A couple of hours after I last posted I received another scam call supposedly from HMRC threatening me with swift and dire retribution if I didn't settle an outstanding tax bill.
As it was a recording there wasn't much point in telling them to er, 'cease and desist' as it were, so I just put the phone down.

And so it goes on...

Can't get put on a list if you never answer your phone.

When the kids were little, really little, I sometimes handed the phone to one of them and told them to talk to the person on the phone.

I still do it. The kids think it's hilarious.

And the number, too. A week or so ago, I got a call from myself, supposedly dialed from my own phone. :eyebrow:

I have a phone that blocks numbers, but it will only take 30. Those blocked numbers still call me (rings once then hangs up), but there are dozens and dozens more (all spoofed). I get four or five a day. I've taken to not picking up the phone at all, unless the Caller ID shows me a name/number I absolutely recognize.

Fuckers. :mad:

I had a call this morning and the displayed number began 0113 which is the code for Leeds. However, the display also showed 'International' and nobody legit calls us from abroad.

I believe that many of these calls only become 'live' when you speak so I didn't say anything and there was a pleasing click on the line a few seconds later.

I listen for signs of a boiler room/coldcall center right off. If I get the sign, the caller gets short shrift and silent. Punctuated by the sound of a hang-up. They don't seem to call back...

I do not answer the landline. It's not for me. Never is. If my cell rings, and does not display a name of from my contacts list, I don't answer.

Too bad Grav, Michael Anthony was trying to contact you for Mr Tipton. :yesnod:

[NSFW] you'd have to go some to beat this guy.

If a Nobel prize was awarded for high dudgeon he'd win hands down!

Seriously though, although I can understand the chap's frustration, and heaven knows what other pressures he might have been under, I do worry about the anger that lurks just beneath the surface of so many people.

They don't make money if you play dumb. My record was to keep one on the line for 40 minutes. It is quite entertaining to say to "Microsoft Support" that the computer says "Command not Valid". They try and try to get one to load their (actually a third party) software.

Lately I have noticed profanity from many of these scammer. But the same boiler rooms keep calling back.

Apparently they have no way of telling the computer that this number is not a useful target. So the computer keeps calling the same numbers (maybe once every three or four weeks). And the same dumb scammers keep trying to push the same low interest rates.

Just a few simple rules. The know who you are, what your address is, and what your phone number is. They do not know other facts (ie account numbers, credit card providers, etc). So never give that information. Play them forever with questions like which one are you calling about. Play them for the fools that they are. Make them get angry. Make them so emotional that they will not be on their game - and not easily scam others. Manipulate and play on their frustrations. It is both fun and entertaining.

Yes i keep the ringer off.......

Spam calls all day it seems.......I feel like picking up and saying FUCK YOU to them!! (And a bunch of other stuff)

Hey if they dont like it they can STOP MAKING UNSOLICITED CALLS!!!!!!

I read about a guy who got a premium rate number and had spam calls forwarded to that number.

Yes but would the caller have to pay the higher rates? (Seeing it was forwarded to it and not the actual # they called)