What is Going On? Multiple spam calls to my cell # in 3 hours today?

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I've had to block 2 Ontario area codes in the last week after so many calls, all from different numbers. How do the spammers get access to so many unique numbers?

all the calls I've been getting the past week have Ontario codes.
had two at lunchtime today.

[Radio]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

It came with my pixel. It doesn't screen out the revenue Canada fake calls though because they are spoofed to come from a legit area code and number.

That's not the way it works though. If you don't recognize the number you hit 'Screen Call' and the Google assistant talks to the other end explaining you are screening this call and will be able to see what is happening (via text on screen).

My ticket guy from the Flames called and I didn't recognize his number so I used the call screening. He said who he was and it came up on the screen so I answered it.

[Scornfire]

I'm getting Grenada calls and I also got the CRA from Texas call lmao, such fun

[Northendzone]

last week i also received several calls on my home and cell number from both revenue canada, and hilton, westjet and some other hotel.

the revenue canada one never fails to amuse me because if you drag out the call you get bounced around to three or four people and all of them have names like officer tim, john or mary but yet everyone one of them has an accent and you can hear many different voices in the background also with accents (#youpeople)

never ceases to crack me up how they dupe people into paying thier tax bill via bitcoin or itunes or other gift cards.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

last week i also received several calls on my home and cell number from both revenue canada, and hilton, westjet and some other hotel.

the revenue canada one never fails to amuse me because if you drag out the call you get bounced around to three or four people and all of them have names like officer tim, john or mary but yet everyone one of them has an accent and you can hear many different voices in the background also with accents (#youpeople)

never ceases to crack me up how they dupe people into paying thier tax bill via bitcoin or itunes or other gift cards.

I don’t personally find this funny at all. They prey on vulnerable people.

I was in a cab back from the airport and had to explain to my driver that it was not legitimate. He was relatively new to our country, and seemed quite scared by one particular call.

I gave him some pieces of advice, in terms of red flags to look for, and some ways to protect himself.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

I don’t personally find this funny at all. They prey on vulnerable people.

Yup. In my experience, these sorts of scams work on 3 types of people. Folks new to Canada, late 20's/early 30's types and elderly folks.

For the first one, they usually get folks where it may not have been uncommon where they used to live to deal with government services in bribes. "You owe us $5000. You pay me $1000 in ITunes, and I'll make it go away." is usually what you see there.

For the late 20's/early 30's crowd, it falls into inexperience. "Oh yeah, of course the government is 'with it' now. You totally can pay this bill by bitcoin!" is how they usually hit that bracket.

For the elderly folks, they tend to do a lot of fast talking, 'shuck n'jive' type of thing. Talk fast, talk in circles, stuff like "You've missed some payments, that's how this built up." kind of stuff.

They are pretty effective once they figure out what sort of caller they are dealing with.

[Fleury’sOTGoalCelebration]

I've been getting different calls (7-8) on my personnel cell & work cell from a number from Romania?? I've never answered one and block the number immediately but Romainia?? WTF!

[PeteMoss]

The blocking number doesn't seem to work because they seem to have an infinite number of numbers.

I do find the Google call screen is the best option so far for me as mention because they hang up (or more likely the recording just runs out before its done), as if you just ignore it ends up leaving a voice mail that you have to take the time to clear out.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

The blocking number doesn't seem to work because they seem to have an infinite number of numbers.

I do find the Google call screen is the best option so far for me as mention because they hang up (or more likely the recording just runs out before its done), as if you just ignore it ends up leaving a voice mail that you have to take the time to clear out.

So did we establish the Google call screen thing is only available on Pixel devices? Sounds like something I'd like on my Galaxy S10.

[Tron_fdc]

So is it bad to answer these calls?

I had some east indian fella pretty worked up the other day swearing at me for wasting his time. It's actually kind of fun to completely F with someone on the other line if there is no repercussion to it. Great stress relief!!!

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

I don’t personally find this funny at all. They prey on vulnerable people.

I was in a cab back from the airport and had to explain to my driver that it was not legitimate. He was relatively new to our country, and seemed quite scared by one particular call.

I gave him some pieces of advice, in terms of red flags to look for, and some ways to protect himself.

Best advice? Literally never answer a number that isn't saved in your phone and then check your voicemail.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

So is it bad to answer these calls?

For the most part, no. I've screwed with many of them cause it's fun and to date, nothing bad has come from it but they do have your phone number (I assume) and they could decide spamming you is their new hobby or maybe pass along your number to another scammer buddy.

I think where you really need to be careful is phoning a number back. I think there are some cases where phoning a particular number can result in huge long distance call fees.

[calf]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

So is it bad to answer these calls?

I had some east indian fella pretty worked up the other day swearing at me for wasting his time. It's actually kind of fun to completely F with someone on the other line if there is no repercussion to it. Great stress relief!!!

In a moment of haste/bad judgment I answered one the other day and got my 4 year old to yell "you're a bad guy" at the scammer. It made all of us laugh, and the scammer guy said "yes we are!".

BUT, now the kid thinks it's funny to talk to bad guys. So we've had to spend a lot of time trying to walk that one back. Do not recommend.

[SeeGeeWhy]

One of my co-workers got a call like this last week and was put on hold while an agent was transferred. The convo went like this.

[Agent Comes Online after pre-recorded message plays]
[CW puts call on speaker for all to hear]

CW: Hello, RCMP Calgary how can I help you?

Agent: Sorry?

CW: RCMP, what can I help you with?

Agent: ##### YOU!! *Click*

Room: Laughter

fin

[topfiverecords]

Don't answer them. Then your number gets registered as an active number and lists of active numbers are resold to other operations. Then you'll keep getting more calls.

The location of the number means absolutely nothing. They could be next door to you and still make it look like a Romanian number. Or they could be in Romania and make it look like they are calling from a 403 number.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by cmyden

Had to install an app to deal with the annoying number of spam calls that started this month...

Blacklistcall
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...tcall&hl=en_CA

You can set it to only allow your phone to accept calls from numbers in your contact list. So far, working perfectly. I can see in the log it blocked 5 calls today.

--

Works great, the idiots from "westjet vacations" can still leave a recorded voicemail though, at least my phone didn't ring though!

[OMG!WTF!]

My Westjet call showed up as a call from Oyen Alberta. I was like man that's a cheap head office location.

[Fuzz]

New Dehli police say they have arrested 32 people and shut down a call centre which scammed Canadians out of their money via fraudulent phone calls involving their social insurance numbers.
New Delhi deputy police commissioner Sameer Sharma said in a statement on Monday that the "swanky international cheating scam call centre" called CyberCell was targeting Canadian citizens and had come to the attention of police on Friday.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/indian...364116?cmp=rss


haha.jpg
good.jpg

[Tron_fdc]

Noww if only WestJet would stop giving me all these free vacations we might actually have something!!

[Flashpoint]

If people would just stop answering unknown numbers, the market would dry up. Every time you answer you just sign up for more.

If it's an emergency they'd leave a message.