DawnM Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 UGH. I am now getting calls multiple times per day from those guys with Indian accents telling me they are calling from "my technical support" and are wanting to help me with my PC. I would just not pick up, but we are working on a HELOC and they don't have caller ID when they call so I am picking up more often to not miss their calls. Even if I ignore the calls, they don't seem to stop. How do you get them to stop? There is someone calling my cell multiple times per day right now too, although I have not answered that one and don't know who that is. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 yikes...that sounds particularly bad. Have you put your name on the "Do Not Call" registry? They have it for both cell and landlines now. It may not stop them, but it might be a good first-step in your defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share Posted July 19, 2014 We have been on it for years. I even re-put it in a few months ago. Scammers don't care about do not call lists. yikes...that sounds particularly bad. Have you put your name on the "Do Not Call" registry? They have it for both cell and landlines now. It may not stop them, but it might be a good first-step in your defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I got a call from one of those last month some time. I told him we do not own a pc, but only Apple products. There was silence. So I added that he must have the wrong number. Amazingly enough, we didn't get any more calls from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I got a call last week from Microsoft Windows Technical Support because my computer was infected. I argued with the guy and finally asked him why he felt he needed a job working for scammers. He never went off his script. I finally hung up on him. They called back a few days later and I just told them they called me that week already and he hung up on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I just put the phone down until they got bored and hung up. It's really annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smstjohn Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 The one time they tried to call me about my infected computer I mentioned that it's funny they should call since my husband works for Microsoft. They hung up and haven't called back. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 We've been getting a lot of scammers and telemarketers calling recently. It's annoying. For a few years after the donotcall list started, we didn't get any, but they've definitely been ramping up. I like the put the phone down until they get bored idea! I may try that next time. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 The really sad thing is, it must be a pretty effective scam since they keep doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I don't know what "HELOC" is. Before caller ID, I would answer the phone, but no one was ever home. "Mrs. Andrew?" "No" (said Mrs. Andrew), "She's not here. May I take a message." Or "May I speak to Mr. Andrew?" "Sorry" (while looking at Mr. Andrew), "He's not here. May I take a message?" Eventually, we fell off most lists. Now with caller ID, I don't answer any call when I don't recognize the number, and I screen the calls (if I'm home). I rarely get scammers now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 It's gotten so bad that we now screen all of our calls unless we recognize the numbers. Nearly half of the calls are scammers/telemarketers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I threaten to call the police for the known scammers (Windows "help desk") and the states attorney's office for the telemarketers who keep calling after I've requested they take our number off their calling list. I usually hang up without giving them a chance to argue with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share Posted July 19, 2014 Home Equity Line of Credit. I don't know what "HELOC" is. Before caller ID, I would answer the phone, but no one was ever home. "Mrs. Andrew?" "No" (said Mrs. Andrew), "She's not here. May I take a message." Or "May I speak to Mr. Andrew?" "Sorry" (while looking at Mr. Andrew), "He's not here. May I take a message?" Eventually, we fell off most lists. Now with caller ID, I don't answer any call when I don't recognize the number, and I screen the calls (if I'm home). I rarely get scammers now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share Posted July 19, 2014 Maybe I should tell him that my husband's computer needs fixing as he works for the FBI and needs everything in tip top shape. I threaten to call the police for the known scammers (Windows "help desk") and the states attorney's office for the telemarketers who keep calling after I've requested they take our number off their calling list. I usually hang up without giving them a chance to argue with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I answer the phone to scammers like this- FBI Internet scam division. How may I direct your call? This seems to work really fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 My dad got a call from one of the scammers about fixing his computer. My dad proceeded to mess with the guy's mind. Said I'm so glad you called so "I" could help "you" with your computer and totally flummoxed the guy. They haven't called him since. Since we own a business, we get a lot of calls at work about improving our credit card rates and dozens of recorded calls from sharon at google. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I ask them to tell me what type of computer I have. They eventually give up. I am now going to use the FBI comment that itsheresomwhere mentioned. That is the best answer ever. :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberia Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I always ask for a number so I can call them back. Sometimes they give me a number. Then I ask what time they are having dinner, so I can make sure to call at the right time. I continue to ask personal questions until they hang up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 UGH. I am now getting calls multiple times per day from those guys with Indian accents telling me they are calling from "my technical support" and are wanting to help me with my PC. I would just not pick up, but we are working on a HELOC and they don't have caller ID when they call so I am picking up more often to not miss their calls. Even if I ignore the calls, they don't seem to stop. How do you get them to stop? There is someone calling my cell multiple times per day right now too, although I have not answered that one and don't know who that is. Dawn I get lots of bogus calls on the landline. I connect them to the fax machine. They stop calling eventually. We are also regularly pestered about some guy who does not live here and has a different name. He must have used this number and then doesn't pay his bills. Thanks, pal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted July 19, 2014 Share Posted July 19, 2014 I don't know what "HELOC" is. Before caller ID, I would answer the phone, but no one was ever home. "Mrs. Andrew?" "No" (said Mrs. Andrew), "She's not here. May I take a message." Or "May I speak to Mr. Andrew?" "Sorry" (while looking at Mr. Andrew), "He's not here. May I take a message?" Eventually, we fell off most lists. Now with caller ID, I don't answer any call when I don't recognize the number, and I screen the calls (if I'm home). I rarely get scammers now. Home Equity Line of Credit - i.e. borrowing on the equity in your house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 I don't think these people communicate with each other. They just all keep calling and then if I say anything like this they hang up and then try again later. I answer the phone to scammers like this- FBI Internet scam division. How may I direct your call?This seems to work really fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 We disconnected our land line but used the number as one of the kids' cell phone numbers. We don't answer anything from an 800 number or anything that says Unknown etc. We get fewer telemarketers/scammers than we used to. I haven't heard from Cardmember Services in a long time. A few months ago I did get the guy with the Indian accent saying he was calling about problems with my computer. Don't recall what I said to him but maybe next time I'll keep him on the line for a while to delay him calling someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 I think the answer is "no". Our house phone was quiet for a few weeks, but it all started up again last week. We have been on the DNC list since its inception. "Microsoft" called me, too, and "Mike from India" started on his spiel and I said (in my best Keanu Reeves voice) "Whoa, duuude. I have a Mac, so how is that possible?" He hung up on me. :lol: Honestly, I wish the Do Not Call list was even stronger and allowed people to opt out of ALL calls. I have just turned my ringers off on the home phones because the political calls have started up again. One local guy running for office has robo calls that we get at least TWICE PER DAY and they are from several different out-of-state area codes!! Just yesterday, I received calls from "Breast Cancer", "Robert's Arm" (this originated in Nova Scotia, and they have called before but I never answer---- anyone have intel on that?) and someone else who left a message saying they were calling about a prize I had won in a drawing I entered last year, but they never said anyone's name, so just WHO supposedly won a prize in a drawing that no one in this house had entered? Besides, last year, I "won" six luxury cars, two cruises, and $60,000, so why would I enter into more drawings? :glare: And last week, in addition to the "local" Fire Department calling (from an area code three states away!), the State Police (uh, which state?) and someone else I can't remember at the moment, I called myself from the house phone TO the house phone! Not only is THAT amazing, but the house phone isn't even in my name! Spooky! Yes, there is an actual scam going on now to spoof your own number, but I hadn't read about it yet and I just let it ring because I knew it had to be a scam. Oh, yeah, and now that dd is a senior, we have "admissions" calling to sell us test prep stuff, as well as colleges cold-calling. Sigh. All because of the PSAT, who sold our info and then the callers must have googled for our phone number. Grrrr..... On my cell phone, I just blacklist numbers I don't recognize, UNLESS they are from my area code. I'll let those go to voice mail and decide for myself. On the call phone, the annoying thing is all the collections calls for the unpteen million people who had the number before me.... and I have had my number for two years!! Annoying isn't even CLOSE to being an accurate word for how all of this makes me feel. :glare: What I would love to do to telemarketers and scammers --> :smash: Every time the phone rings, the dog barks & snuffles and chases the cat. Which makes me want to do this to the dog ---> :smash: In addition to making the DNC list comprehensive, I also wish the phone companies didn't charge us to keep our numbers private. It should be free. Wow, this turned into a really long post. I must have really felt the need to vent! :lol: :lol: My local news station was talking about the phone calling itself spoof thing. You are supposed to report it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 My local news station was talking about the phone calling itself spoof thing. You are supposed to report it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 http://www.usa.gov/topics/consumer/scams-fraud/phones.shtml Report caller ID spoofers to the Federal Communications Commission online or 1-888-225-5322. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 This happened to us this week. Report it to who? It was Rachel from Card services...there's no problem with your accounts...ugh I hate this girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 DD5 loves to talk on the phone! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 But that doesn't matter. They hang up on you and then call back later. I want the calling itself to stop! DD5 loves to talk on the phone! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Why would they stop calling? They're just playing the odds until they get somebody to fall for the scam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Oh, and if they're from India, just yell "Pakistan Zindabad!" and they'll never call again. Works like a charm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 So they will actually communicate with the rest of their office and not call again? So far we just get another person calling a few hours later. Oh, and if they're from India, just yell "Pakistan Zindabad!" and they'll never call again. Works like a charm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Oh, and if they're from India, just yell "Pakistan Zindabad!" and they'll never call again. Works like a charm. What if it turns out they're from Pakistan? (Wait, are there international scammers working out of Pakistan? There must be, right? They can't all be centered in India and Nigeria, can they?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 My mother has had great success with - "Does your mother know what you are doing? You should be ashamed of yourself...!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 Great success as in none of them call again ever or just that she gets off that particular phone call? seriously, these people don't seem to care, as soon as you sound not interested they hang up on you, then another one of them calls later. My mother has had great success with - "Does your mother know what you are doing? You should be ashamed of yourself...!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 What if it turns out they're from Pakistan? (Wait, are there international scammers working out of Pakistan? There must be, right? They can't all be centered in India and Nigeria, can they?) If they're from Pakistan you've established a connection which will allow you to shame them about what their families will think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 So they will actually communicate with the rest of their office and not call again? So far we just get another person calling a few hours later. This has actually worked for me. I can't say for anyone else though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatechip Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Report them to the Do Not Call Registry. Get a device that can record calls. Then, when they call, tell them: 1) The call is being recorded. 2) Your number is on the Do Not Call registry and they should not be calling. 3) If they call again, you will report them to the Do Not Call registry. Then, if they call again, DO IT. When I told someone that I would report if they called again, they stopped calling. (Whew.) I'm sorry you're dealing with crazy. ETA: Another thing we used to do was "screen" calls with our voicemail machine. We just wouldn't answer until the call went to voicemail pickup. Then, if it was someone we knew, we'd answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovingparent Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 They seem to come in waves for our phones. I didn't get the PC calls but I did get the AT&T ones on my cell phone, where an Indian guy told me how much AT&T loved me and they would give me x amount of money. I kept reporting them to the do not call website and they eventually stopped. I do think it's important to report every single call. We also get the phone calls from different Caribbean islands, where they let the phone ring once, hoping that you will call back and get charged 20$ or so. After it didn't work, we got a couple of calls from the same area codes and a guy left messages in a really weird foreign language. I don't pick up the phone anymore unless it's a phone I know. Sorry you cannot do the same. In the past, what worked for me was answering with a speech : I don't buy anything over the phone, I do not donate, I do not respond to any questions and I sure don't want to speak with anyone and then I hung up. It really worked after I did it a couple of times. Although I love the FBI response too. I am definitely going to do it one of these days just for kicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarfoot Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 We've been getting a ton of calls lately. They start at about 8am. My "favorite" is AT&T, as the voice on the caller id announces, "Call from...AT!" Over half the time, it's a recording, so I can't even tell them to remove our name from their list. Ugh, it's so annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Great success as in none of them call again ever or just that she gets off that particular phone call? seriously, these people don't seem to care, as soon as you sound not interested they hang up on you, then another one of them calls later. We had both gotten called by the same scammers out of Pennsylvania. I had mentioned it to my mom so she was prepared. It was actually pretty scary the first time. "I'm Detective ... and I have a warrant for your arrest, you have unpaid fines on ... and unless you remedy this RIGHT NOW we will be sending someone out to your house." I am a fairly savvy person (and the fact that he called us on our American phone line that calls us in India so I knew he wasn't coming anywhere RIGHT NOW) so I just hung up. Then I researched. When they called back a few days later I told them I knew it was a scam, their phone number was all over the internet, I had reported them, etc. They cursed me out and hung up. They called my mom weeks later so she was ready and she let loose about how disappointed their mothers would be...they never called her back either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Well, I was reading the comments, and I just had to say that the world is not secure with a MAC. Ask the two that I took malware off of last week that had the same misconception. The only difference really ... you don't know you have it until you find out your credit card no longer has an available balance while standing in line at the store checkout. Just saying. BTW, last year was known as the worst year yet for viruses and malware. Phones and tablets have seen a 37 percent increase this year alone in attacks. You are your first defense, but when it all comes right down to it ... what is 25 dollars of protection worth to your identity? A LOT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 I don't think you understand the premise of these calls. They call to tell you they are from "your computer security" and then gain access to your computer and your bank info, credit cards, etc....to rip you off. It is a SCAM. They have heavy Indian accents and can't even tell you what kind of computer you have. I have protection on my Mac. That isn't what the issue is. Dawn Well, I was reading the comments, and I just had to say that the world is not secure with a MAC. Ask the two that I took malware off of last week that had the same misconception. The only difference really ... you don't know you have it until you find out your credit card no longer has an available balance while standing in line at the store checkout. Just saying. BTW, last year was known as the worst year yet for viruses and malware. Phones and tablets have seen a 37 percent increase this year alone in attacks. You are your first defense, but when it all comes right down to it ... what is 25 dollars of protection worth to your identity? A LOT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 There is no number attached. It says either "anonymous" or "no caller ID." I don't think they care. They are in India. I haven't gotten a call for a couple of days now. Last time we had this issue, they called for several days and then stopped. Now, about 7 months later, they have started up again. Hopefully this wave is over. Dawn Report them to the Do Not Call Registry. Get a device that can record calls. Then, when they call, tell them: 1) The call is being recorded. 2) Your number is on the Do Not Call registry and they should not be calling. 3) If they call again, you will report them to the Do Not Call registry. Then, if they call again, DO IT. When I told someone that I would report if they called again, they stopped calling. (Whew.) I'm sorry you're dealing with crazy. ETA: Another thing we used to do was "screen" calls with our voicemail machine. We just wouldn't answer until the call went to voicemail pickup. Then, if it was someone we knew, we'd answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatechip Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 There is no number attached. It says either "anonymous" or "no caller ID." I don't think they care. They are in India. I haven't gotten a call for a couple of days now. Last time we had this issue, they called for several days and then stopped. Now, about 7 months later, they have started up again. Hopefully this wave is over. Dawn Ugh, I'm sorry. That is so irritating. I'd probably take great satisfaction in messing with them if I had no other options. My brother used to answer the phone, say Hello? and then if it was a sales call or something he'd say, "Hello? Hello? Is anyone there? That's funny. I can't hear anyone." CLICK. I'll just hang up. Without saying anything. As in: "Hello?" "This is Amy from the National Annoying Research Firm. . ."CLICK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Interesting. Our local news ran a story on this last week (or two weeks ago?) and they didn't say anything about reporting it. It was just a blurb from the BBB to be careful and mentioned several phone scams--- spoofing your own number, spoofing friends' numbers, the FBI "warrant" scam, the "I've been in in an accident" scam, and a few others. Honestly, I don't even know what I would report.... "Hi, I'm calling to report that my house phone called my house phone, but it was my name that showed up, and the phone is really in someone else's name". I'm not being snarky at all, but seriously, what are they people to report for those calls? Even the whole reporting a number thing isn't working--- spammers are spoofing legit business numbers, so THEY get in trouble when it's scammers calling. We get VERY few legit calls on our phone, so the ringers are now off and we just check for messages when we walk by. I can thank the scammers, the charities, and the political folks for reducing us to that measure. :glare: I assume they are trying to figure out how to stop them from doing it or to shut them down. That is the FTC's job. They were using the number for a legit business here in my area and that business did not get in trouble. Here is a link about what one would include in the report. http://www.fcc.gov/guides/caller-id-and-spoofing https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/ftc-shuts-down-multi-million-dollar-phone-scam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 For the ones that call over and over, we begin answering in a foreign language. One of my teens is especially good and going on and on about anything to the point that they get totally confused and hang up. And we never get called back by that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I talk to them in Spanish. They get freaked out and start mumbling and hang up. I was having a real problem with callers until I did that. Now I haven't had one in over a year. I have no idea what I will do if I get a caller who actually speaks Spanish, but it hasn't happened yet. The kids LOVE it when I do that, btw. They act like I have a secret super power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 When colleges cold called us, I just asked if they were calling to offer my dd a full scholarship. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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