Phone scams....Information from the FTC, Federal Trade Commission

[Yonnie3]

2. I will mess with them if I have time.

My favorite start is to say I have something on the stove and I'll put them on speaker phone and yell I'll be right back. Every minute or so, I holler I'm almost done.

When they get too impatient, I'll go on the line and ask them if they are legit. This discussion is good for another few minutes before the information starts flowing. They ask your full name. I go, I thought you called me because my rates were too high, you should know my name. Oh, you just need to verify, ok. And so forth ...

When I'm bored or it seems like they are about to give up, I try to terminate the call with a few choice words and a blast from my Acme Thunderer drum major whistle.

I used to mess with the email scammers, the ones who mail you bad checks, have you deposit them, keep 20% and wire the rest to them. I'd tell them how badly I needed the work. Eventually I'd inform them I was too poor to have a bank account and would they please mail me some cash to open a bank account. Sorry, a check would take several weeks to open an account, cash only.