Hi Grandpa

[steveodtw]

I just received an interesting call from an Iowa area code. I answered the call my phone marked as Spam, "Hello." After a telltale pause, the caller said "Hi Grandpa." I said "Hi Grandson. What's your name Grandson?" Long pause, no response. I then called my supposed Grandson a nasty name and hung up.

I've read about this scam before but never experienced it. I should have played along to get the whole spiel. You know, "Grandpa, I'm in the Tiajuana jail and can't make bail. Plead send $1000.00 to get me out." (Kingston Trio ref. intentional).

Be careful out there.

 

[nvbirdman]

I got one of those the other day. My "grandson" had an accent. All of my grandkids grew up within five miles of me, and none of them has an accent.

 

[Kevin]

And text messages that seem to be a “wrong number” they want to get you talking and then build some trust before the scam.

I got one of those text messages on New Years Eve. I deleted it without a reply.

 

[Cyrus]

Text saying: “Your USPS package is at the warehouse but can’t be delivered.”

My response: “Go $&@? your $&@“?! In her &@$.”

 

[woodsy]

If one answers a spam call they are instantly placed on a list of people to be targeted by others. NEVER answer such a call.

 

[Rat76]

If they are not in my contact list I don't answer. If it's important they will leave a message. If it's legit I'll call back.

Text messages, if it's not someone I know I won't respond & will usually block.

 

[gramps]

If one answers a spam call they are instantly placed on a list of people to be targeted by others. NEVER answer such a call.

I have several business connections, that puts my phone number, out there. I would lose business if I didn’t answer!!!
gramps

 

[Rum River]

This thread came at the perfect time.
Just yesterday I was visiting with an old friend and he commented on this very scam.
While he and his wife are in their 70's with children, they don't happen to have any grandchildren.
My buddy is very sharp, is aware of the scam - and had an absolute blast when they called him.

Hello?
Is that you Grandpa?
Um, yes. Who is this?
Don't you recognize my voice Grandpa?
Jimmy!? Jimmy! Is that you?
Yes, Grandpa - this is Jimmy!
Hi Jimmy, what's up?
Well, my car broke down, I'm stuck with a tow bill, and the tow truck guy won't release my car unless I pay him right now. I don't have the money - can you help me out with your credit card?

Grandpa pauses, and then.......
Jimmy! You're not fooling me! This is really for your Aunt Susan, isn't it!.......ISN'T IT!!!!!!!!!
YOU TELL THAT MISERABLE WOMAN SHE'S NOT GETTING ANOTHER DIME OUT OF ME!!
AFTER DRIVING HER CAR INTO THAT HOUSE - SHE STILL THINKS IT'S NOT HER FAULT?
AS A MATTER OF FACT, TELL HER I'M CALLING THE COPS RIGHT NOW ABOUT THOSE OUTSTANDING WARRANTS SHE HAS!!

The scammer hung up...............

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

Unfortunately, these days the scammer's likely intention is to record your voice. That way the scammer can use your voice for "other" purposes such as contacting your bank, your credit card company, etc.

For me, after saying "Hello" and determining there's not a real person (whom I know or want to know) on the line, I just hang up and block the number.

 

[Mobuck]

For over 12 years, I left my phone number on dozens of unknown/barely known door knobs as part of my job. I HAD TO ANSWER EVERY CALL. Just a personal thing I guess. How will you feel if you refuse to answer an unknown number and it does turn out to be a family member or friend in real trouble using someone else's phone to ask you for help?

 

[vito]

Many years ago I had a friend who said he never answers the phone (landline in those days), ever, but checks if a voice mail was left and then decides whether or not to call whoever called him. I remember at the time thinking that this was bizzarre as I could not imagine not answering a phone that was ringing in my home. Today I have no land line, and unless the call shows me who is calling, i.e., it is someone in my Contacts, I do not answer the phone but later check to see if they left me a voice mail. I probably receive between 20 and 30 calls daily that I ignore, and at least that many texts that I immediately delete. Sad what has happened to our society.

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

Vito - sometimes I think that the number of "unknown" and "scam" calls we get is directly proportional to our age. The older we get, the more such calls we receive.

 

[Kevin]

I got another text message last night. I replied with a "who is this" I shouldn't have.

They replied "Lisa, don't you remember me? It's Beverly."

They like the name Lisa. It must sound midwestern and normal. My wife got a text message directed towards a "Lisa" asking her to “please watch my dog over the holidays.”

I deleted it, but summoned have blocked the number first I guess.

 

[Dave P.]

I have to answer phone calls because of business. I usually just hang up on the junk but sometimes mess with them.
Lately if it's a foreign sounding person ( almost always ) I'll stop in the middle of my reply and ask what is that
noise in the background....it sounds like goats...what the hell are you people doing to those goats?
They've all hung up so far.

 

[Watertender]

I got one of those calls and played them along
To supposedly bail my granddaughter out of jail they requested Amazon gift cards. I replied that I was close to a Walmart and asked if Walmart cards would be okay instead. They said they would accept the Walmart cards as payment for her bail. Then I said that I was at Home Depot and asked if those cards would be good. They said that they would prefer the Amazon gift cards but Walmart would be OK. I then asked if they would accept used beverage bottles and cans for the 5 cent deposit. Then they hung up... I was in a playful mood that day because otherwise I just hang up.

Many years ago I kept getting calls from Benificial and Household Finance because my brother forged loan applications for both places in my name. They wanted payment on the loans and got quite nasty with me. I went to both places and asked them if I was the one who took out the loans. They said that I was not the one who did. I then told them that if I received ONE more call from either of them that they would be dealing with the State Attorney General. Then I went to the State Police and had them investigate the matter. My brother got a 6 month vacation in the County Jail for his actions...

 

[Randyzzz]

I used to have my own business so I had to answer every call. But anymore I only answer ones that are in my contact list. But even that’s not foolproof. I had a message on my phone that said “Please leave a message. I only answer calls that are on my contact list. If you choose to not leave a message, your number will be blocked and we will never speak.” I loved it but my wife and a few relatives thought it was rude, so in the name of family peace I deleted it.

 

[jimbo1096]

I’ve got a landline and a cell phone. I seldom use the landline and it’s only as a back up in case my cell phone dies or someone has to get me an emergency and my other phone isn’t working. I get probably eight or 10 calls a day that I pick up the phone and no one ever says anything so I just hang up. The few that I do say something to, I use a womanly falsetto voice and either they still don’t say anything or it takes a while and a click comes on and then what I assume is an AI or Some other type of scamming call but I just hang up on. My landline doesn’t have a way for me to block or I would but I feel it wouldn’t probably do any good. Cell number very rarely get any spam or junk calls.

 

[RoninPA]

I have a landline for my gun repair business but it shows (at a minimum) the phone number that is incoming. If I don't recognize the phone number (or the name) I let it go to the "leave me a message". If they start to leave me a message and I then recognize them or know it is a business call then I'll pick up and talk. I have gotten calls and I recognize the number/name but when I pick up and say hello, and nothing happens for a second or two or I hear that click that tells me a machine or whatever is going to start a speil, I hang up and call the number back and tell the person that their number is being used by scammers.

 

[Hankus]

Every once in a while I’ll answer unknown callers with “Lee County Sheriffs Office on a recorded line. What is the nature of your emergency?” I don’t get many unknown callers these days.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Just answer that you have only one grandchild, a granddaughter name Mary Jane Rottencrotch that loves finger bangin'!

 

[Achigan]

For over 12 years, I left my phone number on dozens of unknown/barely known door knobs as part of my job. I HAD TO ANSWER EVERY CALL. Just a personal thing I guess. How will you feel if you refuse to answer an unknown number and it does turn out to be a family member or friend in real trouble using someone else's phone to ask you for help?

Let them leave a message.

 

[John in WYO]

I just received an interesting call from an Iowa area code. I answered the call my phone marked as Spam, "Hello." After a telltale pause, the caller said "Hi Grandpa." I said "Hi Grandson. What's your name Grandson?" Long pause, no response. I then called my supposed Grandson a nasty name and hung up.

I've read about this scam before but never experienced it. I should have played along to get the whole spiel. You know, "Grandpa, I'm in the Tiajuana jail and can't make bail. Plead send $1000.00 to get me out." (Kingston Trio ref. intentional).

Be careful out there.

After my father died, my step-mother lost $70,000 to one of those guys in that scam.

 

[wproct]

I don't have a business. My cellphone is set to only accept calls from someone in my contact list. We never answer our land line unless I recognize the number on caller id. If it's a ligit call they will leave a message.

I hate to be that way but these are different times we are living in.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I just received an interesting call from an Iowa area code. I answered the call my phone marked as Spam, "Hello." After a telltale pause, the caller said "Hi Grandpa." I said "Hi Grandson. What's your name Grandson?" Long pause, no response. I then called my supposed Grandson a nasty name and hung up.

I've read about this scam before but never experienced it. I should have played along to get the whole spiel. You know, "Grandpa, I'm in the Tiajuana jail and can't make bail. Plead send $1000.00 to get me out." (Kingston Trio ref. intentional).

Be careful out there.

My mother got that call, only when they said this is your grandson, she said his name. (That’s what they count on.).

Thankfully she called us next, and we headed it off.

 

[irishjack]

If I don't recognize the number, I don't answer it. I am concerned with the technology that allows scammers to record and imitate your voice. I figure if the call is important, they can leave me a voice mail.

 

[KWend54]

I don't answer any calls that aren't in my contacts! I let the call go to voice mail and my greeting message encourages the "caller to identify themselves and leave their number because I do not answer unknown calls"

 

[peachhead]

I have one phone, a cell phone and I use it for personal and business. The amount of robocalls and scam calls that I have gotten has probably quadrupled within the past 2 months. I got the same call for about 2 weeks in a row all from a different number from a finance company. All I can do is block the number and move along. It's absolutely ridiculous. I told my wife I should go into that business because obviously they're making enough money to continue to operate.

 

[Armybrat]

Every once in a while I'll answer unknown callers with "Lee County Sheriffs Office on a recorded line. What is the nature of your emergency?" I don't get many unknown callers these days.

Lee County Texas?
Tell them “Bubba Rost speaking”.

 

[Hankus]

Lee County Texas?
Tell them “Bubba Rost speaking”.

Lee County, FL. My phone has a 239 area code even though I moved back to Manatee County 3-1/2 years ago.

 

[epags]

Email spam----I mark it spam. I tried having the sender's email address blocked but they just change one letter in their email address and I get another. Easier to mark it "Spam" and let the computer delete it.

Phone calls always go to 'Leave a message' unless I am up and looking at the calller's phone number. Will answer if I recognize the number & name of caller.
Once or twice when I am bored, I have answered "City morgue, you stab them, we slab them." Normally ends the connection unless it is one of those recorded messages asking to to press a number....which will result in a telemarketer/scammer coming on line. I just hang up.

FWIW:
Nothing deters calls from the Red Cross asking for another blood donation.....even a week after you have given.
Nothing deters calls from my university alumni committee asking for a donation......gets more frequent as I get older I have noticed.