Are scammers lonely? I think so...

[Greatscott]

If you are like me the number of scam calls hitting your cell phone have skyrocketed recently. The main calls I get start out with a computer voice saying that they are some flavor of law enforcement and that I have warrants for my arrest, or my SSN has been used in criminal activity. When you press '1' you get connected to someone with a name like "David Brown" who has an Indian accent.

In addition to being scammers, I am also thinking that these people are lonely, so I have started chatting them up. Normally I use a gruff sounding voice with a bit of a southern twang, and when they ask, give them a birth date some where in the 1950's. I figure 10 minutes with of conversation of so will cheer them up, so I do my best to keep them on the line for at least that long. Sometimes I get to talk to David's boss, normally someone with a name like "William Black", and he seems lonely as well, so I talk to him as well, at least as long as I can.

I recommend trying this for yourself, if you get one of these calls, perhaps you'll get to talk to "Michael Grey" and his boss, "Frank White". When the call is over you feel good inside knowing that you helped someone be just a little less lonely.

[BJoe]

My parents would get extended care warranty calls for my Sister’s Challenger and my 200 all the time, they used to troll the callers all the time, Mom telling them they didn’t own the car in question and Dad trying to get them to sell him the warranty for the XJ I scrapped a year ago.......but add the 280k+ miles the XJ he scrapped a decade ago to my XJ’s 160k+.......those calls ended quick.

With me working from home and using the land line for my customer service call center job, we don’t get many calls like this any more, they always get our call waiting instead!

[OnTheTrail]

I think we're all getting them. I use to just set the phone down and not hit a button. The computer would eventually send it through to a salesperson (scammer..???) who would keep saying "hello" and eventually hang up. My thought was that I figure I'll waste some of their time and that's less time for them to call someone else and a higher phone bill for them. Turns out this is not a good thing to do based on a Kim Komando acticle I read just this week. Apparently every time you actually pick up the phone, it register that this is an actual current phone number with a person on the other end. They then sell your name to other robo call companies and/or keep calling back with other scams or the such. The article said the best thing to do is not pick up the phone if you don't recognize the number.

What ticks me off is that is seems no one wants to do anything about it.

[Levi]

I'm so sick of these scam calls. Doesn't matter what number you block, they just picky back off another number. Irs, arrest warrants, car warranty, etc. There's some numbers I'm currently waiting a call for, problem is I don't know until I pick it up. Makes its very hard to know if I should answer it. Some times if I have the time I'll just mess with theses people for my entertainment. I miss the old days when you had a cell phone and theses scammers didnt call you

[ScaleLifeNewbie]

You don’t t want your cars extended car warranty?!?!?

[dezfan]

I try to sell them my boat. 🤣

[durok]

I gotta say, at times like these I love my Pixel automatic call screening features...

Lately, it's been mechanic shops and towing companies from around the country - and I don't travel, at all (!?!?)

(still using the original Pixel XL, too!)

[indybama]

I know what u mean levi. Ive left my number at few places askin about 4wheelers n old trucks, n a few mustangs. But then youre leary to answer cause they use local numbers. Theyve gotten sneaky n started piggy backin cell numbers now too, not just landlines. Ive got a deal with verizon that tells me if its 'potential spam' but it doesnt catch the local numbers, mainly just 800 n 888 numbers. Wish someone would deal with the bullcrap, id like to be able to catch a good deal on a barn find or windrow project

[Deerhurst]

We mess with the "extended car warranty" ones by asking to extend the warranty on the 1931 Fagoel. Yes, it's an actual truck and yes it runs, and mostly drives. Current it is in the restore process. Just needs brakes, seat and a narrowed front axle to test drive it.

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[4wd4ws]

Originally Posted by Deerhurst

...on the 1931 Fagoel.

Dude, i'm green with envy! Awesome!

[Deerhurst]

Originally Posted by 4wd4ws

Dude, i'm green with envy! Awesome!

So am I! It's a buddy's truck that he has had for 30+ years. When that's done or at least closer to done it'll be a body swap for an old chevy PU into an izuzu diesel swapped blazer chassis and a v2203 kubota into a datsun and an SAS for the datsun.

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[4wd4ws]

Love it!

We want more!