Post by: jabberwoki on March 19, 2021, 11:20:02 AM
Please forward this on to everybody you know.
Post by: DeadNutz on March 19, 2021, 11:33:42 AM
Post by: slip knot on March 19, 2021, 08:33:27 PM
Post by: goodfellow on March 19, 2021, 08:45:22 PM
I've been getting a dozen calls a day from scammers. My question is, do they ever get anyone to play along? They must be making money some how but I'm not seeing it being too lucrative of a crime?
They prey on senior citizens, and unfortunately there are many seniors that fall for their scams. Some elderly friends of ours lost almost $200K because they clicked on a site that installed the "Warning your Windows System has been Infected" virus. They fell for the bait and called the "800" number to ostensibly "clean up the virus". At that point they were overwhelmed by the scammers with techno-gibberish and made a lot of mistakes that eventually allowed these crooks to install a key logger on the computer in under a minute. Within a few hours they got all the banking info and subsequently cleaned out all bank accounts that had been accessible from that computer.
The money was laundered through dozens of overseas bank accounts (mostly Indian), and there's nothing the bank, nor the authorities could do. Best defense is 2FA on all accounts. It's not perfect, but it usually makes it too much of a hassle for scammers to circumvent.
Post by: walrus on March 20, 2021, 03:38:56 AM
Post by: torqueman2002 on March 20, 2021, 10:35:56 AM
If the incoming number isn't in my contacts, I don't answer the phone. They will leave a message if they really want meThis.^
We've been getting similar calls, some times several a day. Now we just don't answer any we don't recognize.
Post by: DeadNutz on March 20, 2021, 12:01:36 PM
If the incoming number isn't in my contacts, I don't answer the phone. They will leave a message if they really want meThis.^
We've been getting similar calls, some times several a day. Now we just don't answer any we don't recognize.
I try to do that also but one call I received the phone said likely scam but the number looked familiar so I answered it and it was an important call that I was expecting. When the scammers spoof your prefix it makes it even harder to know.
Post by: jabberwoki on March 20, 2021, 12:03:33 PM
Post by: goodfellow on March 20, 2021, 01:15:15 PM
Goodie , whats a 2FA?
Sorry Jabber -- should have typed the actual term. 2FA = Two-Factor Authentication. You set up your online account to text you a unique time-stamped numerical code that is used in addition to your password to gain entry to a secure website.
Options vary in that some secure sites will allow you to choose how you receive that unique numerical code -- i.e., by email, regular phone call, or in most cases by text message. It's not foolproof, but provides just enough of a technological hassle for the scammers that they move on to better opportunities.
Post by: Lookin4_67GalaxieConv on March 21, 2021, 12:15:14 AM
Post by: walrus on March 23, 2021, 03:18:27 AM
If the incoming number isn't in my contacts, I don't answer the phone. They will leave a message if they really want meThis.^
We've been getting similar calls, some times several a day. Now we just don't answer any we don't recognize.
I try to do that also but one call I received the phone said likely scam but the number looked familiar so I answered it and it was an important call that I was expecting. When the scammers spoof your prefix it makes it even harder to know.
I've been called from my own number before. I've had people call me and tell me to stop calling them. Most of the spam calls I get are local numbers. I gave up answering the phone unless I know the number.
Post by: fatfillup on March 23, 2021, 07:36:25 AM
Sometimes I will mess with them by dialing 1 and when they pick up, I say, Hi, this is Phil, how may I help you. Had one guy so flustered that he told me to take him off the call list. I considered that a WIN :bravo_2:
Post by: muddy on March 23, 2021, 07:38:07 PM
Sent from the twisted mind of the mudman
