New Indian Telephone Scam - be aware

RockyRaccoon on 31/03/2014 - 17:26

Had a lovely call - Contacting me about an accident I had

…Which one I asked - I've had three (well if they can lie so can I)

A few seconds of silence (guess there was no script for that answer)

The one in the past 6 months

…I've had 3 in the past 6 months

the latest

…So what is the date of that

You must know

…and so must you as you called me

And so on etc etc, you get the drift. I just acted dumb and confused with what they were saying, they have no scripts for that. Agreeing with them and then changing the subject etc Like yes it's me then later denying its me.

Are you A&R Raccoon,

… No I am not A&R I am A or R (BTW my Whitepags listing was A&R Raccoon)

Then they got a supervisor, again same points a lovely Indian lady who I constantly called sweetheart, then her Manager, who I held on the line when I actually got a mobile call from my Niece. About 5 minutes later he was still on the line.

We have compensation to give, and our legal team will contact you and arrange for a cheque to be sent.

… I wont give out information, there are low life's who are trying to scam money on the internet.

Oh yes we aren't one of those we just want to help.

… Are you from India.

Oh no we are from (missed name).

… You are a low life, I have been BSing you just like you are BSing me and I am happy to waste your time so you couldn't scam others. Be happy as India beat Aussie in cricket

Ah yes we beat the PPoor Aussies

Game over as he hung up…

Just watch it, they have a new game in town. Not MS technical support about viruses etc

General Discussion

Comments

  • tonka on 31/03/2014 - 17:56
    +20

    I got one I hadn't heard this week. Needed to send me a cheque for overcharged bank fees. Was quite convincing, they are getting better at this.
    I had a quite chuckle when the 2nd transfer told me he was the supervisor of the Fedaral Government. I was OMG you must be sooo busy Mr Governor General.

    I managed 15 minutes and 4 transfers on my Microsoft call this week.

    If they are on the phone to me they are not calling someone else.

    The more time they waste with me the less viable their business is.

    • Ozfan on 02/04/2014 - 23:54
      +2

      I think u r training their call center staffs. This could be their way to get used to ppl . besides voip calls cost nothing to them.

  • rain on 31/03/2014 - 18:58
    +7

    had the good old telstra employee computer internet error the other day, unfortunately it was under my grandparents name (most vulnerable group)
    kept them on the line for a while then got threatened with them cancelling my internet and hung up on me
    was only just starting to have some fun

  • NancyCat on 31/03/2014 - 19:19
    +168

    The other day, Kevin from Microsoft called, as soon as he said he's from Microsoft, I offered to give him my bank account details with my pin number, as well as my credit card number, Visa or Masters or both? I even offer to send him a copy of my passport/driver's licence and the title of my house…just to be sure!
    THEN…he hung up on me! How rude!
    Now who is going to fix my computer?! Bloody Microsoft!

    • Unorthodox on 31/03/2014 - 22:40
      +8

      logged in just to +1 you. That made me laugh.

    • LakeVostok on 31/03/2014 - 23:18
      +1

      Great job! haha.

    • jdf on 02/04/2014 - 18:37
      +1

      NancyCat, how ever did you manage to keep from laughing while going through it all :)

      • NancyCat on 02/04/2014 - 20:26
        +4

        'Cos I am a crazy b—ch. ;)

        • jdf on 03/04/2014 - 17:10

          well you can add hilarious to the list too, I couldn't stop giggling yesterday, thinking about your conversation :)

    • eye on 03/04/2014 - 01:27

      the best of the best. cracked me up.

    • Austin 316 on 03/04/2014 - 12:17

      Bloody hilarious. Great job NancyCat.

    • Costco97 on 04/04/2014 - 17:31

      Just read your reply. What a start of Friday evening :)

  • sm007h on 31/03/2014 - 22:46
    +12

    For those interested in wasting the time of scammers, look up 419eater.

    • 2ndeffort on 01/04/2014 - 08:59
      +1

      +1 for some of the hilarious tales of the legendary 'shiver me timbers'!!!

  • King Tightarse on 31/03/2014 - 22:49
    +3

    These sewer rats disgust me.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2014 - 23:19
      +8

      That comment is rather offensive to sewer rats, King T.

      • King Tightarse on 01/04/2014 - 00:03
        +1

        Dont tell me your s sewer rat lover, WT!
        That's the idea of said comment.
        These people play on the most trusting and vulnerable.
        I hope they get many diseases and die in pain.

        • [Deactivated] on 01/04/2014 - 00:15
          +8

          No, I just meant that even actual sewer ratties aren't as low as the scammers lol

  • OldBugger on 31/03/2014 - 23:37
    +7

    I had one last year where an American sounding lady rang my mobile. She asked for me by my nick name and kept questioning me about why I hit her tail light. Supposedly I left a note.

    I started talking back to her in an American accent saying, it wasn't me as I don't live in the U S of A. She then completely changed her voice to a natural Australian accent saying "Ha, well… I am in Australia."

    I hung up. She kept ringing back asking the same question and why I kept hanging up on her. She wanted me to pay and asked who was my insurer. I didn't know if she was a scammer or if someone left my details on her window, so I said for her to call the Police and let them sort it out.

    I still don't understand how they got my nick name but think she must have got it from either my email address or some place I registered online. Real cheeky one. Then again, maybe it was my brother playing silly buggers.

    Tip for landline calls: Call Telstra and request they unlist or remove your details from Whitepages. They may state it is impossible and you can only go silent, but keep prodding and it will happen. It's free too.

    • fruit on 01/04/2014 - 11:00
      +1

      It's free? BARGAIN! (Seriously though I'm doing it right now)

    • [Deactivated] on 02/04/2014 - 00:22
      +3

      Can I have more information on this? I've been paying a monthly fee for a private number! What exactly do you say to them to get unlisted? And do they relist you next year?

      • warrenkole on 02/04/2014 - 20:34
        -2

        I phoned Telstra with the following "Hi, Remove my details from the IPND . Thanks."

        IPND is Integrated Public Number Database.

        Telstra do this for free. Don't get fooled into paying for any monthly "silent number" service. It's BS.

        I also emailed sensis and asked that they remove my details from their physical and online white pages.

        • NancyCat on 02/04/2014 - 21:04
          +2

          No, I don't think Telstra (or any Telco) can remove any number from IDND, because the emergency depts (000) and law enforcement use this database. By law, all telcos need to provide up-to-date info to IPND.

        • [Deactivated] on 05/04/2014 - 23:01
          +1

          http://www.internode.on.net/support/faq/phone_and_voip/nodep…

          Can I "opt out" of the IPND database?

          No. Provision of IPND data is mandated under the
          Telecommunications Act. Your existing fixed line
          phone service (which most of you would have) would
          already be in IPND. The only way for you not to be
          in IPND is not to have a telephone service at all -
          fixed, mobile, or VoIP.

      • OldBugger on 18/04/2014 - 14:52

        Just request that they remove your number from the Whitepages (book and online). It is an unlisted number then. It should be unlisted forever.

        With a private number, when you call someone, your number won't appear on their side (CID) and you also get your details taken out of the WP book and online.

  • windale on 01/04/2014 - 07:52
    +11

    I found a good way to annoy them, hand your phone to your 4 year old they love to talk to anyone.

    My mum got a call saying there was a problem and her internet was going to be cut off. She doesn't even have a computer let alone internet. Stupid Moran scammers. (No offence to morons intended)

    • Euphemistic on 01/04/2014 - 10:12
      +17

      I thought the Morans were drug dealers, not scammers?

  • StuffnStuff on 01/04/2014 - 09:55
    +31

    My friend uses an aerosol air horn to blast down the phone when he gets these calls. You can be sure these scammers are wearing headsets so they get a nice blast in both ears. They normally do not call back.

    • fruit on 01/04/2014 - 11:01
      +17

      I'm buying one as soon as it's on the frontpage.

      • [Deactivated] on 01/04/2014 - 12:26
        +4

        LOL ditto. Should post that in Find Me A Bargain.

        GROUP BUY??

    • marcusv on 01/04/2014 - 16:55
      +1

      Or use the atomic fart app that was just removed from the front page. Get all upset and explain that you have a "health" problem when you get nervous or upset whilst going nuts on the fart drums.

      • blitz on 02/04/2014 - 21:47
        +3

        nuts on the fart drums

        Wasn't this an album by Genesis?

    • goosegog on 01/04/2014 - 17:13
      +1

      I have a large shrill whistle placed by each phone. When these calls arrive I think it will take quite a while for the "persons" ears to return to normal after this shrill sound blasts into them. Don't like doing it but completely fed up with being bombarded continuously with this rubbish

  • aripper on 01/04/2014 - 10:09
    +11

    I know a man who got the "fix your computer" call a couple of years ago and paid them $140 odd with his credit card. When he told me and I pointed out it was a scam (politely, and showed him internet pages to verify)) he became offended and hasn't talked to me since. I'm aware that people don't like being told they could have made a mistake and he has reacted poorly, but we were good friends till that point.

    These apparently unpursued-by-the-law "phone viruses" can do far more damage than just ripping money off people and I think governments should adopt a far more aggressive approach to bringing them to account.

    • hahaboy on 02/04/2014 - 12:13
      +3

      What can governments really do? They are on the other side of the world.

      • Abaddon on 04/04/2014 - 11:08
        +3

        Set them up the bomb

    • sandsay on 02/04/2014 - 20:07
      +2

      You might have said so in a condescending tone. Tread lightly so you don't make people feel stupid or mad at you for rebuttal.

  • JediJan on 01/04/2014 - 10:10
    +6

    I kept an "American" sounding one who told me I had "won" a free holiday etc going for at least half an hour once (yes I must have been bored) but he got rather upset at the very end when I wouldn't disclose my full name and credit card details. Well, I do not do business over the phone do I? Hope they got a rather expensive phone bill.

    Do unto others as (or before) they do unto you!

    Ps. Be wary of a genuine looking email from the ATO people. The ATO does not send emails to people, period! If you do receive one of these forward the email to:

    [email protected]

    Per the ATO:

    "If you wish to report spam not related to the ATO please send the spam e-mail to:

    [email protected]

    when forwarding an email message, please do not change the subject line of the message or add additional text."

    • peteru on 01/04/2014 - 12:33

      The ATO does not send emails to people, period!

      Not true. If you are registered for BAS you can be guaranteed at least one email from the ATO every quarter, but they also send email messages out of turn.

      • kabigon on 02/04/2014 - 18:32
        +1

        I get a message about etax from the Ato every now and then.

        • JediJan on 04/04/2014 - 22:24

          This is actually what the lady answering the ATO said. Yes, you are correct there. I get those general email reminders with the etax download too (and I told her that) but actually I don't even trust those emails either! I go direct to the website and download etax from there. The fake email specified a certain $ amount I was supposedly due to receive, with a link too.

          Guess all I can add to this, is that you really cannot trust any emails you receive. I had an email account hacked a few years ago (no idea how) and it sent "weight loss" spam (of all things) to all my contacts. Fortunately I did not get any complaints from anyone, but one of my son's teachers said it was interesting! Since safeguarding the account I contacted my contacts and advised them not to open any emails that don't have my "special" word in the subject line.

    • pyro love bird on 02/04/2014 - 02:22
      +1

      I think they call via software, so it's not on an actual phoneline, so if they had unlimited internet/whatnot it wouldn't really cost them anymore.

      • JediJan on 04/04/2014 - 22:31

        Rats; at least I wasted his time.

  • KBZ on 01/04/2014 - 10:20
    +17

    This thread makes me want to get a phone call now.

    • tonka on 01/04/2014 - 13:20
      +8

      If you get the Microsoft one, I must recommend not understanding Left from Right. Is hilarious.

      • diddy50 on 02/04/2014 - 23:28
        +3

        What is a Start button. I can't see that on my keyboard anywhere.

        • blablabla23 on 03/04/2014 - 10:08
          +4

          … and 35 minutes later they find out you're using a mac.

  • SavatteDodo on 01/04/2014 - 12:56
    +1

    Cant wait to get one of these calls.

  • OzJD on 01/04/2014 - 13:58
    +1

    I think I got scammed from these blokes. Well, they have my details and don't stop contacting me. Basically, they want me to do insurance fraud… I'm guessing for a rather large commission off the legal companies.

    • I'm normally good at spotting these things, but it was a couple days after I had submitted a question regarding an accident to NRMA. They were just too dodgy so I ended all contact with them.
    • ankor on 02/04/2014 - 19:59
      +2

      Just call nrma and ask the claims officer if they retained investigators to ask you questions.

  • wiltonson on 01/04/2014 - 14:25
    +2

    What I normally do when I get such scam calls was ask the guy to hold on the phone while I go and get Mr XXX (whom they ask for) to the phone. I will put the phone close to the TV or radio so the caller thinks the phone line is still connected. Next, it all depends on how patient is the scammer as I will pick up the phone again if I haven't forgot about it. If the scammer is still on the line and I'll say something like "Hello this is Mr XXY, oh you are looking for Mr XXX, that's my brother, please hold on the line" and I put the phone down again (and yes next to the TV or radio). I will repeat the process until they hang up.

    • dvsbastard on 02/04/2014 - 11:55
      +1

      That approach works well for junk calls at work. I usually "transfer" them from person to person across different departments - trying out as many voices and accents as I can until they catch on or hang up! :P

  • backpaqer on 01/04/2014 - 17:39

    what is your IP address of your computer? 74.125.237.191 (= google…good luck with that)

    • retiredfeline on 02/04/2014 - 07:11
      +1

      Tell them it's 127.2.4.6.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/04/2014 - 00:31

        NO tell them it's 178.32.160.121
        Seriously copy and paste in your address bar!
        Be warned it is vulgar

        Edit: website removed! dang

        On a side note I remember when I was a kid and went to wolfenstein.com, it was not for the game like I had thought.

      • snvl on 04/04/2014 - 16:10

        127.0.0.1

        • retiredfeline on 04/04/2014 - 16:26
          +1

          Anything starting with 127. is localhost, try it yourself. Except the network and broadcast addresses, for the nitpickers.

  • ethereal88 on 02/04/2014 - 07:19
    +2

    Do people still even have landlines and phones? I'm only running VOIP, rest is long disconnected. No calls, ever.

    • pyro love bird on 02/04/2014 - 20:46

      This is amazing, how do we set it up/use it?

  • Wampus on 02/04/2014 - 18:34

    Most of my friends and family have had these scam calls. I've had a silent number for about five years and I've never had one, so I'm sure it has purely to do with that.

    • [Deactivated] on 03/04/2014 - 09:44
      +2

      Nope. I have a silent number but still get them. I bet they're using cheap VoIP to call and are given a block of sequential numbers each morning.

      ie:

      03 0000 0000
      03 0000 0001
      03 0000 0002
      03 0000 0003

  • sandsay on 02/04/2014 - 20:04

    Australia sucks in this respect. Never had telemarketers and scammers calling me before I came here. I was mad as hell initially then I registered my number with the gov website that blocks them, did not work. Finally got a new prepaid number from Telstra, no more problems! Before I was on 'Three' telco.

  • subywagon on 02/04/2014 - 22:19
    +3

    I was contacted by a company I did a website for recently as they received an invoice/letter from Domain Register Pty Ltd telling them to register their domain name blahblah.com (they are currently a .com.au)

    Anyways the secretary at this business has it in for me as she can't handle using the new website and email accounts and ran to her boss and basically made out that I had defrauded the business when I registered their domain name, because they received this invoice.

    I pointed out that if she had bothered to take a closer look she would discover that they are in fact telling you to register for a .com, not a .com.au…

    I actually think the silly bird would have paid it and blamed me if I hadn't pointed this out to them.

    So people beware, a lot of .com.au domain owners are getting sent these letters which would easily fool most people. And a lot of people seem to be falling for it… $249 for 2 years! But you get FREE email and web forwarding!

    There's a thread up on whirlpool about them.

    • ChickenTalon on 03/04/2014 - 10:02
      +4

      I had the same thing, strung them along enough to determine that they had a rented office in Australia. and… an ABN!

      Nailed.

      Everything packaged up nicely for a Do Not Call Register breach submission

  • TheFBIGuy on 02/04/2014 - 23:15
    +9

    next time they call just answer with hello Daves circumsion you flop em we chop em

  • MasterNoob on 03/04/2014 - 00:37
    +3

    When I hear an Indian voice on the line, I just hang up.

    • anastasiastarz on 03/04/2014 - 01:45
      -5

      So sorry! That's meant to be a plus!

    • [Deactivated] on 03/04/2014 - 10:25
      +8

      I don't wait for a voice. If there's a moments silence on the line once I've picked up and clearly said 'Hello', I hang up.

      You know what that silence means… stay on the line for a few seconds longer and you'll invariably get the "H-hello? Hello?" from some little shit at a call centre.

    • King Tightarse on 03/04/2014 - 10:29
      +1

      If only the immigration dept would do the same.
      "fraud rates approaching 50 per cent"
      50% lie on their Visa applications ! 50%!
      http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-22/immigration-audits-rev…

      • King Tightarse on 03/04/2014 - 12:59
        +1

        Neg all you want.
        Its the ABC and Dept of Immigration figures.
        Real numbers are probably higher.

        • ChickenTalon on 03/04/2014 - 13:13

          Neg all you want.

          ok!

          did you even read the article?

          …Immigration Department spokesman Sandi Logan says the figures, from the 2008/09 financial year, are troubling. "Around the periods of 2008, 2009, 2010 the fraud levels were quite considerable, a matter of real concern to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship," he said.

          He says things have since changed.

          "We're quite confident that those people who were issued with a visa … 99.9 per cent are who they say they are and are doing what they said they would do when they were granted that visa."..

        • King Tightarse on 03/04/2014 - 13:36

          Yeah, I rather think I read the article.
          Did you comprehend the article?
          We have a huge group of people who's apparent shameless intention is to defraud the immigration system almost to the point of "normalcy".
          We are slightly better at catching them now.

  • rav_stk on 03/04/2014 - 12:28
    +11

    how do you know its Indian, it can be pakistani/bangladesh/srilankan..? i had spoken to one simialr scammer, the website they gave had its origin in Pakistan..

  • MarkB4 on 03/04/2014 - 14:52
    +3

    Always good to know what new scams are coming along, especially to warn the oldies I know …

  • [Deactivated] on 03/04/2014 - 16:50
    +2

    Good idea! I'll talk cricket with them next time!
    No one can resist a cricket conversation!

    • [Deactivated] on 03/04/2014 - 18:26
      +1

      Even better if spoken in cricket.

  • pyro love bird on 03/04/2014 - 17:14

    I like to talk in a different language with a heavy accent, and if they understand it, swap to another language! otherwise, just copy what they're saying and try to sell it back to them :)

  • Serapis on 03/04/2014 - 19:09
    +3

    I got this call a few weeks ago, 3rd time i had it.

    Played along with him using an Arnie soundboard with clips from predator and took him 10 mins before he caught on:

    http://www.soundboardarchive.com/game/226/Arnold-Schwarzeneg…

    • fruit on 05/04/2014 - 16:35

      BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS BALLS OF STEEEEL!
      Oh wait that's Duke Nukem.

  • arcticfox007 on 03/04/2014 - 20:48
    +1

    I got calls from Indians asking to buy TVs. I faked the information. They realised after, called back abusing me while i laughed. Nice people.

  • striker5950 on 03/04/2014 - 21:07

    lol these indians call everyone it seems, I usually hang up, I dont wana waste electricity talking to them..

  • OzBLover on 04/04/2014 - 00:53
    +6

    I was contacted the other day by an Indian lady with a lovely accent. Got my mom who speaks no English to talk to her. She hang up 1 hour later after my mom asking her to spell every single word she said. Great work from her end I must say consider she survived for 1 hour

  • meatgasm on 04/04/2014 - 01:43
    +2

    We used to have loads of people calling us, telling me that my PC Is generating crash reports and sending them to microsoft. I have even made a fake virtual machine of a buggered version of windows 7, hoping they would call again but now that the virtual machine is ready, they dont call any more :-/

  • bossmode on 04/04/2014 - 10:47
    +4

    I wish I was informed of this before - does that mean those sexy singles weren't in my area as well?

  • Abaddon on 04/04/2014 - 11:18

    The accident guys managed to get my work number and called me last week. Since they knew nothing about me we just argued for a few minutes with me refusing to give them any information they didn't have and then they hung up.

    I Pity the Fools

  • rambutann on 04/04/2014 - 11:45

    I swear I give my phone number out to absolutely everyone and not once have I ever received a telemarketing phone call or scam or anything :(:(

    • retiredfeline on 04/04/2014 - 12:14

      They don't use phone directories or steal address books from mail accounts, they use automatic dialers over ranges of numbers which explains why some towns will get hit on around the same period.

    • blitz on 04/04/2014 - 14:06
      +4

      I give my phone number out to absolutely everyone

      What's your number?

  • Costco97 on 04/04/2014 - 17:30

    I were visiting India about 2 years ago. other there similar scams are run in bulk especially because mobile numbers are recycled in India. I bought a new SIM card there and started to get call in few days that my mobile number has been selected randomly as winner of a draw the phone company was running due to IPL league :). I got endless SMS as well.

    I though these tricks were only existing in western world but seems like they don't leave Indian's alone either.

    It is amazing how many calls I were getting. I spoke to a friend who worked in a local bank branch and he told me there is always some elderly person coming to get their full bank details to give out. Usually bank employees will tell them not to. These elderly people are not much educated and usually a target.

    Recently in Australia I started to get some SMS that I have participated in some charity thing and all money I raised now needs to be submitted in a bank account. Has anyone heard of this one ?

  • Gdsamp on 04/04/2014 - 20:16

    I came to this thread to see stories. I was not disappointed.

  • fruit on 05/04/2014 - 16:38
    +4

    I said my home phone battery was dying and to call my mobile: 0406650430

  • [Deactivated] on 05/04/2014 - 19:15

    I got this today! Dodgy VOIP per usual for these type of calls.

  • 2ndeffort on 17/04/2014 - 15:03
    +2

    I used to play with these guys but became bored with it and just hang up on them now. What gets me is when my wife inadvertently answers the phone. They ask for me by name (must have my name from somewhere), when she has told them I am not interested they give her a hard time, trying to insist that they speak to me in person, a few have even been rude towards her. They must assume (rightly) that she is screening my calls but wrongly that by abusing my wife they will encourage me to spend money with them.

    We have a silent phone number and are on the 'do not call' register, hasn't even slowed them down. reading this thread has revitalized me, I hope one calls tonight. I might try something particularly annoying like answering every question with another question etc.

  • CryssieJade on 18/04/2014 - 15:40

    Be also very careful of AGL.

    To cut a very long story short, my Mum pays her gas/elec fortnightly upfront with a payment plan (pensioner). She had some issues recently, so AGL asked to update her details. This was the first time she has given AGL her mobile number.

    Now, EVERY fortnight she gets a text message from 'AGL' telling her that she has not made any payments. When she tried to call the number in the text message, she was transferred to an Indian call centre, who had absolutely NO IDEA how to help her, or what she was talking about. It is clear that this number is not going to AGL, or anyone who could help her at all.

    Funny, because every time she calls the number on her AGL bill, she is clearly talking to an Australian call centre.

    It is a completely different number in the text message than on her bill.

    Be aware.

    • SavatteDodo on 18/04/2014 - 20:38

      AGL has its call centres locally. They have one owned by AGL itself and through various outsourcing companies.

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