What do you do when a scam operation calls you?

[vdeane]

I'm surprised so many of you answer all these calls.

1.  I want to make sure it isn't someone really trying to get a hold of me.  I dislike the process of ignoring a call, getting a voicemail, listening to the voicemail, calling the person back, possibly having to play phone tag...  I'd rather just find out in three seconds if it's really someone trying to call me.

2.  I'd rather waste their time, even if just for a little bit, than have them use that time to call an actual victim.

3.  If I ignore the call, sometimes I still get a voicemail that I have to make sure isn't legitimate and then delete.  Too much hassle.

But doesn't answering just lead to more calls because it verifies that the phone number is real/active or something like that?

[webny99]

1.  I want to make sure it isn't someone really trying to get a hold of me.  I dislike the process of ignoring a call, getting a voicemail, listening to the voicemail, calling the person back, possibly having to play phone tag...  I'd rather just find out in three seconds if it's really someone trying to call me.

These days it's so rare that someone I don't know would call me for a legitimate reason that if I don't recognize the number or am not expecting a call, I just don't answer it. I suspect this approach is probably more common among younger people.

[I-39]

I usually ignore them, but sometimes I'll answer and pretend they are calling for pizza by saying "Thank you for calling Papa John's in (insert town name here), this is Bob (fake name), how can I help you?"  

They just hang up.

[ET21]

I ignore then block the number

[Rothman]

I ignore then block the number

I would have thought this is what most people do.

[ET21]

I ignore then block the number

I would have thought this is what most people do.

I never used to until last year. Before 2020, I'd just ignore them and eventually they would stop. But since last year robo calls to my cell have gone up exponentially. So I've adopted this new tactic and its worked nicely so far

[1995hoo]

1.  I want to make sure it isn't someone really trying to get a hold of me.  I dislike the process of ignoring a call, getting a voicemail, listening to the voicemail, calling the person back, possibly having to play phone tag...  I'd rather just find out in three seconds if it's really someone trying to call me.

These days it's so rare that someone I don't know would call me for a legitimate reason that if I don't recognize the number or am not expecting a call, I just don't answer it. I suspect this approach is probably more common among younger people.

That's what we've done for years, and it's one of the reasons why I got caller ID right away upon moving into my current house in 2001. I had gotten used to having it on my work phone and wasn't about to do without it at home.

We have a robocall blocker as well (Nomorobo) and it's very effective. Doesn't catch all calls, of course, but it screens out a heck of a lot of them.

I don't bother with blocking numbers most of the time because I think it's a waste of time–the scammers are spoofing the numbers anyway and are just going to call again from a different number, so blocking is usually a waste of time.

One thing this thread makes me think of is the old practice of using an answering machine to screen calls–you know, when you let the machine answer and then you pick up if you know the caller. I suspect that practice has largely gone by the wayside due to both the general ubiquity of caller ID (no need to screen calls if you know the caller) and, more commonly these days, the more widespread use of voicemail such that you aren't listening in anyway. My brother-in-law will still say "Hello.....helllooooo.....anybody home....." etc. multiple times waiting for someone to pick up the phone. I've sometimes thought about pointing out to him that most people can't hear him doing that, but I've never bothered. Of course he also knows we have caller ID and will normally answer his calls unless we're busy doing something urgent.

[jeffandnicole]

I ignore then block the number

I would have thought this is what most people do.

I'm amazed many people don't.

For some, it's a cultural thing, as in they want to be nice and answer the phone.  I would see this when it comes to Timeshare Salesmen.  Some people don't want to be rude and will answer or indulge the salesperson...which is exactly what they wanted them to do.  The salesperson had no issue being 'rude' by jumping in front of someone to encourage them to step over to see the fabulous vacation rental just minutes from whatever destination they choose in exchange for "short" 90 minute presentation and free gifts.  For others, like me, I don't even glance, and I'm not giving them a 'No'. 

Back to scam operations calling...I'm not going to pick up the phone (kids, that's a term when the phone was just a phone, attached to a wall).  They can't make a sale if you don't answer.  If you do answer, their foot is already in the door.

[kphoger]

I ignore then block the number

I would have thought this is what most people do.

I don't bother with blocking numbers most of the time because I think it's a waste of time–the scammers are spoofing the numbers anyway and are just going to call again from a different number, so blocking is usually a waste of time.

That's the answer.  I know darned well they aren't really calling me from the number that shows up, so there's no point in blocking the number.  On my current phone, it takes three buttons to block a number, so I've started doing that, but it doesn't make a difference.

But doesn't answering just lead to more calls because it verifies that the phone number is real/active or something like that?

Yes it does.  And more of their time I can waste if I'm in the mood to do so.  I don't know which is better:  not getting the calls in the first place, or keeping them (even if only for a couple of minutes) from calling someone more gullible than me.

I wonder:  does the more bogus information I give them make their whole data set that much less valuable to potential buyers?

[Scott5114]

I'm not going to pick up the phone (kids, that's a term when the phone was just a phone, attached to a wall). 

You don't still pick up your cell phone to answer it? You would probably look pretty silly putting your ear on the table to answer it.

[kphoger]

I'm not going to pick up the phone (kids, that's a term when the phone was just a phone, attached to a wall). 

You don't still pick up your cell phone to answer it? You would probably look pretty silly putting your ear on the table to answer it.

True, true.  Though, I bet you don't literally hang up your cell phone up after the call is done!

(My cell phone is housed in a leather pouch on my belt.  Does putting it away count as "hanging it up"?)

[1995hoo]

I'm not going to pick up the phone (kids, that's a term when the phone was just a phone, attached to a wall). 

You don't still pick up your cell phone to answer it? You would probably look pretty silly putting your ear on the table to answer it.

He could use the speakerphone, though, and answer it without picking it up. (Then there are the people who for some reason use the speakerphone while holding the phone out in front of their face like it's a slice of pizza.)

[kphoger]

...or answer the phone by pushing a button in their ear...

[thenetwork]

Once in a while, I'll answer the "unknown" number.  Lately it's been the Extended Warranty scams. 

Once I start speaking with an operator, I ask them who specifically they are trying to reach and what is the vehicle they are inquiring about.  They can't tell me (what a surprise!)

Then I tell them if they don't know who they are trying to reach or what vehicle they are inquiring about, then I say "Why the hell did you call me?  Maybe because you are a SCAM? "

Then I rip into them saying their mom and dad must be proud of them being a scam artist.  Then I tell them they need to find a REAL job that they can be proud of because this doesn't cut it. 

I was surprised one person still stuck to the script after all of that shaming.  Most of them either hang up or even ask for them to take me off their list...I say if you you don't know who you're wanting to talk to, then Duh,....stop calling me. 

[wanderer2575]

Off-topic, but some people make a hobby of baiting the scammers.  (Warning:  Not an activity to be undertaken lightly.)  One archive of some e-mail exchanges can be found at https://www.419eater.com/html/letters.htm.  These folks have tricked scammers into performing some outrageous activities in the hopes that they (the scammers) will receive wads of cash:  Posing for ridiculous photos, making carvings or other art projects, even getting tattoos proclaiming they have been scambaited.

[vdeane]

One thing I've been doing, especially after my work phone started forwarding to my cell phone because of work from home (thereby making ignoring all calls from unknown numbers no longer a viable strategy) is to answer but not say anything for a few seconds on numbers I'm not sure about.  I figure a real person would say hello or respond when I finally do, but it seems to confuse the robo dialers.

[kphoger]

Lately it's been the Extended Warranty scams. 

Once I start speaking with an operator, I ask them who specifically they are trying to reach and what is the vehicle they are inquiring about.  They can't tell me (what a surprise!)

Sometimes I ask them which vehicle they're referring to.  Then they ask me to verify the make and model, so I ask again which one they want me to verify.  I tell them I have multiple vehicles, but I didn't realize my warranty was ending, and I'm really interested to know which one it is so I can make sure I'm still covered.  This tactic doesn't actually keep them on the phone very long, because they quickly tire of "I just need you to verify the make and model / On which one?" over and over again.

(For the record, I only own one car, and the only warranty I've ever had on any car was the three-month powertrain-only one issued by a used car dealership.)

[dlsterner]

Normally I just silently hang up - if I even answered in the first place.

Although with the "Extended Warranty" scam, I've been tempted to tell the caller that my car is a 1987 Yugo with 400,000 miles on it.

[kphoger]

Although with the "Extended Warranty" scam, I've been tempted to tell the caller that my car is a 1987 Yugo with 400,000 miles on it.

If it's over a certain number of miles, they're not interested in you anyway.

[jp the roadgeek]

I use an app to block all non-contacts on my cell, and the built-in MagicJack blocker on my landline.  The latter requires human input.

[index]

I've been recently getting spam called by some debt collection agency for some reason. I have no debt and couldn't even get it if I tried because I have no credit history, so it has to be a scam. Every time they call and they ask for the last 4 digits of my SSN I always give them random garbage and start going on with totally random "related" info I can use to "prove" it's mine when they said it won't work. I don't know why they keep calling me when I keep doing that.

[kphoger]

I've been recently getting spam called by some debt collection agency for some reason. I have no debt and couldn't even get it if I tried because I have no credit history, so it has to be a scam.

A year ago or so, I kept getting collection calls.  It was from an agency through whom my wife had canceled our credit card a couple of years earlier.  I kept telling her to get in contact with the bank and tell them to fix their error.  After enough times of that, she finally broke and admitted that she had re-opened the credit card to pay for an unexpected expense we couldn't otherwise afford.  She hadn't told me because she figured it would only add to the stress of the situation that prompted her to do it.  So it turned out the calls were 100% legit!  I just didn't know it.

Every time they call and they ask for the last 4 digits of my SSN I always give them random garbage and start going on with totally random "related" info I can use to "prove" it's mine when they said it won't work. I don't know why they keep calling me when I keep doing that.

They keep calling because you keep talking to them.  I'm not saying you should stop.  Heaven knows I keep baiting them, myself.  But that's why they keep calling you.

[Henry]

I just answer, then hang up immediately. Done and done.

[zachary_amaryllis]

i get the auto-warranty one a lot. whats funny is the number they are calling is a google voice number, which isn't listed anywhere.

'this is our last attempt before we close the file' ... so close it already? i have never owned a car with less than 150k miles, so it wouldn't apply anyway.

but i saw an ad on tv for an app that gives them funny messages, so i will do the same thing manually. my cell doesn't get a lot of calls, and i know who i want to talk to and who i don't. so when they call i'll just 'just a second the damn sheep's getting away' or 'i have sharks circling the boat can i call you back?' or something similar.

[1995hoo]

This week I've gotten two robocall voicemails, both from numbers purporting to be in Idaho, regarding some sort of a subscription renewal (it doesn't say to what): "$349.99 is going to be charged from your checking account or plastic card which is attached in our system for the auto renewal of your subscription."

"Plastic card"? Seriously? How stupid do you have to be to fall for this garbage?