Hey Retirees, Scammers are looking for YOU!

by Wendy, www.retirement-online.com

I watched Dr. Phil today and had to share these scammer tips with you!

Telephone Calls

Here is what happens: Your telephone rings, you don't recognize number, but answer anyhow.
The caller asks: "CAN YOU HEAR ME?" Sounds innocent enough, right? Do not answer yes. That yes, means the scammer may go shopping with your cash. By saying YES, your voice may be used as confirmation that you wanted to purchase something. They can splice the YES on to a sales pitch to show you agreed to it. Yikes!

Tech Support Scam

The Biggest Scam today -- You get an email, or pop up, or a telephone call saying there is a serious virus on your computer.
When you call the number, they are from Apple or Microsoft... and they need to remotely access your computer to correct the virus. However, If you allow them to get on the computer, they can access everything!

3.3 million victims have lost billions to this scam. Just hang up. Don't ever give remote access to your computer. NO legitimate company will ask for that.

Caller ID on your Phone

Who knew that Caller ID can be faked? Scammers can mess with that too. They can change who the caller is. They might be outside the USA and they've changed it to show a local state. Bottom Line: Don't trust your caller ID as a method to know who is calling.



Comments for Hey Retirees, Scammers are looking for YOU!

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Help people make money
by: Margaret Iaccino

I want to try making money like you
Answer then they hang up!
by: Sharon

I get several calls a week where when I answer they just hang up. Seems it is from same 3 or 4 out of town numbers. What do you think the deal is with that? Any suggestions?
Scam calls
by: Bobbie

I have a 73 yr. old friend who yells "Hey Sarge, start the recorder, this guys on the phone again"

Or, "City Morgue, how can I help you?"

and the one where they hang up the quickest is when he says, "Dammit it man, I'm 73 and was just about to get the first sex I've had in months and you call"

That one really gets fast hangups.

He's also gotten calls from "himself" -- yep, faked with his name and his real phone number.

He loves to yank their chains with all kinds of weird things like above.
Right!
by: Len/Pacific

Thank you for sharing these information. I shall help pass it on to our local retirees. Out here we are very much easy target. Again THANKS!
Don't answer your phone, leave a message.
by: Jane

I have Vonage for my phone provider. They not only record any messages, they also send a typed record of the message to my email address. I read or listen to the message. If it is someone I know, I call back, (using my cell phone).

I don't even have a phone connected to my vonage line. My cell phone works great for calling back anyone and everyone. I no longer get sales calls or scam calls.

After being wiped out twice financially, I take no chances. I never give out my cell phone number which also records messages. If I do not recognize the number it gets deleted. I sometimes write down the numbers and then do the lookup phone number in reverse web site.

I have discovered a big scam ring with the 202 area code. A little more work for me, but peace of mind for my finances.
Scam Artists
by: Anonymous

Every so often "IF" I pick up the phone and it is a solicitation or scam....I let them ramble, and I make my voice sound like i'm really old (OLDER than I am hehehe) then I say ... Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention , can you repeat everything you said?"

I usually I get a CLICK/hang up! Sometimes they say "we need you to pay a fine for the IRS etc. and I tell them OK Hold on ....dammit....then I come back and say, "ok? how much do you need, they said $1700.00 so I said ok I'm writing the check now... ONE SEVEN ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO Dammit I RAN OUT OF PAPER!!!" then I say, OH HOLD on... I just ran over my foot with my wheelchair!" by then, they are usually off the phone..... lol
scammers
by: Carol

I have FIOS tv and have the tv set to show the phone number and caller name when the phone rings. Check your tv settings for that feature.

Of course, the tv has to be on to show the phone caller but it does work on all my tvs. Otherwise, I screen the call before picking up.

A few years ago, I emailed a company about an item, they called me back with a USA number but actually were in China.

While that call was legit there are too many people out there trying to scam us. I know of folks who fell for the computer scam, and had to change all credit cards and bank account numbers. Then there was the time they called my relative. He happens to be a very high up computer lead in a company, yeah, he would be the first to know if his computer had a problem. My point, everyone who has a phone number is their target.
Another Call...
by: Wendy, www.retirement-online.com

Just got a call...

Geesh, I sure wish I could remember what they said, in the first ten seconds, that made me listen just a bit more. It was really catchy, and made me want to listen.

Then I heard:

"Within seconds, I am going to tell you how to increase your bank account by $10,000."

Yeah. No. Not going to happen.

Disconnect.
Robo Scam calls
by: Anonymous

I block and blocked calls but they use multiple numbers - impossible to block them all.

So - I reverted to being as devious as they are.
I punched in numbers until I hit one that gave the recording "we are sorry, the number you have reached is no longer in service. If you feel you have reached this number in error, please hang up and try your call again".

I used my cell phone to make a recording of that statement and the little tone do-da-da that comes up. So now when an unknown call comes in I play the recording for them!!

Guess what? They have dropped my number from their list of target phone numbers. LOL

I win! It took about 40 days of incoming calls and playing the recording and then beautiful silence!! Now when the phone rings its friends and family not robo calls and scammers! :)

Wendy: Will you PLEASE post and tell us HOW you did the recording and how you played it when scammers call? I don't get it, but would certainly like to!
Have been had too.
by: Texas

Before I got my Captel phone I made mistake of falling for the Microsoft scan and ended up having computer cleaned out at a cost. Now that I have Captel phone with caller ID I get

even more calls from places I do not recognize. Today I got one from town I live in so answered. Tried to tell me I won expense paid trip to desirable sunny locations.

As I tried to say 'not interested' it was obvious it was recorded as woman kept talking. I am on 'no call' list but this happens everyday now with Captel phone being hooked to computer!
Too Many Scammers!
by: Dean/ Nashville TN

I never answer the phone live anymore unless they talk to my machine first. Friends know if I'm right there I'll answer as soon as I hear their voices and scammers know enough to just hang up. Works for me!

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