when they say they are Brett or Steve with a thick Indian accent. I actually got a laugh from the telemarketer once.

 

[OccamsToothbrush]

For whatever reason (Have I offended the gods? I really don't remember doing that.), I'm getting multiple calls a day from scammers in India pretending to be Visa or MC and telling me my credit card interest rate will be reduced to 0%. They always spoof caller ID with a different local number - no way to block. The calls are annoying but I realized on days I work from home, I can keep them engaged for a while and still get work done. I'd like to think I'm saving some other people from getting called by tying up one of their scammers for a while. Their script never changes, I just hit speakerphone, I talk slow and try to sound old, and keep working while the dance begins.

1) They're getting paid, you're not. Talking slowly does not equate to winning. You're intentionally wasting your own time.

2) Of course there's a way to block. If the caller ID is not a number or name you recognize just don't pick up. I know the name and number of the people I want to talk to and the names of the businesses with a legitimate reason to call. Everyone else can go pound sand.

 

[VirtualLarry]

that policy sucks ass for some of my coworkers that don't sound 'merican but have to do support

Does your co-worker that "does support" cold-call people out of the blue, with a heavy foreign accent? Sorry if I don't have any sympathy.

Edit: Also, tell your company and management to hire some "real Americans", rather than H1B's. I hear that there's a large labor pool growing in ex-coal country, put in a call center, let them answer the phones for minimum wage.

 

[randay]

For whatever reason (Have I offended the gods? I really don't remember doing that.), I'm getting multiple calls a day from scammers in India pretending to be Visa or MC and telling me my credit card interest rate will be reduced to 0%. They always spoof caller ID with a different local number - no way to block. The calls are annoying but I realized on days I work from home, I can keep them engaged for a while and still get work done. I'd like to think I'm saving some other people from getting called by tying up one of their scammers for a while. Their script never changes, I just hit speakerphone, I talk slow and try to sound old, and keep working while the dance begins.

Starts with the enticing offer, want to know roughly how much I owe, then they want me to "verify my information" by giving them info from my credit card...

"So which credit card do you owe the most balance? Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express...?"
The one from the bank.
"What bank?"
Maple Valley Bank.
"OK, is it a Visa or Mastercard?
It's blue. From the bank.
"What kind of card is it?"
It's a blue card.
"Yes, but is it Visa or Mastercard?"
I don't know, it's blue. It's a blue card. It has a blue color.
"No, no, is it a Visa or Mastercard? What does it say on the card?" <frustration level rising>
I don't know, I don't have it in front of me.
"Could you get your card?"
It's upstairs, I have to go get it.
"That's OK, take your time, I will hold."
<at this point I stop talking. While I work I can still hear background noises from their end. Then after a couple minutes I will hear...>
"Hello? Hello? <pause> Are you there? <pause for a minute or two> Hello? Are you there?"
My personal best was one guy who stayed on for 10 minutes before hanging up.

But today was different.
<typical opening>
"Is it a Visa or Mastercard?"
It's blue.
"You can roll up that blue card and shove it up your ass."

I guess we had spoken before.

OMG THATS INSANE!!!!! how do you get the card up your ass? you must have a giant asshole?

 

[Fir]

With iOS 13 this is a non issue. Silence calls that aren't contacts is great. Then block the numbers and they're gone forever. If it's a legitimate call, they can still leave a VM. 98% of robocalls don't leave VMs.

 

[herm0016]

i asked if one of them was in new Delhi or Calcutta and he said ' i'm in your azzzzzzzzzz" and hung up. lol

i got the SS one, and some recording of a guy saying i can make 10k in 2 weeks if i just follow his plan today.

the indian ones seem to have dropped off a bit recently. i did get the electric utility one about a month ago, saying they were going to shut off my DTE energy. but I dont live in MI. its just my area code.

 

[killster1]

yea i have my phone silent except for a few chosen numbers, everyone knows to txt me anyway (and those are all silent too except for my wife) hehehe if i had time to play on the phone im sure id do something else instead like watch some funny tv while working and not talk to scammers, but i do think he is doing others a favor, they dont get paid by the hour they get paid by the scam, my ex's mom actually went to the bank to send money to scammers after infecting her own pc at their request. was so crazy i felt like i had to break up with the girl if her mom was easily scammed ;P but boy o boy was she pretty hahaha

 

[bononos]

With iOS 13 this is a non issue. Silence calls that aren't contacts is great. Then block the numbers and they're gone forever. If it's a legitimate call, they can still leave a VM. 98% of robocalls don't leave VMs.

Edit - Got confused up here, the Pixel 4 feature is a scam recognition filter on the latest phones.

Screen your calls before you answer them - Google Assistant Help

You can use Call Screen to find out who’s calling and why before you pick up a call. Call Screen works on your device and doesn't use Wi-Fi or mobile data. Calls answered by Google Assistant&nbsp

support.google.com

-----------------
I wish android has the same feature, its only a new thing on the latest Pixel 4 for now.

 

[eng2d2]

Does your co-worker that "does support" cold-call people out of the blue, with a heavy foreign accent? Sorry if I don't have any sympathy.

Edit: Also, tell your company and management to hire some "real Americans", rather than H1B's. I hear that there's a large labor pool growing in ex-coal country, put in a call center, let them answer the phones for minimum wage.

right on

 

[Captante]

Got any of them, claiming to be the local electrical utility company? (With a HEAVY, not-really-understandable Indian accent.)

Friend has a good policy. If they don't sound "American", hang up.

I have an even better policy ... never ever answer a call from a number not in my contacts or check my voicemail. If you want to actually speak with me you'll need to email or text explaining why and maybe I'll call you.

 

[KMFJD]

Does your co-worker that "does support" cold-call people out of the blue, with a heavy foreign accent? Sorry if I don't have any sympathy.

Edit: Also, tell your company and management to hire some "real Americans", rather than H1B's. I hear that there's a large labor pool growing in ex-coal country, put in a call center, let them answer the phones for minimum wage.

They don't do cold calls, but a lot of people tend to not answer them back....and then complain about the lack of support ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[purbeast0]

Unless I am expecting a call from someone not in my contacts, if there is a number I don't know and I am by my phone, I press the button to make it stop ringing immediately. If they don't leave a voice mail, they get blocked.

Same goes for if I'm not around my phone when the call comes in but obviously I can't push the button to make it stop ringing. But if I get to my phone and see a missed call from a number I don't know and no voicemail, then it gets blocked.

 

[Muse]

that policy sucks ass for some of my coworkers that don't sound 'merican but have to do support

Sure, but what business do they have calling you/me? If a stranger with an Indian accent calls me, am I not wasting my time asking them what they have on their mind? Or practically anyone?

 

[Red Squirrel]

I have this one number that tries calling me every freaking day and it's dead air. I had to find and install an app on my phone so I could block that number. Downside is it blocks pretty much all scammers so I can't have fun with them anymore. I don't mind the occasional scam call because it's fun to screw with them but that one that was calling me every freaking day, FTS. What sucks is there's not even anyone at the other end for me to yell at.

 

[Muse]

I have actually said my name is Sanjay when they say they are Brett or Steve with a thick Indian accent. I actually got a laugh from the telemarketer once.

Vishnu, Vishwa!

 

[lxskllr]

I wish android has the same feature, its only a new thing on the latest Pixel 4 for now.

Blacklist Blocker | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

Block unwanted calls and/or SMS

f-droid.org

 

[Red Squirrel]

The one I found is called Mr. Number. Problem with these sort of apps is I don't know if they're harvesting and selling my info. They state that they don't, but you kinda have to take that with a grain of salt these days.

 

[Muse]

Unless I am expecting a call from someone not in my contacts, if there is a number I don't know and I am by my phone, I press the button to make it stop ringing immediately. If they don't leave a voice mail, they get blocked.

Same goes for if I'm not around my phone when the call comes in but obviously I can't push the button to make it stop ringing. But if I get to my phone and see a missed call from a number I don't know and no voicemail, then it gets blocked.

Yeah, I think my Panasonic phone will do that but I have to manually go through a process to add the number to the blocked call list (which has 250 number capacity). The Panasonic system to do it is pretty complicated, more than it needs to be. I have stopped doing it recently, I just ignore any call from someone not on my call list who doesn't leave a message, and never pick up unless I have reason to think I might have business with them.

I've been getting a lot less scam calls lately, fingers crossed.

 

[mikeymikec]

For whatever reason (Have I offended the gods? I really don't remember doing that.), I'm getting multiple calls a day from scammers in India pretending to be Visa or MC and telling me my credit card interest rate will be reduced to 0%. They always spoof caller ID with a different local number - no way to block. The calls are annoying but I realized on days I work from home, I can keep them engaged for a while and still get work done. I'd like to think I'm saving some other people from getting called by tying up one of their scammers for a while. Their script never changes, I just hit speakerphone, I talk slow and try to sound old, and keep working while the dance begins.

Starts with the enticing offer, want to know roughly how much I owe, then they want me to "verify my information" by giving them info from my credit card...

"So which credit card do you owe the most balance? Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express...?"
The one from the bank.
"What bank?"
Maple Valley Bank.
"OK, is it a Visa or Mastercard?
It's blue. From the bank.
"What kind of card is it?"
It's a blue card.
"Yes, but is it Visa or Mastercard?"
I don't know, it's blue. It's a blue card. It has a blue color.
"No, no, is it a Visa or Mastercard? What does it say on the card?" <frustration level rising>
I don't know, I don't have it in front of me.
"Could you get your card?"
It's upstairs, I have to go get it.
"That's OK, take your time, I will hold."
<at this point I stop talking. While I work I can still hear background noises from their end. Then after a couple minutes I will hear...>
"Hello? Hello? <pause> Are you there? <pause for a minute or two> Hello? Are you there?"
My personal best was one guy who stayed on for 10 minutes before hanging up.

After a few minutes of making them wait, pull out your bus pass and describe it.

For a computer-related scammer, I wasted plenty of their time by pretending they wanted to check my Nintendo 64.

1) They're getting paid, you're not

When I was a teen, I was interviewed for what turned out to be a telesales job and the pay was 99% performance-based. I bet these scammers are employed in a similar fashion, so I'd bet that time-wasting is a sound strategy (if one's own time is wasteable).