Telephone calls from Swindlers. Do not say the word 'YES' when answering the phone.

Dallas, Texas
February 14, 2018 11:07am CST
I made the mistake of answering the phone today. The phone was running all day yesterday and all day the day before. The phone was getting calls in but the person or entity on the other end would hang up right after the answering machine answered with it's automated message. When I was told by the unknown caller that they were recording the message, quickly asked, "Can you hear me okay?" - I instinctively replied, "Yes, - but what do you want?" They replied, "Great" - then they hung up the phone. Now I know it is suspicious. I called 911 and was told, after explaining the phone call to an officer or dispatch person for the Dallas Police Department, given a phone number that I called immediately after speaking to the 911 dispatch person. I called this number only to find it automated and it was not possible and there were no options to speak to a live person. I went on line to a site that was referred by the automated message service and this is what I found. It is a complaint form that is in PDF form. It is required that I fill in all the spaces on the form but that did not work for me because the form had amounts of money lost, and who the person or organization was and I realized that I had not yet been swindled, but only wanted to complain that I got a suspicious phone call and said 'Yes' to the caller by mistake, and am concerned about being messed with by a criminal swindler, so the only option I had was to leave a message about the unknown caller and the suspicious message and hang up to a Police detective using their answering service because there was no live person to talk to. I am now concerned that I have been scammed but I will not or may not know when or if or how they will try to SWINDLE me in the future as a result of my saying "YES" to their question - "Can you hear me okay?" - and that is why I am reaching out to anyone on myLot who knows about this scam and what I should do to protect myself in the future from the caller.
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7 people like this
8 responses
@Ithink (9980)
• United States
16 Feb 18
The creeps! I hate the calls that you know are scammers. I answer sometimes, when I'm bored. I then have fun with them. I can be evil that way, I let them go thru the whole thing and then tell them they should be ashamed for trying to scam people and to get a real job.
1 person likes this
@Ithink (9980)
• United States
17 Feb 18
@lookatdesktop I dont know if I call it brave, just get sick of the calls. I do have caller ID so I only answer when bored. lol
1 person likes this
• Dallas, Texas
17 Feb 18
1 person likes this
• Dallas, Texas
16 Feb 18
You are brave to do that. I really am at a point I would rather turn off my ringer and stop taking messages for a few weeks until things settle back to normal.
1 person likes this
@aureliah (24319)
• Kenya
15 Feb 18
Good that you reported. Let’s hope they don’t try to swindle you
1 person likes this
• Dallas, Texas
16 Feb 18
I hope not for sure.
1 person likes this
@aureliah (24319)
• Kenya
18 Feb 18
@lookatdesktop I hope so too
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170001)
• United States
14 Feb 18
Yes, congrats on reporting it.. You know you can get some free robo killerapps to screen your calls.
1 person likes this
• Dallas, Texas
15 Feb 18
That is a great idea. I might just drop my landline phone complexly and just use the cell phone.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
14 Feb 18
If you get the message that you ordered something online and are asked to pay for it, just don't react. The other side has to prove that you indeed ordered something which they can't. I don't think that a mere'Yes' would be enough to buy something.
1 person likes this
• Dallas, Texas
15 Feb 18
Hopefully not.
@Plethos (13560)
• United States
14 Feb 18
Good thing i have a habit of saying yeah.
1 person likes this
• Dallas, Texas
15 Feb 18
1 person likes this
• United States
14 Feb 18
People are so sneaky these days with phone calls and even text messages. If I happen to answer a scammer call I always pause and wait for them to say something first.
1 person likes this
• Dallas, Texas
15 Feb 18
That is best.
1 person likes this
@popciclecold (35102)
• United States
15 Feb 18
I hate those calls. I get them from everywhere. Even places I have never been.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14 Feb 18
I always answer the phone with hello. I found this online it might interest you.
To protect yourself from theft, you lock your doors, keep your Social Security number under wraps and stash your cash safely in a bank account.But...
1 person likes this