Scam caller

[Dreamstalker]

After I used the Death Star app to block the "warrant has been issued" bot (coming from an area code WAY outside my own in a state I have never been to), later that day it tried calling 14 times...the timestamps broke it down to 7 attempts per minute (yup, autodialer). No message was left so I'm guessing that the app either intercepts with a "this number is not accepting calls" message OR drops it completely.

Now I'll go through periods where my phone is flooded with numbers using my cell exchange...same with the house phone (incoming robocalls will come up using our exchange). Maybe the theory is you'll pick it up because you think it's coming from another phone in the house...?

[DGoddessChardonnay]

When is a robocall not a robocall? When it goes to voicemail. This could get interesting...I had no idea such tech existed to punt a call directly to VM before it rings (I'm guessing the target never even gets a missed-call notification).

Both our lines have options to block anonymous CID calls, it's been enabled for a week and the number of "Unknown" calls has dropped to zero...but now they seem to be spoofing local numbers -_-

I've noticed this recently on my cell phone with unknown callers who have been previously been blocked.

On my phone, I can do a manual block which means I don't get further calls or text messages from that number. It doesn't stop the VM from being left though.

I've used the Truecaller app for a time but I didn't like their messaging app (too diffucult for me and I don't like the fact that I can't use my emoticons) so I dropped it in favor of Death Star Call Protect app. This one has a list of known spam numbers (same as Truecaller) and will filter my calls.

You can also flag suspicious calls that come through using this app and they will list it among those that are already blocked so that you get no further calls from that number.

Only thing is with some of these scammers is they use multiple numbers. So you're constantly having to block if you use the manual process for each individual number.

Some of the more "entertaining" calls do get reported to the FCC online. Those VM's can be quite a treat - especially those claiming to be a law enforcement agency or the IRS.

Now if I can block those numbers from calling me at work on the store phone number . . . I get one every so often threatening that if I don't call a number that they will come by my work and serve papers on me.

Yeah . . . all over an old payday loan that wasn't paid off due to the fact that it was supposed to have been consolidated several years ago along with several others into a settlement (and it turned out that the company was not legit either - so no money to those folks.)

If they really want me, they'll find me at my home address . . . and as I told the last girl who called on my cell phone making such a threat "Make sure he's cute and well hung."

[Dreamstalker]

When is a robocall not a robocall? When it goes to voicemail. This could get interesting...I had no idea such tech existed to punt a call directly to VM before it rings (I'm guessing the target never even gets a missed-call notification).

Both our lines have options to block anonymous CID calls, it's been enabled for a week and the number of "Unknown" calls has dropped to zero...but now they seem to be spoofing local numbers -_-

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Unfortunately, *+0-scammers claiming to work for "Wells Fargo" (or PNC, or any other well-known bank) are pretty common. They tend to pick up a bit, after tax season and usually during the summer. Times, when they think that people will have extra cash to play with. Unfortunately, a lot of those calls aren't based in the US, and their phone numbers are usually spoofed. Unless you have the resources of the CIA, going after them is damn near impossible. Best you can do is demand it in writing.

I think they're starting to do this with email as well . . . as I've just received one from "Stagecoach Bank" (which I let that account go almost 2 years ago) informing me that they were changing their notification policies (or something to that effect.)

This raised some red flags for me due to the fact(s) that:

1) The accounts with this bank haven't been touched since November 2015

2) The email account associated with those accounts has since been terminated due to change of ISP in December 2015.

3) The email account this was sent to is one I don't recall setting up as an alternate contact email (which is the Looney Toons Cable account.) I know I didn't use that email as after I moved my money from Stagecoach in November, we switched over to Looney Toons Cable in December.

So yeah, I smell a skunk somewhere.

[protege]

Unfortunately, scammers claiming to work for "Wells Fargo" (or PNC, or any other well-known bank) are pretty common. They tend to pick up a bit, after tax season and usually during the summer. Times, when they think that people will have extra cash to play with. Unfortunately, a lot of those calls aren't based in the US, and their phone numbers are usually spoofed. Unless you have the resources of the CIA, going after them is damn near impossible. Best you can do is demand it in writing.

[EricKei]

That last bit makes me very suspicious. A legit business would WANT to know for certain that the person they're trying to reach is no longer reachable (but hey, ya never know...they may have some very interesting resources). That they hang up on you implies (to me) that they don't believe you, and that you are just trying to throw them off the scent/hide him from them. I smell either scammers, or one or those (thankfully rare) sort of collection agents that give collectors a bad name (whether there is legitimately a debt to collect or not probably doesn't matter to that company). Next time, tell them to contact you ONLY in writing and that you want a full, on-paper listing of whatever it is that they want; do not at any time even suggest that whatever debt/etc that they want might be real/payable by you. If they're legit, they are obliged to furnish this info within 30 days (IIRC); I think you need to request "no calls, letters only" in writing, and this is an easy way to get their mailing address. If they hang up midstream, screw it, they're scammers. Report them to the FCC and block their number(s).

[Sliceanddice]

(slicey, maybe we're talking about the same call?).

not unless yours said they where calling about the failed attempt to deliver documents that had been faxed to their office.

The first time i got the call it could have been legit, dad was in the middle of a lawsuit when he died. Thus i treated it with respect and politeness, explained polite why they where making a big mistake and asked them nicely to update their records and stayed on the line while it was suppose to be happening.

Every time afterwords, it was rage mode activated for some reason or another. (From the woman who just hung up on me when I said 'Hi my name is Slicey, I received a call telling my father to call this number about documents. However, he passed away.. (they hung up there)' to the man who told I go to hell to this last batch)

[EricKei]

The third time they guy says 'I guess you have no life'

THIS from people who keep spending time/money calling you when you've long since made it clear you're not falling for their bullshit? >_<

PS If you think there's at least a chance that they're a US company, report them on the FCC's site for a Do Not Call violation (I assume most of us here are on DNC by now) --- even if yer not signed up, robocalls are illegal here anyway.

[Rosco the Iroc]

I got a call about my Wells Fargo CC and I need to call back to fix it.
I said something to my buddy who snatched my phone and texted a pic of his middle finger back.
No more calls.

BTW I do nothing with that shitshow bank.

[Dreamstalker]

I've been getting calls from a prerecorded message telling me there's an arrest warrant out and my property and movements are being monitored (slicey, maybe we're talking about the same call?). No idea if the number takes incoming calls, but I'll offer it up for funsies to anyone who wants...

[Sliceanddice]

One fun thing I've seen in regards to these scammers who actually answer the phone when you call back is people putting the numbers on facebook for their friends to call.

this scam uses pre-recorded messages ment to sound like a law office with a number to call back to talk to the office.

Want the number?

[mjr]

Possible urban legend: Back in the early '90's a target of scam callers configured his modem to call that number at regular intervals (they vary from every 5 minutes to hourly).

Evil. I like it!

[taxguykarl]

Possible urban legend: Back in the early '90's a target of scam callers configured his modem to call that number at regular intervals (they vary from every 5 minutes to hourly).

[April]

One fun thing I've seen in regards to these scammers who actually answer the phone when you call back is people putting the numbers on facebook for their friends to call.

[Sliceanddice]

So for the last month I've been getting obvious scam calls regarding a law firm receiving a fax for my father.

who died almost 2 years ago.

as you can imagine this makes me upset...

so i called the number and told them the person they are calling is dead hoping that the scammer would realize that theres nothing here for them.

It didnt work

All through finals season i had to deal with these calls during class and while I was trying finish papers.

So i kind of faught back.

I spent an hour calling back demanding a supervisor and throwing on full on bitch mode (which is always just one step above SC), i even got called a bitch by one of the phone wranglers, and they started hanging up on me the moment they answer.

Then I had no calls for 2 weeks, thinking I had made them realize I'm not worth the time or energy.

Then I got another call today.

insert not happy slicey, who is now on summer break with nothing better to do.

I call and tell them ' Hi I'm a college student on summer break that you continue to call in regards to a dead man. I can call you all day every day ruining your business cause I got nothing better to do' 3 times.

The first two times i get hanged up on about the 'I can call you all day every day...' part. The third time they guy says 'I guess you have no life' I reply 'you don't know how fun this is' he claims hell remove my info and hangs up.