Just play dumb and eat up their time.
They are playing a numbers game and don’t want to spend 30 minutes with some guy that gives them nothing. In that 30 they would rather get shot down 20 times and maybe find that old lady they can trick.
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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.