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Weird scam calls

Started by Fambo Number Mive, June 29, 2018, 09:02:20 PM

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Fambo Number Mive

Just got a scam call from the US. Said I had signed up to find out more about investments and gave the name of an investment company. The person who rang knew my first name, email address and mobile. I don't remember signing up to the company (which has a website but no details on staff). I asked them to send me an email and then put the phone down. Very strange.

BlodwynPig

Send me your bank details and I'll look into this for you.

Steven

Obviously you've given your first name, e-mail and phone number to some company or other and they've flogged on the information in a big package to cold-callers, whoever it was you might have a suspicion who it was. If you've got a domain name you can give each company a seperate e-mail address then you'll know exactly who it was, or spell your name slightly differently each time and ask them the spelling, or maybe put in a different phone number and then you'll avoid the problem all together.

Icehaven

I had a flurry of ambulance chasing ones recently-ish* which opened as if we'd already been in touch, saying something like 'we're calling about the recent accident that you were involved in, is that right?' I've heard a scare story that some of these scammers are just trying to get you to say 'yes' so they can record it and splice it into fake calls so it sounds like you're agreeing to something you aren't, which sounds a bit implausible but still possible, so I just start jabbering about dain bramage and ''ver bad ackident'' and they put the phone down. The other creepier aspect (which I know has come up in other threads) is that it's sometimes genuinely hard to tell if you're speaking to an actual listening person or an automated recording. Last time I started ranting the voice just said ''OK'' in that unconvincing breezily-colloquial-but-inappropriately-toned way automated systems have when they're responding without understanding, then hung up, however at first it sounded more human so I wasn't sure. Replicants.

*Also makes me wonder about why and how they pick their targets. I haven't had an accident, road, workplace or otherwise, and I don't even drive, but given I received about 10-15 of these, from several numbers (although I know this doesn't necessarily mean it was different companies) over a few weeks/months (most of them missed due to them calling when I was at work, but several at weekends and quite late in evenings so they were determined I was going to answer), I started thinking why now, suddenly? It probably is just random, however I did have a brief involvement with the police early last year after I was assaulted, and obviously they have all your contact details and so on in much the same way/place they would if you'd had a car accident. Might be being cynical here but it wouldn't surprise me one bit if that's got something to do with it.

Malcy

I got a new number a few months back and within a week or so I was getting calls that were either silence, hanging up or telling me my BT router was broken. I think a total of 5 people had the number at this point.

I get one almost every week. I think there is just an automatic dialer that rings every possible phone number there is. I tend not to answer them now & Google the number after they ring. If it's important they will leave a message or ring back. Im in the process of moving in to a new place and was waiting to hear about getting a cooker etc through council.

They send a text telling you that you will shortly be contacted on a private number. Must be due to the fact that a lot of people don't answer them so they've had to give you prior warning.

Years ago someone claiming to be from Orange was ringing my parents house weekly looking for me. After being told to fuck off several times he kept doing it. I was home for a week one time when he rang. 4 times that week as if he knew I was back in the country. I asked what he wanted. Tried to sell me a suspiciously cheap phone package. I asked him if their were any sausages included in the bundle and how many a month. 50 was the reply after hesitating. I then did what I rarely do with these calls and blasted him from here to wherever the fuck he was right thing from.

I don't usually do that because having worked in a call centre I know how frustrating it can be when someone asks you kindly to take their number off the system, even though they are an existing customer, only to see their details pop up on your screen days or even hours later due to poor systems.

Also worth getting that app that tells you exactly who is calling when a call comes through.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Malcy on July 02, 2018, 01:55:47 PM
I asked him if their were any sausages included in the bundle and how many a month. 50 was the reply after hesitating. I then did what I rarely do with these calls and blasted him from here to wherever the fuck he was right thing from.

You shouldn't look a gift horse-meat sausage in the mouth.  50 per month is pretty good, all things considered.

Malcy

Quote from: St_Eddie on July 02, 2018, 02:35:04 PM
You shouldn't look a gift horse-meat sausage in the mouth.  50 per month is pretty good, all things considered.

I know but when challenged on whether they were link or lorne he crumbled. It would've probably been received like Internet Ham from the Peter Serafinowicz show. Not for me!

St_Eddie

Quote from: Malcy on July 02, 2018, 03:04:05 PM
I know but when challenged on whether they were link or lorne he crumbled.

He crumbled much like the sausages themselves, I should imagine.  A crumbly sausage is the absolute wurst.