Yesterday we talked about scam and spam emails. Today a little bit more of the reality we all face today, SPAM or SCAM phone calls. The evolution of the telephone has added features that change things. The reality for those who grew up during the 60s and 70s is back then we rushed to the phone when it rang. We never knew who was calling, but we ran to answer it anyway.
OF course, back then the reality of demon dialers did not exist. A demon dialer is something all of us, regardless of where you live have experienced. Demon dialers do two things. The first thing is they spoof, or fake a legitimate number, and secondly, they connect the call without a human. You’ve heard the click when you answer the call, a pause and then a second click before a human speaks. The rise of that demon dialer software is part of why there are so many spams or scam calls today. Let’s talk about my all-time favorite scam/spam calls!
1. The central windows support team, windows support team or partner support team. Your computer has errors. There are more than 1 billion Windows computers in the world. There is NO CENTRAL computer collecting error codes. Even if there where they don’t have any machine-specific information. Type event in your start menu. It will open the event viewer. Notice what would be sent from your computer, nothing about you as a user or your specific computer.
2. Car warranty calls – I love these they start with your car’s warranty has expired. They get people to panic, gather information and if they can they sell you a useless car warranty.
3. In the US, the IRS calls and leaving a threatening voicemail. First, the IRS does not use telephones to leave voicemails. They also do not threaten people. If you owe taxes they send you a registered letter. They never call you, unless they are turning your call, and at that point, they do not leave Home threatening emails!
4. Home security company calling “the neighbors: They start with “your neighbor was robbed, or a house in your neighborhood was robbed.” So far they have called our house eight times. There have been two break-ins in our neighborhood in the time they have called. The last time I asked what neighbor was robbed. They said: sir we can’t answer that question.”
There are many other scams out there. Home repairs are another huge one. If you have gotten one I haven’t listed, please share it in the comments. The path to safety both personal and home is to be careful. My grandfather’s rule applies “if it seems to good to be true, it is too good to be true.” There are many software solutions by the way that help with SPAM calls. NOMOREROBO, MALWAREBYTES and your cellular company’s software all work to reduce SPAM and SCAM calls. Just like here on Virily the most important thing, if something is offensive report it!
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Question of
WIll you share any other scams you’ve come across in the comments?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Spam calls are annoying right?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Did you know in many cases SCAM calls are illegal?
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Yes
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No
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Yes, I have had a person ring and call himself a technician from “Spark” and I knew he wasn’t and just hung up on him…Several calls like that, I think they caught the man
The sad reality is that they have to go catch such people. Sorry it happened to you Pam glad you were prepared!
It is happened to other New Zealanders too..annoying I think
I know that my company (I work for the phone company) and other phone companies are litigating the behavior as fast as they can.
I would like to tell you about something else in NZ, a company offered a free lunch in a posh hotel for a seminar, …its a long story.
I’ve seen those before. High pressure sales once you are in the room!
I saw one chapter of funny television series “last week tonight with John Oliver” about these phone calls. I recommend it to you, find it on Youtube. It is priceless
i watch all of John Olivers stuff. There is a comedian (Dave Mabe) who records calls from Telemarkets as he torments them, hilarous!
Have you watched the chapter I am telling you???? The end is incredible. Have you watched as well one of the chapters of this summer, the one in which they talked about a dictator who loves horses???
I have. Although sometimes the stories hit a little close to home.
It is great to find somebody who loves the same show as me. The show about the dictator who loves horses was so funny and the one about these phone calls has a perfect end. Thanks for writing this kind of articles.
i love his show! He is funny, but somehow more than that!
Oh, scam calls are annoying. I don’t answer these calls now, but I’ve had calls where they’ve told me I’ve been in a car accident. I even had a call once where they said that I owe taxes, and If I don’t press ‘1’ I shall be arrested. Really! But that can be scary for people!
it can be scary, but it isn’t real! Getting that information out to the world is my goal!!!
Q: WIll you share any other scams you’ve come across in the comments?
Yes (3 votes) – 43%
No (4 votes) – 57%
Q: Spam calls are annoying right?
Yes (7 votes) – 100%
Q: Did you know in many cases SCAM calls are illegal?
Yes (5 votes) – 83%
No (1 votes) – 17%
I do answer unknown numbers because it might be somebody who wants to inform/alert me about an important information. However, I’m careful not to fall in their prey.
I have received dozens of calls of people purporting as officials of a local telecommunication company. They always tell me I have won a promotion or competition I never won. I take the bait with the intention of playing along like an innocent person.
I do that sometimes as well, to see how long I can keep them on the phone before they get irritated!
My record for keeping the windows helpdesk on the phone is 30 minutes. I kept asking questions, I am sorry you need me to do what?
One time the person called and told me my Dell computer was spewing error messages to them.
I said, I don’t have a dell (I didn’t) the caller actually said I was lying.
Hahahaha…that was funny. The person was convincing you of a model you didn’t have.
yes, Dell is pretty big so it was a safe guess. They actually hung up on me!
scams are frauds, so of course they’re illegal. misrepresenting yourself as an IRS agent is a felony charge all by itself…
it is a sad reality we live in. It is illegal to impersonate a federal officer (or a state or local official in the US). But the reality is people do that.
The bigger thing i want to make sure people know, government officials from the IRS do not use the telephone for first contact!
just saying, the stakes are higher when you do that. but you’re right, it doesn’t stop some folks…
A wise person once said “lock the gate, keep honest people honest.”
don’t help a good kid turn bad…
Another great dadism!
there is also my personal favorite.
If all your friends jumped off a cliff would you?
my version, if all your friends stuffed their mouths with garlic, sewed them shut, lopped off their heads and buried them at the crossroads, would you?
sounds a little more graphic than mine.
dadism, the art of dad!
“If you keep making that face, it is going to be stuck that way forever.”
I do not answer calls from numbers only (not registered in my directory).
That is a smart way to operate!
Interesting information. Some information is new to me. I have all the numbers stored in the phone book. That’s why I ignore all unknown calls.
I miss the days when the phone wasn’t a scam or spam call!
I am the same I have very few people I call and very few who call me, When my phone rings and I see a number with no name therefore not saved on my phone I just don’t answer it
I think sometimes the evolution of what we do, is a sad reality. it used to be when the phone rang it could be anything.
Now most likely it is a scam.
I have no problems with that, dear friend … I do not answer unknown calls …. all those who need me have been stored in my phonebook … I also do not have numbers published …. and I never answer even a hidden number
That is a wise course of action! I remember the days we used to rush to the phone. Now we see who it is, first!
Exactly so if I do not have the number stored in the directory I do not answer … for you this is different … I have no one to call who does not know me
Luckily the spam call feature blocks the vast majority of the calls.
That’s a pretty good thing, dear friend
It really is. It makes things a little easier!!
My phone goes straight to voicemail.
I switched to the verizon call blocker, I get 1 or 2 a day now. NoMorRobo also works very well!
I am fedup with cellular company promotional text messages and call
all of these calls are annoying, i agree!