No scam or nuisance calls in 2 weeks .

[teddyboy23]

Any one else noticed .could it be because of lockdown here and other countries .

[DulwichFox]

I have noticed this too. Normally get 2-3 a day.

Dulwichfox

[singalto]

I had one of the Amazon Prime scam calls on Monday so switched my Sky phone shield on again...

[Lynne]

If anyone saw the TV programme on the scam "industry" in India, they wouldn't be surprised. I was amazed and horrified at how many people are employed there just to work scams. But yes, it's good to not to have to answer the phone at 12.00am and 6.00pm

[IlonaM]

Jusr getting the automated ones - BT broadband etc.

[Spartacus]

Hello

This is btalkvirgintalk here

We've detected your household has a virus

Press 1 to talk to one of our engineers who will help rid your household and computer of the virus

....

[Hamletter]

I really miss them as they can be a great source of self-amusement in these times of self-isolation. I try to see how long I can string them along for before they give up.

Early on in the conversation I lead them to believe that I am old and have hearing difficulties which of necessity involves them having to repeat their instructions several times at every stage. I also let them know that my PC has been a bit odd recently with it crashing some times.

Then they have to wait whilst my old Windows XP PC boots up. ( I have a s shortcut on my desktop to the old Windows jingle audio file). I also have a short cut to the sound of someone knocking on my door. So I ask for their patience while I go to answer it.

Other ploys involves variety of time wasting tactics....

Computer crashes

Sticky keys on keyboard - causing errors

Erratic mouse wheel

And all that's before they get me to finish typing teamviewer!

My best so far is 27 minutes.

If any one has other plausible time wasting suggestions , please post them here.

So on and on it goes and the best I've done so far

[DulwichFox]

Hi Hamletter

Just be careful.

There are some clever new Scams, many from the African Continent in which

the person receiving the call is paying the Bill.

You could be paying many pounds a Minute for your Time Wasting 'Fun'

DulwichFox.

[teddyboy23]

Don't believe it . just had a nuisance call my ex wife .

[FineWhine]

teddyboy23 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Don't believe it . just had a nuisance call my ex

> wife .

Hahaha

[Hamletter]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi Hamletter

>

> Just be careful.

> There are some clever new Scams, many from the

> African Continent in which

> the person receiving the call is paying the

> Bill.

>

> You could be paying many pounds a Minute for your

> Time Wasting 'Fun'

>

> DulwichFox.

Only if you press any buttons which I never do.

[DulwichFox]

Hamletter Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DulwichFox Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Hi Hamletter

> >

> > Just be careful.

> > There are some clever new Scams, many from the

> > African Continent in which

> > the person receiving the call is paying the

> > Bill.

> >

> > You could be paying many pounds a Minute for

> your

> > Time Wasting 'Fun'

> >

> > DulwichFox.

>

> Only if you press any buttons which I never do.

NO. Software can control the call by you simply 'Speaking' Acknowledging the call,,

Scary ??

Foxy.

ETA

Also.. by speaking ,, you voice can be recorded and used to gain access to any online banking

that requires you to speak to gain access.

Just put the phone down. These scammers are a LOT cleverer than you.

[malumbu]

As so few people telephone for a chat nowadays I'm quite missing the exotic voices, and the occasional very sophisticated voice, telling me that I am owed a tax/PPI refund, have been involved in an accident, or owe money to organizations that I have not subscribed to. On the good side the call centres across the world are following the guidance.

[Spartacus]

I just had a call (automated) telling me they've been informed I've been involved in an accident is this correct ?

"Yes" I said

When did this happen ?

"Yesterday" I said

I'm just transferring you to my supervisor the automated voice said

who then asked what happened

"I'm in hospital now after a bus ran over my leg and they amputated it this morning" I moaned

Then (and this is classic) the supervisor said "thank you for making it up" and hung up on me

Classic

[JohnL]

Unless someone is in my directory I don't usually answer - I was told this is how millennials use their phones so I'll do the same. Alexa has now started announcing my mobile phone calls too which I also usually ignore - soon she'll do it all for me and I can just play Fallout76 all day :)

DF is right though - seems voice mimicking software is out there.

https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/voice-mimicking-technology-bbb-warning-emergency-scam

I've moved a lot of my online stuff to MFA/2FA authentication

[gabys1st]

If you get an unsolicitsd sales call make a note of time,number if one does show on your screen..try get firm's name, and then report it..if enuf of us do these *****will be fined.

If it ias a fraud call do as above and report. This cd save many naive peeps losing money.

[EPB]

gabys1st Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If you get an unsolicitsd sales call . . . .and then report

> it..

To whom?

[JohnL]

gabys1st Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> If you get an unsolicitsd sales call make a note

> of time,number if one does show on your

> screen..try get firm's name, and then report

> it..if enuf of us do these *****will be fined.

> If it ias a fraud call do as above and report.

> This cd save many naive peeps losing money.

I got a fake EE text which I reported to EE fraud - 'problem with your payment please click here' (googling there are a lot of them around).

You don't hear any result back though just a 'thanks for reporting this will help us going forward' and the texts just start from a different number.

[singalto]

I had a call from India yesterday claiming to be from the FCA government department and telling me I was due a ?3000 refund of unlawful bank charges. He told me someone would come to my house at which point I hung up. I typed the number into Google and it?s the number used for years for such a scam!

[JohnL]

2 calls yesterday - one dead, one telling me I'd been signed up to Amazon Prime by mistake and should press 1 to cancel.

Yeah - not that stupid.

[tomdhu]

I have plenty of spare time and just love the callers that make out they are from, BT/Micrposoft/Virgin/etc who say they have detected a virus on my PC.

Expressions of mild shock/surprise on my part and expression of gratitude on my part. When they offer to help, I say OK just let me turn my PC on. Now, I have a short cut on my laptop which is to an audio file for an old dial up modem and whilst this is playing I make out I'm not too good at computers and ask for their patience.

This whets their appetite no end.

Between system crashes and reboots plus interruptions ( someone knocking on the front door, and having to go to the toilet, I can string them out for a good 25 minutes. Great fun to be had and it doesnt cost a penny. Even better when you put them out of their misery by telling them what you think of them.

Plus you can be fairly confident they will never call you number again.

[diable rouge]

Had a strange call earlier to my mobile, not recognising the landline number I didn't answer the call thinking it was someone probably selling/scammimg etc, then Googled the code, it was a Spalding (Lincs) number, while doing that I got an alert to say a voicemail message had been left, then listened to what sounded like a 20sec message in Chinese. All very odd...

[Spartacus]

diable rouge Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Had a strange call earlier to my mobile, not

> recognising the landline number I didn't answer

> the call thinking it was someone probably

> selling/scammimg etc, then Googled the code, it

> was a Spalding (Lincs) number, while doing that I

> got an alert to say a voicemail message had been

> left, then listened to what sounded like a 20sec

> message in Chinese. All very odd...

An 01337 number ? As I had the same yesterday not sure what it was about as I hung up after the oriental recording started (couldn't say it was Chinese or not)

[diable rouge]

01337 is Ladybank in Scotland, this was 01775 (Spalding). Curious to know why leave a message in a foreign language, is the scam that you are charged the earth for answering the call?...

[Spartacus]

That is a good question

They can't charge you for a call they've made

It's possibly something similar to the calls in the USA a few years ago

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-behind-all-those-chinese-speaking-robocalls/

Aimed at Chinese people telling them their immigration status was in question

Ho li fuk as they say 😱