Do not answer calls from unknown numbers

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by AsianStew, Jun 3, 2016.

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  1. AsianStew

    AsianStew Moderator Staff Member

    Hello Everyone,

    This is just a friendly reminder not to take any calls from unknown numbers.
    My Caller ID just showed the 5-6 digit number 051913 and I was curious what it was.
    Apparently, it's some fake company phishing for info, or trying to hack your pc.

    They say they're calling from MicroSoft and they have my info, they needed to check my system or the system has a virus and they would like to fix my issue for me.

    I pretty much blabbed I had connection issues and couldn't hear them and hung up.
    So, don't fall for that trick, they will say you've got a virus and to run an application to fix it, that application will damage your computer!

    Regards, AsianStew
     
  2. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I've had lots of calls like this - it's been a well-known racket for a while - works exactly as you said. They phish and get your credit card info. The calls I get usually come out of a boiler-room operation in India - all callers have accents but use Western names like "Jack" and "David."

    Another type of "fraudy-call" we get here is from a supposed "tax fraud examiner." It's usually a recording and the guy says drop what you're doing and call this number. If you do call, it's a bogus "office" that informs you you've been caught cheating and to send $X right now to avoid jail - your credit card will do nicely. I've heard of demands for anything from $500 to $15000.

    The last one of these "tax" calls I got was from India. Guy said he was "Officer Dan Murphy." Yeah, right. Irish from Hyderabad! I think there are likely non-Indians behind these frauds. It's just that it's so cheap and easy to get mass phone calls made from India, that the fraud-meisters contract their dirty work out there to unscrupulous outfits for a piece of the action.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 3, 2016
  3. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    "The last one of these "tax" calls I got was from India. Guy said he was "Officer Dan Murphy." Yeah, right. Irish from Hyderabad! I think there are likely non-Indians behind these frauds. It's just that it's so cheap and easy to get mass phone calls made from India, that the fraud-meisters contract their dirty work out there to unscrupulous outfits for a piece of the action."

    Yeah, I get hose too. They usually say, this is IRS! You must call XXXXXX immediately! Blah blah blah. Yeah, right. I will call you right back. The only problem is the IRS never conducts business over the phone, they only contact people by mail. No emails either.
     
  4. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Unless I have the number stored, there's about a 99.9999% chance that I'm not answering the phone.

    A few weeks ago, I had a woman who thought she was paying the IRS by buying $5,000 worth of iTune gift cards, scratching them, and reading the numbers to the scammers over the phone.

    You can't make this stuff up.
     
  5. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

  6. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    That Prince in Nigeria is always changing phones. I sure wish he's call me again.:rolleyes:
     
  7. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    Ah the Nigerians. My friend Craig told me that a friend of his was being scammed by these rascals. He gave me them everything they asked for. The only problem was that his friend was so broke, they gave up on him in frustration! :smile: Damn, that is a sad state of affairs when even the Nigerians give up on you. He he!
     
  8. edowave

    edowave Active Member

    The last government agency I worked at, they seriously considered getting rid of all the office phones. Everyone uses email, people are out on the road, on leave, or when they are in the office, nobody picks up the dang phone anyway! We have 3 fax machines and nobody remembers the phone numbers to them.
     
  9. heirophant

    heirophant Well-Known Member

    Here in California, they are targeting seniors (which I unfortunately have become... it's better than the alternative though). Many of the calls say that they are the IRS, variants say that they are the courts insisting that the one called has unpaid tickets/fines and demanding immediate payment (credit card number over the phone will do nicely) or a warrant will be issued for their arrest.

    Our local police have put out fraud warnings, saying that if the IRS and the courts want money from you, they will contact you in writing.

    I used to get non-stop robo- and human telemarketing calls on my old landline. It got so bad that I shut off the ringer on my phone and never answered incoming calls. Finally I discontinued that landline service and have never gotten any unwanted calls on my cell number (apart from some promotional text messages from the cell phone company). I rarely give that number out, never to anyone I don't know.
     
  10. AsianStew

    AsianStew Moderator Staff Member

    *sigh* They've got my cell phone number too and I always get these promotional texts for something.
    It's so weird, cell phone companies make $ off you, I wonder how the cell phone company can do this!
    They're like selling our info and reaping $ from us, yet charging us fees for use!
     

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