Watch Out! These 10 Phone Call Scams Could Steal Your Money

Readers Digest ^ | no date given | Marissa Laliberte

[Leaning Right]

Those scammers are sneakier than you’d think, but you need to protect your money and information.

[Dawgreg]

1. Don’t answer the phone unless it’s someone that you know.

We don’t. Even got phones that block about a thousand calls. It’s probably got a few hundred on it already. I feel so bad for these seniors that get taken in because they have no one to protect them. These scammers need to be drawn and quartered!!

[ridesthemiles]

I have beome an expert at hanging up the phone.

I have a Princess phone, no caller ID & no call waiting service.

I am on the do not call list, but no one seems to follow that.

So I just hang up.

SOMETIMES with a loud 2 word expletive first !!!!!

[ridesthemiles]

I keep getting robo calls from a female who keeps using different names, but the voice is the SAME. I hang up.

[dynachrome]

I use a call blocker, too. turns out I can’t block my own number when it is spoofed and calling me, but it does help.

[ridesthemiles]

hat ‘tech’ guy has been calling me for over 10 years. I just hang up on him.

SOMETIMES I give him a 2 word expletive first...and then hang up.

[Fred Hayek]

I know that there are some people who have multiple social security numbers. They work for a little company in northern Virginia.

[Fred Hayek]

I get the same calls from so called police organizations. I tell them that I donate directly to the Houston 100 Club. They still push the script

[Fred Hayek]

I really throw them off when I tell them that I use good old Bell Labs UNIX.

[trisham]

It’s predatory behaviour.

[moovova]

I feel sorry for the folks that need their phones for business or family affairs. I’m retired and have only a close circle of callers that I even talk to on the phone anymore. I’ve killed my personal voice greeting and left my voicemail full. If my phone rings, if the caller isn’t in my Contacts, I don’t answer. The caller goes to an extended silence. Immediate family knows to text me.

[Zathras]

A cool way around this scam is get a phone number which is outside of the State you live in.
You get a call from “Alaska” and you don’t know anyone living in Alaska...its for sure a scam call.

[jmacusa]

That’s why I keep an air horn by the phone.

[lapsus calami]

 

 

The last IRS threat recording I got was a real mess. Evidently made with a text-to-voice program, but with all the warmth of the Speak & Spell toy from the 1980's. And it was obvious whomever made it had no grasp of the English language. It was contradictory, had a lot of phrasing that made no sense - major fail. Probably the worst scam effort I've been exposed to so far.

 

 

[Tucker39]

This wasn’t a phone call. This outfit took over my laptop. They controlled the cursor. I couldn’t shake them off. When I got to the local Tech’s shop and he fired my laptop up again, they were still there, moving the cursor around. He got rid of them. Now I have a VPN setup. Blessings on your weekend.

[Don_Ret_USAF]

A caller with an India accent called the other day. First word I spoke were. Was he a Packee. No was the reply. I relayed You sound Packee to me. He replied no . I replied are you sure. You sure do sound Packee to me. He asked what is a Packee. I replied you are in Afghanistan right. He replied No. Then You most be in Pakistan. He came back with a shout of No he was not in Pakistan. ASKED if HE WAS STILL NOT A PACKEE BECAUSE YOU SOUND LIKE ONE. Guess he decided to end the twenty question call, an he hung up the phone. Was able to keep him on the line for a good ten minutes. I was sure to use the word Packee in each answer to his replies. Just to get under his skin. No love between and Pakistan and India

[Leaning Right]

> I was sure to use the word Packee in each answer to his replies. Just to get under his skin. No love between and Pakistan and India <

Ha! That would just be like calling a good ol’ boy from Alabama a damn Yankee.

[Aut Pax Aut Bellum]

After 28 years of Verizon, I discontinued service on Thursday 14th, due to 5-20 telemarketer/scam calls every morning/afternoon/evening. My cellphone will suffice.
Same. My home phone got on a list and rang day and night with scams, ads, etc. The Do Not Call List did nothing to stop it. I still get some on my cell, but not many.

[sparklite2]

Don’t say yes to anything asked by a stranger

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Why not? Well, voice authentication is used on the phone just like signing a purchase order. They might ask, “Do you really want to switch providers?” A few more question like that, and you’ve signed up for something.

One reason never to say yes to a stranger on the phone is their ability to record your “Yes,” cut and paste it into any recording they choose, and sign you up for stuff you may not be able to unsign from.

[sparklite2]

A Sentry call screener is what you need.

[sparklite2]

“Social Security, how may I help you?” I replied, “What’s up? You called me?”

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Heh. I had a weird encounter with the greeter at a Chili’s.
I walked in the door and she says, “Can I help you?”

What else could I say? I said, “I’d like some food.”

She led me to a table.