Posted on 05/27/2016 7:17:06 AM PDT by KeyLargo
Phone Scam ‘Onslaught’ Has Authorities Scrambling 5/27/2016
Telephone scammers posing as tech support, lottery reps or even government officials are inundating U.S. homes as cheap technology and the rapid rise in Internet access globally makes it easier to set up ..
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Please let your friends and especially those Seniors that may fall for these phone fraud scams.
Screen your calls. Don’t pick up if you don’t recognize the number. If it’s important they’ll leave a message.
I just got a call from a foreign-sounding woman claiming to be part of the “Legal Department of the US Treasury.” She threatened some very ominous legal actions that were going to be taken against me, and ended the call by hoping I have a “blessed day.”
That itself convinced me that she couldn’t possibly be from the US Government—LOL!
IRS called and told me I would be arrested if I did not call a phone number and straighten things out.
Rebeca form credit card services calls once a month.
Some guys form India working for Microsoft call regulatory.
The “Police protective association” calls regularly.
The Colorado “No call list” is another scam that does nothing.
I use NoMoRobo — it is quite effective at blocking the crap. If you want to help, you submit numbers that did get through so others won’t get hit by them. Helping is optional, but I like doing it.
For some background, I posted this related story last week.
FTC expands tech support fraud lawsuit
Hartford Business.com ^ | May 18, 2016 | Keith Griffin
Posted on 5/20/2016, 10:04:14 AM by KeyLargo
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3432318/posts
The wife and I take this one step further. If it’s important, they can send us a letter in the U.S. mail. We blow off everything we receive in emails and all phone calls from unknown numbers.
The quickest way for outing scammers posing as tech reps is to ask them for your IP address. If you don't know it, there is a link on my freeper page where you can see it.
Usually, I just hang up on these jay-birds or even let it go to voice mail, but once in awhile I like to hoist them on their own petard.
Be skeptical about EVERYTHING.
I knew the IRS call was a scam when the guy (who was Indian and could barely speak English) identified himself as “Special Agent Don Johnson”.
That and he was calling from a Fresno, California area code.
Ironically it is generally recent immigrants who fall for the scam.
Indeed, if the IRS wants your attention, there will be no doubt as to the legitimacy of the contact.
Santa Barbara, California area code? I’ve had the same junk call.
I use NoMoRobo — it is quite effective at blocking the crap. If you want to help, you submit numbers that did get through so others won’t get hit by them. Helping is optional, but I like doing it.
I am on the Do Not Call list. I used to file complaints when I got calls in violation of the law.
In the latest one my state AG wrote back that “our investigation has determined that the calls are coming from Bulgaria, which is beyond our jurisdiction”.
I figure there is no point in complaining any more.
"Oops, forgive me, I have to hurry......my supervisor is calling me."
When they ask about your supervisor, say:
"I work for the FBI's telephone fraud unit."
The IRS does not call people about tax issues.
Caller ID can be and is spoofed. Be skeptical of what it reports.
I also got the “Microsoft Tech Support calling about a serious computer security problem” call.
I said “Oh, that’s good. My computer is a Mac. Can you help me with that too?”
-click-
I only pick up when I want to amuse myself by cranking someone.
No this one was Champaign, IL. Probably spoofed, though.
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