Windows license scam

pbeverly wrote:
If you don't recognize the number, don't answer. If they don't leave a voice mail or the voice mail is questionable block the number.

Good advice.

But, sometimes answering is a must.

Businesses must answer each phone call, otherwise they go out of business ignoring potential or current customers.

DR or Medical services often use a call center that shows up as "800 Services" to relay appointments confirmation or changes to appointments.

Scammers often spoof numbers, more than once I have seen my own number calling my number so there is always a chance they will spoof a number that you know.

Scammers typically do not broadcast their own real working number, in the case of the scammer I had, they were dumb enough to use their own number.. Yeah, I called that number until they blocked mine :B Ironically I went from 30 plus scam calls a day to 4 by the next day :)

Just a warning, it doesn't always work but is has with this one and the last car warranty scammer I dealt with..

As said, best policy is often ignore, blocking has very little effect since they are generally spoofing numbers.

Many robo callers typically use AI that sound pretty darn real, generally they do not start speaking until the detect actual human voice (not answering machine recorded).. But now they have upped their game, if no non recorded voice, the call gets sent to the scammers phone and they will say something to prompt you to respond.. This gets around the call blocking that uses a 1-9 required touch tone response..

If you're not in my phone book I never answer. If you're not in my phone book and don't leave a message I won't try to call you back.

I strongly believe that blocking the offending number is a complete waste of time. They almost never use the same number twice.

Shopper Drug Mart scammers are hard at it too, $90 gift certificate if you click on the link...Don't be tempted.

Blocking numbers CAN help. I regularly block numbers on my land line. My landline frequently displays the message "Blocked call" in the caller ID section. One of the numbers that I had already blocked tried again. If it was blocked because of the call screening, it just displays "Missed call."

Bobbo wrote:
Blocking numbers CAN help. I regularly block numbers on my land line. My landline frequently displays the message "Blocked call" in the caller ID section. One of the numbers that I had already blocked tried again. If it was blocked because of the call screening, it just displays "Missed call."

^^

This. I also pay Verizon monthly for use of their Call Filter app. Not the most effective out there vs T Mobile's or AT&T from what I've read, but it's definitely made a difference in the volume of garbage calls I receive.

Microsoft (MS) will not cold call end users for any reason. If you get such a call claiming to be MS, then you know it’s a scam.

"Your Amazon account has been charged $795, you must call back if this is wrong"
is a fairly new scam,now.

Gdetrailer wrote:

pbeverly wrote:
If you don't recognize the number, don't answer. If they don't leave a voice mail or the voice mail is questionable block the number.

Good advice.

But, sometimes answering is a must.

Businesses must answer each phone call, otherwise they go out of business ignoring potential or current customers.

DR or Medical services often use a call center that shows up as "800 Services" to relay appointments confirmation or changes to appointments. ....

Well... these days a lot of businesses don't actually answer a call with a live person. How many times have you called an office, especially a doctor's office, and had to push a button or two to actually get to a person? "Hello, you've reached the office of Dr. So and So, please push one to talk to a receptionist"....

That is intentional - most computer phone scamming systems will just hang up if a live person doesn't answer right away.

I've called a few businesses that their answering system asks for your zip code, or last 4 digits of your account number, etc. Then when you get connected to a real person, you have to repeat that information... One of the reasons the answering system asked those questions was to weed out the scam callers.

Tvov wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

pbeverly wrote:
If you don't recognize the number, don't answer. If they don't leave a voice mail or the voice mail is questionable block the number.

Good advice.

But, sometimes answering is a must.

Businesses must answer each phone call, otherwise they go out of business ignoring potential or current customers.

DR or Medical services often use a call center that shows up as "800 Services" to relay appointments confirmation or changes to appointments. ....

Well... these days a lot of businesses don't actually answer a call with a live person. How many times have you called an office, especially a doctor's office, and had to push a button or two to actually get to a person? "Hello, you've reached the office of Dr. So and So, please push one to talk to a receptionist"....

That is intentional - most computer phone scamming systems will just hang up if a live person doesn't answer right away.

I've called a few businesses that their answering system asks for your zip code, or last 4 digits of your account number, etc. Then when you get connected to a real person, you have to repeat that information... One of the reasons the answering system asked those questions was to weed out the scam callers.

Not "all" businesses have adopted the prescreen human check, lots of old school businesses out there that don't and changing over to a more robust phone system that offers the 1-9 option or extension numbers is often a costly expense.

There are also often reasons as to why one may not be able to use such a system like modern 2 factor authentication which calls your predesignated phone number to verify it is in fact you that initiated a change or login to a website..

Brother in law got scammed on my father in laws computer. Wife was her dad's legal guardian. She told her brother to pound sand, stating that all financials had to go through her. Not quite sure how BIL got involved, but he knew then that dad was not responsible.

I will occasionally play with scammers. My favorite are the "your social number has been compromised and an arrest warrant has been issued". I've gone as long as 5 minutes playing that one.