I just received a phone call from someone

[lowell holmes]

claiming to be the Social Security Administration.
They wanted to verify my social security number. I told them I do not give out my number
to someone calling me and they hung up. I guess it is a scam.

I do not reveal any identifying numbers to any one. Duhh!

[Clark Hussey]

Such a scary thought. I take care of my elderly mother in-law. Had to take away all her credit cards and convinced here not to answer the phone. If it isn’t someone she knows. Can’t tell how many times I went running when I heard he say “let me get my card”

[Bruce Page]

I guess I live a charmed life, I never get calls like this. I also let everything go to voice mail if I don't recognize the number.

[Mark Daily]

Monday, I received 9 calls just like that, one right after another. I let all of them go to voice mail. They had the same area code but different phone numbers. Definitely a scam..:mad:

[Scott Donley]

Got 2 of these yesterday on my Google Voice account. I have it set to "do not disturb " so it takes the voice mail but sends me a transcribed version of it. I got this twice, from different local phone numbers.

Just suspend your social security number because we found some suspicious activity. So if you want to know about this case, just press one. Thank you. This call is from the Department of Social Security Administration. The reason you have received this phone call from our department is to inform you that we just suspend your social security number because we found some suspicious activity. So if you want to know about this case, just press one. Thank you.

[Rob Luter]

I’ve received similar versions from Social Security and the IRS. In both cases it’s a computer voice telling me there is a criminal action in process and the only way to save myself is to call them back with my personal information. I suspect if there really is a criminal action, they already have my personal information.

[lowell holmes]

I will find my police whistle and let them have a blast if they call again.

[Jim Becker]

The SSA, IRS and even banks do NOT ever, ever call customers like that. 100% any call is a scam. A card provider might call if there is perceived fraud, but they will not ask for identifying information; only if you made a particular purchase so they can shut it down or let it pass.

[Jim Koepke]

I’ve received similar versions from Social Security and the IRS. In both cases it’s a computer voice telling me there is a criminal action in process and the only way to save myself is to call them back with my personal information. I suspect if there really is a criminal action, they already have my personal information.

They would also be likely to show up at your door if you were perceived as the criminal.

jtk

[Barry McFadden]

I will find my police whistle and let them have a blast if they call again.

I find one of those canned air horns for boating works well....

[Rob Luter]

I find one of those canned air horns for boating works well....

I just hang up. Always effective. My only exception is when "Jimmy from Microsoft Tech Support" calls to warn me about problems with my computer. I'll usually work him for a while prior to telling him I don't have a computer that uses a Microsoft operating system.

[Mark Blatter]

Remember when you used to get half a dozen calls a week about changing long distance? Boy those were the days. So much easier and fun. I used to alternate between telling them I didn't have a phone (while talking to them on it) or accusing them (if male) of having an affair with my wife. When they heard that accusation, they would hang up quick.

On the opposite note, I received a notice from the IRS of a Taxpayer Compliance Audit in May of 2018. Have not heard from them since. The IRS is so messed up if they did want to call you, they could never find your number.

[Roger Feeley]

I stumbled on to an easy method to identify scammers. They tend to 'spoof' the phone number so that Caller ID shows it as a call from your area code. When I moved to Virginia from Kansas, I never got around to getting a local 703 number. I kept my 913 number from Kansas. Now, if an unknown 913 number comes up I can immediately identify it as spoofed.

So, the moral of this is to go out and get yourself a number in some area code where you know no one.

[julian abram]

My wife called me one day a couple weeks ago concerned about a call she received that said her SS number had been suspeneded until she calls them back. I told her great, I guess that means you know longer have to pay SS taxes out of your check.:)

[Rollie Meyers]

In addition to scam phone calls from callers claiming to be the IRS, SSA, or others, there are still phishing emails being sent out, where the firm that they are claiming to be from has a way to report phishing emails, I report them, like Fedex, eBay, but some like Google, Emirates Airlines, do not. I have never done any business with Emirates Airlines, BTW.

Just another note, I have had my cell # spoofed, even got a call from myself. :D

[Tom M King]

I answer my phone if the call is from someone in my Contacts list. Voicemail is full on purpose.

[George Bokros]

New trick. You get a voice mail on your cell and your phone never rang. It is a way for them to say they never called you and avoid then govt over robo calls. My wife received them twice in the last ten days. Both were concerning her student loan which she does not have nor ever had.

[Jim Koepke]

It is a way for them to say they never called you and avoid then govt over robo calls.

How does one go about getting the govt involved over robo calls?

jtk

[William Fretwell]

If there is someone there I just tell them I’m visiting from the planet Aaron to observe life on earth and don’t have a number yet.

[Tom M King]

Last night, all through the night, my phone rang 8 times. Each of those times was followed immediately by another call after I let the first set of rings finish. I looked at it the first couple of times, but didn't after that. It was a poor night's sleep. This morning my phone said I had 16 missed calls from No Caller ID.

Today, I figured out how to put a block on No Caller ID. I had to enter No as the first name, and Caller ID as the second name in my contacts list, and then block it from there. I had been getting a lot of those lately, that I never answered anyway, but didn't want to lose any more sleep. I received none of those calls today.

[Tom M King]

That didn't work. Last night, the calls started again from No Caller ID at 1:40 A.M. I turned the phone off because I'm not much good the next day without a good night's sleep. I hate to leave my phone off, because my Mother is 103, and lives by herself, but I have to get sleep. I might need to come up with some type of communication device besides a phone. She does wear one of those emergency buttons. Any ideas much appreciated.

[John K Jordan]

...My only exception is when "Jimmy from Microsoft Tech Support" calls to warn me about problems with my computer. I'll usually work him for a while prior to telling him I don't have a computer that uses a Microsoft operating system.

Another way to take up a caller's time is to ask them to hold on a minute. (In the days before robo calls)

My phone listing for 20 years was in my dog's name. When someone called asking for Mr Maxwell I knew they just got the number from a listing somewhere and wanted to sell me something. The kids would come running to listen to what I was going to tell them this time. But I preferred to pretend to be interested then just ask them to hold on and I'd be right back. Somehow when I checked back in 1/2 hour or so we had been disconnected. ???

JKJ

[Tom M King]

I tried just putting the phone down with the connection still open, and No Caller ID would disconnect, and then immediately call back.

[Robert Cherry]

I usually ask them if we are on a recorded line. When they say yes, I say ‘great, this is my formal request to have my number removed from your telemarketing list’, then hang up.

[Tom M King]

Google found how to do it:


Launch the Phone app.
Tap Contacts.
tap the + button.
As phone number, enter 000-000-0000.
Tap Done.
Now scroll down and tap Block this caller. A popup will appear saying “you will not receive phone calls, messages or FaceTime from people on the block list” then tap Block Contact.


will see if this works