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Responding to scam/hoax/pishing calls?

I have called back out of curiosity a few with local area codes to find the number can't be dialed or is no longer in service.
How do they call from a discontinued number?
 
Crossbreed said:
Caller ID can be spoofed.
Click to expand...
Exactly. One called me using the Dish customer number. I'm not that quick to think, but later I was thinking to myself, if that was truly Dish, or any other business, they would not call me from the same number given out for customers to contact them. Besides that, if the guy was truly from Dish, he'd have my info in front of him and wouldn't have to ask. I get calls from our local area code, that do not have a correct exchange (think that's the name, the next 3 numbers after the area code), therefore a spoofed number. There's software or something they use to show fake numbers on the Caller ID.
They warn, if you see your own number calling DO NOT answer it. I forget the details of that scam.
 
Just understand that spoofed called id numbers are based on appearance only. That while your caller id indicates that God, the IRS, Donald Duck or Donald Trump just called you, that your phone service provider can trace the real origin of such a call (at cost).

An especially effective scam are those who spoof the number of legitimate collection agencies. Rule of thumb. If you know you have no debt problems and routinely monitor your own credit record, there's no reason to take such calls seriously. Though it's also true that on occasion, even allegedly legitimate collectors will harass innocent people in pursuit of someone elses unpaid debts.

Real collection issues or mistakes show up relatively quickly on your credit record. If they aren't there, it's an instant way of determining that someone is trying to defraud you of a debt you don't owe. And you aren't legally obligated to aid any collector in pursuit of a debt of another person you may or may not even know.

So in the event your own phone number and name might be spoofed by someone else, you are not legally liable for it given your phone company can verify that it was in fact neither you or your number that was actually in play in any illegal communication.

The most logical course of action remains the same. Just don't answer the call. And periodically monitor your own credit record for your own good. And know that the IRS never attempts to initially contact people over monies owed by phone. They do that by certified mail.
 
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Today I got a call from Apple "support". Whoops, I forgot to get an Apple product they can "help" me with.

So sorry...:rolleyes:
 
Judge said:
Today I got a call from Apple "support". Whoops, I forgot to get an Apple product they can "help" me with.

So sorry...:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I get e-mails from about every bank that there is, saying that there is problem with my account and I need log on right away. I only do business with one bank and they do not refer to me as "Dear Customer".
 
clg114 said:
I get e-mails from about every bank that there is, saying that there is problem with my account and I need log on right away. I only do business with one bank and they do not refer to me as "Dear Customer".
Click to expand...

Yep, I've gotten one of those before as well. At least just one I recall.
 
Targeting apple users is not such a bad idea for a higher success rate when all those who don't have one are filtered out.
 
I have to admit, I've been tempted to respond to some of them. :p

I'd love to answer their scam by simply giving them their Miranda Rights.

"You are under federal arrest for criminal fraud. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney and to have them present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be afforded to you by the court. Do you understand your rights ?" :cool:

But no. I just leave them as the one they never got to. :)
 
tree said:
I like the James Veitch Ted Talks on
replying to Spam email.
This is one.
This is what happens when you reply to spam email
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Loved it. Reminded me that there's a term for this in the world of used car sales.

Called "____ off the salesman". :p

Last time I did that was to a door-door salesman representing AT&T. Let him do his spiel for nearly a half hour and then said "no" and closed the door on him. :cool:
 
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AGXStarseed said:
I had another one recently and decided to follow Lee Evan's advice:

Scam Caller: "Hello, is that Mr (mother's maiden name)?"
Me: "I AM SPARTACUS!"
Click to expand...

Hate to bring it up, but your joke brings up another kind of scam.

Where you are cold-called in a simple attempt to clearly say the word "yes" in your own voice. Where the scammer will then bill you for something, allegedly claiming you gave them tacit authorization to do so.

Ridiculous, yet it works with gullible people who can be convinced that their own voice print can be used against them. Of course the reality is that a criminal committing fraud isn't likely to litigate their case in a court of law either. Where part of the scam is simply in convincing their mark that they're at their legal mercy after the fact.

So yeah, better to say "I am Spartacus". Anything but the word "yes". o_O
 
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Judge said:
Do you understand your rights ?" :cool:
Click to expand...
Follow that with, "I expect to appear at your local federal court at [specific date & time]! Do you got that?"
"You'll be in even MORE trouble, if you don't show up...!"
full


(The theme from "Dragnet" or "Cops" might be a little over the top, though. :rolleyes:)

 
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I don't answer if I don't recognize the number. If it's really that important, they will leave a message. I figure if you don't answer to begin with, less chance they will keep calling back.

If I do answer, and it's a spam call, I just hang up. I already know I'll never convince them to leave me alone.

One time though, I got one of those "your computer is causing problems" calls. I told him I only have dialup internet (which is STILL all I can get) so to be talking to him my computer has to be disconnected. He said have a nice day sir.
 
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