Community Chat

[LilacTree]

No government agency will ever call you on your house phone or your cell phone. That incudes the SSA and the IRS, as well as others. Most state governments will not contact you that way either.  

They will usually send certified letters.

[Skyegirl21]

Thanks for the heads-up! I called my 82 yr old Mom who lives alone and warned her... 💝

[shaggygirl]

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@Spurt wrote:

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@shaggygirl wrote:

Today I got one on my cell phone......in Japanese or Chinese or something Asian sounding. And although the voice in my phone (after I've listened to the message) tells me press #7 to delete it, it won't go away.

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@shaggygirl 

I get those calls on my cell phone....I dont answer and they leave a message on my voice mail....SMH

Dont press the number they tell you if you want to be deleted from their list, all that does is tell the scammers yours is a live number....you will get even more calls...

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@Spurt 

The Asian one I'm referring to...I didn't press anything except when the voicemail message was finished and  the instructional recording in my voicemail said  "to delete this voicemail press 7" I'd press 7 but nothing would happen, the voicemail would still be there. Even if the Asian sounding voicemail message had told me to press a number to be deleted from their list I wouldn't have known because I don't speak therefore didn't understand a word of what it said. It definitely sounded like an Asian language. I fiddled around and fiddled around and finally got rid of it.

On my home phone sometimes I'll pick it up during the robo message and keep hitting the pound key because someone told me if you do that it screws up their computer system. Whether or not that's a fact I don't know.

[Georgiagrama]

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@Skyegirl21 wrote:

Thanks for the heads-up! I called my 82 yr old Mom who lives alone and warned her... 💝

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@Skyegirl21 

Please do call your Mom.  The calls can be very intimidating if you don't realize that they are a scam. 

[kivah]

Never call back these scammers. There was an article a couple of years ago that said many of the calls were coming from the Caribbean and overseas - and the person calling back was charged several hundred dollars. Our government can't do anything about it. Most of the time, these scammers don't leave messages. If it's a real call, ie, ur doctor's office or a friend calling, and u don't answer, most people leave a message.

[kivah]

Also realize government agencies will NEVER call u on the phone. You should never give out personal information and don't confirm anything. Just HANG UP.

[sissel]

It's sad because some will answer and get upset. If you don't get your monthly checks then you know you have a problem but if you get your checks you are fine. I retired then husband retired called soc sec about collecting on his wow at least 1hr on phone the guy wasn't any help so we had to go to soc sec office wow waited but our number was called and talked to a person which at first she was very to the point. At the end of all her non stop questions she said we have to be this way because of all the fraud with disability & everything else. I just wanted to refile to husband's soc sec but I learned alot that day. Sometimes it's just better talking to a real person.

[truditru]

Me too Kachina. If I dont recognise the number and its not a contact then I decline the call.

I reckon that if its a genuine call they will leave a voice mail!

Then when I have time I go thru the recent calls and block and erase. I know blocking may be a waste of time because their algorythms (sp) will just go round the block

[silkyk]

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@Georgiagrama wrote:

@dooBdoo 

I once got a spam call from my own phone number!!!  I don't know how they did it, but it was eerie. 

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I got a few of those too and the first time (when it said I was calling) I almost though it was DH......saw him taking a little nap on the couch so he was obviously not the caller. LOOK AT THE NUMBER NOT the NAME because they can change the name.

[Tinkrbl44]

I was expecting a call back from a store's CS,  so I answered an unfamiliar number.

The caller said  "This is to inform you that your SS number is being suspended and a warrant is being issued for your arrest.   This is all the information I have about your case, but if you would like to speak to a federal marshall, press one now."

Wow ......   I KNEW it was a scam call,  but it was still very scary!   The intent was to get your name, address & SS number through "verification".