UNSOLICITED TELEPHONE CALLS

 

 

Maybe it is because I am in my eighth decade; but I receive an average of five to six robo/unsolicited telephone calls a day.   Many of these calls come in on my caller-id with local Maine numbers and town names, but if I answer they are recordings or someone from Mumbai or Peggy from Russia – so now I don’t answer, and let them go to record.

 

Three times over the last year a man has identified himself as ‘a law enforcement officer’ and stated his ‘badge number’.   He says I am being investigated and unless I return his call immediately a warrant will be issued for my arrest. 

 

Another caller identifies himself as ‘with the IRS’.   He says that a problem has been found in my tax return and if I do not call back immediately $3,256 will be deducted from my checking account within the next three days.   I have had him three time so far this year.

 

My weekly caller is from India; he has a heavy Indian dialect but identifies himself as calling from Medicare.   He also identifies himself as calling from Microsoft, sometimes he says there is a problem with my credit card.    Often, he just says ‘hello, hello, is William there?

 

Back when I answered the phone, before caller-id, I would receive calls from a young man that would begin, ‘Grampa, I’m in trouble.’   He evidently stayed in trouble, because I received his calls about twice a year over three years.

 

And then there are the recordings.

 

These calls are annoying, and I think they are ridiculously funny; but I can’t help but wonder how many old people are actually taken in by these scams?

 

There are vulnerable older women whose husbands took care of the finances, and now alone are easy targets; and old men with onset of dementia…   Emptying people’s bank accounts is bad enough, but when it is aimed and the elderly, it is an additional sin. 

 

 

So now my answering machine states: Because I have received so many unsolicited telephone calls, I no longer answer my phone.  Leave your number and name and if you are a legitimate caller, I will return your call.

 the Ol’Buzzard  

Telephone scams are running ramped again.   I get so man robo calls I don't answer my phone any more unless I recognize the caller.  So far this year I have had three scam calls left on my answering machine.  The first identified as the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) saying my income tax was being audited and that I owed thousands of dollars.   They stated I should call the 'resolution line' (they listed a number) to speak to an IRS representative.   Of course, the IRS never contacts anyone by telephone.  

Over the last three weeks I have had two calls from scammers identifying as Amazon.   Each call said that a purchase of $395.99 had been made against my credit card, and that if I have made the purchase do nothing and I would receive the product.  If I did not make the purchase I was to call the Amazon Hot Line (listing a number) and talk to an Amazon representative.   

These calls, I am sure, originate from Peggy.

I can imagine some seniors panicking and being fished in to give financial or personal information.   If there are people you are concerned about that might be vulnerable to such scams - you should talk to them.

the Ol'Buzzard

GOD DAMN ROBOCALLS

I am getting, on an average, of ten robocalls each day.   I have quit answering my phone and now let the answering machine pick up all calls. 

For a while I was answering the phone only to hear the same spiel over and over:  The IRS is auditing you; The first 100 callers – press one; knee braces almost free; Free medical alert; congratulations you have won; your automobile warranty is about to expire...

Sometimes the call would be followed twenty minutes later with an identical call.  

I don’t know if everyone is getting calls at this frequency, or are they particularly targeting older people. 

It makes me wonder how many people are actually falling for and answering these scams?  

I know that people want the government to step in and somehow limit robocalls; but the easiest way to stop them would be for all TV and Radio and internet sights to run a one-minute info-commercial each hour telling people not to answer or reply to any call that is not recognizable, and impress on the public that these calls are scams.

If people no longer responded to robocalls they would stop. 

the Ol’Buzzard

SCAM WARNING!

Twice this week I have received a telephone call from a woman identifying herself as a police officer and giving a badge number; she states that the IRS has found discrepancies in my filings and that a warrant has been issued for my arrest.   She said that Federal Marshals have been dispatched to apprehend me, and that if I would like to avoid arrest I should call a number XXXXXX.

You hear about these scams but don’t expect them to be operating in the rural western Maine mountains.  

If you have concernes with young inexperienced couples or older people you should probably discuss this with them immediately.

the Ol’Buzzard