Your Best Ways to Deal with Scam Callers

CtrlAltSpoods on 23/08/2021 - 11:34

So we've all had the calls before, what are your best/funniest ways to deal with Scam Callers?

While I cannot say I will bother to set up VM's with fake web servers on a local network like KitBoga. I will still try to waste as much of their time as possible.
I find if you do this multiple times they will eventually remove you from their list, As I used to get about 7 a week and I am now down to ZERO

I had one guy on the phone for over an hour trying to sign me up into some bitcoin scam, he eventually got to the point of blatantly screaming at me as I had wasted so much time and didn't even sign up.

Another guy I had explain how the entire cryptocurrency system works, and just keep asking the same stupid questions in a different accent every time.

So what are your best ideas/ways to get a laugh out of these people, and make them stop calling?

I'm keen to read some of the responses.

Mobile

Comments

  • iDroid on 23/08/2021 - 11:38
    +7

    Pass the phone to one of your kids with something like "The person on the phone wants you to tell them about Roblox"

    Done.

    • CtrlAltSpoods on 23/08/2021 - 11:42

      If I had kids I'd definitely give that one a go. That's gold!

    • dust on 23/08/2021 - 11:59

      Doesn't work as well for the robot scam callers.

    • Ugly on 23/08/2021 - 13:34

      If it’s around Xmas, tell them Santa is on the phone & wants to know what they want.

  • orangetrain on 23/08/2021 - 11:38
    +2

    I answer and wait 3 seconds before they hang up on me without a word. These scammers just know its me!

    • Hybroid on 23/08/2021 - 11:44

      This is bad in practise because you're just confirming that your number is valid and they'll keep trying. Avoiding picking up will delist your number as not reachable.

  • Hybroid on 23/08/2021 - 11:39
    +13

    The best way to stop them calling is to stop picking up unknown numbers. If it's important, they'll leave you a voicemail.

    • orangetrain on 23/08/2021 - 12:33
      +4

      ATO, government and banks use unknown numbers and often don't leave voicemail. Good luck dealing with penalties, etc. They have records of trying to call you.

      So, that's why I answer these calls.

      I'm happy to change political party allegiance if there's one who will get rid of unknown numbers and penalise telcos that dont patch spoofing.

      • cerealJay on 23/08/2021 - 17:06

        Incorrect. ATO left me a message a few months ago chasing tax returns which I'd missed due to laziness. They left a voicemail with number for me to call, which I did.

        The advice from previous comment is good. Just don't answer calls from unknown numbers, let them go through to voicemail.

  • steven6 on 23/08/2021 - 11:41
    +2

    Symbio Networks are the provider for most of the scammers. Symbio Networks are knowingly providing services to the scammers. We should all start calling Symbio Networks on (02) 9994 8555 and ask them to stop providing phone numbers to the scammers.

    • orangetrain on 23/08/2021 - 12:35
      +1

      They have the technology to ignore your complaints because $$$$.

      Call your MP. I don't know if TIO applies, anyone know?

  • Big Lenny on 23/08/2021 - 11:48
    +1

    getting a lot of amazon scams and ATO calls lately from 03 numbers

  • CtrlAltSpoods on 23/08/2021 - 11:50

    Forgot to mention, a mate of mine told me a story about someone he knew who would have them log into a VM via TeamViewer or whatever, trace their IP back and say "goodbye" randomly during the conversation and boot them offline.

    Apparently it would usually take down an entire scamming call centre for a little bit before it either expired or they get a new IP.

    I don't condone it cause 2 wrongs obviously don't make a right, but not all heroes wear capes.

    We can only hope that it would stop 'some' calls to the vulnerable and them falling for these scams.

    • dust on 23/08/2021 - 11:58

      Wait how does this work? You get the scam caller to login into a VM? Why would they do that?

      • CtrlAltSpoods on 23/08/2021 - 12:03

        Usually to try and steal bank details or install malware.

        • FoxJump on 23/08/2021 - 12:20

          Im a nerdy type. How would he "boot them offline" ? By .. disconnecting the teamviewer call? That cant take down the call centre.
          Instead, what I would do is try to keep their teamviewer connection alive while on the phone to teamviewer to dob them in and have them cancel the license.

          • CtrlAltSpoods on 23/08/2021 - 13:07

            @FoxJump: I believe he would use an online booter, which as Cloudflare put it-

            Booters, also known as booter services, are on-demand DDoS (Distributed-Denial-of-Service) attack services offered by enterprising criminals in order to bring down websites and networks. In other words, booters are the illegitimate use of IP stressers.

            So he'd use a booter that spams so many useless packets at an IP it overloads it and makes it so nothing else can get through. It is highly illegal because if the attack is big enough it can affect the ISP's entire service and take down the internet of there innocent customers also.

            This link would probably be your best source of info to learn about it: https://www.cloudflare.com/en-au/learning/ddos/ddos-attack-t…

    • iDroid on 23/08/2021 - 13:04
      +1

      Your friend or the mate he knows may, just may, embellish a little.

    • SBOB on 23/08/2021 - 19:14
      +1

      Unless your mate knows some rather serious hackers I would find that unlikely that he would DDoS a call centre.

      But there are reports of people reverse hacking via various means
      Eg
      https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2020/03/04/tech-support-sca…

      • CtrlAltSpoods on 25/08/2021 - 10:12

        I don't think a DDoS attack would fall under the category of hacking, it's just one of those things that some people do to get back at people.
        Happens in online gaming all the time.

        Also considering a lot of telemarketers utilise VOIP services to make it appear they are in the country you are, it most certainly would take down every other telemarketer using the same internet connection.

        The RDP exploit that you posted though could quite certainly be real, but it is questionable that they are using RDP, as that requires specific ports to be forwarded and to be setup in the first place.
        Teamviewer or LogMeIn etc are usually the tools these people use.

  • popsiee on 23/08/2021 - 11:52
    +3

    The kids have a competition of who can get the person off the phone the fastest .
    Helps with their English I suppose .

    • FireRunner on 23/08/2021 - 12:18

      Speedrunning scam calls, I like it

      • CtrlAltSpoods on 23/08/2021 - 13:10
        +2

        Telemarketer Any% No creditswarp

  • Quantumcat on 23/08/2021 - 12:14

    Change your number and don't put your new one anywhere near the internet and avoid giving it to businesses unless you have to (eg give it if you need them to call you back with updates but not if it is to join their club and get discounts). I changed mine around October last year and still have not received a single spam call to my new number.

  • deme on 23/08/2021 - 13:34
    +2

    Hi just a sec I've got the stove on, mute it and walk away.

  • Meld on 11/07/2022 - 18:17

    🤠 Here is the phone number of a TeamViewer scam who called me today: 0419981155

    Everyone call it & yell abuse or death threats.

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