Getting Telephone calls from an unusual number. Unsure whether to answer.

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Getting Telephone calls from an unusual number. Unsure whether to answer.

PaulZA

314 posts

Ultimate Geek

#105729 9-Jul-2012 15:09

Good thing we have caller ID.

Number coming up on our corldless phone's Caller Display is 923512.

This is the third time we got a call from that number, they called us twice on Saturday.

Anyone had similar calls. If it's scammers can they block this number from calling us?

Thanks

muppet

2572 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#652971 9-Jul-2012 15:11

CID is so easy to spoof it's not funny.

I haven't heard of anyone's phones exploding when they answer them, so unless you're inclined to just say "Yes! I want to give you all my money without even thinking" then it's probably safe to answer the phone. You can then follow this handy decision matrix:

Step 1) Does the caller sound like a spammer?

Yes: Hang Up
No: Proceed to next step.

Step 2) Talk to person.

1080p

1332 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#652979 9-Jul-2012 15:21

Unsure whether to answer the phone? Why?

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79324 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#652980 9-Jul-2012 15:22

Answer the call. If it's an idiot claiming you

a) won the lottery and he'll help you get the money
b) have an infected computer at home
c) qualify for a free holiday
d) can save money swapping ISP/telco
e) should donate to [charity name here]

... just hang up and you won't die.

Nebbie

458 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#652987 9-Jul-2012 15:28

I smell a scam....

scam calls are very fun sometimes you can have the other end on for a while, plus they get paid as well cos often they have no idea what they are doing is part of a scam.....

Usually goes like this, your computer is infected... Attempt to remove software (Install looked like it failed) handed on to level 2 support (Level 2 support is the scamer......)

I just like to have a good old conversation with the end person pretending to be the dumbest person alive.... hehehehe

This post will now self destruct in a random number of seconds.....

---------------------------------------------------------------
Nebukadnessar

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#652991 9-Jul-2012 15:39

As above +1 just answer if scammer hang up

hellonearthisman

1819 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#653033 9-Jul-2012 16:36

With Slingshot phone features you may be able to add that number to your block list.

The other scam I hear is, your computers infected we will show you where...

PaulZA

314 posts

Ultimate Geek

#653148 9-Jul-2012 20:14

Thanks guys for the replies. I will answer next time, I was thinking of playing them the worst song out of my music collection, then hanging up once it's done.

Still would be nice if anyone had the same "Number" call them, and they can tell me who it was.

Thanks

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

richms

28220 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#653341 10-Jul-2012 09:41

I often just pick up unknown and unrecognized numbers and listen - people will usually say hello when the ringing stops whereas scammers robo dialers will just hangup on it.

Something that would be nice to automate somehow with asterisk but thats a problem for another day.

Richard rich.ms