|
|
Post by nepean on Jun 11, 2015 1:40:31 GMT
There seems to be a new (new to me) phone scam. I have had the 'there is something wrong with your computer' scam call many times, but recently I have been getting calls where the caller has a very thick Indian accent. They open with May I speak with Mrs XXXX, then they start asking personal medical questions along the lines of blood sugar testing. I of course refused to answer such a question and told them in no uncertain terms that that information was none of their business.
Has anyone else received this new type of call? it is a scam right? This caller was down right belligerent and WOULD. NOT, GIVE. UP. argh!!
|
|
|
|
Post by txdancermom on Jun 11, 2015 1:44:12 GMT
That is why I don't answer the phone unless I recognize the name or phone number.....and it is probably a scam.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Jun 11, 2015 1:47:55 GMT
I've never heard of that. I'd be tempted to say "You are clearly not from my health care provider's office, and your attempts to access my medical information suggests to me that you may be violating HIPAA. What did you say your name was again?" That or, "I don't have problems with my blood sugar anymore since they took out my pancreas."  |
|
|
|
Post by rst on Jun 11, 2015 1:57:53 GMT
Yeah. I got that one. I asked him if he could explain to me the equivalents for splenda and brown sugar when baking. Also, if I want to use half molases, and half sugar, how much would I use then? And what are the daily recommendeds of sugar for 14 year old boys? How about when they turn 15?
He got very disgusted with me and hung up. If he calls back, I think I will ask him if he can fix whatever is wrong with my windows computer.
|
|
conchita
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,141
Jul 1, 2014 11:25:58 GMT
|
Post by conchita on Jun 11, 2015 2:11:10 GMT
Yeah. I got that one. I asked him if he could explain to me the equivalents for splenda and brown sugar when baking. Also, if I want to use half molases, and half sugar, how much would I use then? And what are the daily recommendeds of sugar for 14 year old boys? How about when they turn 15? He got very disgusted with me and hung up. If he calls back, I think I will ask him if he can fix whatever is wrong with my windows computer.  Awww man, I was hoping you were calling to help me fix my computer! There for a while my phone was ringing off the hook with these kind of calls. At first I was seriously aggravated. Then I decided to have fun with it and making up stories. Eventually the calls started dwindling and now they're down to one every other week. Scammers have NO sense of humor! Lol |
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
May 22, 2024 0:30:31 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2015 2:16:09 GMT
My son LOVES to answer those calls! He drives them crazy with his accents and scenes he plays out. Just today he scared the heck out of the caller. I've gotten a lot of those calls before I caught on. Most of them were to see if I wanted to join some lawsuit for medical malpractice over either a drug or a body part taken out or injured. Interesting. I did ask the last person where she came from, saying that she had a "lovely accent". I couldn't put my finger on the accent. She did let her guard down for a second and said she was from the Phillipines. So, now I know!
|
|
|
|
Post by rst on Jun 11, 2015 3:55:36 GMT
My favorite is to pretend that I placed the call and want them to get "Susan" a message as soon as possible. "I have information for Susan that it would behoove her to attend to with all due diligence. . . And how are you related to Susan? Well then, why are you answering her phone?"
|
|
|
|
Post by crazy4scraps on Jun 11, 2015 4:34:22 GMT
Yeah, I just don't answer if I don't recognize the number or I'm not expecting a call from someone I don't know well. Voicemail...it's a beautiful thing! If they leave a message, I just hit delete and then block the number from ever calling again.
|
|
lesley
Drama Llama
My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
Posts: 7,182 
Location: Scotland, Scotland, Scotland
|
Post by lesley on Jun 11, 2015 4:59:35 GMT
I just pretend to be Consuela, the maid from Family Guy.
|
|
|
|
Post by gar on Jun 11, 2015 6:50:54 GMT
There seems to be a new (new to me) phone scam. I have had the 'there is something wrong with your computer' scam call many times, but recently I have been getting calls where the caller has a very thick Indian accent. They open with May I speak with Mrs XXXX, then they start asking personal medical questions along the lines of blood sugar testing. I of course refused to answer such a question and told them in no uncertain terms that that information was none of their business. Has anyone else received this new type of call? it is a scam right? This caller was down right belligerent and WOULD. NOT, GIVE. UP. argh!!I don't listen long enough for anyone to get belligerent or not give up, just put the phone down. |
|
|
|
Post by lindywholoveskids on Jun 11, 2015 7:05:55 GMT
We just let them go to the machine. I assume you are referring to a land line?
9out of 10 calls hang up after a few seconds.
I can see the number if I have the TV on. So many of them are "unknown"
|
|
BarbaraUK
Drama Llama
Surrounded by my yarn stash on the NE coast of England...............!! Refupea 1702
Posts: 5,961
Location: England UK
Jun 27, 2014 12:47:11 GMT
|
Post by BarbaraUK on Jun 11, 2015 8:42:29 GMT
We just let them go to the machine. I assume you are referring to a land line? 9out of 10 calls hang up after a few seconds. I can see the number if I have the TV on. So many of them are "unknown" These sort of calls are now going to mobile phones here in the UK as well as landlines - and are also catching phones used in the emergency systems etc., as well as private numbers because of the software they use to try and locate 'live' numbers.  Activity regarding these types of calls here seems to go in fits and starts....and on the odd time that it's very high we've had ten or more of these calls a day for about a week! I regard all of them as a scam!!  |
|
MorningPerson
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,506
Location: Central Pennsylvania
|
Post by MorningPerson on Jun 11, 2015 10:51:21 GMT
|
|
lesley
Drama Llama
My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
Posts: 7,182
Location: Scotland, Scotland, Scotland
|
Post by lesley on Jun 11, 2015 10:56:36 GMT
That's hilarious! I usually just say "Mrs Lesley, she not home. I have no money." If the caller is trying to get information about an accident, I just sob that "it was an accident, I no kill him on purpose." Usually the scammer is so confused that they hang up on me. |
|
lesley
Drama Llama
My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
Posts: 7,182
Location: Scotland, Scotland, Scotland
|
Post by lesley on Jun 11, 2015 10:57:48 GMT
I hate the automated calls that are becoming more and more common. You can't have any fun with those!
|
|
|
|
Post by mdpea on Jun 11, 2015 11:02:10 GMT
OMG I've never seen that before. It's as if he's talking to my MIL. |
|
purplebee
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,735
|
Post by purplebee on Jun 11, 2015 12:21:08 GMT
I usually don't answer the calls from an unknown area code.
But the $@+#&%#$ scammers have now started using my local a.c. AND prefix! Infuriating...but if I answer and it's a robocall, I usually press one and then try to sell my property in Siberia or tell them about my latest (made up) medical issue. I used to be a medical transcriptionist so I know a lot of gross stuff.
|
|
CeeScraps
Pearl Clutcher
~~occupied entertaining my brain~~
Posts: 3,829
|
Post by CeeScraps on Jun 11, 2015 12:36:58 GMT
Here's what we (my daughter and I) do....incoming phone numbers appear on our tv.
1. Don't answer
2. Pick up ringing phone--don't say a word, let them talk--they will hang up
3. Answer--listen--hang up
4. Answer--listen--interrupt--tell them we're not interested.
NOW....my husband will talk and talk to them to waste their time. He figures it is tying them up so they won't call others.
|
|
|
|
Post by ajsweetpea on Jun 11, 2015 12:46:03 GMT
I've stopped answering numbers that I don't recognize because 9 times out of 10, they are telemarketers or scams. I don't have the patience to deal with them anymore. I've gotten more calls from "Microsoft", the "IRS", people wanting to sell me solar panels, etc. than I want to deal with. I let them go to the voicemail. I don't have the time to deal with these calls anymore!
|
|
caro
Drama Llama
Refupea 1130
Posts: 5,222
|
Post by caro on Jun 11, 2015 13:41:25 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by gorgeouskid on Jun 11, 2015 13:58:31 GMT
Of course it's a scam.
Someone called my son's cell phone and insisted that his computer was being hacked. I got on the line and just about lost my shit. The scammer was insistent that hackage was occurring RIGHT. NOW. and that he was IN. DANGER. I called him a scammer and hung up after some choice words. Next time, I won't waste my breath.
I don't say anything when I answer the land line. I listen for clicks and voices in the background. If I hear any, I hang up. Anyone who is calling my land line knows that I do this. We only maintain the land line for purposes of DH's thin client for work and our security system.
|
|
Rhondito
Pearl Clutcher
MississipPea
Posts: 4,664
|
Post by Rhondito on Jun 11, 2015 15:29:23 GMT
I usually don't answer the calls from an unknown area code. But the $@+#&%#$ scammers have now started using my local a.c. AND prefix! Infuriating... Me too! If it's a number from one of our surrounding suburbs I usually answer just because I have a teenage daughter and you never know if something's happened. But almost all of the calls are from people trying to sell me an extended warranty for my car. It drives me bonkers. I've started blocking those numbers on my phone and it's helped quite a bit. Years ago when my grandfather was alive, someone from AT&T called wanting to sign him up for a long distance calling plan to save him money. He said, "I don't need to save money. I've got so much that I'm burning it in the fireplace. Do you have a plan that will cost me MORE?" That was probably 30 years ago and it still cracks me up.  |
|
georgiapea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,846
|
Post by georgiapea on Jun 11, 2015 15:37:35 GMT
I used to pretend to be the family maid too, and would ask the caller what they were selling because I had their (the family's) credit card numbers and could I have the items sent to South America.
|
|
scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
|
Post by scrapaddie on Jun 11, 2015 17:59:19 GMT
I haven't gotten this one yet but then I rarely answer my phone.
|
|
julieb
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,845
|
Post by julieb on Jun 11, 2015 18:26:23 GMT
My house is heaven since I got rid of my landline!!
|
|
|
|
Post by Rainy_Day_Woman on Jun 11, 2015 18:32:44 GMT
You should all try having an Indian last name! There must be an Indian phone book that they use.
I think we get more calls than anyone I know. They are all Indian and they all call and start talking to me in Punjabi. Then I say I don't speak Punjabi. Then they usually start calling me a liar because OBVIOUSLY I have a Sikh last name. Then they realize that I don't actually speak Punjabi so they get super nice and try to sell me something or scam me. Then they yell at me again when I don't fall for it.
They call me probably three times a day. I barely answer the phone anymore.
|
|
|
|
Post by nepean on Jun 11, 2015 18:39:43 GMT
Of course it's a scam. Someone called my son's cell phone and insisted that his computer was being hacked. I got on the line and just about lost my shit. The scammer was insistent that hackage was occurring RIGHT. NOW. and that he was IN. DANGER. I called him a scammer and hung up after some choice words. Next time, I won't waste my breath. I don't say anything when I answer the land line. I listen for clicks and voices in the background. If I hear any, I hang up. Anyone who is calling my land line knows that I do this. We only maintain the land line for purposes of DH's thin client for work and our security system. Yes, I have had that call more times than I can count, I have ignored them, hung up, lost it at them, strung them along, and still they persist. Yesterday, I lost it and blew a whistle in their ear through the phone. I know many of you have said you don't answer the phone unless you recognise the number, but I just can't do that. We do have a land line, as we call internationally often, and it is cheaper this way. DH also works from home and needs a land line. Two days ago, the phone rang and I didn't recognise the number, turns out it was a very important call that I needed to take. If I hadn't answered because i didn't recognize the number then it could have made for a difficult situation. I do have a cell number, and use it, but we also need a land line in our home. It just pisses me off that MY phone line has become anyone and everyone's personal marketing and scamming line. |
|
zeea
New Member
Posts: 8
|
Post by zeea on Jun 12, 2015 16:06:31 GMT
I can definitely say that it is a scam. My mom got a similar call where the caller was calling and say that she has prescription ready to be taken.They are trying to get you personal information. Many people share similar stories here. It seems that phone call scamming has been a common thing nowadays. Thus, we need to remain vigilant. Especially when picking up phone call from unknown number. |
|
|
|
Post by cadoodlebug on Jun 12, 2015 16:12:20 GMT
Yeah, I got a call from *Steve McQueen* yesterday. Trying really hard to disguise his Indian accent. But it was a recording for us to call as still as possible or we would be in trouble with the government. Even though I knew it was a recording I kept yelling GET A LIFE into the phone.
|
|
zeea
New Member
Posts: 8
|
Post by zeea on Jun 13, 2015 1:25:31 GMT
Yeah.. That what they should really do. Tricking people like. That's somewhat pathetic. Nice to know that most of us already aware of this fraudulent activities.
|
|
Awww man, I was hoping you were calling to help me fix my computer!
