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Just had text saying "Dad, I've got a new phone number, please save it"
I say - who is this
They say - your eldest (and favourite 😉 )
Of course I should just block but I'm a bit bored at work, am I at any risk of being scammed by texting, to see if I can get them to 'prove' their identity in increasingly daft ways.
to see if I can get them to 'prove' their identity in increasingly daft ways.
You'll fail - they're very good at what they do. They took my parents for £2k a couple of years ago.
Block and move on.
They sneak in and steal your apostrophes 😀
You'll fail - they're very good at what they do. They took my parents for £2k a couple of years ago.
Sorry to hear that - can you describe how though, for awareness?
I assume it's some version of tricking you rather than identity theft, in other words there's no risk in them knowing your phone number especially as you've already replied and let them know it's an active number. I'd say go for it and have fun, just be on your guard and don't let any real info slip!
am I at any risk of being scammed by texting, to see if I can get them to 'prove' their identity in increasingly daft ways.
You've already texted them, so doing it again isn't going to make any difference. I'd be very tempted string them along for a bit to waste their time.
I'd be very tempted string them along for a bit to waste their time.
The thing is,
Once of a time this was a viable and worthy option. Today you're dealing with well-organised criminal gangs. Do you really want to piss off a cartel?
Scam is normally send me money as i "Lost my phone/in hospital/cant speak emergency" etc. etc.
Texting back wouldn't immediately give them anything as long as you go into it knowing its a scam and don't transfer or download anything if asked.
Majority of the WhatsApp ones I've seen are people losing around £2,000 although the biggest loss I've seen this month was a romance scam where they took someone for around £270,000.
By all means waste the scammers time, it can be fun but we need a thread about how far you can push them.
"How the the birth go? Are all three of the babies well?"
I strung them along for a while when my « eldest » got increasingly desperate because she apparently owed some bad people some money. When I said I hate it when that happens, last time we had to give them all a good beating « her « messages stopped.
You have nothing to loose, all they know is your phone number. As soon as the sop in the call centre realises you haven’t fallen for it he’ll drop you and move on.
Just add the new number under 'scammer' on your phone. Then let them make the next move. No point it making it obvious. Tarpit them
It was the normal "I need money and can't tell my partner I need money" scam.
They just hit lucky pretending to be my sister who a) always needs money and b) is always changing her phone number!! 😬
They're now instructed to phone another family member now before sending money to anyone.
I asked them to send me of some pictures of 1/ some sausages at a bus stop; 2/ a cat with a twix on its head
I assume the cat won't stay still is the only cause of the delay. Meanwhile, I've been having fun with AI images.
Easy way to stop any uncertainty is to have an agreed family code word that you communicate verbally (not electronically) beforehand that you use if you are ever in a desperate situation. I do this when I'm on a big trip and away for any length of time.
where do you go on trips to?
I work as a travel photographer around the world and I go on extended bikepacking trips. For instance, this spring I'm riding home from Tallinn, Estonia for about 6 weeks. Eventually I'm going to lose my phone or get it stolen and there's a chance a ragbag could try that kind of scam with it.
Easy way to stop any uncertainty is to have an agreed family code word that you communicate verbally (not electronically) beforehand that you use if you are ever in a desperate situation. I do this when I'm on a big trip and away for any length of time.
Surely it's not that difficult to ask questions of a close family member that a stranger wouldn't be able to guess?
Hi, favourite but unnamed daughter - what's your middle name? What's the second cat's unofficial name? What's your favourite dish made with tinned meat? What can you see from your bedroom that I almost fought you for the view?
Or do you mean when you've been kidnapped and chained to a radiator?
We've had several of these texts. We generally just shout upstairs to ask if any of them need any help. 😀
Surely it's not that difficult to ask questions of a close family member that a stranger wouldn't be able to guess?
You would think so, wouldn’t you. But apparently the 0.01% taken in is enough to keep the scam going.
There was an interesting article on the BBC the other day about Shwe Kokko, a new city being built by a Chinese 'businessman' in Myanmar, seemingly to provide facilities for these sort of scams to operate from.
The article describes people being trafficked or tricked into working there, and has pictures showing ordinary looking office buildings with bars on the inside of the windows and so forth.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c04nx1vnw17o
There seems a real possibility that the person you are interacting could themselves be the victim of trafficking and forced labour at the hands of a violent gang. Is it possible that your stringing them along could impact their 'performance figures' enough to put them at risk of further mistreatment? Do you want that on your conscience?
Is it possible that your stringing them along could impact their 'performance figures' enough to put them at risk of further mistreatment? Do you want that on your conscience?
So we should look to boost the scammers performance figures instead, by letting them crack on? Putting vulnerable people at risk of handing over their life savings? Do you want that on your conscience?
My first text would have been...
"If you are looking for ransom I can tell you I don't have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career"
🙃
There seems a real possibility that the person you are interacting could themselves be the victim of trafficking and forced labour at the hands of a violent gang. Is it possible that your stringing them along could impact their 'performance figures' enough to put them at risk of further mistreatment? Do you want that on your conscience?
They've only got to send me a picture of a goat in a coat on a boat and I'll be ripe for plucking. Their lack of conversion is currently no different to if I'd just immediately blocked them.
(which is what I did really.....the above is just having fun on a boring afternoon on the internet)
b) is always changing her phone number!!
Why?
Unless she's trying to avoid a stalker or some such, porting your number between providers is trivial. I've had the same number since the 1990s.
Is it possible that your stringing them along could impact their 'performance figures' enough to put them at risk of further mistreatment? Do you want that on your conscience?
Alternatively, you tying up an actual human is time they're spending not stitching up someone else. Though as above, it's not something I'd be recommending.
Is it possible that your stringing them along could impact their 'performance figures' enough to put them at risk of further mistreatment? Do you want that on your conscience?
Rubbish.
A proportion of recipients will be stringing them along. Is just an overall part of the inefficiency of the process that is part of the cost of doing business.
Why?
Unless she's trying to avoid a stalker or some such, porting your number between providers is trivial. I've had the same number since the 1990s.
It may shock you to discover that not everyone lives their lives the same way as you do! Some people find technology and customer services difficult. Of course some people do want to change number too, to avoid someone (who may not be a stalker)…
‘Why are you texting me from the kitchen you little prick, anyway I’m not your Dad’
Replying is bad. These initial messages do two things:
1) they're potentially a hook for a scam
2) they're monitored by telcos. If a new user sends many messages and never gets replies, they're more likely to be cut off for spamming. But if those messages get replies, the sender looks more genuine, and the telco will release controls on the new account. At least that's what's I read online.
Don't reply. Don't just ignore - block and report as spam.
Some people find technology and customer services difficult
Which is exactly why I asked the question.
There is no technical reason to change your number. It's a Sales scam because they get more commission from a 'new' number than a port. If you want a new number then that's different.
If she's "always" changing her number then that should raise questions.
I didn't know I had any children ?