Messing with a telephone scammer. Am I doomed?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (205696)
Walnut Creek, California
February 12, 2021 6:36pm CST
I admire people like JJ, who have the balls to mess with telephone scammers. JJ's video of him, with cigarette in hand, screwing with someone claiming to be from the IRS (if I recall correctly), is a must-see, and hope he posts it here in a comment. I rarely laugh out loud, and his video make me laugh out loud.
I just got a call from someone telling me that my modem was no longer "valid," and that I would soon lose my internet connection if I did not talk to her. What's scary is that she actually had my name, and I (perhaps stupidly) told her that she had my name right.
When I asked her where she was calling from, she mentioned Houston Texas, even if she didn't pronounce Houston right. I told her excitedly that I have a cousin who lives there (true). But when I pressed her for where she was originally from (she sounded Indian, but her Indian accent was different from most I have encountered), she balked.
At a certain point, the line went dead. She had hung up on me. She could tell I was "messing with her."
Did I give her too much information? Am I gong to lose my internet service? Or the hundreds of thousands I have in my various bank accounts? JJ, Owlwings, DE, and others: I need your help here. Am I doomed?
Maybe I should have just hung up. But she was a real person!
If you see me at an off-ramp, begging for money, this may be the moment I subjected myself to such a humiliating situation.
My most basic question: How does one "f*ck" with scam callers without putting oneself at risk?
19 people like this
18 responses
@FourWalls (62120)
• United States
13 Feb 21
My simple plan: answer the phone with “FBI phone scam investigation division, agent (oh, PRINE would work in your case 
), are you calling to report a crime?”
), are you calling to report a crime?”6 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
13 Feb 21
If she hung up on you, you did a fantastic job, pony!
The only thing I would suggest is not to ever confirm your name. 
5 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
13 Feb 21
@TheHorse Nope! Scammers can actually get quite a bit of information about you from the internet. Your phone number and your name being the main pieces they look for... after that they are just trying to get you to give them anything else they can trick you into saying. Bank account numbers, credit/debit card numbers and social security number being the main ones they want... but they might be able to do something with other information, too, if you confirm it for them.
It's okay to play with them as long as you don't give them anything or confirm anything.
5 people like this
@TheHorse (205696)
• Walnut Creek, California
13 Feb 21
@DaddyEvil Should I say my real name is Mark Twain next time?
4 people like this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
13 Feb 21
Never had such an experience and I will be vigilant for usre.
4 people like this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
13 Feb 21
@TheHorse Women I sorry to say tend to woo men and get away with it Be careful I say
4 people like this
@TheHorse (205696)
• Walnut Creek, California
16 Feb 21
@allknowing Heh. I'll do my best.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
13 Feb 21
Never confirm that your name is right, this is surely a mistake you made.
If someone calls me pretending they are from my bank, internet provider or others, I always say. I am busy now, give me your name and I call back in 10 minutes... they always hang up.
4 people like this
@marguicha (215389)
• Chile
13 Feb 21
Here there are bands of scammers. There are some who talk from jail and who direct the people where to send money. They tell us that that they have kidnapped one if the family.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205696)
• Walnut Creek, California
13 Feb 21
@DaddyEvil I would scratch my head.
2 people like this
@xander6464 (40872)
• Wapello, Iowa
15 Feb 21
I think you did good. I try to mess with them but they always hang up on me.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95136)
• Marion, Ohio
13 Feb 21
You did a great job except for scaring her off too soon
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (73408)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
13 Feb 21
That is a very good question. I am lucky I no longer have a mobile phone. I use Textnow service on the Internet and I can send messages and call people for free. Since I really have not one to call it works out well for me and I can message my friends who live below me. When I got to the site I have my own phone number and whatever message have come in I just delete
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (156056)
• United States
13 Feb 21
As long as you didn't give out any personal information, you're fine. Mess with them all you want.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
13 Feb 21
so the minute you connect the call you have put yourself at risk. However, my philosophy on this is simple. If I keep them on the phone for 20, 25 minutes then they aren't going to be able to scam at least one if not two people that day because of me!
3 people like this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
16 Feb 21
@TheHorse actually it isn't. The only information they have or can get by connecting to your phone is the information you give them.
The phone company by law cannot reveal that information to an automated system. It requires a court order and a dedicated person on the phone company side to do that.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45484)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
13 Feb 21
When I get a call asking"Is this [some version of my name or] the homeowner", I usually ask back "Why?" It usually throws them. The air duct cleaning services guy always says his name and asks how I am, so I tell him I'm fine but I don't need his services.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (57631)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
13 Feb 21
I think you'll be alright. As long as you don't give personal information, you're okay. The fact that you got her to hung up, is a clear sign you're okay. It's not uncommon for scammers to get a name (though many will ask you what it is), some can get it because public records are accessible for anyone and people's names and phone numbers are usually sold to scam companies. Look up Plesent Green on Youtube, he has a series where he breaks down how scammers work.
1 person likes this
@EgRicardo (1)
•
26 Nov 22
You have a big problem, but we cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them
