Scammer Solutions

[MuggsyB]

I think this is a topic that the entire USA public would be in favor of coming up with answers and prosecuting these people.  I'm not suggesting a Beekeeper option, but this is a terrible problem and it needs to stop.  I accidentally answered a call a few days ago and the scumbag was trying to sell me an insurance policy.  The only thing I've seen or heard that seems to work are the computer geniuses that shut down their call centers.

[forgetful]

Simple solution. Don't answer the phone for any numbers you don't know. If it is important enough, and meant for you, they'll leave a message.

[PointWarrior]

Ending scammers should be a plank in your 5 point plan.

[Skatastrophy]

Simple solution. Don't answer the phone for any numbers you don't know. If it is important enough, and meant for you, they'll leave a message.

Sucks when part of your role is sales or dealmaking with boomers. They call out of the blue and I've gotten into the habit of answering my phone again.

[MuggsyB]

Simple solution. Don't answer the phone for any numbers you don't know. If it is important enough, and meant for you, they'll leave a message.

99% of the time I don't answer and block the number.  I was just curious why this number called 11 times in 6 hours. 

[The Sultan]

99% of the time I don't answer and block the number.  I was just curious why this number called 11 times in 6 hours. 

I thought you "accidently" answered it?

I accidentally answered a call a few days ago and the scumbag was trying to sell me an insurance policy.

[MuggsyB]

I thought you "accidently" answered it?

I shouldn't have wrote accidentally.   The accident was answering it when I shouldn't have. 

[Pakuni]

Introduce them to darkness?

[Uncle Rico]

I think this is a topic that the entire USA public would be in favor of coming up with answers and prosecuting these people.  I'm not suggesting a Beekeeper option, but this is a terrible problem and it needs to stop.  I accidentally answered a call a few days ago and the scumbag was trying to sell me an insurance policy.  The only thing I've seen or heard that seems to work are the computer geniuses that shut down their call centers.

Disagree.  Dumb people deserve what they get.  Look at mega churches.  What a bunch of buffoons.

[jesmu84]

Disagree.  Dumb people deserve what they get.  Look at mega churches.  What a bunch of buffoons.

What about the evangelical mega churches?

[Uncle Rico]

What about the evangelical mega churches?

I'm devoting a chunk of my retirement plan around running one.  Tax free, baby!

[MuggsyB]

Disagree.  Dumb people deserve what they get.  Look at mega churches.  What a bunch of buffoons.

That's not fair.  Some of our elderly people are vulnerable. 

[Uncle Rico]

That's not fair.  Some of our elderly people are vulnerable.

Counterpoint:  Boomers deserve it

[MuggsyB]

Counterpoint:  Boomers deserve it

As you know, I'm not opposed to hostility or certain members of the human race suffering.   That said I think attacking our elderly community as a whole is unwarranted. 

[Uncle Rico]

As you know, I'm not opposed to hostility or certain members of the human race suffering.   That said I think attacking our elderly community as a whole is unwarranted.

Counterpoint: No

[MuggsyB]

Counterpoint: No

Your rebuttal is perfectly legal in our country.  But I would tread lightly. 

[jesmu84]

That's not fair.  Some of our elderly people are vulnerable.

Vulnerable to what?

[MuggsyB]

Vulnerable to what?

Dementia and a myriad of cognition issues. 

[jesmu84]

Dementia and a myriad of cognition issues.

We let them vote and drive.

[Uncle Rico]

We let them vote and drive.

I can't think of a single positive contribution boomers make to our society.  I'd argue they're our greatest threat as a nation

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Only way to end it is to go after overseas organized crime. Most of the time the people doing the scamming are victims themselves. They are lured to foreign countries with promises of well paying jobs only to find themselves enslaved by a criminal organization. They are then forced to run these scams under threat of death for no income without the ability to leave.

The only thing most of us can do is try to increase awareness and educate people how to spot and verify if somethingnis legitimate or not.

I actually had one Friday that got me to verify. Someone with a local number called and claimed to be from the county sheriffs office and that they needed to speak to me.  I immediately hung up because i was sure it was a scam.  But then my wife got a voicemail from the same number saying they were looking for me. My wife and I don't share a last name and our phones have different area codes so i thought maybe there was a less than 1% chance it was real. So i called the non emergency number,  told them about the call and they confirmed it was fake.

[Jockey]

That's not fair.  Some of our elderly people are vulnerable.

You spam more often on Scoop than all the scam phone calls combined.

[MuggsyB]

You spam more often on Scoop than all the scam phone calls combined.

I'm thrilled to hear I continue to annoy the fk out of you!!  Cheers Jockey!!

[forgetful]

Only way to end it is to go after overseas organized crime. Most of the time the people doing the scamming are victims themselves. They are lured to foreign countries with promises of well paying jobs only to find themselves enslaved by a criminal organization. They are then forced to run these scams under threat of death for no income without the ability to leave.

The only thing most of us can do is try to increase awareness and educate people how to spot and verify if somethingnis legitimate or not.

I actually had one Friday that got me to verify. Someone with a local number called and claimed to be from the county sheriffs office and that they needed to speak to me.  I immediately hung up because i was sure it was a scam.  But then my wife got a voicemail from the same number saying they were looking for me. My wife and I don't share a last name and our phones have different area codes so i thought maybe there was a less than 1% chance it was real. So i called the non emergency number,  told them about the call and they confirmed it was fake.

You are going to see more of these. Pretty much all our personal information, regardless of how careful you are, is now available on the dark web.

What probably happened in your case is that your phone numbers, and addresses, are available online. You actually become a target, because it seems less likely that they would have that information for you, and then more likely you bite.

Nice call in doubting it and calling the non-emergency number.

[Not all scoop users are created equal apparently]

I had to tell my father if it is anything involving money, you get their name and say you will call them right back at the bank or whatever institution they claim to work for. Wish he had been told that before they got into his account.