Community Chat

[dooBdoo]

Unfortunately, the best thing we all can do is check caller IDs and ignore those we don't recognize.

However, this use of caller ID spoofing makes it trickier. We look at the ID, it looks like it might be reputable, it piques our curiosity... and we answer. As long as these nefarious people operate from outside the USA's jurisdiction, it's nearly impossible for the FCC to fix the problem.

As with so many things, we have to become as informed as possible, be vigilant, and protect ourselves.

[NjsKillingme]

On 2/2/2014 LovemyHusky said:

This is what happened to me. What happened was that a man called and said that he was from a certain website and my computer was sending out error messages and directed me to a legitimate website, but I called the number on the website and the woman told me it is a scam. She told me that Microsoft does not call people on the phone.

LovemyHusky........I love my Husky toooooooooooo

[OC FRESH]

Can't really trust caller ID anymore because the scammers can have any name they want displayed as their ID and out here they're pretending to be from the electric co and their caller ID says Edison.

[kivah]

Just remember that "real" companies, banks, etc. NEVER call u on the phone. If u pick up, and u realize u don't know them, just HANG UP. I'm home most of the time, and I receive around 3 to 5 scam calls a day. Sometimes I just call them a name they don't like - and they hang up. Never give out any information.

[sylviahomeatlast]

i also look at the area code--I only get calls from a couple of area codes in the US or Colorado. and I know all of those---usually it's the names of my sisters or some of the in-laws

[Deb1010again]

Why does this story sound like we're all being toyed with?? c'mon people!

[stevieb]

I had that call too and alerted Microsoft, who confirmed it was a hoax. Thanks to caller ID, I gave them the number from which the call was placed. I couldn't believe how insistent they were. I hung up on them once and they actually called back, it was a different person who claimed he was a supervisor... Unbelievable.

[KathyPet]

On 2/2/2014 kivah said:

Just remember that "real" companies, banks, etc. NEVER call u on the phone. If u pick up, and u realize u don't know them, just HANG UP. I'm home most of the time, and I receive around 3 to 5 scam calls a day. Sometimes I just call them a name they don't like - and they hang up. Never give out any information.

Not true. If your credit card company suspects fraudulent charges have been made on your cc they will call you and ask you to confirm that the charges are yours. This has happened to me a couple of times and the calls are perfectly,legitimate so it is not true that legitimate businesses never call customers.

[JobGirl]

On 2/2/2014 NjsKillingme said:

On 2/2/2014 EmmaBunting said:

On 2/2/2014 NjsKillingme said:

Hi everybody...this wasn't a high school prank.....the more I questioned "Kevin" the more mad he got and that's when he called me a christian devil and said that "they" were going to shoot me and many other Americans. he said that he was from Afghanistan and he wanted to marry an American girl so he could get over here and sho ot Americans. He also said that we k*lled his boss...I asked who his boss was, he said "Bin laden". He also said that there was going to be a very large explosion very soon. This was frightening to me, especially since the super bowl is today.

That sounds absolutely frightening, Njs! But....to set your mind at ease.....I really doubt that a real terrorist would be telling a perfect stranger about their plans. This was probably just some idiot scammer from Nigeria trying to part you from your money.

Still......I would be really freaked as well if some stranger said those things to me too. You were right to call Homeland Security. Better safe than sorry....

Miss Emma, it was frightening...first he asked me if I watch S*x and the City and Kim Catrell.....he had a very heavy Middle eastern accent, and the more mad he got, the heavier it got. What scares me is if the have your land line number, they can easily get your address and send you something in the mail....The supervisor got on the phone when I was questioning "Kevin"....I asked if I could call them back, he gave me a number so I called it. It rang until a message came up and said that they would return my call, and they did, 30 seconds later. I forgot to use call blocking and I want to kick myself in the butt!!! I didn't think it was a legit number. Any way, when he called me back, this is when all the threats started, that's when I called HL security and gave them all the info.

where's the NSA when you need them?

[NjsKillingme]

On 2/3/2014 Deb1010again said:

Why does this story sound like we're all being toyed with?? c'mon people!

Deb1010again, this incident is the honest to God's truth. I came her to get the word out to all that I can because some people might fall for the scam and allow the callers to take control of their computer. There are so many elderly people that have computers now, and they aren't savvy to what can happen if others don't look out for them. I know that there are a lot of posters here, so this was a good place to start, as well a FaceBook.