Are you getting pretty sick and tired of scam phone calls?
Just recently, I got a call from “the IRS” that I could tell right off the bat was gonna be total BS…
So maybe we need to give these folks a taste of their own medicine…
What do you say to phone scammers instead of hanging up?
AskReddit users opened up about their methods.
1. It works!
“I ask them to confirm my information for security purposes.
Breaks their script and they don’t know what to say!”
2. A little fun.
“Scammer was Indian, I’m Indian.
I put on my Indian accent then accused him of putting on a bad fake Indian accent to make fun of me and told him he should be ashamed of himself.
It was a few seconds of fun.”
3. Uh huh, go on…
“”We’re going to need your credit card number to correctly verify your ID.”
“Uh huh, go on..”
“… We need your credit card number, what is it?”
“Uh huh, go on..”
“Do not joke around Sir/Ma’am, we need your credit card number.”
“Uh huh, go on..”
Beeeeeep.”
4. What are you wearing?
“Just treat them like a full on s** line.
I’ve actually gotten one to apologize for calling and promise he would never call me again.”
5. I love you.
“I once got a scammer to say “I love you too.”
It was one of those resort/vacation calls and I kept him in the line for his whole spiel. When he asked who else would be vacationing with me, I asked if he would go with me. I was like, ”It will save on airfare because you’re already there.”
Ended up with him saying he had to end the call and I was like, ”Okay. I love you.”
And he reflexively goes ”I love you too”.
High point of my life.”
6. Good plan.
“I take a deep breath and let out a continuous raspberry (fart noise with your tongue) for as long as I can.
When I stop to take a breath I usually here “..uh.. hello?” And then I take a big breath again and continue.
No one has made it to two full raspberries before hanging up on me.”
7. All fired up.
“I tell them my name is Billy Madonna, and I drive a ’93 Toyota Paseo.
Then I start getting pi**ed when they tell me they actually CAN’T give me an extended warranty on my car.
I mean, why can’t you?! YOU called ME, and the machine SAID I could get an extended warranty.
THAT IS FALSE ADVERTISING! LET ME SPEAK WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR!”
8. I’ve been waiting for you.
“I act like I’m really glad they called.
I tell them I’ve been hoping they would call. I’m effusive in my excitement.
They usually hang up immediately.”
9. Let’s make a deal.
“I try to sell them WiFi.
I personally have nothing to do with internet services. But I can guarantee that my services are the cheapest in town and seeing as how you called me you must be interested. Now before you think “man I’m really not gonna get as good a deal as I’d like.”
I can promise no buffers and high quality streaming at a fraction. Yes you heard it a fraction of what you currently are paying, if you just give me your first and last name we can get the ball rolling. No one has ever lasted that one.”
10. Praise the Lord.
“In a very heavy southern accent. “Now the lord spoke to me today and he told me that I’d be bringing another one his lambs that had been led astray back into the flock, I’m gonna open this conversation with a prayer real quick.”
Most people hang up. Some and very few last through my 10 minute prayer. After that I go straight into asking about their addictions and why the lord is telling me about how their browser history is causing demons to enter their home.”
11. Mickey!
“My dad once got a scam call at dinner saying he won a trip to Orlando or something similar. He replied with the biggest, most excited voice:
“ORLANDO! I LOVE ORLANDO! THAT’S WHERE MICKEY IS!! I LOVE MICKEY!!”
Then he hung up.”
12. You have a lot of time on your hands.
“My new thing is to heavily troll them for as long as possible. If they’re going to waste my time with endless calls, well then I’m going to do the same.
Here’s a good one – I recently encountered a very low tech health insurance scam that used an actual phone line and not a spoof. I called them back literally over 1000 times for two days straight and eventually got to the main person.
He actually pleaded for me to stop calling and apologized profusely. It was very satisfying.”
Do you do anything like this?
Tell us about it in the comments.
Thanks a lot!
