Just got one on my land line… (still on do not call register, but still get them)
It took a few seconds to connect and then a male from India Think, told me that he is calling from Australian International Markets and started talking about mortgagees…
I told him if he calls again I will sue the company for harassing me and hung up
I think this is not a new scam but an old one dressed up in new clothes. I am also on the DNC register and have had call centre voices (usual Indian) call to give me free advice on solar panels, investments and power prices. They all claim to be Australian companies and they mostly have a name that is a bit like a real company, eg PowerPrice instead of PowerShop, or they use a real name but the company has never heard of them. There is no match for “Australian International Markets” on a google search or in Oz business registrations.
I never let them get too far so this is to a degree speculation but I think this is a phishing scam. They offer you some non-existent service and collect as many personal details about you along the way and then deliver nothing at all. Depending what they get out of you the information can be used for identity theft, hacking or fraud.
All scams are similar, they will keep on trying until they hook someone.
The fact that the call takes a while to connect is always a sign that it’s an oversea call. Then the made company name.
Cannot afford to by so cannot discuss my mortgage…
I just hang up on them
It may also be a sign of a “robodialer”.
The computer dials a whole bunch of numbers until someone answers the phone. Once someone answers the phone, the call has to be transferred to a real person who works in the outbound call centre.
Bottom line: All unsolicited phone calls are best ignored.
(If the call claims to be from a company that you do have an existing relationship with then use a trusted mechanism to get that company’s real phone number and call them back - making sure that the original phone call disconnected before calling back if using the same phone service.)
Ditto all unsolicited emails.
