Have you heard of this scam?

[Shaneard]

I have some stuff for sale on Craigslist and get calls from that. I always let it go to voicemail and if it's legit they leave a message. If not I don't call the number back and forget about it. To many people trying to scam out there so if you don't know who's calling don't answer!

 

[Alien]

Only ever had one persistent call from an insurance robot and I never answer a call if I don't recognise the number. After 3 calls in a row one day I used the phone number blocker and I have never had another call.

 

[PILOON]

One dumb scammer was obviously reading from a script.
He asked to speak to Mr or Mrs I asked him which he wanted but he seemed not to know, told him to call back when he decided.

Quebec is predominately french so most scammers tend to be Haitian but with their heavy accents you can't understand them anyway.
I usually simply go Blah Blah and hang up or get them to speak English if I feel like playing them.

 

[zmountaineer]

I got this call yesterday.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I answer them with "Hung Chow Chinese Buffet!"

 

[RNeumann]

Look up Tom Mabe on YouTube. This guy is what some would consider an "expert" in this subject and has several remedies.

 

[Redneck in training]

Tech Support Scammer vs Real Malware - YouTube
Try thi sguy.

 

[jymbee]

I do about the same thing but I hit talk BUT I never say anything... It's an automatic phone caller that only routes calls to the scam artists, if it detects sound. After 5 seconds or so of me not talking it will automatically hang up. I do this for two folds, it ties up their line for 5 seconds so they can not call another person AND they get charged for making the phone call.

If the phone rings and no one picks up, they don't get charged.

Yeah my MO exactly. Now in order to hear a sound when you answer a call the recording starts with some BS like, 'Uh, can you hear me...?". Of course as soon as people-- thinking it's an actual person-- say anything the rest of the spiel resumes.

However I really doubt that these idiots pay per phone call.

 

[teg]

...idiots pay per phone call.

Yea, didn't think about them scamming the phone company or putting it on someone's bill.

It would be nice if you could press a button that would send an electrical shock down to the other end of the line. Be useful, not only to scammers but....

 

[pmsmechanic]

I give everybody one chance. I have a business that I run out of my cell phone so you never know who is calling. I also have a list of known telemarketer numbers in my phone. They get filled under "Do not answer" so if they call I automatically see "Do not answer". Since I started doing this and not answering I hardly get any calls any more. Once in awhile I get one that looks like a local call but the area code starts with 011. You know that's a telemarketer.