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Honored Social Butterfly

I Have Fun Jerking Them Around

I receive many scam calls and I treat them all the same because I believe that they all emanate from the same location. The hold recording is the same for all of them as is the music that plays while you are on hold.

 

So, here's what I do.

 

First, I copy their accent.

 

All these calls, whether they are about lower interest rates, new cable offers, the FBI about to arrest you, the IRS about to arrest you, your Social Security number being hacked, debt relief, or a charge on "your" Amazon account, all these calls are made by individuals that have a certain accent from a certain country. The accent is easy to copy.

 

Then, I ask what is the city from which they are calling, naming several cities in that particular country as choices from which they can select.

 

At this point, they either play along usually saying they are in Orlando, El Paso, or New York, or they call me names, make disparaging sexual remarks about my family, or hang up.

 

Many a time I hear them talking to their co-workers in their native language which undeniably pinpoints where they are REALLY calling from.

 

Then I ask these idiots if they disappointed their parents by ending up working for a scam operation rather than a legitimate job like engineering.

 

Some get hot under the collar and some continue to play along.

 

Anyway, it is fun to jerk these jerks around and, at the same time, keep them from getting to their next victim....even if it is for only a few minutes.

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Bronze Conversationalist

After working with law enforcement for 38 years there are a few things to consider when playing with these crooks. The accents you talk about could be coming from Michigan Florida or even your neighbor across the street. Dialect doesn't say they are from another country. Think about this if the person has loose screws and live near by, you could be a possible victim. I suggest you just hang up.Rember crime is mobile and with Google Earth and the internet its not hard to find you.  Then there are the people who may seek revenge putting your name on the dark web selling your info to other scammers or other diabical  things to ruin you. if you think playing with them is worth it  keep doing it but I have seen first hand the other side and it's not pretty especially when it goes beyond property.

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Honored Social Butterfly


@Travis55Chevy wrote:

The accents you talk about could be coming from Michigan Florida or even your neighbor across the street. Dialect doesn't say they are from another country.

 

Thanks for the warning but let me assure you that it isn't only the dialect(the same for every call by the way) that leads me to think the scammers emanate from the same foreign source. It is the music played while on hold, and the voice that states "your call is important to them" being EXACTLY THE SAME regardless of the scam being foisted upon you. These jokers can't even answer simple questions regarding where they are calling from and best of all, they use obviously phony names.

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Honored Social Butterfly

Another Government Promise . . . . . 

FCC 07/19/2021 - The FCC's Push to Combat Robocalls & Spoofing 

They do offer some Consumer Tips -

I never answer them but I have noticed a BIG difference in numbers in the last month.

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
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Bronze Conversationalist

Actually its the Federal Trade Commission that handles  scam calls

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Honored Social Butterfly


@Travis55Chevy wrote:

Actually its the Federal Trade Commission that handles  scam calls


Actually, nobody handles the scam calls. The government has dropped the ball horribly on this one. DO NOT CALL LISTS only work on LEGITIMATE companies and the scammers I have been talking about are anything but LEGITIMATE.

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Honored Social Butterfly


@GailL1 wrote:

They do offer some Consumer Tips -


The actions of the FCC have done absolutely no good, especially the infamous DO NOT CALL list.

 

Not answering does no good and several of the other suggestions in the link also do no good.

 

I never use the word "YES" in the conversation as I am aware of its use by scammers.

 

I believe my jerking them around must do some good because many times when they ask me "How are you doing" and I answer "Very well, thank you" in my fake accent voice, THEY IMMEDIATELY HANG UP. I can see no reason that they do that other than my efforts are recognized by the call center initiating the calls.

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Super Contributor

You are right not to respond with "yes", or not to agree to anything they say.  I always ignore their questions, and start asking them if they watched the "game" last night and start talking about it.  They always hang up after that.

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Bronze Conversationalist

Hey, I should try that instead of slamming the receiver in their ear ! I know people who play along with the games, returning the smart remarks, insults, whatever. Doesn't seem to stop them, but it's a pastime, isn't it ? !  😉

Sandee2
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Honored Social Butterfly


@ss11943859 wrote:

Doesn't seem to stop them, but it's a pastime, isn't it ? !  😉


 

It sure is.

 

In fact, the individuals sometimes laugh as they play along with me.

 

But, as I said, some make sexual remarks about my family.... wife, mother, daughter, etc,.... that you know they can't be representing a legitimate business.

 

Some initially feign surprise that I mock them the way that I do......they almost make you think that you offended them.....but then.....these are usually the same ones that end up making the sexual remarks noted above.

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