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Mad Poster
Original Poster
#1 Old 3rd Aug 2018 at 5:28 PM
Default Another scam alert, guys
I looked it up and this one's been around awhile, so you may be aware of it. But just in case...

I just got a phone call. The ID was United States. Naturally, I didn't answer it. I would put the phone number, but I don't want to do anything that might be against the rules. Anyway, the person left a voice mail telling me my microsoft key had expired and I needed to call them right away.

Of course, your key never expires. They were going to try to get my banking information.

"Fear not little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom". Luke 12:32 Chris Hatch's family friendly files archived on SFS: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=603534 . Bulbizarre's website: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C...CoveredPortals/
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dodgy builder
#2 Old 3rd Aug 2018 at 6:21 PM
Quote: Originally posted by smorbie1
I looked it up and this one's been around awhile, so you may be aware of it. But just in case...

I just got a phone call. The ID was United States. Naturally, I didn't answer it. I would put the phone number, but I don't want to do anything that might be against the rules. Anyway, the person left a voice mail telling me my microsoft key had expired and I needed to call them right away.

Of course, your key never expires. They were going to try to get my banking information.


Yes, norwegian authorities and media has been warning people about it. I actually had one of them on my phone as well. I told him he was a fraud or whatever it's called He sounded like he was calling from India and he was offended !

If your key expires is not the point. They would just never call you and never ask for information that can be abused.
Mad Poster
#3 Old 3rd Aug 2018 at 7:38 PM
I've had a couple of phones from cell phone numbers or other potentially "official-looking" numbers seemingly with the area code and number length from my country but with someone answering in English or broken English. I just hung up straight away, and don't even bother figuring out what they want, because if I'm not expecting a call from someone who doesn't speak my language, it's almost guaranteed to be a scam.

If I have my computer within reaching distance I usually search up the numbers before answering, just to be sure. I don't answer if there's a shady result (like unknown, survey companies, etc.)

My phone is a bit old-fashion (it's around 6-7 years old, one of the first smartphones, pretty outdated for today's standard), so I don't have all those fancy phone terror blockers and such - but I've saved the numbers I don't want under the name "telephone terror" in the contact info, so if they ever call back I know not to take it.
Me? Sarcastic? Never.
staff: administrator
#4 Old 3rd Aug 2018 at 8:30 PM
I use Google Fi, and it usually marks all those as spam/suspected spam. I get at least one phone call a day telling me I'm going to be arrested by the IRS for not paying my taxes. I'd have a lot more money if that were true!
Scholar
#5 Old 4th Aug 2018 at 7:12 AM
This is Australia, but we had a similar incident where someone pretending to be Telstra (internet provider) told us they had been flagged about our internet security. Tried to get us to enable remote assistance on the computer and (surprise surprise) download a file. Not sus at all right?

After receiving so many unwanted calls (mostly telemarketers), we've installed an app on the mobile called 'Should I Answer'. It's a user powered database of numbers with good/bad ratings attached to them. If a number has been rated before, you'll see it while the call is incoming and you can decide from there whether to answer. Figured I'd mention it since the more users the better.


"It is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled." - Mark Twain
Truth will not fear scrutiny.
Space Pony
#6 Old 4th Aug 2018 at 7:58 AM
I am in Los Angeles and I got a call asking for my credit card info. The number was extremely close to mine so watch out for that.

Dag-Dag
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#7 Old 4th Aug 2018 at 4:36 PM
I have a similar problem. My doctor's main office isn't right here in Armpit. It's in a bigger town about 40 minutes away. I always feel like I have to answer calls that come from that town.

"Fear not little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom". Luke 12:32 Chris Hatch's family friendly files archived on SFS: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=603534 . Bulbizarre's website: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C...CoveredPortals/
Lab Assistant
#8 Old 5th Aug 2018 at 12:44 AM
Quote: Originally posted by RicoSuavecito
I am in Los Angeles and I got a call asking for my credit card info. The number was extremely close to mine so watch out for that.

I've also gotten several calls from a number that's only one digit away from being my own. I've answered a couple times but I never hear anything other than silence and a second later they disconnect. Not really a scam, but it's weird.
e3 d3 Ne2 Nd2 Nb3 Ng3
retired moderator
#9 Old 5th Aug 2018 at 1:03 AM
Scholar
#10 Old 5th Aug 2018 at 6:24 AM
Two scam calls in one day. neither of them even began speaking for a full 20 seconds. I was curious to see how long it would go without anyone speaking the second time around then hung up as soon as they started.
dodgy builder
#11 Old 5th Aug 2018 at 10:43 AM Last edited by Volvenom : 5th Aug 2018 at 11:00 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by lemememeringue
I've also gotten several calls from a number that's only one digit away from being my own. I've answered a couple times but I never hear anything other than silence and a second later they disconnect. Not really a scam, but it's weird.


Have you checked your phone bill?
Scholar
#12 Old 5th Aug 2018 at 11:56 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Sims2Christain
Two scam calls in one day. neither of them even began speaking for a full 20 seconds. I was curious to see how long it would go without anyone speaking the second time around then hung up as soon as they started.


The delay is a good way to know if they're calling from overseas and/or are using a system that calls random numbers and only assigns someone when you've answered.


"It is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled." - Mark Twain
Truth will not fear scrutiny.
Field Researcher
#13 Old 5th Aug 2018 at 12:13 PM
Yeah some weeks I get at least a call a day from numbers I've never even seen before, and a few times they're not too different from my own number. If it's not a student loan company calling me, I know it might just be a scam. That's why I never pick up the phone at all unless I absolutely know who it is (like my mom). Scammers are really persistent.
Field Researcher
#14 Old 7th Aug 2018 at 1:35 AM
What's really too bad is someone somewhere will fall for them. It's a good idea not to post the phone numbers online, as that only advertises the scam further. Either that, or they've used "Caller ID Spoofing" so an innocent bystander gets the callbacks instead of the scammers.

If people have the time, I recommend looking up Kitboga videos on either Youtube or Twitch. He calls these numbers back while disguising his voice to seem elderly or naive to educate people as to what happens when they interact with these scams. There are also other "scambaiting" videos as well.
Theorist
#15 Old 11th Sep 2018 at 9:53 PM
I'm looking for suggestions on using Nomorerobo on my cell phone. I stopped answering it unless I've added a name to any numbers I would answer, like doctors, and only have 3-4 people I actually talk to. Rather than research the number every time, I'd like to try a service that actually makes it easier for me wondering if I ignored something important or not. The calls are about 1 per day and stop for awhile since they never got a response, today I actually got 2. Is Nomorerobo calls free and does it actually work?

I must admit it was actually fun at first messing with some of the callers, but now that I've learned some can actually steal your minutes, I'm not going to give them one cent in satisfaction by answering. The first call I ever got was after windows 10 started offering it free. The call was from a guy with an asian type accent, not sure which, but I let him go on for awhile, asked a few questions and pretended to be stressed, then said "Oh ... wait, I don't have windows 10 and don't want it". I could hear him screaming curses as I was hanging up. (:

When you forgive, you heal. When you let go, you grow.
Mad Poster
#16 Old 14th Sep 2018 at 3:10 AM
I'm on the National Do Not Call list. It's in America, and if you report a business that has called you, they will prosecute. Unfortunately, MOST of the calls I get (up to 15 a day!) are not FROM America. They might show a US number, but it will be false. Most of them are calling from a boiler room from India (I know, technically they are not boiler rooms). The most bazaar was telling me the police were on their way to arrest my husband for tax fraud; but the weirdest part - even when I baited him ("If I send you money or something, can you help") he never asked for anything! Most of the time they want bank information. I never give any info, but my bank accounts have been hacked 3 times since May. I think I get targeted because I'm old. And yes, I often insult them with racial slurs: "I curse you with 100 mad cows. Your mother is a whore". Pretty silly. And one time a guy I talked to like this called me right back to curse ME out - but he couldn't get a word in edgewise.

Stand up, speak out. Just not to me..
dodgy builder
#17 Old 14th Sep 2018 at 7:30 AM
Quote: Originally posted by grammapat
I'm on the National Do Not Call list. It's in America, and if you report a business that has called you, they will prosecute. Unfortunately, MOST of the calls I get (up to 15 a day!) are not FROM America. They might show a US number, but it will be false. Most of them are calling from a boiler room from India (I know, technically they are not boiler rooms). The most bazaar was telling me the police were on their way to arrest my husband for tax fraud; but the weirdest part - even when I baited him ("If I send you money or something, can you help") he never asked for anything! Most of the time they want bank information. I never give any info, but my bank accounts have been hacked 3 times since May. I think I get targeted because I'm old. And yes, I often insult them with racial slurs: "I curse you with 100 mad cows. Your mother is a whore". Pretty silly. And one time a guy I talked to like this called me right back to curse ME out - but he couldn't get a word in edgewise.


If it's that intense I would have changed my phone number, and evaluated what kind of sites I access on net. You must be on a list or something.
Mad Poster
#18 Old 14th Sep 2018 at 5:16 PM
It wouldn't help to change phone number; everyone I know (all over California) gets this volume of calls. And the only site I go to is MTS! Although my husband goes to a number of political sites. So that doesn't seem to be the reason either. Some of the calls are trying to sell something, but most are just random fishing for info about banks, credit cards, etc. I HAVE changed all my bank accounts and electronic stuff like sign-ons.

Stand up, speak out. Just not to me..
dodgy builder
#19 Old 14th Sep 2018 at 5:49 PM Last edited by Volvenom : 14th Sep 2018 at 6:03 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by Gargoyle Cat
My phone number has been unpublished for years and I get these stupid phone calls. They are called automatic dialers. It is a piece of software that pulls up endless lists of phone numbers and calls them. It doesn't matter if the phone number is valid or not, it dials them anyway.

Do these things not exist outside of the US? This has nothing to do with websites or the internet.


We have a national registry in Norway. I'm listed there. The moment I registrered my number the phonecalls ended. Once I had a phonecall from India as I mentioned before. That was the only one. I don't know, but norwegians tends to listen when they are informed, and people who still gets these calls or emails tends to be viewed as gullable. It might have to do with a higher level of education, or national/EU legislation. I don't know.

Everyone who calls me, calls me about genuin things. The only exception is businesses dealing with investigation or statistics. Sales cannot call without explicit approval, which no one ever gives of course.

I don't get many messages on email I didn't ask for either, but I don't read messages I'm suspicious about. I suspect it might have something to do with the email provider perhaps. I also pay for my virusprogram since it's the most important program I have on my pc.

The new EU directiv makes it even harder to send emails without accept, or track people without accept. I should even have this on my blog, but I don't know what to do about it. EU has also passed a directiv about artists right to pay lately. I don't know quite what that is, but naturally Facebook and Google doesn't like it. They say it will be too expensive, because they have ended up with the responsibility. Some also say it's going to hurt the freedom of speach. Lots happening in EU, and us companies will have to comply.
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#20 Old 14th Sep 2018 at 8:06 PM
One of the problems with the No Call List in the US, which I'm on, BTW, is that you have to report each number. The scammers change numbers constantly. Block one and the next day you will get another call from a different number.

"Fear not little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom". Luke 12:32 Chris Hatch's family friendly files archived on SFS: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=603534 . Bulbizarre's website: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C...CoveredPortals/
Turquoise Dragon
retired moderator
#21 Old 14th Sep 2018 at 8:19 PM
What I hate is when they use that app or whatever that let's them use someone's number as the number on the caller ID but when you call it, it is either an innocent party or a non-working number.
dodgy builder
#22 Old 14th Sep 2018 at 9:00 PM Last edited by Volvenom : 14th Sep 2018 at 9:10 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by smorbie1
One of the problems with the No Call List in the US, which I'm on, BTW, is that you have to report each number. The scammers change numbers constantly. Block one and the next day you will get another call from a different number.


The list in Norway is based on companies. They can change the numbers, but the business will still be the same.

Another thing of course is the different view on companies. I often get the impression US people ... or politicians believe companies are nice and always do the right thing. In Norway it's the other way around. Companies are crooks and do illigal things all the time ... which they don't do of course. It's also much shorter between the crooks and the government. The crooks know that they can't do much before the parliament walk in their footsteps to make something illegal. EU takes much longer of course.

When it comes to phone companies, politicians do the same. The national broadcasters asks people what they think, people shout, and it develops into a creciendo, phone companies runs to the broadcasters to defend their actions. Smaller political parties starts yelling, and if the phone companies doesn't run to fix things, the bigger parties starts suggesting solutions. A year later the government sends hearings out to get feedback. The phone companies complains and perhaps the government listen to some, perhaps they don't. Either way it's fairly predictable, and can be entertaining to watch.

As someone living in this country though, it's encouraging to see the political system working. When EA has to approve though it's easy to feel helpless.
Field Researcher
#23 Old 15th Sep 2018 at 6:02 AM
Yeah, I'm on the DoNotCall list and I still get these numbers. One I answered for kicks and giggles and I got someone who had a thick accent. UNluckily for him, I used to do medical transcription, so I could understand him perfectly. He could not understand me, though, as I answered the entire call in Quebecois French and messed with him. Got one today from Quebec itself - the "you have judgments against you and warrants for your arrest blah blah" - too bad it was a robocall and horribly bad. FCC got that number. I'm unlisted, but my phone is a wireless kind, so I guess it still comes up. Get them on my cell phone too. Most of the time I just ignore the call, but write down the numbers and check them against lists online.
Mad Poster
#24 Old 15th Sep 2018 at 11:29 AM Last edited by HarVee : 15th Sep 2018 at 11:41 AM.
Well thanks for the heads up though I never answer my phone anyway unless its a number I recognize. Even then. If you're not nagging me to go to work on a weekend or calling me to ask if we can go drinking, then go away, yes?

Quote: Originally posted by Volvenom
Yes, norwegian authorities and media has been warning people about it. I actually had one of them on my phone as well. I told him he was a fraud or whatever it's called He sounded like he was calling from India and he was offended !

If your key expires is not the point. They would just never call you and never ask for information that can be abused.

The people working this scam probably are not even aware of the very scam they are working. It is not uncommon for western shysters to use non-English native societies in their scam. People in that section of the world will typically take any job they can get to feed themselves and their family and the scammers can get away with paying their "employees" an insulting low wage. Can't blame the Indian guy for feeling offended. In many ME and SA cultures calling a person a fraud is akin to calling them a liar which they feel is a deep insult of their core character.

Because the earth is standing still, and the truth becomes a lie
A choice profound is bittersweet, no one hears Cassandra Goth cry

dodgy builder
#25 Old 15th Sep 2018 at 12:26 PM
Quote: Originally posted by HarVee
Can't blame the Indian guy for feeling offended. In many ME and SA cultures calling a person a fraud is akin to calling them a liar which they feel is a deep insult of their core character.


Yes, that was my point entirely. I'm glad I offending him

You're probably right though. He didn't know it was a scam. If he got a different job after that, I'm glad. I have no illusions, he probably didn't have that many options.

It might even be he knew it was a scam, he just didn't expect such a personal insult. I think he should have known, but there's no limit to the amount of lies a person can tell themselves to justify the job they finally managed to get.
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