The Sierra Leone scam has been all over the news. I accidentally called the number back and incurred a $10 charge. ATT removed it. It shows up as an international call-not a 900 number, but if you call it back it charges you like a 900 number.
I still have my New Jersey phone number even though I moved to NC 11 years ago, so when a call shows up with my New Jersey area code I know it’s a spammer. The spoofing makes it easy for me to identify the scammers. If it’s someone I actually know their name would show up on my caller ID. Also, Tmobile (I am not sure if other carriers do this) identifies spam/scam calls and shows “SCAM LIKELY” on caller ID when they call. Sometimes I answer the phone just do see what kind of scam call it is.
If you have Verizon look into their “call filter” app - it’s free (and new, like maybe a month old) - I was so fed up I called Verizon about 2 weeks ago after getting about 25 calls in a 2 hour period, and was given the scoop - I have now seen a list of all the blocked calls (the call filter provides it) and it must have stopped the calls in their tracks because the list is long initially but so far this week…none!
@JustaMom I was excited to read your post about Verizon Call Filter so I looked it up in the app store and it gets terrible ratings. 1.8 out of 5 with 1,829 ratings. I read a few and they say it doesn’t work. I want to use it but I’m not sure if it’s worth it.
Update:
I called Verizon again. The service is only available if you have a newer package. To get it, I have to extend my contract by 2 years.
The woman I spoke to today said she thinks my number has been spoofed. But she’s not sure that’s the problem.
According to the Verizon customer service rep, Verizon will only investigate fraud if you are threatened physically.
Update:
I called the local precinct’s community affairs number and explained what happened. I told the police officer that Verizon told me not to call the people who left message in case that’s the scam. Police officer agreed to call back one person to see what’s going on. I gave him the number of the elderly sounding woman with a South Carolina area code who is still calling me. She’s now saying there have been lots of transactions on her credit card.
I’ll bet she’s surprised when she gets a call from a NYC police officer! But if she is legit maybe he can get her to call the police or her credit card company instead of me!!!
I got the Chinese call yesterday.
Sorry about the deluge you are getting @jonri –
I disconnected my landline, but kept the number and routed it directly to Google voice. My cell phone also is set up to use Google voice for messages. I don’t see the landline callers unless they leave a message; and I simply don’t pick up any calls to the cell phone from unidentified or unrecognized callers. If they are legit, they will leave a message and call back.
Google voice will transcribe a message and send it as a text – so from legit callers I don’t even have to listen to the message-- the transcript is generally good enough for me to get the gist.
I think if I was getting a bunch of unwanted calls to the cell phone I’d just put it on “do-not-disturb” mode. There are are settings that allow designated callers in my contact list to bypass that. On Android it is a setting to “allow exceptions” – I have that set to “favorite contacts”. So that would allow an incoming call from a family member or very close friend to bypass the do-not-disturb – everything else would go straight to voice mail.
@jonri, why would she be calling your number, and probably many other numbers, in regards to transactions on her credit card? I’m so confused.
Thanks for the sympathy @ calmom. A lot of my callers are leaving messages. At this point, I’m mostly venting, but I really think Verizon’s position is very unfair.
About the Chinese call…My friend’s son is fairly fluent in Chinese. He listened to a couple of the messages. He says that the caller says something along the lines of “We know who you are and that you are here illegally. Bring X dollars in cash to some place specific at a certain time and date or we shall contact ICE and report you.”
I had something similar happen a few years ago. Someone must have put down my number, accidently or on purpose, on some insurance and school forms. The poor guy’s kid got sick and had to be picked up (I called the school to tell them they had the wrong number) and then his house was destroyed by a hurricane. When the house was destroyed, I got some calls from the insurance company, then the bank when he defaulted on his mortgage, then a collection agency. At first I answered, then when they wouldn’t stop calling, I quit answering. I ended up contacting the state AG and some federal agency to make the calls stop. I can’t remember which agency. This was before phones let you block certain numbers.
Could you change your voicemail message to get some callers to leave you alone? I should have thought of that back when it happened to me.
But one advantage of getting the text transcription is that you don’t have to listen to the messages - you can quickly scan – and delete – and block.
And I think that changing the outgoing phone message might help as well. Though I’m not sure what would be most effective, given the varied nature of the messages.
I do think it sounds like your phone number has been spoofed by others.
And I’d be happy to join in and say rotten things about Verizon… but I’ve never actually used them. 
A scam caller used @jonri 's phone number as a false caller-ID number.
Tell them your DH said he would ring your neck if these day and night calls don’t stop!
These scam and robo calls are the worst! I get a lot of calls that leave me a voicemail and it’s all in Chinese…
Update otherwise known as thank you for giving me a chance to vent.
Things had slowed down. Then at about 11:30 am today, the onslaught started all over again. I changed my outgoing message. It’s way too long, but says my number has been spoofed, explain what that means, and if you’ve been scammed to call your local law enforcement and your own credit card issuer.
I went out for about 2 hours–a bit less. Returned home to about 40 calls. Only about 10 left messages. Several who call repeatedly resorted to filling up my answering machine with a sound that sounds like a phone off the hook. Apparently designed to drive me insane and/or fill up my answering machine.
One totally mocks me “Don’t call me. Don’t call me. I can’t help. Yes, you can. And I am going to call you every day until you give me my money back.”
One said “Please add me to your do not call list.”
Another says “I don’t understand all that mumbo jumble. I don’t want no F^^^ credit card. Don’t call me again.”
I got one nice message. Oh Mary (not my name!) Don’t stress yourself out. Yes, they got money from me. I’ll call my bank. Have a blessed day. I’m so sorry they did this to us. "
I am SO hoping the last person can stop payment .
What am I trying to say? Well, if you get a fraudulent message, don’t assume the nlumber calling you is a real one.
And don’t think the person whose number was left is part of the scam.
@jonri Isn’t it lovely when someone is able to be graceful under such circumstances?
I have called back one or two of the numbers for calls I got (bad idea). The phones had a message from what sounded like the cell or landline company that the number was not in service. I added it to my growing blocked call list.
A religious grade school in another state called my work number a few years ago (wrong number).
The ‘missed call from…’ message is in my Outlook email InBox.
I saved it because it appears as though ‘CHRIST THE LORD’ was calling me (name of school).
@Madison85, a couple of years ago when visiting NYC we requested a ride using Uber and saw that Jesus was coming to get us in a Civic.
I got the voicemail in Chinese today. From the A/C for Houston, TX.