Can you beat my new 9 minute record?

[Velma's Dad]

A couple of times I've got them talking about their mother... then I ask them what she thinks about them working in a scam operation trying to defraud other old people. Hard to answer that one, apparently.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

A couple of times I've got them talking about their mother... then I ask them what she thinks about them working in a scam operation trying to defraud other old people. Hard to answer that one, apparently.

The mother runs the operation

 

[66tim99]

It’s called “number spoofing“ the dodgy callers have equipment that generates caller identity numbers that appear on your phone. The kit is pretty sophisticated as I’ve had it where the number displayed on my phone is even from the same area code and first 3 digits as my exchange number range.

Ahhh that explains why I’ve been called by mobile phone numbers very similar to mine

 

[chris151151]

I’m on the run!
just had a call from HMRC they‘ve issued a warrant for my arrest.

There aren't enough prisons for us all.

 

[chris151151]

Connoisseurs of scam baiting should look for This Is Lenny tapes on YouTube. Written by someone who really understands how telesales works.

 

[Scoobz1]

I just say "I am so glad you called as I am so lonely" ... usually gets rid of them in seconds and on the odd occasion when it doesn't I continue to take the wee wee using the same theme which is even more amusing !

 

[Odysseus]

The best are when they call about “the accident” you had.

What, you mean the accident when I drunk flew a jet into an orphanage?

That usually confuses them enough to hang up.

 

[HectorPascal]

I politely tell them that I charge for my time at the rate of £400 per day and “could I take your long card number please - and don’t worry I bill by the minute”.

 

[BikerGran]

Can't be... bothered... to waste time on them. "I'm from BT..."
"No you're not" and hang up.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Can't be... bothered... to waste time on them. "I'm from BT..."
"No you're not" and hang up.

Must admit that's usually what I do nowadays, in fact mostly I just hang up without replying unless I'm feeling mischievous. Unfortunately we've reached the point where any pretty much call not from a known number has to be treated as a scam call, that's my starting assumption anyway.

The sad thing is that thousands of vulnerable people do get caught by very nasty phone and online scams every year, and there's only so much practically that can be done to protect them.

On the plus side, remember the skip-loads of junk mail that used to come through our letterboxes every day, a decade ago?

 

[Dave Wickham]

If you get as far as them wanting bank details, I give them a false account name, sort code and account number on the basis they waste time trying to access it.

 

[BikerGran]

On the plus side, remember the skip-loads of junk mail that used to come through our letterboxes every day, a decade ago?

We still do get loads of junk mail, and there's no way to stop that either!

 

[Velma's Dad]

We still do get loads of junk mail, and there's no way to stop that either!

We get hardly any, other than non-addressed local circulars and Dominos Pizza vouchers, and a bit of mail addressed to the previous owners from seven years ago (who are both now dead). We've been registered with Mailing Preference Service for 20+ years and I suspect that made the biggest difference. But my bank balance is getting low so I'm eagerly awaiting a letter from the executors of a deceased West African government official although I'm determined not to accept less than $1,500,000.00 (ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS).

 

[blondebier]

I keep getting calls from the call centre at "Dog Dog Internet".

I can't see how the hound signed up to an internet contract so it is pretty funny stringing them along.

It's amazing how long they'll hold waiting for the dog to speak.