topic Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy? in Community Chat

So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

Krimpette — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:10:47 GMT

I have a land line. I have had three calls in the last couple of weeks (the most recent being this morning) with the same pattern. The phone rings three short rings but the number doesn't register on my caller ID. In each case, they leave a message. Their messages are read in such a fashion that it's almost impossible to discern what they are saying. The only thing understandable is the phone number they leave, which always begins with 877. Since the number doesn't register, I have no way of blocking them. (Needless to say, i don't answer them, especially since I can't even understand them on the voice message!). Anyone else get similar calls?

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

dex — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:15:14 GMT

@Krimpette I haven’t received any but I am certain they will happen at some point.The scammers are high tec it seems

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

queen75 — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:35:41 GMT

@Krimpette wrote:
I have a land line. I have had three calls in the last couple of weeks (the most recent being this morning) with the same pattern. The phone rings three short rings but the number doesn't register on my caller ID. In each case, they leave a message. Their messages are read in such a fashion that it's almost impossible to discern what they are saying. The only thing understandable is the phone number they leave, which always begins with 877. Since the number doesn't register, I have no way of blocking them. (Needless to say, i don't answer them, especially since I can't even understand them on the voice message!). Anyone else get similar calls?

@Krimpette I have been getting quite a few these past two weeks. Never answer and block them.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

ALRATIBA — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:37:20 GMT

I don't answer my cell phone or landline unless I know the caller. Most of my friends are the same way, and we know to leave a voice mail, message each other or email.

If I scroll through the caller numbers ... from all over the country. No one leaves a message.

On the cell ... a bunch of us around here have been getting calls and they leave a very brief (15 second) voice mail in what sounds like Chinese.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

Krimpette — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:41:18 GMT

@queen75 How are you able to block them? The ones I mentioned do not show up on my caller ID.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

queen75 — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:48:51 GMT

@Krimpette wrote:
@queen75 How are you able to block them? The ones I mentioned do not show up on my caller ID.

@Krimpette I am able to see their numbers. If they block their numbers they do not get through.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

dooBdoo — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 16:03:15 GMT

Those hidden/masked/blocked/unknown Caller IDs are just a part of the Caller ID spoofing used by criminals.

The direct-to-voicemail calls, usually with no ring or just brief ones, are called "ringless voice mail" which is an attempt to bypass some of the laws by using loopholes in the system. They also hope the recipients will listen to voicemail messages and call back (bad idea). There are articles online about this. Here's an example in a New York Times piece (copy and paste the link or search for the article title -- if you're blocked from reading it, clear your browser cookies/cache/website data):

"No, Your Phone Didn’t Ring. So Why Voice Mail From a Telemarketer?"

nytimes.com/2017/06/03/business/phone-ringless-voicemail-fcc-telemarketer.html

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

shaggygirl — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:52:45 GMT

@ALRATIBA wrote:
I don't answer my cell phone or landline unless I know the caller. Most of my friends are the same way, and we know to leave a voice mail, message each other or email.

If I scroll through the caller numbers ... from all over the country. No one leaves a message.

On the cell ... a bunch of us around here have been getting calls and they leave a very brief (15 second) voice mail in what sounds like Chinese.

@ALRATIBA

I just made mention in another thread of getting one of those Chinese or Japanese voicemails on my cell phone yesterday.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

Krimpette — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:54:15 GMT

@dooBdoo Thank you! That's exactly what I experienced! Annoying that I can't block them, but I definitely don't answer them. The one this morning came almost right after an earlier call that showed up as "SPAM?" on my caller ID, which I did block. Wonder if they were related calls.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

dooBdoo — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:10:27 GMT

@shaggygirl wrote:
@ALRATIBA wrote:
I don't answer my cell phone or landline unless I know the caller. Most of my friends are the same way, and we know to leave a voice mail, message each other or email.

If I scroll through the caller numbers ... from all over the country. No one leaves a message.

On the cell ... a bunch of us around here have been getting calls and they leave a very brief (15 second) voice mail in what sounds like Chinese.

@ALRATIBA

I just made mention of getting one of those Chinese or Japanese voicemails on my cell phone yesterday.

@ALRATIBA and @shaggygirl, This might be the culprit (copy and paste link or search for the NPR article title):

"Chinese Robocalls Bombarding The U.S. Are Part Of An International Phone Scam"

npr.org/2018/05/10/609117134/chinese-robocalls-bombarding-the-u-s-are-part-of-an-international-phone-scam

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

ID2 — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:09:27 GMT

Easy solution...get a cell phone. As soon as I flag a number as spam, if they ever call again I never know because it goes straight to my spam. My phone learns the pattern of the scammers and will then block all other numbers they may use.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

Spurt — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:20:32 GMT

@Krimpette

@dooBdoo provided you some excellent possible answers to your current phone call situation.....Here's another possibility?

Did you get any notice from your phone carrier? A bill was passed in June of this year allowing phone carriers to block calls before it gets to you if these are known robocalls (it works kinda like nomorobo)......BUT your carrier has to notify you, and those that love love love these calls can also opt out....Verizon was supposed to be one of the first to pilot this plan....

This is from CNN Business---June 6, 2019....

The Federal Communications Commission voted on Thursday to give wireless carriers like Verizon the green light to block unwanted robocalls automatically for all customers. The move could curb a torrent of phone-based scams and unwelcome interruptions that have afflicted millions of consumers, said the FCC.

The vote clears the way for carriers to switch on robocall-blocking technologies for phone lines by default. The technology works by using algorithms and network scanning to identify unwanted calls, similar to how email providers scan for spam messages.

Carriers that switch on such technologies will be required to let customers opt out of the programs if they wish to continue receiving all calls.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

Krimpette — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:23:56 GMT

@Spurt I don't recall getting any notice from Verizon. But I'm not very good about reading the enclosures that come with my bill. I'll have to pay more attention, or maybe I already missed such a notice.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

Spurt — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:24:06 GMT

@ID2 wrote:
Easy solution...get a cell phone. As soon as I flag a number as spam, if they ever call again I never know because it goes straight to my spam. My phone learns the pattern of the scammers and will then block all other numbers they may use.

@ID2

What kind of a cell phone do you have? Android or iPhone.?.....I have an Android that has been getting spam calls and even with a call blocker they get through, probably because they are spoofing the number they are actually calling from ....so its not blocked. But some with iPhones seem to have better luck with blocked calls not getting through....

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

Krimpette — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:26:46 GMT

@ID2 I have a cell phone, but I'm not willing to give up my land line.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

Spurt — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:38:42 GMT

@dooBdoo wrote:
@shaggygirl wrote:
@ALRATIBA wrote:
I don't answer my cell phone or landline unless I know the caller. Most of my friends are the same way, and we know to leave a voice mail, message each other or email.

If I scroll through the caller numbers ... from all over the country. No one leaves a message.

On the cell ... a bunch of us around here have been getting calls and they leave a very brief (15 second) voice mail in what sounds like Chinese.

@ALRATIBA

I just made mention of getting one of those Chinese or Japanese voicemails on my cell phone yesterday.

@ALRATIBA and @shaggygirl, This might be the culprit (copy and paste link or search for the NPR article title):

"Chinese Robocalls Bombarding The U.S. Are Part Of An International Phone Scam"

npr.org/2018/05/10/609117134/chinese-robocalls-bombarding-the-u-s-are-part-of-an-international-phone-scam

@dooBdoo

Well that explains the voice mails in Chinese left on my cell phone...but the problem is they are wasting their time since I dont speak Chinese and have no way of knowing what was said, I just delete 'em.....

There was talk that carriers are working on something where a person receiving an international call would have to enter a special code in order for an international call to be able to get through to them...that way the scammers would be blocked...I wish they'd hurry up with that!

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

Krimpette — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:38:28 GMT

@Spurt @dooBdoo : I haven't received any from foreign countries in the scenario I described. They all speak English (one with an accent), but seem to purposely speak in such a way that you can't understand them.....until they clearly tell you the 877 number to call!

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

bonnielu — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:44:00 GMT

I think I might have gotten rid of one of the scammers. I picked up the landline phone and the gent on the other end asked for GERRARD which is not exactly my husbands name. So hurriedly I said HE IS GONE,not even thinking. I am still laughing about this one. His reply was" I am so sorry, I will take him off the list." Apparently I killed him off and he was deceased or that is what he read into my comment. Iiterally laughed for hours. Same guy who kept calling in the past. I recognize voices. I iimagine that is the last of himm.

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

Spurt — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:45:02 GMT

@Krimpette wrote:
@Spurt @dooBdoo : I haven't received any from foreign countries in the scenario I described. They all speak English (one with an accent), but seem to purposely speak in such a way that you can't understand them.....until they clearly tell you the 877 number to call!

@Krimpette

I dont answer my phone either cell or landline and let my voice mail or answering machine screen the calls...And I have noticed a sudden increase in these calls lately...😡

I have received a recording that sounds very much like a real call it was a student loan scam and the call back number was 877....I dont have any student loans and reported it.....

I have also received a recording where they did a sloppy job and cut off the first couple of sentences where the guy is talking about my vehicle registration expiring......they ask you to hold for a rep or press number to call back...I just delete and block the number....

Re: So have the phone scammers found a new ploy?

SoX — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 15:50:05 GMT

I've been getting "Out of Area" calls ... with no number. One reminds me of "your student loan debt" ... they're going to come and get me. Others don't say anything.

I've also been getting the Chinese calls ... no idea what they saying.