I took a call from the “I hear you’ve had an accident that wasn’t your fault” call that I get about once a week. It’s automated at first, but as soon as I said yes I got put through to someone.
I spent 20 mins explaining how someone reared into my lane and crashed into me and it wasn’t my fault, at the end when they asked me for details of the damage I explained that they bent the handlebars a bit but the bicycle was mostly OK. They hung up on me and I haven’t back from them for about a month.
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Domestic 4 year s ago
We need an app for this....
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ChrisR 4 year s ago
If I have time for it I usually go for the homicide investigation variant. It might start out something like this:
Me: Hello? (I don't answer with my name when I don't recognize the number)
Scammer: Hello! Is this XXX YYY I am talking to?
Me: Yes, this is XXX's phone. Who is this?
S: This Mike, I'm calli...
Me: <briskly> Mike who?
S: I'm Mike. I'm calling from ...
Me: <more briskly> Are you one of the kidnappers?
S: Whut???
Me: You are calling for XXX YYY, yes?
S: Yes! I am calling to ...
Me: XXX YYY has been kdnapped. Is that why you are calling?
S: Whut??!! No! I'm calling to
Me: Hold on the line please. <Pretend to talk to someone else in the room and tell them to start a trace> So, Mike, where are you?
S: I'm... I'm calling for XXX YYY....
Me: Yes, Mike, I know. Is XXX YYY still alive?
and then pretty much just improvise to see how long I can string them along before they hang up.
Me: Hello? (I don't answer with my name when I don't recognize the number)
Scammer: Hello! Is this XXX YYY I am talking to?
Me: Yes, this is XXX's phone. Who is this?
S: This Mike, I'm calli...
Me: <briskly> Mike who?
S: I'm Mike. I'm calling from ...
Me: <more briskly> Are you one of the kidnappers?
S: Whut???
Me: You are calling for XXX YYY, yes?
S: Yes! I am calling to ...
Me: XXX YYY has been kdnapped. Is that why you are calling?
S: Whut??!! No! I'm calling to
Me: Hold on the line please. <Pretend to talk to someone else in the room and tell them to start a trace> So, Mike, where are you?
S: I'm... I'm calling for XXX YYY....
Me: Yes, Mike, I know. Is XXX YYY still alive?
and then pretty much just improvise to see how long I can string them along before they hang up.
Me: Hello? (I don't answer with my name when I don't recognize the number)
Scammer: Hello! Is this XXX YYY I am talking to?
Me: Yes, this is XXX's phone. Who is this?
S: This Mike, I'm calli...
Me: <briskly> Mike who?
S: I'm Mike. I'm calling from ...
Me: <more briskly> Are you one of the kidnappers?
S: Whut???
Me: You are calling for XXX YYY, yes?
S: Yes! I am calling to ...
Me: XXX YYY has been kdnapped. Is that why you are calling?
S: Whut??!! No! I'm calling to
Me: Hold on the line please. <Pretend to talk to someone else in the room and tell them to start a trace> So, Mike, where are you?
S: I'm... I'm calling for XXX YYY....
Me: Yes, Mike, I know. Is XXX YYY still alive?
and then pretty much just improvise to see how long I can string them along before they hang up.