Spoofed spam phone calls -- a modest proposal

[Blotto 23484]

I was getting calls from sports betting touts lately. I guess one of the online sportsbooks I have used over the years is selling user data. I don't recall providing cell #, but together with an email address, I'm sure there are data aggregator services they can use to get cell numbers. anyway I answered one the other day because I was expecting a customer call from that area code. Dude sounded like he was from the Jerky Boys. I basically told him to fuck off and stop bothering me, he starts bitching back at me, so we start going back and forth before I hung up having shit to do. It was actually fairly humorous. Surprised I havent been deluged since then, but the guy seems to have respected my request to have my number removed from "whatever list you shitbags use".

[wild_turkey 3159]

I get 3-4 spam calls a day. Since I don’t use my personal phone for work, I quit answering unknown numbers unless I’m expecting an important call.

The bigger problem is that most other people have also quit answering unknown numbers and my work (medical practice) sometimes has a hard time reaching people with important or time sensitive information. People don’t show up for surgeries because they didn’t recognize the 3 phone calls that were attempting to inform them of the day and time, nor did they listen to the 3 voicemails.

Agree that politicians should run on a platform of fighting this, along with junk mail. There is no reason on earth that I should receive 5-6 unsolicited credit card offers in my mailbox from American credit card companies, wasting paper and increasing my chances of identity theft. Cut that shit out.

[XYZ 2154]

I started using the “silence unknown callers” feature on the iphone.

[lmao 178]

What % of people actually purchase something from a scam call?

[B00M 6413]

On 1/24/2019 at 10:14 PM, bschoolprof said:

Mine works like a charm. Went from 4-5 calls a day to 0. It does a great job with neighbor spoofing. 

Which app? My native AT&T spam blocker is trash

Edited April 22, 2021 by B00M
Native, bloatware, whatever. It sucks

[Nivek 16916]

What % of people actually purchase something from a scam call?

Enough apparently.

[bernorange 8359]

We get calls from Amber, a social security disability adviser at least twice a day every day.  It's a recording, not a live person.  Caller ID is always different, but somewhat local.  The stupid recorded message doesn't even finish 80% of the time.  It rambles to a point and stops and the call hangs up.  WTF?  Why?!?!?  Just why?  What is being gained by the company/scammer that is spamming the phone lines with this bullshit?

[bschoolprof 6251]

8 hours ago, B00M said:

Which app? My native AT&T spam blocker is trash

I used robokiller, but it only provided fleeting immunity.  New variants arose and it lost it's mojo.  I'm back to just not answering my phone unless I know the caller.

Edited April 22, 2021 by immamac
lol doxxed

[Nice Guy Eddie 13506]

11 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

The bigger problem is that most other people have also quit answering unknown numbers and my work (medical practice) sometimes has a hard time reaching people with important or time sensitive information. People don’t show up for surgeries because they didn’t recognize the 3 phone calls that were attempting to inform them of the day and time, nor did they listen to the 3 voicemails.
 

This is a problem with businesses that have legitimate, time sensitive questions for customers/patients. And I know healthcare is reluctant to leave detailed healthcare information on voicemails, especially when the voicemail does not identify the owner. "You've reached # 123-456-7890, please leave a message."

[Brisketexan 105037]

7 hours ago, lmao said:

What % of people actually purchase something from a scam call?

And that's where my enforcement comes in.  Most of these spoofed calls end at a "legitimate" business -- someplace that actually operates, and will take your payment (an auto warranty company, a real duct cleaner, etc.).  My enforcement would be against the businesses who profit from spoofed calls - most of them actually local or at least in the US.  Use a spoofed number to get business?  You get fucking popped for $$$.  Oh, and I'd add an injunction against all officers of any such business.  If it happens again, they get popped for contempt of court.

[bernorange 8359]

@Brisketexan, do you need me to sign a petition or something?  You got a Congresscritter on board with the idea?  Let's do this.

[High Plains Drifter 11024]

 

there is no way in hell anything like that gets through Congress//Debbie Downer

 

[Podrick's Magic Cock 191]

Thanks to Equifax, I have to deal with random calls about a "case" against me.  The dirt bags threaten to send someone to pick me up at home.  They've even called my parents and my boss with the same BS.  Maddening.

[Southland 35]

I just watched this podcast with a lawyer who primarily does lemon law cases, but also works to fight unsolicited robocalls and collection calls. He said most of these operations (like the car warranty calls) make about $5mm per year and pay out about $500k in penalties, which they consider a cost of doing business. He claims his practice can get you $500 per call for robocalls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, but I know nothing about that so would defer to the legal eagles.

Thought it was an interesting interview.

 

[Brisketexan 105037]

I just watched this podcast with a lawyer who primarily does lemon law cases, but also works to fight unsolicited robocalls and collection calls. He said most of these operations (like the car warranty calls) make about $5mm per year and pay out about $500k in penalties, which they consider a cost of doing business. He claims his practice can get you $500 per call for robocalls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, but I know nothing about that so would defer to the legal eagles.
Thought it was an interesting interview.
 

That’s why you pop the end business, not just the robocall shop.

[lmao 178]

3 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

And that's where my enforcement comes in.  Most of these spoofed calls end at a "legitimate" business -- someplace that actually operates, and will take your payment (an auto warranty company, a real duct cleaner, etc.).  My enforcement would be against the businesses who profit from spoofed calls - most of them actually local or at least in the US.  Use a spoofed number to get business?  You get fucking popped for $$$.  Oh, and I'd add an injunction against all officers of any such business.  If it happens again, they get popped for contempt of court.

I'm on board with all of this. Just wondering who would not only answer & stay on the line with a robocall & then purchase what they're peddling? Obviously it's enough for them to keep pulling this shit. 

[NOMAAA 1696]

29 minutes ago, lmao said:

I'm on board with all of this. Just wondering who would not only answer & stay on the line with a robocall & then purchase what they're peddling? Obviously it's enough for them to keep pulling this shit. 

i answer from time to time and try to waste as much of their time as possible.

[Brisketexan 105037]

54 minutes ago, lmao said:

I'm on board with all of this. Just wondering who would not only answer & stay on the line with a robocall & then purchase what they're peddling? Obviously it's enough for them to keep pulling this shit. 

They don't score batting average, just hits.

[AUS-97HORN 11756]

I dont think you all realize the holy grail of these scam callers is an over 80 year old with diminished mental capacity (mostly due to old age). 

 

A huge portion of those folks still have a home phone that is their main number. They were brought up to believe that folks would tell them the truth and these scammers take full advantage of their inability to understand new technologies and/or recognize that the conversation doesnt seem right.   And if they really have a lowered mental capacity, these scammers can keep calling back if the know they have money.    especially ones that get a monthly payment at the beginning and/or end of the month.  

 

Even if the over 80s recognize after a while that something isnt right, and hang up, theres a good chance they answered enough questions asked by the scammer that 3-4 weeks later the scammer can call back and be like "Hey Bob, its Karthik, we talked last week and you wanted to do this deal and the familiarity and instant start knowing their name and details throws the olds off. 

These guys get that bite and they write down the info and call back month after month and get all the money when they can.

It doesnt matter if 10 thousand people dont bite-  its takes the auto dialers less than 30 mins to make 10,000 calls. 

All they need is that one person they get $50-500 from each time over a 1-2 hour period that makes it profitable... especially if the scammers live in a country where $50 represents an entire weeks wage.

 

This is why you really need to call your grandparents, or parents (for those of us in the older bracket) often and make sure they are aware that nobody who calls them and asks for money is legit- and to call YOU with the information they said to make sure its not actually real.  

 

[dcbc 14464]

On 1/24/2019 at 4:44 PM, MAROON said:

I don't  answer any phone call that is not already in my list of Contacts.  If they leave a message I'll listen.  If it's a robo call I then block that # (not sure that actually works on an I-phone).  If it's legit I'll call back.

 

but ya it pisses me off as well.

Google Call Screen works well.  Don't recognize the number, hit the button, they talk to AI and try to convince you to answer.  You see a real time transcription of what the caller is saying.  If it's a robo call, it is obvious pretty quick and you hit the block button.  Occasionally, it's actually someone trying to reach me, and I answer.  Saves me the trouble of having to listen to 2 seconds of a lot of prerecorded voicemails

[Huckleberry 32839]

My wife frowns upon my strategy of answering, waiting for a human, then telling them they should go kill themselves. But I only do that on the IRS and Social Security scams trying to get scared old people's info to bleed them dry so I sleep well at night. 

[Sawbonz 27522]

I won 2nd place in the daily raffle from Amazon