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Flip

Original poster

Why did the Scammer argue back?

22 replies

flipent · 05/05/2023 12:24

Just had a call from 'O2' offering me 40% off my next bill. It was clearly a scam and had I continued they would have sent the security code to my phone and asked me for it. (The one that says don't ever give this to anyone, including us!).

I told them they we're scamming me and they argued back. "How can you say that I'm scamming you, what evidence do you have".

I'm just in shock at how brazen it was - if you are trying to scam some one and get called out, why would you continue the conversation?

OP posts:

mynameiscalypso · 05/05/2023 12:24

Because they hope they'll be able to change your mind.

Original poster

flipent · 05/05/2023 12:26

I was not timidly asking if they were a scammer.

I told them they needed to reevaluate their life choices. Why waste time on me rather than moving onto their next victim?

OP posts:

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 05/05/2023 12:29

Because they want you to engage on the basis that they do this all the time and know that a lot of the time they can wear people down; which is one of the reasons I don't engage, ever. I know a lot of people do and think they are being all clever by scam baiting, when all they are doing is showing the scammer they've got a live one.

The most I've ever engaged is one of the those BT 'your broadband is giving off funny signals' scams. I told him it wasn't, it's not BT nor does it come via a BT line (mobile router) and when he argued told him he didn't know my wifi better than I did.

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MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 05/05/2023 12:31

And they don't care about your opinion of their life choices. If their conscience troubled them to that extent they wouldn't be trying to scam you.

Luredbyapomegranate · 05/05/2023 12:34

Well they are scammers so they will do whatever to complete the scam.

mynameiscalypso · 05/05/2023 13:35

flipent · 05/05/2023 12:26

I was not timidly asking if they were a scammer.

I told them they needed to reevaluate their life choices. Why waste time on me rather than moving onto their next victim?

You do realise that many of these scammers are being held as modern slaves right? It's not a life choice, they're forced to work like this by organised crime gangs. They're just tiny cogs in a huge criminal machine.

Hellamegafuckup · 05/05/2023 13:37

I once asked them to not call me and the guy on the other end said well you shouldn't answer your phone ! Still shocked by that response scammers will do anything

Thesharkradar · 05/05/2023 13:40

They want to capture your voice and speech pattern so they can steal your identity

Optimalise · 06/05/2023 10:45

I work in a 'front of house' role for an energy company, I receive a constant stream of callers like this trying to get through to our CEO, who, not surprisingly doesn't want to speak to them, they start off by being friendly, asking how you are, then they become persuasive, then they switch into 'smart arse' mode trying to make you feel stupid for not putting you through, then, in some cases they get downright rude and aggressive, in my last job this constant ritual used to reduce me to a shaking mess by the end of the day till I read a piece of advice about 'not engaging'...their method is to keep you on the phone for as long as possible, so you don't let them...don't let them antagonise you, don't let them question you and why try and reason with them ? Just say "thank you but I have to end this call now". I'm in a similar role with a new company now and I employ this method regularly...my job is now infinitely more pleasant.

porridgeisbae · 16/08/2023 00:59

I had one that said 'don't you trust me?'

LongingForWolverhampton · 16/08/2023 02:29

I wish these people would get proper jobs. Tossers.

Justleaveitblankthen · 16/08/2023 05:57

Don't even engage with them.
They hear me say Hello and then that's it.

"Hello, how are you today?"
Blocked.

If I want a product or service I can find it myself.

Twiglets1 · 16/08/2023 06:07

They probably aren’t that bright tbh

ViaRia01 · 16/08/2023 06:13

Maybe it was to get feedback on why you weren’t convinced by them, to help them improve their approach for the next victim…? Not sure, just a thought

Totaly · 16/08/2023 06:18

I work for a legit company and ring customers - there is definitely more caution (as there should be) but these companies make it a lot harder to even get people to answer their phones and engage with us.

But most are working for large companies and they are just trying to earn money to feed their families - abusing them isn’t the way forward. A general no is all that’s required.

C1N1C · 16/08/2023 07:10

ViaRia01 · 16/08/2023 06:13

Maybe it was to get feedback on why you weren’t convinced by them, to help them improve their approach for the next victim…? Not sure, just a thought

This

AuntieJune · 16/08/2023 07:15

So long as you're talking, there's hope. They probably talk to some vulnerable people who would respond to hectoring.

AnneElliott · 16/08/2023 07:25

I guess they're frustrated you won't bite! Maybe even scammers have targets from their employers?

I got told I was a very naughty lady. The NCA called me and said there was a warrant out for my arrest. Then asked for my name . I played along and told them it was Lynne Owens, and after a couple of minutes told them to google me. (Lynne Owens used to be the head of the NCA). They sounded genuine outraged!

AuntieJune · 16/08/2023 07:47

Also if it's anything like sales call centres, they probably get metrics about call length, the longer the average call the better.

FlamingoSunshine · 16/08/2023 07:50

I think it’s not in common for them to argue/become abusive if challenged. It may be a tactic that works with some people?

Zebedee55 · 16/08/2023 08:03

When my elderly Dad got constant scammers phoning, the police told him (yeah, they did come round for a chat with him), to hang straight up.

If you keep responding, even negatively, you're put onto some sort of scammers "Mugs list", which they sell on.

Once he started doing that, it did seem to lessen them.

user1471505356 · 16/08/2023 08:09

If I get a call and the person doesn't speak within half a second I hang up, a genuine caller will ring again. It did work too well when I hung up on my daughter-in-law, she rang again apologising for her apparent phone mishap.

Flip