Community Chat

[jackthebear]

please don't answer calls on any phone if you don't recognize the number,

block the number

rinse and repeat

[CareBears]

@Kachina624 In our case, I turned off our answering machine because the idiots who were calling me left LONG messages, I am home most of the time so like you mentioned if I do not recognize a number I do not answer, they eventually stopped calling, now I only received about 1 call per month.

[CareBears]

@debcakes Oh I love to mess with callers like this if I am bored, I just wish I had a picture phone so I could see their faces when they realize that I am the one pulling the wool over their eyes, PRICELESS, and your right, they never call back!

[qualitygal]

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@CareBears wrote:

@debcakes Oh I love to mess with callers like this if I am bored, I just wish I had a picture phone so I could see their faces when they realize that I am the one pulling the wool over their eyes, PRICELESS, and your right, they never call back!

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@CareBears, I'm laughing along with you on this one. I did that once (I'm sure the guy was sorry he ever called,) then my brother said he does this too. So I am sure that a number of people must take delight in turning the tables on slow days. LOL

[cosmic1]

I have call blocking on my phones and with the service provider. I just put nuisance numbers on the list. I also look up numbers that call me because people do report them as spam calls and that helps to determine if they should be blocked.

Generally, I only answer if I recognize the number. If not, it goes to voice mail and if they are legit, they leave a message. Or, pretend they are the IRS, which gets them blocked too.

[JillyMarie]

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@truffle wrote:

Right before Christmas I received a few calls from a call center in India claiming to be the IRS and it was just laughable, their entire script was nothing but laughable.  I couldn't even get mad, it was just so comical.  I kept putting their number on block and did receive a couple voice mails and one was over the top hysterical telling me that they wish me good luck for ignoring them.   

I know how I got on their call list as I had this silly impulse one night to enter a Hearst Publication contest.  Never entered anyone else's.  Good ol girl Patty Hearst must have informted her employees to sell those phone numbers.  I wll never enter or purchase anything related to her again.  She is scum.  

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I have no idea if Hearst Publications sold your phone number to scammers but to blame Patty Hearst is beyond ludicrous.  She has absolutely nothing to do with the company and never did.  

Making up stories to suit agendas is just wrong.

[chrystaltree]

I hope people who call the number back and think they are having fun with scammers are actually just falling into a trap.  They have your phone number now and they know that you fall into the susceptible group that will listen to whoever calls....listening is half the battle.  Also, sure as with legitimate call centers and telemarkters, they sell the phone numbers to others.  I never actually listened to a live call, I didn't recognize the phone numbers when they came so I didn't answer but they left voicemail messages. 

[bootsanne]

Well as to why some of these calls are answered is that some scammers are using local area codes and even the first 3 numbers of our calling area.  Some scammers are very clever.

[JustJazzmom]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

I don't understand why people even listen to these scammers as it just encourages them.   I accidently answered a call that said " I'm calling from the windows office".  That's as far as he got before I hung up. 

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My office building has windows too! 

It's obvious Englush is not their 1st language.

Reminds me of the flowery English used in e mails from Africa.

[judEve]

@bootsanne

What kind of block is it called that the phone co. put on your landline?  I'll pay anything for one!  Our landline rings all day long from numbers we don't recognize, do not answer, and they never leave messages yet they continue to call some several times a day you'd think they'd give up!

 I also get endless calls on my cell from Microsoft and recently Geek Squad about the urgent problem w my computer that is going to crash if I don't give Jack or Harry ( names they've used but have strong Indian accent) access to my computer.  I used to truthfully tell them I do not have a computer (I'm now living w a roommate and use my kindle under their WiFi) and they just say aren't you and read off my name, email etc...  one day a little before 5:00am the landline rang, I immediately grabbed it without looking at caller ID as no one calls at that hour unless it's an emergency.  It was "Jack" from Microsoft!  I was irate and said "do you know what time it is?" He responded yes but my computer was crashing hard drive and all and it was an emergency I give him access.  I explained about being on DNC list, you can be fined, I'm reporting you etc and he stayed calm telling me that was my choice to which I rudely said "yes I live in the USA and we have choices unlike you!" he continued on how I was going to lose hard drive and everything if I didn't act now, I finally hung up getting no where w my threats.  Within 15 min landline rang another 4 times over the next hour and a half from same number, obviously the way I tried to handle the call is not the best at the crack of dawn.

    On NextDoor our neighborhood email system several people have posted about their elderly parents being taken in by the IRS calls, and our local news does stories on it periodically.  I find taking advantage of the elderly and mentally challenged in any way unforgivable!