Phone scams are getting crazy

[tRidiot]

So we had a thread recently about how you pick up the phone, someone on the other end is acting like they are having trouble with their headset, etc. They keep asking, "Can you hear me?" trying to get you to say, "Yes," so they can record your voice and then use it as "assent" to charge you for some service or other. Whatever.

So I don't answer any number I don't know. I get calls at least once a day from out of state numbers, and when I Google them, they always come up with hits for people reporting them as spam or scammers.

Lately, I've been getting similar unknown calls from Tulsa numbers, which also get the same hits on Google. Now... my cell phone isn't a Tulsa number, it's a small town I no longer live in. I've had the number for... I dunno, 12 years or more. So... lately I'm getting similar calls from numbers local to this small town. Usually the prefix associated with cell phones in that area (or used to be, anyways).

Last night, while at work, I see my phone ringing with another of these, so I ignore it - there is never a message, no one ever calls me, another reason I know not to answer. lol Then, from that same number, I get a text -

unknown - "Who is this?"
me - "You tell me."
unknown - "I don't know, you called me."
me - "No, I didn't."
unknown - "Then someone from your phone did."
me - "Nope. No one has access to my phone and it has been sitting right in front of me."
unknown sends picture of my number calling them 10 minutes prior

So I explained to this person (who was pretty frigging pissy about it) that there is an ongoing scam that is spoofing legit numbers to make these calls. I told them to Google it and they would see the stories.

But this is getting crazy, man... now they're using MY number to make these calls. And I never, EVER, EVAR give my cell phone number out except to individual people. Never companies or anywhere it should be put into a database or whatever. I know there is no way to truly keep it private, I'm just saying... this shizz is annoying, now.

 

[adamsredlines]

Idunno the exact term but you can download apps that are basically spoofers...and if you make a call, you can tell it who you want it to go through as and it will show up on the other end as that number, not yours. I'd imagine if there's simple apps for this, anybody could do it and then the sky is the limit on what you want to use it for.

 

[vooduchikn]

Idunno the exact term but you can download apps that are basically spoofers...and if you make a call, you can tell it who you want it to go through as and it will show up on the other end as that number, not yours. I'd imagine if there's simple apps for this, anybody could do it and then the sky is the limit on what you want to use it for.

You can do the same for texting... be safe out there. When in doubt, send to voicemail.

 

[KOPBET]

Yeah, spoofing caller ID is common place these days. Never trust caller ID.

 

[Shoot Summ]

So we had a thread recently about how you pick up the phone, someone on the other end is acting like they are having trouble with their headset, etc. They keep asking, "Can you hear me?" trying to get you to say, "Yes," so they can record your voice and then use it as "assent" to charge you for some service or other. Whatever.

So I don't answer any number I don't know. I get calls at least once a day from out of state numbers, and when I Google them, they always come up with hits for people reporting them as spam or scammers.

Lately, I've been getting similar unknown calls from Tulsa numbers, which also get the same hits on Google. Now... my cell phone isn't a Tulsa number, it's a small town I no longer live in. I've had the number for... I dunno, 12 years or more. So... lately I'm getting similar calls from numbers local to this small town. Usually the prefix associated with cell phones in that area (or used to be, anyways).

Last night, while at work, I see my phone ringing with another of these, so I ignore it - there is never a message, no one ever calls me, another reason I know not to answer. lol Then, from that same number, I get a text -

unknown - "Who is this?"
me - "You tell me."
unknown - "I don't know, you called me."
me - "No, I didn't."
unknown - "Then someone from your phone did."
me - "Nope. No one has access to my phone and it has been sitting right in front of me."
unknown sends picture of my number calling them 10 minutes prior

So I explained to this person (who was pretty frigging pissy about it) that there is an ongoing scam that is spoofing legit numbers to make these calls. I told them to Google it and they would see the stories.

But this is getting crazy, man... now they're using MY number to make these calls. And I never, EVER, EVAR give my cell phone number out except to individual people. Never companies or anywhere it should be put into a database or whatever. I know there is no way to truly keep it private, I'm just saying... this shizz is annoying, now.

I had my number spoofed last year, got several call backs from people that indicated I called them, my Daughter had the same thing happen around the same time. I reported it to ATT and it stopped. They are just spoofing numbers it seems, and yours just happened to make it into the rotation through the numbers.

 

[tRidiot]

I get that... but the thing is, they are now spoofing with legitimate private numbers, and using numbers from the same small local calling area. I don't think this is a manual thing, I think this is some kind of computer-generated or -controlled hack of the telephone identifiers the scammers have managed. It's just insane, though. It is becoming a real annoyance to me, I'd assume lots of other people are being inconvenienced by it, too. I am just wondering if there is anything the phone companies can or will do about it?

Or if they are the ones selling out our info, which wouldn't surprise me a bit.

 

[Ace_on_the_Turn]

"calls to 1-800-Sex Time?"
"ummm, someone must have spoofed my number."

 

[RKM]

Talk about "spoofing"...I answered my phone at 3 a.m. one morning...caller ID said it was MY number.

 

[John6185]

That's nothing, I called myself and the wife started to answer the phone and I told he not to pick it up that it was a scam. Somehow they have a way to call your home and your own number would be on the caller ID. And recently we have had calls from all over the United States from California to New York and we know no one in those areas. I bought a call-blocker and I block all repeat calls if I don't know the company or person. It is getting to where it is a menace in my opinion. I don't trust people calling on my phone unless I know them or have asked them to call. Congress not too many years ago said they were passing a bill to keep advertisers on TV to the normal volume you have your TV adjusted to but we know how that worked out. Now they need to really pass a bill outlawing scam callers-for all the good it would do, registering a phone number on the federal government's do not call list is an exercise int futility.

 

[dennishoddy]

I'm getting the same. Daily calls that recently started coming from my hometown. I just let them go to voice mail.