Our area in SE Qld must be on the target list for robocall scammers at the moment. While the past two days the number of calls has been less (2-3 calls per day), earlier in the wekk and last week there were up to 6-8 calls per day. The callers use 029****** or 039**** numbers and hang up as soon as the answering machine kicks in.
One did leave a fairly blunt message saying ’ Can you please pick up the phone’. I assume that they are having less success with people not answering unknown calls and if they make a comment like this and one hears it, one is more likely to pick up the phne and engage with them.
A couple of occasions when I have had enough, I have picked up the phone and waited for the call to be connected and then either left it off th hook or blew a high pitched whistle, then hanging up.
I also use my called the local police station and tracing their call from time to time to.
I am getting sick of the call though and feel sorry for the elderly or those who are less resilient to temptation than myself…
Yes, I thought of using a whistle. I called back with the *69 number and heard “Operator not connecting” or something similar. The hassle of changing my landline number - I’ll use the whistle instead! Thanks, phb.
“A couple of occasions when I have had enough, I have picked up the phone and waited for the call to be connected and then either left it off the hook or blew a high pitched whistle, then hanging up.”
Yes, this is very tempting; however, the poor schmuck making the call is just a lowly, and low-paid, drone who is trying to earn at least some money. The thieves who are responsible for the scam are always much higher up the chain. So I am (usually) at least moderately polite to the caller, and attempt to cut the call short. If they persist, however, then I get short with them. If they are rude I simply hang up immediately.
(NB: I worked in a Helstra call centre and totally understood how customers could get upset with how they are treated, but I drew the line at abuse from customers when I was not the person who had caused them the grief. I would honestly try to solve the problem for them (at first, anyway). Being abused for that is a massive disincentive to helping them any further. Please keep that in mind when dealing with a genuine call centre operator! Especially some poor schmuck from Helstra!)
Another day, another phone call at meal time with a sing-song foreign accent in a big noisy room.
I am speaking to “Jenny” from the NBN who informs me that my NBN connection is about to be upgraded to fibre to the premises! O wow now I am excited!
Except that I am over the hills and far away and lucky to get fixed wireless, the chance of running fibre to my house is no better than my postman dropping a platinum bar in my letterbox next Wednesday.
The NBN scam has mutated gain. Its just trying to get access to your computer or personal details.
