PHISHING and PHONE SPAM
While sifting through files on my
backup computer because some young punk rat bastard geek prick planted a virus
on my good computer and rendered it useless just because he could, the piece of
shit; I found this blog which I don’t believe I ever posted. I searched blogger and did not find it. If I don’t remember, no one else will either
so here it is again…maybe.
My cell
phone is registered as a no-call number.
I thought this meant cold callers could get in trouble if they contacted
me. Maybe, but how do you report these
calls?
I receive
these cold calls daily, generally they are recordings. Who do I report these callers to? How do I report them? How do I identify the callers, often they do
not arrive showing a number.
For the most
part these calls are only a minor inconvenience. The main reason they chaff my butt is they
are clearly designed to scare the crap out of old people, and it will not be
that many years before I become part of their target audience.
The latest
scam is for some kind of credit card.
The recording hits upon everything that scares the what-not out of old
people.
“We are
calling about a VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE
that could affect your CREDIT RATING. This is your FINAL WARNING and if you want to lock in preferred rates, YOU MUST CALL TODAY. Due to recent changes in THE LAW, our GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS have DECREED these
preferred rates WILL NO LONGER BE
AVAILABLE in the near future. If you
want to avoid CREDIT PROBLEMS, you
are DIRECTED to press one NOW.
It seem like
our Government is trying to protect us from everything these days. They try to protect our children from
bullies, sexual harassment, God, and violence.
Schools have expelled kids for name calling. First graders have been punished for holding
hands. “America” is now sung, “Mmmm
bless America…” Chewing a piece of bread into the shape of a gun will keep you
after school.
Government
is worried about our health. Cigarettes
are not allowed anywhere. Soda can not
be sold in large containers. Helmets are
required for riding a bike, or roller skating. Don’t even think about jay walking.
Government
protects us from hate. Make an ethnic
joke, mock fat people or use politically incorrect language and you will pay a
fine, go to jail and do community service for a hate crime.
I get
it. Bullies are bad, kissing can be bad,
God must stay in church or at home, no one likes violence, cigarettes…very bad,
head injuries are bad, and doesn’t everyone hate hate?
But, what
about phishing? Why can’t government
track down those assholes from Nigeria and blow their computers up? Can’t we do more to stop identity theft? Why
don’t we crack down on obvious phone scams that scare and rip off old (and
stupid) people. Why does fine print that
no one can read, or a fast talking announcer spurting out disclaimers allow scam
artist to legally take people’s money?
Come on
Government, help me out here. Let’s create
a “Department of Kicking the Shit out of Scam Artists,” and do it now.
Dammit!
Well said Joe, I get several calls a week like that and it really pisses me off!
ReplyDeleteI also got a virus on my phone a while back from a dodgy email which somehow accessed my FB and sent out loads of friends requests but only to men called Stepen (7 accepted!!) as well as sending me links to porn sites!
I've had people call me asking why I keep calling THEM? It seems my number shows up on their caller ID as the source of these scams, which obviously isn't the case. I called Verizon and was shuffled from person to person until I reached "Verizon Fraud". They explained it was a "spoofing" issue, probably computer generated from some where in Russia or Eastern Europe. They said all I could do was change my phone number. Gee, thanks a lot Verizon! For myself, if I see an out-of-state call incoming on my ID screen, I don't answer. I get half a dozen of those a day. I guess it's just a sign of our times.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Scott! I don't answer numbers I do not know. Mrs. C has that old phone thing going where you feel required to answer every ring, even with caller ID.
Deleteyou go, cranky! really sorry about the computer virus! shitheads...
ReplyDeleteYay...we're behind you 100% ...Lead the way like a Volkswagon.
ReplyDeleteYou're expecting help from the government Cranky? Really? I think they are the problem.
ReplyDeleteI do get the frustration with the calls. They are becoming more and more of an issue. We used to get none and now we get 3-4 a day.
Have a fabulous day. ☺
Um, in many cases it's Government that's selling your number to these scammers. We've kept our land-line for just this purpose, we use that number for reporting to all all suspect, annoying, or government entities. Any and every time we give that number to a government entity it is only a matter of about 30 days and we see an obvious uptick in scam calls. 'Cause the assholes that are supposed to protect you sometimes sell you out.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, you make a good point. I used to be on a "no call" list but now the solicitation calls come fast and furious. The only satisfaction I get is when someone calls to sell me something I ask them to wait so I can go fetch my credit card. Then I go watch Wheel of Fortune. It tickles me to wonder how long they stay on the line. Mrs. C. tells me this is a wicked thing to do and these folks are just trying to make a living. I tell her there are other, better, ways to do that.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff Joe. Where do I sign up for the "War on young punk rat bastard geek pricks who plant viruses"?
ReplyDeleteLike Xavier above, we keep our land line, it's like a decoy. We never, ever answer it.
Yup... gotta land line and, now, caller ID, too.
ReplyDeleteI also have an answering machine, but I don't know why.
It is hardly ever on and we forget to check it.
I do wonder what happened to the vaunted "no call" list.
ReplyDeleteIf the number is unknown to me I just ignore it. If I get caught answering with out checking, I just hang up rudely. I am too old to waste what time I have left on nut cakes.
ReplyDeleteHi Cranky Man,
ReplyDeleteMy next door neighbour was a victim of Ransomware. Somebody told her that they were from Microsoft in New York (though his accent was distinctly Asian) and unless she paid money for her illegal license she would be locked out of her computer completely. Thankfully, I managed to intervene before she paid any money, which would further have given him access to her bank details.
As you say these should be tracked down - but it is not that easy. And people do feel stupid but even technically proficient people can be subjected to viruses and phishing.
The key is, if in doubt, don;t open it.
:0)
Cheers
PM
I just yelled at one yesterday in the car. She has not yet called back. My son thought I went to far. I say not far enough. I normally don't answer, but in the car I just reach for the phone. I need to put my son in charge of screening my calls, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI don't answer calls I don't know. I don't open emails from people I don't know. And I don't open emails from people I DO know if they don't say anything, only have a link in the email.
ReplyDeleteI like Stephen's idea!
Unclear on one thing, though I'll certainly say I don't like robocalls, and rarely answer calls even if it's someone I know other than my kids.
ReplyDeleteThe unclear part......
What government does. It's popular now to decry any government action. Less government. No government. We don't want it, we don't want to pay taxes.
Until we want it to do something.
The rancher in what, Utah?, comes to mind. Riding on his horse, carrying a flag and an M16. Protesting the BLM wanted him to pay his taxes for grazing his cattle on public land. Turns out we've, all of us, been paying for his cattle grazing. Yet he doesn't want to join in that.
We don't like paying taxes. Who does....I've heard more people talk about this over the years than I care to count. Complaining. Oddly, they expect the freeways to be in good repair. They want electricity. Water. Garbage pickup. Imagine, if it's possible, if Canada invaded Washington (I know, tough to image). Washington's response: "We hope Washington will be able to repel the dread invaders, the hope and wishes of the nation are with them. Do let us know how it turns out."
Apply that to a bridge on the interstate that collapses. Apply that to the city that is damaged by a hurricane.
We don't want government until we do. We want it part-time, sometimes, when we need it.
Boy, I went on and on here didn't I....
Washington DC, for the second part of that sentence. Sorry.
DeleteYou are so right that a lot of these scams are aimed at older people that might actually take this seriously. I do agree something must be done to stop them, not sure how much the government would do about it, they sometimes don't seem to be doing much but just talk, talk, talk, and look at the security at the White House these days.
ReplyDeleteThere was a recent scam here involving people calling saying they were from the sheriff's department and were telling people they were missing court appearances or jury duty and they needed to pay these fines. It got some people and they actually paid such nonexistent fines. So I guess even though I don't think people would be gullible to such schemes, apparently they are.
betty
I got a credit card rating scam warning from my bank, to beware of calls on my phone. my bank is good like that. Usually I don't answer calls from numbers I don't recognise anyway, so it's not a big problem for me.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, you have expressed yourself exceedingly well, Cranky.
ReplyDeleteMy mother got one of those "Microsoft" calls and fortunately realized it was a scam but what gets me is who the hell works for these people, making the calls to old people? It's so evil!
ReplyDelete