Is this a new scam?

[Rancher Will]

Perhaps some here can enlighten me. Three times in this past month I have received a phone call, apparently from the same organization. When I ask for information, the caller hangs up without answering my question.

The caller informs me that I am requested to commit to support, with financial donations, an organization "to assist in the training of police, support for disabled police and support for the families of deceased officers". The caller "suggests" a suitable donation.

When I ask for the location of the caller, and how to get information about the organization, the caller immediately hangs up without any answer. As a retired LEO I suspect a fraud since I know of no such legitimate organization in my experience.

 

[Pat-inCO]

Well Will . . . . If they will not provide information, it's not a possible scam,
but rather a for sure scam. Next time, try the #69 call back. I'll bet the
return call will scare them.

 

[ronto]

Unsolicited phone calls asking for donations are 99% scams...just hang up.

 

[Bull Barrel]

Unknown phone #s...dont answer.

 

[Cape Cod Terry]

Before we disconnected the landline I used to get calls asking for "donations to my local Volunteer Fire Department", well we have a full time paid professional department in this town. I would ask the guy what is the chief's name (he lives on the next street over) and they would always hang up. You get the same kind of scam calls after an LEO or Firefighter gets killed. I never answer unknown numbers on the cell, If they have business with me they will leave a message. Type the number into a google search and you will find out if it is a scam real quick. I love buying stuff from strangers over the phone said no one ever. Telemarketing ought to be a felony!
Cape Cod Terry

 

[contender]

To the OP;
SCAM!

"Telemarketing ought to be a felony!"
Now THAT'S the best idea I've heard about this yet!

 

[pete44ru]

Unknown phone #s...dont answer.

My solution, too......... :evil:

I'm not one of those folks who feel they MUST answer, every time the phone rings. :roll:

.

 

[Big Old Boy]

And now scammers are using local phone numbers

 

[HerrMesser]

If I don't know the phone # I don't answer and they hang as or just before the answering machine kicks in. I figure 99% of the #s on the ID is computer generated.

Rad

 

[Ordguy]

And now scammers are using local phone numbers

Most often it's "spoofing" to make it look like a legit call from a local number. When I had a landline there were calls showing my own number on caller ID.

 

[gasbag]

We have caller ID.
If I don't recognize who is calling why would I answer the phone?
Anyone I do not know will not have anything of importance to me.
We also have a call blocker that works off a database of known scammers.
It blocks at least 4 or 5 a week for us and I can add to that list anytime some freakazoid gets through.
..........and we also dropped our landline.
that stopped 80% of the scammers right there..............
Like pete44ru, I am one of those folks who feels no uncontrollable desire
to answer every phone call we receive. That's what voicemail is for.

 

[CGDustDevil]

I used to get calls like the one described in the OP all the time from the Az Fraternal Order of Police back 10-15 years ago. (The main difference is that the AZFOP clearly identified who they were and why they were calling)

Very high pressure, just short of threatening if I didn't give their 'suggested' amounts... Even to the point of talking about patrols going on near my street which they'd name, so it was fairly obvious they knew where I lived. I didn't have caller ID in those days, so it got to the point where I would just hang up. Finally in a few months, the calls stopped.

Best regards, Pete

 

[Dan in MI]

My old neighbor was terrified of those phone calls. She was deathly afraid that if she didn't donate to the xxx police, or fire, fund they wouldn't come when she needed them because she didn't donate.

 

[graygun]

You must know it's bogus.

 

[Chuckbuster II]

If you are bored you can always do a "Tom Mabe" on them,,,

 

[Fox Mike]

If an unknown number or one with no information I answer and press"*". It produces a sound like a FAX number . . .a piercing steady beep.

 

[gramps]

Someone called me wanting a donation to the THP (Tn Hwy Patrol) fund for injured officers. At the time I was a deputy sheriff, and well connected to that agency. I knew no such thing was happening, and told them so, after I got a call back number, whichI turned it over to the THP.
gramps

 

[exavid]

I got a weird one last week from a person who identified himself as Officer Richardson from our Sheriff's office. Wanted to talk to me about a case number that he gave me. I know the Sheriff and told him I'd call the Sheriff's office to find out about the case. He hung up on me then. I don't know of anyone here on the Sheriff's crew who call them selves 'officer' it's always 'deputy'. When I did call the office the Sheriff told me their case numbers weren't even in the same format as they use.
I don't know what the scam was about, I'd never heard that one before.
Aha, I just found the scam. This instance was in San Diego.
http://fox5sandiego.com/2014/08/25/new-scam-involves-fake-calls-from-sheriffs-department/

 

[vito]

What is almost as bad is the "legitimate" charities that contract with prison labor to raise money. Sometimes the person who calls you implies but never says directly that they are a State Trooper asking for a donation to the State Trooper fund, or that they are a firefighter asking for a donation for their organization. The person is a criminal, serving time, and sometimes a very smooth talking con man which is what got them into prison. Unless it is a charity that I am personally familiar with, and that I have donated to before, I never respond to the caller even if I foolishly have picked up the phone. I always say "send me your material to my home address and I will consider making a donation" or words to that effect. I have responded to TV ads for charities where I initiate the contact via the phone or the internet, such as my recent monthly commitment to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I have received several calls over the last few weeks from this nice lady at the IRS who informs me that there's a file that indicates I owe a large amount of money and if I don't call their number right away they'll come after me.

She sounds nice as I hang up on her.

:wink:

 

[kmoore]

OSP gets calls from people asking about xxx and if their are real. Answer 99% of time no. The union OSPOA keeps a list of all known fake and real folks who ask for money. I suggest if you want to help as some do need help. Get the name and number of who's is calling. Than phone that agency non emergency number and ask them about it. If real call back and give. Normally it's fake. Best thing just do not answer or hang up. On a national level, 1 I know is real is AAST. American Association of State troopers. Bad news is there biased out of Florida where many flake "help me" addresses are.