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new? virgin telephone scam

(13 Posts)
infoman Sat 09-Jan-21 06:52:54

usual garbidge
please advise others
I never hang up,I just say hang on a mo and then leave the phone off the hook covered over by a pillow or cushion.
I do this "trick" to stop others being contacted.
I have this picture in my head at scam head quarters,
of the amount of time "operator thirteen" has been engaged on the phone.
Supervisor then questions operator thirteen why they have been on the phone for so long.

aggie Sat 09-Jan-21 07:14:18

Thats what I used to do , the calls seems tobe much reduced these days

ninathenana Sat 09-Jan-21 07:38:04

We have caller select.

M0nica Sat 09-Jan-21 07:53:17

Infoman, Sadly it doesn't work like that the vast majority of these calls are taped messages. The message is triggered to start as soon as they hear a voice on the number dialled and runs through to the end and then the line clicks off their end and they go on to the next call.

Far simpler, if you get a call and do not recognise the number, is to pick the phone up and say nothing. If it is a scam after 5 seconds or so, listen carefully, and you will hear a little click as the machine the other end clicks off because it is programmed to respond to the human voice. No voice, no message.

If it is a genuine call, during those five seconds the caller will say something, In my case I then explain my silence and we get on with the call.

As a result I have no idea which scammers are trying to contact me because I never hear their message.

Aldom Sat 09-Jan-21 08:21:20

MOnica Some of the scam calls are 'live', others are automated. I know because in the past I have received both types of call. Talktalk Call Safe has put an end to all nuisance calls. I recommend using a call blocker.

M0nica Sat 09-Jan-21 08:54:48

I cannot remember when I last had a 'live' scam call. Certainly not for several years. Every such call I get currently is a recorded one. I just assumed this must be general.

harrigran Sat 09-Jan-21 09:44:22

We have had about three phone scams a day this week. Yesterday was a live call and he kept asking if I was Mrs harri, I just kept asking him who wanted to know, he said it was regarding my phone number but wouldn't tell me what it was about my number. I passed the phone to DH and when he spoke the scammer put the phone down.
I am fed up with the "we will terminate your internet access if you do not update your bank details"

Gwiz5 Sat 09-Jan-21 10:58:49

So so many scams around , text messages emails. Luckily I have no landline now. I used to like to mess with them when they called. Such fun to play with them. I do regularly make sure that my friends and family know of any newer ones.

Westcoaster Sat 09-Jan-21 11:09:30

We have a BT phone (many models available) that blocks all nuisance calls. Callers must identify themselves and you have to accept their call before it's put through. Excellent all round.

Obviously the numbers we've added into the phonebook memory get through.

M0nica Sun 10-Jan-21 01:44:29

I find it quicker and easier just to pick up the phone and put it down again after 5 seconds.

whitefrog632 Fri 15-Jan-21 11:53:26

It's been a while since the last time I get these scam and spam calls. Until now, I will just ignore them because it works for me. I sometimes will just look up the numbers on Google or sites like phonebook.ai and block them without even talk to them. I stopped getting those calls since few months ago.

infoman Sat 16-Jan-21 07:03:24

www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/man-charged-fake-covid19-vaccine-pensioner-surbiton-b899931.html

Kim19 Sat 16-Jan-21 07:34:20

When these nuisance callers ask for me by name I say 'I am her carer. How can I help?'. Sometimes they continue. Often they disconnect. They're certainly few and far between nowadays. Think legislation is catching up at last.