@VeryHappy, I can’t say I blame you.
When I get that call from “Microsoft Technicsl Support” I always string them along a bit, figuring time is lost money to them. One time I answered my parents phone and they could hear my side of the conversation:
-oh you can tell my computer is slow?
- you want me to type what into my browser?
Etc etc. (They of course were trying to get me to go to a site that would allow them to take over my computer)
Then I finally tell them I know they are full of horse manure because I have a Mac machine. One time the guy actually switched his patter and said Oh yes, I can fix that too.
People that prey on the elderly should be strung up.
I got the phone call last week. I was feeling mischievous and decided to play along for awhile. I asked him where he was located and he told me “New York, Pennsylvania”. After awhile, he caught on that I was messing with him. Once he realized I was not taking the bait, he told me to “drown in a pool of your own spit.”
Got the IRS call today–did not answer but they left a message on my cell.
Just a recording.
Yeah, my DH has a Mac and I have a PC. Another reason to be suspicious of the guy.
My Father fell for this scam a few years ago. Fortunately, we found out about it soon enough that we were able to put a hold on the money he had wired to London. The caller told my Father that this was his grandson and he was in jail. At that point my Father blurted out “Kevin?” and the caller said yes. So the caller did not know my son’s name at first, now he did.
My Father has been scammed other times and we only find out months later. Unfortunately, he never thinks to call us to check before writing a check. One time about 7 years ago, He had money withdrawn from his checking account 3X for an extended warranty on a car he bought. After they withdrew money once and knew they got away with it they went back and did it 2 more times till he finally asked me about it and I contacted the bank. It was too late to recover the money already taken, but they put a stop to future withdrawals. My Dad had no idea how this happened. He has bought unnecessary life insurance also. And he never has a copy of anything he signs. arrgghh.
My F. in Law (84) got the “jailed grandson” call too. He’s a pretty savvy ex-salesman, and he played around with the caller for a long time before letting him have it. Normally he knits during the day, so this phone call was really his big entertainment for the week.
I’m glad he’s savvy; my mom on the otherhand got very confused and nervous over the virus and IRS scam calls she received.
When I got the IRS call it was just a recording to call an 800 number. I called and messed with them until they hung up. I called back several times and no one picked up. Maybe they will report me a harassing caller!
I still have a landline and I get a decent number of calls that are just hang ups. Wonder if they are testing the line to see if it’s live.
My father went through life by his confirmation name (e.g., Joseph Thomas David m0minMD - went by Dave m0minMD ). My mom told when I was much much younger that she once got a call from Joey’s best friend from somewhere (college? Army?) She knew it was a hoax. Any time we got a call for a “Joey m0minMD” we knew it was a fake of some kind. To the point where we’d laugh out loud. Interestingly enough, I’ve married into a family where no one goes by the first name and H and I passed on that tradition to our kids.
@Pizzagirl We get those all the time. Between the hang ups, the IRS, the 'this is your final credit card bill payment request", and the political survey people, we spend a lot of time listening to the answering machine. I’m guessing they don’t check the Do Not Call Registry before trying to scam us.
But the call to the grandparents… that’s not really a laughing matter. My parents are long gone. But my inlaws have grandkids who are involved with the military, police, travel, … all sorts of things.
I like the idea about the code word.
I got both the IRS threat call and the “your computer is infected” call the other day. I don’t usually answer those but was waiting for a call. The IRS was an automated voice. easy to hang up on. I was tempted to play along with the Microsoft person and ultimately tell them I’d take my credit card and shove it where the sun don’t shine on them, but instead hurled a few profanities and told them never to call me again. That won’t work, but it made me feel better 
The last time I got the Microsoft call, I told the woman that she was working for criminals and that she should go to church and confess her sin. She said, “I didn’t call you for advice,” and finally hung up.
I recently read Dot.com, a hilarious book by James Veitch, in which he engaged all scammers who contacted him. He basically turned the tables and drove the scammers crazy with his inane questions and requests. It’s worth taking a peek inside the book on Amazon for a laugh: https://www.amazon.com/Dot-Con-James-Veitch-ebook/dp/184949651X/
I got one of those “Your computer is infected” calls once. I was bored so I did what some other posters here did- I strung the caller on for as long as possible. It was kind of fun to listen to the exasperation in his voice as I doddered along. “Oh, what file am I supposed to look in again? And where was that? Oops, I just restarted my computer by mistake. Okay, what file am I supposed to look in again?..” I kept him on the phone for a good half hour while I did some other work on the side. Never got another call.
The calls that drive me nuts are the automated ones from “Cardholder Services”. I’ve reported them to the “Do not call” list complaint site and blocked at least a dozen numbers on which they’ve called, but the calls still keep coming. They’ve even spoofed my own number. Argh.
Whenever I get the computer scam call, I ask them to explain what a computer is as I am not certain that I have one or I say that I need my husband/father/relative, Detective so and so to speak with them instead. My husband who is retired got 4 of the IRS calls one day last week. He responded to contact his accountant and surely that already had that information if they were looking at our tax returns, volunteering no information of course. .
I also try to string people along if a real person, make certain I get the phone # and report it to the Do Not Call list.
Before my DH retired as a Senior Executive in a federal agency, we had a secure phone line in our house in case of national emergency. The only time the phone ever rang was people looking for us to refinance our home, etc.etc.
One wonder if some of the people who fall for the IRS scam have in fact been cheating on their taxes and they figure “Uh oh, they got me!”.
The latest calls we’ve been getting are solar panel related.
The callers can get quite nasty when you call them out as scammers.
Gee, I almost want to get the PC call again so I can have some fun stringing them along too. :))
Thank goodness, my mom is skeptical of everything. Her immediate response to just about anything is “Talk to my daughter”. She did get the PC call and that’s what she said. Fortunately, she was not able to give them my number. She called me and I assured her it was a scam.
I know someone who keeps a REALLY loud whistle next to the phone and whenever he gets one of these calls, he blows it as hard as he can right into the receiver. It’s loud enough to blow out an eardrum 8-X . I think I might try that.
Lol. Can add sound diversity with a whoopee cushion…