Having fun with the scammers

My brother used to say "I'll just go and fetch them " put the phone down on the side and walk away .
After about 15 minutes, he went back to say the person they wanted was on their way (if the caller was still there) .
One time, he kept this up for 1 hr and 35 minutes once!
At least, while they were stuck with him, they couldn't call anyone else!

I normally hang up but feel angry at "yet another one" so just this once I decided to have a bit of fun and yes - I admit, I enjoyed it and when I put the phone down I wasn't angry or p'd off, I just carried on with my day.
Having read all the comments and advice on here I will consider myself duly reprimanded for being a silly billy, and in future, just put the phone down.
.... but it was fun!

Lost for words. But not in the way you think.

You can read minds too?? Wow!

tickingbird

Some on here believe they are the font of all wisdom. We can believe or ignore as we wish. Scammers really can’t glean any information from you if you don’t give it to them. I act thick and go along with them sometimes and I’ve often been told to hold the line for a short time - they are quite obviously calling a supervisor over - “I’ve got one”. When they come back and ask me to switch my browser on (so they can obviously advise me how to give them access to my computer) I ask them if they really think I’m that stupid and can’t they find a better way of earning a living?! They end the call immediately.

Sorry to disappoint Volver but the amount of scam calls I receive has dropped considerably.

Yes, same here. ?

Lost for words. But not in the way you think.

Is that supposed to mean something or are you lost for words ?

Scammers really can’t glean any information from you if you don’t give it to them.

Some on here believe they are the font of all wisdom. We can believe or ignore as we wish. Scammers really can’t glean any information from you if you don’t give it to them. I act thick and go along with them sometimes and I’ve often been told to hold the line for a short time - they are quite obviously calling a supervisor over - “I’ve got one”. When they come back and ask me to switch my browser on (so they can obviously advise me how to give them access to my computer) I ask them if they really think I’m that stupid and can’t they find a better way of earning a living?! They end the call immediately.

Sorry to disappoint Volver but the amount of scam calls I receive has dropped considerably.

My aunt, both as a wife and then a widow would always say "Oh, sorry, I can't stop to chat, I'm waiting for the undertaker to phone." and then hang up.

I did not say they are "probably from poor backgrounds"

What I said was that they work for call centres, just like regular call centre agents.
They probably are like "Fagins boys" (said yesterday afternoon) in that they are working for the person that really makes the money, and that there are thousands of them to replace the one you are talking to.
They are told that the person they are calling is fabulously wealthy and so fair game.
What I also said was, "are they criminals? Of course they are".

So why is it best not to engage? Because you (not you personally, "you" in the sense of "one") want to stay out of the whole thing, because you want to prevent the organised gangs making money and you don't want to be scammed.

Having a bit of fun doesn't help prevent you or others being scammed, it makes it more likely. You are not making a clever stand against the bad guys and they are not hanging up because they think you are a policeman or someone able to curse them They are hanging up because they have heard it all before. You are not being clever.

The only outcome of this silly game of "baiting" then is that you feel superior and think you are striking a blow for good. Well you're not. You are a drop in their ocean.

Sorry, forgot the quote.

Scammers are often people from countries for whom even you average UK pensioner is connsidered fabulously wealthy

I agree that in the grand scheme of things it's probably best not to engage with them.
But you did say that 'they're probably from poor backgrounds' and I read it that you're trying to excuse their actions.
As someone with a family member who was scammed by these scum it riles me when I hear people trying to make excuses for them.

Sorry, because they think I think we should be nicer to scammers.

Thank you Libman. Do people think I'm telling others not to engage because they think we should be nicer to scammers? Is that what people think? ?

snowberryZ

volver

I'll not be told to have shame in a thread where people think its sensible to engage in conversation with scammers.

Scammers work in call centres too. Scammers are often people from countries for whom even you average UK pensioner is connsidered fabulously wealthy. Are they criminals? Of course they are.

Do little games involving giving them false IP addresses and pretending to be dead help in any way at all? No, they make it worse.

The same people aren't calling you many times a day just for a chat. Their software has identified you as somebody who will engage with them when they call and it is re-trying the number, because they know you will answer and talk to them.

Instead of congratulating ourselves on how funny and clever we are, be aware that every time you say anything at all to a scammer they are learning something about you. Answered the phone? They know it's an active number and that you are happy to answer the phone to strangers. Giving the phone to the 3-year old? They know you have children. Giving out false IP addreses? They know you are savvy enough to understand IP addresses and will use more complex scams next time.

The only thing you are achieving by engaging with them is boosting your own ego. Hang up.

Try saying all of that to my mother who was conned out of £20 000.
Luckily the bank sorted it. But it now means she can no longer buy anything online without having jump through about a 100 extra security hoops. Shes been reclassified as a 'vulnerable
customer' Probably a good thing.

I think you're a little bit confused.
There's a huge difference between cold callers and scammers.

To me, defending scammers is a bit
low.
I don't care if scammers are from a poor background. It doesn't give the person a right to con people.

For once I find myself agreeing with Volver??. To be fair I don’t think she was defending scammers or cold callers. She was simply trying to tell us that by engaging with them on the phone often leads to further unwanted calls. So unless engaging with these callers helps brighten your day, then perhaps it would be better to just hang up.?‍♀️

How did you know it was a scammer and not BT, who do phone with offers?

snowberryZ I am perfectly well aware of the difference between cold callers and scammers. Its not me that's confused.

I'm sorry to hear about your mother.

volver

I'll not be told to have shame in a thread where people think its sensible to engage in conversation with scammers.

Scammers work in call centres too. Scammers are often people from countries for whom even you average UK pensioner is connsidered fabulously wealthy. Are they criminals? Of course they are.

Do little games involving giving them false IP addresses and pretending to be dead help in any way at all? No, they make it worse.

The same people aren't calling you many times a day just for a chat. Their software has identified you as somebody who will engage with them when they call and it is re-trying the number, because they know you will answer and talk to them.

Instead of congratulating ourselves on how funny and clever we are, be aware that every time you say anything at all to a scammer they are learning something about you. Answered the phone? They know it's an active number and that you are happy to answer the phone to strangers. Giving the phone to the 3-year old? They know you have children. Giving out false IP addreses? They know you are savvy enough to understand IP addresses and will use more complex scams next time.

The only thing you are achieving by engaging with them is boosting your own ego. Hang up.

Try saying all of that to my mother who was conned out of £20 000.
Luckily the bank sorted it. But it now means she can no longer buy anything online without having jump through about a 100 extra security hoops. Shes been reclassified as a 'vulnerable
customer' Probably a good thing.

I think you're a little bit confused.
There's a huge difference between cold callers and scammers.

To me, defending scammers is a bit
low.
I don't care if scammers are from a poor background. It doesn't give the person a right to con people.

I hung up once thinking it was a scammer and it turned out to be my new consultant!

Letsbe clear.
This is not about cold callers. They have my utmost sympathy.

This is about scammers. People who deliberately set out to trick people into handund over their bank details.
They prey on people's fears.

Fair enough. You can call me Cassandra. ?

Volver, you said “I’ll not be told to have shame… blah, blah, blah”

Nonsense and singing gives them no information other than the ability to answer phone.

If you’ve lost a stick I think I might know where it is.

Well I could comment on that, but I don't want to be bossy ?

The thing is, my house phone is for long calls to people I know, and my contact number for the gp, hospital, school, etc.
That's why I have it, because my mobile is unreliable.
So, I should be free to answer the thing.