Strange phone call...now I am freaking out

[lollie010]

For years we have only used our home phone in order to get internet service and the occassional call from telemarketers. There are no caller id features or anything. Basically, it just sits there. But, today I was walking by and it happened to ring. Out of instinct, I picked it up and said "hello." The sound quality was horrible and when I realized that it was a recorded message I was just about to hang up. Then I made out a few words that sounded kind of like "papers will be served to this address within the next 48-72 hours." Then there was a number to call for issues, but of course I could not make out the number!!!!

 

HMMM!!! Its been a long time since I was in law school, but those words kind of sound like a lawsuit to me. I am completely freaked out!!!! Does anyone know if that kind of phone call notice is typical prior to the actual service of some kind of legal documents. I am just sitting here trying to order my homeschool curriculum for the year and thinking 72 hours is a long time to wait for a sheriff's car to pull up. We have pretty boring lives so I just can't imagine what it could mean.

 

Thanks for listening!!!

[Pawz4me]

Most likely it was some kind of scam. I'd forget about it.

[Tap]

Scam.   People don't call you to tell you they are serving papers on you.  LOL  Legit places wouldn't warn you that they are going to be there, otherwise the 'bad guys' would just not be home during those times.  They wanted you to call them and then they would phish info out of you.  They would get you to send them money, or steal your identify. 

 

 

 

Likely one of the IRS scams going on.  

Edited August 2, 2016 by Tap

[Jean in Newcastle]

Either a wrong number/collection call or a scam.  I wouldn't worry about it. 

[G5052]

Completely a scam. I've had that one too, and another one from a "lawyer" saying the police were coming to get my husband.

 

Just to be sure, I called the non-emergency number of the local sheriff. Nope. Just a scam.

[hornblower]

oh it's a common scam! Do not worry.  http://scam-detector.com/telephone-scams/civil-complaint-against-you

[vonfirmath]

Time enough to worry about it if they actually show up with the papers and you get details.

 

 

 

[catz]

It's a scammy scam!  I wouldn't worry about it one bit.  I'd be in prision 20X over by now if these were true.

[lollie010]

Thanks so much, everyone! I am usually a good scam detector. I've been after those microsoft guys for a decade. LOL. But, this one had me stumped. :)

Now back to buying curriculum instead of keeping the money aside for unexpected legal expenses!

 

[gardenmom5]

It's a scam

 

eta: one 'tell' - is do they use your actual name?  (that doesn't guarantee legitimacy)  I just received a "the irs is calling *you* because . . . . " and telling me what phone # to call to talk to someone.  that's a scam too . . . they want the recipient to be in panic mode so they don't think.  it's especially reprehensible, because people do fall for it - usually those who are least able to be out the money.

another common one is pretending to be your credit card carrier - without giving the name of your bank, let alone yourself.

Edited August 2, 2016 by gardenmom5

[AmyontheFarm]

If they call back and say they are bring papers to serve you again, tell them to pick up a pizza for dinner since it's on their way anyways.  :P

 

[Mimm]

 

another common one is pretending to be your credit card carrier - without giving the name of your bank, let alone yourself.

 

Yeah I've gotten this. "Hi, I'm calling from your credit card company..." Yeah because my credit card company is going to call themselves that. I pointed that out, along with the fact that my credit cards don't have that particular number, and they hung up on me without another word. :lol:

[gardenmom5]

Yeah I've gotten this. "Hi, I'm calling from your credit card company..." Yeah because my credit card company is going to call themselves that. I pointed that out, along with the fact that my credit cards don't have that particular number, and they hung up on me without another word. :lol:

 

for me -they're almost all robo calls.   the irs, the court, the bank, etc.  robo calls.  the only one I tend to get a real person is from "the microsoft technical dept". . . . I always ask them if they're in building 7 . . . . (there is no building 7 -it was never built.  the building numbering system skips it.)  they're usually confused at first, but then will say yes they are . . . .

 

some microsfties who never progressed past high school humor will send newbs on an errand to building 7 . . . I think someone tried it on my nephew.  he already knew it didn't exist, so he didn't fall for it.

Edited August 2, 2016 by gardenmom5

[mamiof5]

Scam!!!! The IRS has threatened me with jail one too many times if I don't call them back. They have investigators after me and all 😂

[Scarlett]

Has anyone received the call from a religious nut job? He has a very heavy Indian accent and he screamed on my answering machine that he has had a vision about my soul. Or some such. And I neeeeeeed to,call his advisor and find out what to do. He left the same message twice in a week. It is comical, but I am sure could be very unsettling to some little old lady.

[TravelingChris]

We have one scam here that there is a warrent out for your arrest and if you pay 2k with a credit card over the phone, it will be canceled.  The scam uses the names of real sheriff's deputies but of course they aren't the ones calling and they don't collect fines by calling your number.  One lady in my neighborhood was about to pay but went to ask her husband who told her to hang up the phone.  If she had been a widow, the scammers would have had 2000 more dollars.  

 

 

I really hate all these scams.  They prey on the less intelligent and less aware members of society.  They are real scum,   Occasionally they show these gullible people on the news and inevitably it is the older, poorer,less intelligent people who are scammed.  The kind of people who would very willingly help someone having a crisis.  It just burns me up.  

[NorthwestMom]

Scam.

 

We **ARE** getting sued from a car accident DH was in, and nobody called ahead to warn us that they were going to serve us papers. They just knocked on our door on a Saturday morning. We had no clue it was coming. LOL.

[gardenmom5]

 

 

 

I really hate all these scams.  They prey on the less intelligent and less aware members of society.  They are real scum,   Occasionally they show these gullible people on the news and inevitably it is the older, poorer,less intelligent people who are scammed.  The kind of people who would very willingly help someone having a crisis.  It just burns me up.  

 

and the elderly whose cognitive functions have diminished.  or the mentally ill. it is disgusting.

Scam.

 

We **ARE** getting sued from a car accident DH was in, and nobody called ahead to warn us that they were going to serve us papers. They just knocked on our door on a Saturday morning. We had no clue it was coming. LOL.

 

no one will ever warn you about serving papers. if someone doesn't physically put the papers in your hand -you haven't been served and the lawsuit can't proceed UNTIL you have been served.

[Alessandra]

The *FBI* is after me. At least that is what they said when they called late at night about five years ago, lol. I guess they lost my number, because they never called back after I hung up.

[Janeway]

Search your local county court websites and see if you are listed. Don't answer the door and let us all know how it all turns out. I am betting it is just a hoax. But checking the county court websites might ease your fears.