Utility Scam - Don't Fall For It!

Originally posted by alittleironic
Thanks for the heads up. I haven't heard of this one yet.

My mother just recently got a call from "Microsoft" telling her to update her computer. Of course she followed his instructions downloading some program. The virus gave this guy total control over her comp..
He called from a 1-600 number.

I'll have to warn her about this. I know she'd fall for it.

-alittleironic

Are you serious? I've been getting these for like a year!

Stupid people fall for this. Period!

caller ID spoofing = google voice. when I call some one my GV number shows up BUT it is not the number i am calling from. If you have an android phone it will show you this info.

I do not answer calls. They can leave messages if important. Oh wait, if you have creditors calling you answer and record those Another tactic "sure i would love to take your free vacation, can you send me some literature on it please?" UHM...... "If you cannot, please understand I have a set of skills I do not like to use...." lol

If they come to your door, ask for the flier, tell them the other member of decision making is not home/ Obama who? / I use solar / did you notice my unwelcome mat or my no soliciting sign? etc. Then read and look on the flier for any information and VERIFY it. Or once you get the flier call while the person is on your doorstep (please be sure to secure the door with your foot or something as some of these people WILL freak out on you).

Stay safe everyone.

Oh i love it when i get scammed it just helps me. Im in bankruptcy court now so i just say it must be another scam take all of my info and screw me as hard as you can it just helps. The judge looks over that crap and i love trying to explain everything when i cant maybe the investigators will be on them sooner lol.

Originally posted by EvilSadamClone
This is one reason why I have caller ID. I have a rule that I never answer the phone for people I don't recognize.

Just make sure the caller ID has correct spelling. They can change just one letter in the name and at a glance it will look authentic.

If you didn't initiate the call yourself, you should never give out any information. Banks don't call and ask for info and if they do, ask to call them back and hang up.

reply to post by EvilSadamClone


reply to post by crappiekat


Pretty silly rule.
What if its a family or friend calling for help from another phone?

Not every one leaves messages.
I just don't see why you would be so scared to pick up a phone. Just because you pick up the phone doesn't mean you have to give out personal information.

Personally i've hung up on so many people but i always pick up the phone.
You just never know.

reply to post by caladonea


I'm having a hard time expressing what I'm feeling about this story.

On the one hand, I do feel bad for the victims of this scam and I'm trying to be compassionate instead of impatient and I know it's important that people not be too embarrassed by the experience to tell the story for others but...

On the other hand, how many times do people have to be told NOT to give out personal details to strangers!!??

It's not like identity theft scammers are a new thing! Seriously people... and, believing that the federal government is going to offer to "help" you?? Are these the same people that already are being "helped" out of poverty by the welfare system?

This scam is playing off of people's desire for the government to take care of them... WAKE UP and grow up people, the government is not your Daddy!!

reply to post by OneisOne


I had the same thing happen to me several times regarding my phone and electric.

Both times the person who called kept saying, "If you don't make a credit card payment over the phone right now we are going to turn off your service!"

I replied, "I am pretty sure my bills are all paid, but I will double check. If I am mistaken I will make a payment through your website because I never give my credit card info over the phone."

"Sir, we are going to turn off your utilities if you don't pay me right now."

"Okay, that's fine."

"Do you understand me? I am going to cut off your power?!"

"Okay."

"I will do it!"

"Okay."

*CLICK*

reply to post by caladonea


Has anyone noticed the add on the main page claiming that they can slash your "electric" or "utlity" bills by half..... hahahaha

reply to post by Bixxi3


Nope it's a pretty darn good rule. The people who need to get a hold of me have cell phone numbers and their numbers are in my contact list. If it's important they can leave a message and a call back number or call me on my cell!

My 'counter-attack' for nuisance calls consists of a Mrs. Miller audio track, cued up and ready to go.
My mp3 player has an obscenely loud little external speaker. I pick up the phone, and as soon as I hear the caller's voice, I play this at full volume.

Originally posted by caladonea
reply to post by caladonea

 

The criminals that pull off this sort of scam just really get me angry too!

Your (Robin Hood) idea is probably tempting to many!

I just wish I was tech savvy enough to be able to do something myself. Dreams of being a fantastic hacker and quietly sharing the wealth of the scamming obscenely rich who trample over everyone to get what they want, with all the people who are having their legally paid for homes taken from them by banks and all the other people who are struggling just to survive the corporate run system. I guess the best we can hope for is that some of the hacktivists dish out publicly the dirt on the top dogs and bring them down so they no longer have the power and influence on us all.

BTW (totally off topic).... I do admire your avatar picture, very pretty and totally striking, been meaning to tell you this for a while now lol.

reply to post by Bixxi3

Well In our case, we have kids. Our friends and family have kids. So if a family friend calls they will leave a message. Most phones these days have a message option. We use it.
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It's not all out of fear. For us it is also a matter of saving money and time. Answering nonsense calls cost us minutes on our phones.


Were just trying to teach our kids to be careful.

I really don't know how people fall for this stuff. Since when has the govt. been that generous? Then again, many of these scams are purposefully unbelievable to catch the truly gullible people.

reply to post by CthulhuMythos

Shame these extremely clever and sneaky criminals can't be a bit more 'Robin Hood' and swindle the banks out of their vast sums of illicit money and distribute it back to the needy.

Agreed!