This caller suckered my senior mother out of her credit card number today! (Yes I've preached stranger danger over n over but as she gets forgetful now) Will notify bank now.
Caller id "unknown"
Caller told mom it was homeless vets
This number just can't take the hint that the number is blocked. They call and call. Came up with an idea. Pit these scammers against each other. Whenever you call an annoying number back and you get a chance to leave a message and if you track these callers as do I, get a burn phone and leave a message giving the number to another annoying caller. Just make up a name and say you need them to call you back. I have had as many as six of these guys calling each other. See how they like some of their own medicine.
A lot of posters here complain they get many calls from scammers.
A few posters state they get hardly any.
Why the difference? Here are possible reasons:
The most common mistakes made by people who receive calls from unknown numbers:
Answering the phone. ◄▬ ◄▬ ◄- ◄▬
Instead of answering, let the call go to voicemail or answering machine. Legitimate callers will usually leave a message.
Pressing a number "to be taken off the list"
That works for legitimate telemarketers, but legitimate telemarketers would not have called you in the first place, if you were on the DNC list. Pressing a number on a call from a telespammer merely confirms you answered the phone.
Returning the call.
At best, returning a scammer's call merely confirms your phone is "live", and your number will be added to a list that will be used by even more scammers. At worst, the call will cost you additional fees, if it is from a foreign country, such as Jamaica (876 area code). Also, scammers are now spoofing Caller IDs, so the number you see may not really be the number that called you. It might belong to an innocent, third party.
Arguing with the caller:
Call center employees have probably heard your argument many times. They may either continue to try to scam you, or they will hang up ... but will also make sure some other scammer calls your number, later.
Blowing a horn or whistle into the phone:
Will irritate the scammer. The scammer may then add your number as a "spoofed Caller ID", so others think YOU are calling them, and YOU may hear retaliatory horns or whistles if the irritated called person calls YOU back!
Forwarding the call to a government office.
Not too swift. All that does is tie up a line at the govt office, and record YOUR number as the forwarding number! Realize that your congress person knows phone scams are a problem, and also knows the FCC and FTC have been assigned the task of upholding the laws concerning this problem. Instead, you should report the problem via normal channels to the FTC or FCC.
Giving or forwarding the supposed scammer's phone number to other scammers. ◄▬ ◄▬ ◄- ◄▬
May not be a good idea. The 1st scammer might have used a spoofed phone number, and, if you give it to other scammers, all you are doing is causing more calls to and problems for an innocent person.
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Eventually, after getting many scam calls, some people think their only recourse is getting a new number. That is not true. The "new number" is probably somebody else's "old number", and will come accompanied with its own baggage (and calls).
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What you SHOULD do:
If you are disturbed by frequent calls from scammers / spammers. obtain a call blocker app, device, phone, or service. Google is your friend. Remember, the Do Not Call list is effective to prevent calls from registered telemarketers, but scammers / spammers ignore that policy.
Instead of answering, let the call go to voicemail or answering machine. Legitimate callers will usually leave a message.
Great info Slim. I used to do the same but realized that all I was doing is cleaning up a puddle on floor everyday instead of stopping the leak. I now answer every time, pretend I want to buy, then get them to email me. I subsequently have my attorney contact them to either settle or go to court. So far none have chosen court and I have had 11k in settlements the last 3 months, no joke. If you want to make them stop make them pay. Works every time.