My Neighbors Have Fun with Phone Scams!

Photo courtesy of morguefile.com
Laguna Woods, California
March 5, 2017 8:27pm CST
Like most people in the U.S., we occasionally get called by someone who is obviously trying to scam us. Over the past couple of years, however, some of our neighbors have told us about the "fun" they have with the scammers. A 96 year-old neighbor was called by someone claiming to be from the "Microsoft Help Desk." He decided to play along. Every time the caller told him to "click" on something, he said he had done it. After about half an hour, the scammer said he should be able to see my neighbor's computer on his screen, but he didn't see it. Perhaps my neighbor had done something wrong? My neighbor then said, "I don't even own a computer!" Then, he laughed and hung up! Another couple we know were called by someone pretending to be their grandson. They said, "Is this Danny?" and the caller said he was. Our neighbors have 8 grandchildren ... none of them named Danny. The caller told them he had been arrested, was desperate for bail money and asked if they would wire money to him in the Bahamas. They said they would, and then hung up and did nothing. An hour later, Danny called back and said something was wrong. The money did not come. They assured him they would check on it and send the money. An hour later, Danny called again. Laughing, they told him they didn't have a grandson named Danny and had not sent any money. If these scammers are trying to trick the elderly and steal from them, I am so glad that my neighbors are finding ways to fight back. I hope more people do similar things. Eventually, maybe some of these scammers will realize we have gotten too smart for them and they will stop these calls! I hope none of you ever fall for these scams!
14 people like this
15 responses
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Mar 17
Friends received a call while having dinner. The wife answered the phone. They asked for her husband. Her response....when they caught up with her lying. Cheating husband to inform her because he owed her alimony....and she went on and on. Her poor husband was about to collapse from surpressed laughter
6 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
6 Mar 17
@Morleyhunt - OMG - That is sooooo funny! I will have to remember that the next time a scammer asks for my husband. He will LOVE it. Ha Ha!
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502427)
• Italy
6 Mar 17
The scammers scammed this is wonderful, more people should do the same.
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (502427)
• Italy
7 Mar 17
@DeborahDiane At least they lose their time and spend money for the calls they place.
3 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@LadyDuck - I agree! We can cost the scammers money, for a change.
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@LadyDuck - I agree. We should make the job of scammers as difficult and frustrating as possible!
2 people like this
@allen0187 (59740)
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
I get text scams from numbers not in my phone book asking for money as well or telling me that I won a contest that I obviously did not join. i just neglect these text messages. Perhaps, one of these days, I'll have fun with these scammers and give them a dose of their own medicine.
2 people like this
@allen0187 (59740)
• Philippines
7 Mar 17
@DeborahDiane prech! Some people have no intent to earn an honest living.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@allen0187 - I hate the fact that there are so many people in the world who make money by cheating other people. Anything we can do to make they stop is worth it.
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@allen0187 - You are so right. Some people have no intent to earn an honest living. That is so sad.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86680)
• United States
6 Mar 17
I love people beating those scammers at their own game!!!!!
4 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
6 Mar 17
@FourWalls - I agree. If they are going to waste our time, we might as well waste theirs ... as long as it doesn't cost us anything!
4 people like this
6 Mar 17
yes, one time someone was trying to scam me on Facebook. i played along for a few minutes.
2 people like this
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
7 Mar 17
I had some who said that they worked for Facebook (their account said that they worked for Facebook-but had no friends, very little information.) They said that Facebook wanted to give me some money. I told them to have Mark (Zuckerburg) give me a call.
3 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@jillybean1222 - Scammers on Facebook, too. That is horrible! I would think that Facebook could stop them, if it wanted to. I'm glad you played along for a few minutes and wasted their time!
2 people like this
7 Mar 17
@DeborahDiane once you report it, they close the account. they usually create a fake account under the same name as another friend of yours. then they claim they are in trouble and need help or something via messaging... so yeah, i've responded with a few friendly responses before saying HEY, I KNOW YOU ARE A FAKE!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382038)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Mar 17
I love it when oldies get the better of these b**st**s. Vince often leads them on for a while too.
4 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@JudyEv - Good for Vince! I'm glad he is making their lives difficult, too. These scammers must have every telephone number in the world.
2 people like this
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
9 Mar 17
They are getting brave. I had someone call and ask what kind of Computer I owned, etc. I did not give out the information. Thought of calling that number back and pretend I was a Microsoft employee or something and ask them if they are interested in buying a computer with nothing on it since they knew so much about computers
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Mar 17
@KrauseHome - I had a call like that a few minutes ago. I just started saying: You are crooks, scammers, liars, criminals ... and they hung up on me!
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
6 Mar 17
If I don't recognize the number, I usually don't bother. Once, though, I had a call come in and I just kept repeating, "spreken ze deutsch" = "do you speak German". It's the only German phrase that I know. I also know how to say, "I am here." in Spanish but that's about it. The only other time, decades ago, when payphones were common, I played a prank on my niece when she called. I kept saying "the call that you have made requires a 25 cent deposit". She kept saying, "what?"
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
6 Mar 17
@flpoolbum - Ha Ha! I can tell you have a sense of humor. I love the idea of learning a few phrases in another country and repeating it over and over again. That should stop them in their tracks! LOL
2 people like this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
6 Mar 17
I have been scammed twice by phony IRS scams but I called IRS and they told me they do not phone if you owe money but send you a real letter so the nest call I just hung up on them,
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
6 Mar 17
@Hatley - Hanging up is always the safest thing to do. I am sorry to hear you have been scammed twice by that phony IRS scam. Those crooks have no shame!
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
6 Mar 17
lol I love your neighbors, I like to mess with them too!! lol
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
7 Mar 17
@DeborahDiane lol I am old and cranky!!! in a good way
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@BelleStarr - I'm glad to hear that you like to mess with scammers, too. They deserve it!
2 people like this
@Plethos (13718)
• United States
6 Mar 17
i do it all the time when i get a chance to. i like the ones that tell me i have an uncle in jail, and that uncle happens to be sitting in the same room as i. one time i told the person on the phone to tell my uncle he can go to hell and to f**k off, i had a good laugh but my uncle laughed greatly.
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@Plethos - That is great that your uncle was with you when the scammer called. I'm glad you got a good laugh out of it!
2 people like this
@Dena91 (17039)
• United States
6 Mar 17
It's great to get them like that. I got so aggravated at them once that Mike said to go along with them. So I did. They were trying to get us to wire money to someplace and I kept asking how would that work, I didn't think money would travel through the wires to them. They kept explaining it, I kept asking. After about 10-15 minutes they gave up and hung up. And haven't called back.
2 people like this
@flpoolbum (2978)
• United States
7 Mar 17
I'll have to try that one.
3 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@Dena91 - Ha Ha! I love that approach! I will have to give that one a try, too!
2 people like this
• Philippines
6 Mar 17
Lol scammers met their match.
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@nottoooldtowrite - Yes, it is great when scammers meet their match ... and it was elderly people who did it!
2 people like this
• Philippines
7 Mar 17
@DeborahDiane too funny to scam the scammers!
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
7 Mar 17
It's good that these oldies were wise and tricky. The scammers have met their match hahaha!
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Mar 17
@sunrisefan - Yes, old people are not as easily tricked as people think!
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
7 Mar 17
@DeborahDiane And they had the last laugh on those scammers hehehe!
3 people like this
@sishy7 (27166)
• Australia
8 Mar 17
How sick these scammers are that they always prey on the elderly people...
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
10 Mar 17
@sishy7 - I agree that these scammers are really sick!
1 person likes this