S.S. scam calls
 

Well, I have been receiving calls saying my S.S. number has been compromised. I know it is a scam call, and just hang up, But yesterday I decided to follow thru and first info he asked for was my complete name. I told him he already had that because he called me. He continued to insist I give him my name "so he could look for the case number". Finally, I told him that S.S. dept does not call members, they send letters. He claimed they had changed rules and now place calls. As I continued to argue, he screamed at me "you're a SOB" and hung up. Isn't there any way our govt or phone providers can stop this? BTW, my caller ID showed as a local bank and local number.
Why didn't I disconnect sooner? I had a neighbor who delighted in keeping those people talking with questions, etc. He said he was taking away time that they could use annoying someone else.
Just a couple of wks ago I answered a call that told me I had commited bank fraud and the Federal Reserve had a warrant for my arrest. I laughed and said, "come and get me!"

My husband got a crank call the other day about an Iphone charge on his Amazon account that they "needed to help him clear up". LOL

I get all of them. Form SS, Medicare, student loans, etc. I just hang up on them and block the number. Yes, a lot of the calls shows they are calling from a local number.

I got a couple of those S.S. and bank fraud calls last week. I just hang up and block them for the next time they try to call me. I've also been getting sexual text messages on my cell phone with website to click to. Seems they have way too much time on their hands to now be going for the cellphones too.

GO GET A REAL JOB, FOOL!!!!!!

Could not get myself off a " car's warranty about to expire ad" Had a zillion blocked nos. for it but they had an endless supply of new ones. Finally one day I hit the talk to a person button and when they came on I talked French to them. She kept saying I can't understand you and finally screeched at me I know your not interested -- hung up and I've not heard from them since ...it's been a couple of month's. You probably don't need another language -- goobley-gook would probably also get the job done.

I'm getting them here, too, in Southern California. I'm hoping the car warrantee scam is over. I haven't gotten calls from them for a week, after blocking many numbers. And they called early in the morning. The latest one was for ss. Scamming has to be profitable for them to be so persistent, and I am concerned for the people who fall for it.

I has a so-called custom's officer on the phone and as I send quilt tops to my Canadian cousin it was a while before I caught on and tripped her up! Should of clued in when she kept asking me to spell my name!!

I'm so grateful they want to help me with my student loan. LOL. Our local police department actually said, don't answer if you don't know who is calling. It was great.

The Government entities NEVER call, they do send you a letter though. Or if you ignore them enough times they come and get you, :P

If things like this come in a email.......DON'T click on any links. A lot of places who send phishy emails use a key stroke logger or some other software to gain personal info like passwords and such. Never mind how I know about the key stroke logger, long story.

I used to work for identity theft service similar to LifeLock. We'd get members calling all the time. They have a warrant for my arrest and I have to pay an outstanding balance. They Said I need a new SSN cuz my credit card was compromised, My grandson has been arrested in Italy. No there is no warrant. Cops know where you live. Credit card co will help with this IF your card was compromised. Call your grandson's dad/mom or him. Amazing how many people fall for these scams. Sad these "business" are functioning. So sad. People get really scared.

I have caller ID. If I don't know the name, I don't answer. Scam calls and telemarketers just come with their ;phone; number also as the name. Dead giveaway. We have gotten calls from Husband's name and our phone number, very clever of them, haha.

Unfortunatly, blocking rarely blocks the actual spammer. Those "local numbers" are spoofed -- they're being used fraudulently. The spammer is in India or Pakistan or some other impoverished country, not down the block from you.

iPhone has a nice feature to “silence unknown callers.” The calls immediately go to voice mail and surprisingly no one leaves a message!

I have had dealings with the SSA the last few months (I call them) but before they speak with you, there are 5 or 6 questions you must answer, not just your name and SS#, or name and last 4. So if you want to have fun with them, tell them that and then wait for the questions. They won't have a clue.
Another reminder, never let anyone connect to your PC and especially not your online bank account.

Or you could start playing with them. Most of us are *ahem* "ladies of a certain age." So be a ditzy old lady. I just channel my granny and let her babble. This is my script for the "Microsoft" callers. I start by not even knowing how to turn the computer on, "Frank! How do you turn the computer on? My grandson usually does that for me but he hasn't been back to help me since the power went out on Tuesday or was that Thursday no it was Wednesday because Thursday was the day that Jenny called me because she was in the emergency room with the baby the poor little thing had fallen and split his ear open on the coffee table and she needed me to help hold him down while they stitched it up did you that the top of your ear is hollow on the inside? So anyway what was it you called about Deary? Oh yes turn on the computer. Well when Michael does it for me he says "computer, on!"

I have about 20 minutes of that, rambling from one subject to another until the spammer either gets tired and hangs up or I hit him with the finale. "So who was it you worked for again, dearie? Microsoft? Oh your mother must be so proud that her son has a job with such a big important Corporation. I bet she tells all of her little old lady friends "Yes, my son is a thief and a liar. He spends his days trying to scam ignorant old people out of as much money as he can take them for."

This is one of the times, I wish there was a "Like" button.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

One time I told the 'car warranty' gal when she ask the make and model of my car. "It is a 1974 surrey pulled by Fritz and Daisy"

I want a like button, too

OH i try not to do too much to the lovely callers. if they have my number they probably have my address too. so...
i once got a call from the FBI, so the man said. from Mexico about my (husband's) grandson. they used a son's name though. in jail and needing money. I made him give me a phone number so i could contact other family members to see who had money. he gave me one that actually worked. but no FBI in Mexico!!

Sadly, one reason these scams succeed is that they target older people hoping to reach some who have dementia and can be more easily tricked.

I finally,got,one of those SS calls the other day. It was a recorded one that said my SS number will be blocked forever if I didn’t call them to get it straightened out. Of course I knew it wasn’t true but I decided to just listen for the heck of it. It’s bad enough when a real human makes calls like these but when it’s a robocall - how stupid do they think we “older” people are🥴🥴🥴

Sandy in Mooresville, NC

There was a recent article is AARP Magazine and they found a great number of these calls are coming from prisoners using illegal cel phones. They have quite a routine right down to forwarding calls to supervisors.

Omg this is the funniest thing I've read all day, I'm dying. This is totally my mother! 🤣

I'm not sure if it's different from state to state, but in Texas you can report phone scams to the Attorney General's office. I'm not sure what info you need, but it might be worth looking into.

I have whistle by my phone......works wonderfully.

if you have a few minutes, you tube has some videos of techie people who outsmart scammers. They are hilarious...the ones who claim they are from Microsoft are priceless since the scammer hunters turn the table on them and end up deleting files from scammer’s computer..... scammers have no conscience...