I used to get them Microsoft calls telling me to do this and that on my computer. And I did. They always got mad when I eventually told them I was a Linux user.
It was always nice to have someone to talk to once in a while.
Why does this looks like a Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes strip?
Decent chance that might be an inspiration. That does feel like a pretty Calvin’s dad thing to do
When my grandma was in her 80s, she took a call like this. She was talking for a good 5 minutes saying things like “oooh no, you’re from Microsoft?” and “my computer has been compromised?”
The whole time, she was smiling and winking at me then says, “Well hang on just a second, let me hand the phone to my grandson. He’s a police officer and can help us get this sorted out.” Then she immediately handed me the phone, where I didn’t miss a beat and said “This is officer Dan with the Aurora Police Department, who am I speaking to?” and they hung up instantly.
Don’t fuck with old ladies.
If at all possible, or at the first question of your means to pay, be sure to volunteer a doctored screenshot of you bank balance.
I for example, became a millionaire in the last 10 minutes.
This is certain to keep them talking no matter how much shit you give them.
You can call me Lenny.
It isn’t effective at all, it just verifies it’s an active number so your number can be sold to other scammers…
I used to get scam and someone else’s debt collection calls and wasting their time was the only thing that got them to stop.
A colleague of mine always got debt collection calls for someone else. Several times per day, sometimes several times the hour. I asked them, if they know how to block the number, but they just liked to curse at them or troll them. Especially since the calls (presumably) originated from a real company that just didn’t want to believe them, that they’re not the person theyre trying to reach.
Makes sense, they bought the debt and if the last known phone number doesn’t work they might have to sell that debt on again to the next company but at a 90% discount.
Plus nowadays they can easily use AI to copy your voice and use it for phishing
Doesn’t really matter anyways because they just robocall every number anyways and numbers can go dead and be reactivated all the time.
My phone app now has “audio emoji” which is just a shitty soundboard that plays into calls. I’ve started answering calls in the hopes that they’re scammers so I can start spamming the soundboard.
But I only ever get the robodialer. The scammers never pick up.
The majority have moved away from cold calls and on to email and texting where they aim to trick folks into calling them. This is a better return on their investment since it’s cheaper and there’s way more chance to actually get a victim than cold calling.
That said, most of the folks on the phone are either barely scraping by or are literal prisoners of violent gangs. They aren’t the ones to target (though they are the easiest to dislike since that’s who you end up dealing with). Take a browse of channels like scammer payback and kitboga who work to get to those actually in charge and to get the scam rings taken down.
Now I want to watch columbo again :)
