Scam Calls (landline and mobile)

[Deleted User]

Grumpy_chap said:

I always like to have a chat with them. 

I usually start by how it is lovely they called as I didn't think anyone cared, but they do and then generally trail off into how wonderful they are and I was about to end it all because the world is so tough but maybe as they are so lovely I won't and then develop into when can we meet as I really want to thank them for their kindness in person, and they are so kind to call and chat to a lonely old soul and they have made my day, my week, my year.  

I rarely get the same person call me back.  

We have BT call blocking, meaning in the last year we’ve had 1. If we got one and I answered I would probably (especially Indian Call Centres) talk to them and totally waste their time!

Telegraph_Sam

As long as you don't confuse these folk with the pre-recorded Amazon and Visa scammers.  If having pressed key 1 on your phone as requested you proceed to chat them up you will pay heavily for the privilege!

Grumpy_chap

I never press those sort of buttons!

anniecave

I've talked to the Amazon Prime scammers before and I've never been charged for the privilege.

I didn't realise the local call number spoofing was as common as that though, I'm getting lots of calls and they are very local to me. Very annoying, but useful information, thank you.

Mickey666

If I receive a call from a number I don't recognise I will answer it but not say anything.  If it's a person then they will usually say 'hello' when met with silence but if it's a pre-recorded message or 'chatbot' they will generally wait to hear something before playing their first message, so they remain silent as well and afetr a few seconds I hang up the call.  That seems to get rid of around 50% of 'scam' calls, especially the ones about the accident I recently had

If it's a real person and they say hello? then I'll say hello.  If they start their script I usually just hang up.  If it's from the "Microsoft technical team" calling about the 'fault' on my PC I sometimes string them along for a bit of fun before pretending I'm using a Raspberry Pi running Linux . . . their scripts don't yet seem to be able to cope with that!  But if I'm not in the mood then I just hang up.

RobM99

Mickey666 said:

If I receive a call from a number I don't recognise I will answer it but not say anything.  If it's a person then they will usually say 'hello' when met with silence but if it's a pre-recorded message or 'chatbot' they will generally wait to hear something before playing their first message, so they remain silent as well and afetr a few seconds I hang up the call.  That seems to get rid of around 50% of 'scam' calls, especially the ones about the accident I recently had

If it's a real person and they say hello? then I'll say hello.  If they start their script I usually just hang up.  If it's from the "Microsoft technical team" calling about the 'fault' on my PC I sometimes string them along for a bit of fun before pretending I'm using a Raspberry Pi running Linux . . . their scripts don't yet seem to be able to cope with that!  But if I'm not in the mood then I just hang up.

I had one  call "According to our records, you have no funeral plan".   Me "But I do, I plan to lie very still for a long time!"

Telegraph_Sam

Re Anniecave: "I've talked to the Amazon Prime scammers before and I've never been charged for the privilege."
Do you mind if I ask you to kindly check this out. According to my service provider, as soon as I "press 1 on my keypad" I get connected to a premium rate number, at my expense. Otherwise - if you assume that the Amazon scammers don't regard it as part of their social remit to chat up and comfort the lonely hearted - what's in it for them???  They claim that my Prime Membership is about to auto-renew so I am not going to give them my credit card details.

Telegraph_Sam

before pretending I'm using a Raspberry Pi running Linux . . . their scripts don't yet seem to be able to cope with that!  .

I must remember that one 

J_B

Telegraph_Sam said:

Re Anniecave: "I've talked to the Amazon Prime scammers before and I've never been charged for the privilege."
Do you mind if I ask you to kindly check this out. According to my service provider, as soon as I "press 1 on my keypad" I get connected to a premium rate number, at my expense.

So, who is your service provider, and can you find a link that confirms this?

Telegraph_Sam

John Lewis Broadband (part of but not the same as PlusNet). The info was given to me in a phone conversation - sounded plausible enough - so no confirmatory "link". But again, if this is incorrect, what is in it for the scammers for them to make such calls?