Who Falls For Phone Scams? - Comments Page 1

I suppose because I am 67 years old I still use the old maxim my father taught me. "if it sounds too good to be true it is not true!" I taught the same thing to my son who is now 36 years old. He doesn't fall for scams. The young people falling for scams appear to have not been properly instructed by their parents or they were not listening.
Unfortunately, for them there is no app for either of those necessities of life.

If the phone number is not in my address book, I do not answer the call. Anyone who wants to get a hold of me will leave a message for me. Anyone else I block the number.

I believe it. I see weekly people sharing those "Like this post for a chance to win [insert fake prize]" on Facebook. I keep telling my friends those are not real and they shouldn't be sharing those, but most of them don't care and do it anyway saying "you never know, it might be real!" I just shake my head. Common sense isn't so common anymore.

As Nina said: If the unknown caller doesn't leave a message explaining who they are and why they want to talk to me, they get no response from me.

I don't usually answer calls from an unknown number, but if I do, my scam sensors are on high alert, ready to dump the call.

I think penalties for this sort of scam, and all types of internet scams (especially the ransomware horror) should be extreme. The perps should be tracked down and put in prison. The government needs to fund a special investigation office for this growing area of crime.

Maybe you can't fix stupid, but that does not excuse the cruelty and greed of these lice.

After reading up on this last week, I subscribed to NOMOROBO for my landline. The very annoying calls that I was getting every day telling me that I can reduce my credit card debt have stopped--even the ones that were masking the number to try to appear like my neighbors were calling. Phone will ring once and then stop immediately.

I also follow the rule that if I don't recognize the number, I don't answer the call. If it is really someone trying to reach me, they can leave a message on my machine. The only time recently that I answered the phone (and without really thinking about it) was when the credit card debt scammer called and masked their call with my home number--I should have known that I was not calling my phone from my own number.

I'm like Kevin. If I don't recognize the number, I don't answer. Once in awhile I slip up. Two favorite scams around here are (1) a person representing himself as a tech support person for Microsoft Windows asks you for computer info so they can take it over. I told this person that is was a scam and hung up. (2) Person claiming to represent IRS and told me I was being sued. Person said Internal Revenue SERVICES( a dumb giveaway) & I also told him it was a scam and hung up. IRS will NEVER pusue anybody by phone or e-mail' it's always by snail mail.

I, too, don't answer a call from someone not in my contacts list. They can leave me a message on Google Voicemail.

I've gotten those Microsoft Tech calls and as a retired technician, they get an earful from me and they hang up quickly.

With the other kinds of calls, my grand piano works well... The portable or mobile phone goes in the piano and a big arm banging chord usually means I never get a call back from that number again. :-)

If you won a whole bunch of money (for something you never entered) and you need to wire the money for tax withholding to them, it ain't happenin! If you really won something, they will deduct the tax from your winnings and send you a 1099 tax form.

I had the U. S. Treasury Dept. call me. Mr. John White had a distinct Indian accent. When I questioned him about his very strong accent, he called me a racist. He told me that unless I complied, I was going to be investigated. I asked him for his ID number and he told me that he would give it to me when I gave him my social security number. I replied that he should have it he was calling me. He told me to shut up. I said that I didn't think my government employees should be telling a U.S. citizen to shut up. He then told me he was investigating me for tax fraud. I replied then that he should be with the IRS, not the Treasury Dept. Again he told me to shut up. He said if I didn't comply, he would send agents to my house in two hours to collect the money. I was trying so hard not to laugh that I couldn't speak. He took advantage of the silence to tell me that I better pay up. I replied with:"I'm about to fix supper. Do you think your agents will be hungry? I'll wait." He said a few colorful words, told me to shut up once again, and hung up. I'm still waiting for those agents to show up.

We may detest them but could you imagine being a telemarketer? Knowing full well that he is just trying to earn a living?
There has been many vigilante tactics against them: see this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JODjtsQOC3Y.
But at the end of the day, I think that it is best to follow the great recommendations above and just leave them be, even if you subscribe to nomorobo!

I got a call from a youthful voice:
"Grandpa?
Huh?
Who's your favorite grandson?
Larry! Is that you?"

I had about 5 minutes of fun with this kid (I don't have a grandson named Larry), until he caught on, then the line went >

Call from 'Microsoft' - 'Your computer is sending out what looks like a lot of spam, that's illegal and you could go to jail."

Me: What port do you show me using, and I'll check it and block it"

Them: ????????

Me: Just tell me the port that the spam is coming from and I'll check it and see. If after I block it and you still show that I'm sending spam, PLEASE call me back because I can work on it from this end to nail the problem pronto!"

Them: bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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Never fails - pretend knowledge you don't have, and let them prove your wrong - AFTER you 'fix the problem'. Those phone calls are spooky - as in "Do you have a (name brand of computer)in your house? I've tried: no I use a Mac. But that only works for so long and they call back. Ask for a port out, and they don't know what you mean. Hell, I almost don't know what I mean, but it sure means something because they hardly ever call back, and Bob solved that many months ago in his letter on how to block robo calls.

Ever since Bob - thank you Bob =--- posted about robotcaller (I guess the name is) such phone calls have stopped, over about 4-5 months robos have gone from 8-10 a day down to Heck, -- I hate to say it but ONE -- early last week!!!! --

Thanks Bob!

I started using nomorobo and it work pretty good.

I agree with Rob's comment, and would postulate that male millennials are most susceptible because they are more conditioned to getting something for nothing or for no personal effort.

I have had several calls from "Microsoft," stating that my computer has a virus, and I need to go to a certain web site to correct the problem. I almost fell for it the first time, (I'm 67)but I Googled in the web site first. SCAM was the first thing I noticed on the Google sites that came up. I hung up, but I still occasionally get the same type of calls. I talked with a computer savvy guy that I know about this situation, and he asked, "Do you really think that Microsoft cares if you have a virus on your computer? That put things into the proper perspective.

If it's a number I don't know, I don't answer it. They can leave a message if it's important and I'll call back ASAP. If it sounds too good, it's a fake...

Here in Indonesia the scammers are repeating the practice of a few years ago - that is stealing credits from subscribers accounts - now there is no protection from that. Phone credit are topped up here in cash but that is not where the theft takes place. One is only aware when the phone call you are making suddenly cuts out even though you know beforehand that you have sufficient credit.

I'm 73 and I screen almost all my calls. I have, on occasion, answered a couple from the "Microsoft Technicians" telling me about the malware on my computer. I just tell them I don't see how this is possible, as I have a MAC, not a PC.

I don't think becoming a senior makes one gullible (unless there is a medical issue). I'm 73 and have a theory about the seniors who are easily scammed. I suspect they were gullible when they were 25 and continued to be gullible throughout their lives, only now they blame it on being a senior. I don't appreciate the bad reputation that gives to the rest of us.