I almost got scammed

[Grumpy John]

That thought has been going through my mind also, inside job????

[woodPixel]

The people who work in these so called telemarketing places are deeply immoral. If they can somehow justify their actions, it just shows they have no sense of decency.

One day, hopefully, there will be an ability to block these bastards with a universal service, no different to AdBlock Plus, Privacy Badger or Ghostery as used on the Chrome browser... with ISPs fighting to offer better services and telcos now knowing everything (care of the NBN and ubiquitous government spying) why cant they offer a "this was spam" button on the phone and it forever blocking it from their networks?

This would kill their scams dead.

[Bohdan]

I would just settle for a way to block their number on my phone. They keep changing the number but eventually you would get all of them.

[Dibbers]

I would just settle for a way to block their number on my phone. They keep changing the number but eventually you would get all of them.

What phone do you have? I can block individual numbers from calling and texting on my samsung... or are you referring to a landline?

[A Duke]

Hi,
I had one claim I had filled in an offer of interest at a shopping center, when I denied it he said some one in my household must have done so, other wise how did he have my information. IT is all in the bloody phone book.
Regards

[Grumpy John]

While an interesting read, these stories of telemarketing issues are off topic. The OP is about scammers, not telemarketers, while annoying telemarketers are a legitimate industry. Scammers, on the other hand are not, they are basically criminals trying to rob you.
Please keep on topic.

[ian]

I have been wondering what the hell they wanted with $400 worth of iTunes cards.

I've been hearing / reading about the iTunes scam since about July.
If I have the story right, iTunes cards are a form of untraceable international currency. Presumably the scammers use the cards to "buy" an app from an associated party via the iTunes store. After paying Apple's fees, the scammer probably gets to keep 80-90% of the money scammed and it's all been washed clean by Apple.

[Bohdan]

what phone do you have? I can block individual numbers from calling and texting on my samsung... Or are you referring to a landline?

htc 1

[Dibbers]

htc 1

Does it run a windows OS or Andriod? I know for andriod you should be able to step through the following:
1. go into your call log, tap on the call from the number you want to block (my samsung makes me click on "details" after this)
2. top right corner there's 3 dots running vertically which opens another menu popup
3. Click "Block Number"

I'm sure a google search will give you something specific for your phone and/or operating system if it's different from mine... i have about 20 numbers on my blocked list...

And apologies for straying off topic again, but this is a public service announcement that may help people blocking scam calls as well...

[A Duke]

While an interesting read, these stories of telemarketing issues are off topic. The OP is about scammers, not telemarketers, while annoying telemarketers are a legitimate industry. Scammers, on the other hand are not, they are basically criminals trying to rob you.
Please keep on topic.

Hi,
As I said in a earlier post I feel for the genuine telemarketer but 2 out of 3 are scammers in disguise.
Regards

[Arron]

On the subject of telemarketers, not scammers, aren’t you guys on the Do Not Call register?

It does work.

[Lappa]

Re unwanted phone calls ie. telemarketers pretending to be research companies. As long as they are not trying to sell you something, they can ring. Unfortunately many are trying to sell you something but pretend they are researching etc. I’ve lodged three complaints to the Do Not Call people over the last 12 months. One was against Secret Shoppers that phoned every day, and sometimes twice a day, for weeks. There is a certain protocol you have to follow before referring them to the DNCR. I only had the phone number of one, the other two showed as private which is against the laws re the DNCR. So, if they do not provide or show a phone number, you can lodge a complaint.
All three do not call anymore.

[Bohdan]

Yes I'm on the "Do Not Call Register" but it doesn't appear to apply to overseas callers as they only make an apointment for a local company who actually haven't called you.

[BobL]

On the subject of telemarketers, not scammers, aren’t you guys on the Do Not Call register?

It does work.

Yes it does, for local telemarketers but we hardly noticed a change in the number of unwanted calls by registering.
Some of the telemarketing operations are based OS, as are most scammers.

The register doesn't apply to charities or pollies.
After SWMBO gave in and gave something to a charity a bunch of others all seemed to have us marked as donors.
After asking politely Cancer Council and MS stopped calling, but a couple of others had to be spoken too firmly to stop calling.
Cancer Council and the AM foundation still have me on their email lists and I have unsubscribed maybe half a dozen times.

[ian]

At the risk of again straying off topic ...

How many know that the Emergency alert protocol includes a robo-call to every land line (I'm not sure about mobiles) in the affected area.
As an example a few years ago there was a problem with the gas supply into the NSW Southern Highlands. My MIL & BIL, who live in the affected area, received a call advising them to turn the gas OFF at the meter -- it was something to do with older hot water systems which don't have an auto shut-off for when the pilot lights goes out. An interruption to the supply meant all the pilot lights went out. As a result of too many unwanted calls they (and I suspect many others) ignored the call with the result the gas couldn't be reinstated to the area till after every connection had been manually checked as shut-off.

I hate to think of the chaos that might ensure next time there's an evacuation alert for the Hawkesbury / Nepean flood plain.