Having fun with the scammers

I watched that programme about scammers this morning , the advice is not to engage with them , fun or not , but to hang up on them .

I have been watching Rav Wilding's programme, where he has said that these scammers are often run in the same way as bona fide call centres and collect data on callers. People who decline to be drawn into dialogue with them are classified as DNC (do not call) in future so that particular scammer will not phone you again.
Funnily enough yesterday while watching this I got such a call! I just said hello and waited to see what else the caller would say, all I got was 'can you hear me' (sometimes the conversation will give you more info as to whether it is a genuine caller (eg the GP, etc). I think they could probably hear the programme about scammers, as I was sitting close to the TV and they quickly hung up! I then checked the number on Google, and it had been reported as an HMRC scammer.

What was it I said a few days ago?

Just what they said on the program this morning...

I give up.

I speak to them in German, it’s the only time I get to speak it and it’s fun. Amazing how persistent they are despite this though! Talking slowly because they think I’ll be able to understand them ??‍♀️

If I’m not busy I sometimes string them along, saying that I have had an accident or that I am doing as instructed on my laptop.
When I eventually get bored I say something like “I think you must have a wrong number, this is a police station “. They can’t hang up quickly enough!

My landline and mobile block unknown callers. If a call does get through and I don't recognise the number I just don't answer it. These scammers are so technically clever that I refuse to give them any entry to my world. The BBC programme on in the mornings should prove just how dangerous these people are.

Rather than hanging up I didn’t even pick up in the first place. I’m registered with the TPS too but there are times when I’m bombarded. I see it’s an unknown number and ignore it. However one week the same number called five times in one day, seven the next so I too bought a nice loud football whistle and gave it a good blast down the phone. They haven’t called back!

I used to work in a call centre. We made calls on behalf of various organisations including police surveys for people who had been the victim of crime or a road traffic accident etc. These people had ticked a box to say they were happy to be contacted once their particular case had been dealt with. These calls were heartbreaking sometimes, but they definitely helped improve the way the police dealt with distressed members of the public.

Now to the calls that really worried me. We sometimes had to call on behalf of the local councils to get residents opinions on what was going on in the town. These surveys were actually used to form policy for the future. Younger folk took part mostly without a problem, but nine times out of ten the older people refused. I used to worry that they were missing out in having their say.

If I get a scammer I tend to ask them if their mother knows what they do for a living.

I just say no thank you and hang up as soon as I realise it's a cold call. Since changing energy provider recently there's been an almost weekly call about fitting a smart meter which I don't intend to have.

CALL GUARD . Used for 10+ years well worth the the extra money for handsets . If number not in your phone book called has to anouce, you then can take call, send to answer machine, or block there and then. When we first got them went from 10-15 cold calls daily to 3 a week . Have found any new cold callers hang up at having to identify themselves

I have two friends who still insist on using my landline…..( where most scams come from)….I’ve told them call on my mobile so I can Finially ditch the bloody thing …. but they are hanging onto the past for dear life…… still line up at PO to pay rent and bills and such like. I never answer my landline if it’s not those two friends ….. I must tell them how much money they’re costing me!!!!

Buttonjugs

I speak to them in German, it’s the only time I get to speak it and it’s fun. Amazing how persistent they are despite this though! Talking slowly because they think I’ll be able to understand them ??‍♀️

Brill

I had similar fun the other day with a call from Victor from Sky service payments (never had Sky) He announced himself so I said who a couple of times. He was getting a bit frustrated repeating his name so I said oh Victor from the gardening club, no mam he says and repeats his into, how’s Mary I say, no mam, are her bunions any better. On we go for about 10 minutes then it was bye mam. Really enjoyed myself

I tell them to go away but by using two different words.
Then i block the number.

My trick is to shout and everytime they say something I ask them to speak up and stop mumbling. They don't hang around long.

My husband wind's them up. To be honest I'd rather hang up.

My landline has an answer machine so if I don't recognise the number I ignore it. If it is a genuine call they will leave a message. Also if I see that the number has called several times I block it and my blood pressure stays on an even keel.

There are two things about this and other posts that I just do not get.

Why do you think it amusing to treat cold callers like this?

Why are you answering their calls?

I have blocked all callers from those who are not already on my phone's contact list with names and numbers.

If I am expecting a phone call from say a consultant at the hospital, who refuses to give me their number, I disable the requirement for number recognition for an hour or so at the time I expect the call. Anyone else ringing at that time is told that I am expecting an important phone call, so cannot talk to them.

This stops the annoying intrusion of salespeople and scammers.

Why do you not do the same? I am not being sarcastic, I would really like to know.

One last question, how do you know that the caller is not a person working on commission selling a product - albeit one you may not want and is not a scammer before you answer?

It strikes me as unkind in the extreme to waste the time of an honest person trying to sell insurance or whatever, rather than claim unemployment benefit.

Don't waste any time, as soon as you know it's a scam call, hang up and then block the number.

ditch the landline and use a mobile. You can monitor calls much better this way.

Oh yes and block the number of anyone you dont know

I refused to give access to my computer. I was called a F*****g B*****d.

i used to get annoyed at the constant calls, could be as many as 20 per day, the call for insurance i say my funeral is all paid for and i have nobody to leave anything for. most of the calls i get are about my washing machine or other white goods insurance is running out, i tell them if it breaks i will get another as i won the lottery....twice. my son was great with the calls, he would start with saying i can't disturb my mummy because she is in the bedroom with the plumber or electrician, then say....my mummy always takes them into the bedroom to pay them, he did this in front of a neighbour, i was glad she knew about my sense of humour....lol

The people calling you about your washing machine insurance running out are people doing their job, asking if you if you want to extend a product that you already own. They are not after your life savings.

Why anybody thinks it's funny to have a laugh at their expense, making jokes about having sex with the plumber, that's just beyond me.

I've had about 5 calls a day, every day about my white goods insurance running out.
Strange, seeing as I don't have white goods insurance.