UKH

My post elsewhere about scam calls got me thinking.

I can't believe that they're ALL (maybe some) are made by a nerdy geek from his bedroom. Given the scale on which they appear would I be right in assuming that behind each scam call is a big organised crime set up, maybe the Mafia? Or even a terrorist group?

Depends on the exact type but most of them are less mafia and more just a standard job for most of the people by all accounts. Set up like other contract call centres but just with a slightly different target market.

This is an account of some in India.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jan/02/the-scammers-gaming-indias-ove...

The voice mail messages in Chinese with a gentle tune in the background have died off now, but were a bit irritating.  I don't speak Chinese, and my only Chinese speaking mate is back living in Hong Kong, so I've got no way of knowing what they were about.

I had a Chinese speaking call yesterday. No music though. 

Me too. Never had that particular type of call before and I'd admit to being somewhat confused. I was thinking it might've been a Manchurian Candidate style activation message.

Ive had 6 on my landline in the last two days alone. All sounded Indian or similar.

I had one yesterday in a “Texas Instruments” accent about my BT line(which I don’t have). It was basically inviting me to press numbers on my phone, presumably to charge me premium rates. 

You cannot be charged anything by your network operator for an incoming call on a landline or mobile on your own network.  Only roaming results in incoming call charges (if your network operator actually charges you for them).  The caller theoretically could if you've somehow made a contract with the caller, which you won't at this point in time.  Pressing a digit tells their automated calling platform to connect you through to one of their humans who will then take a fraudulent payment from you, or get you to install software on your PC which then does bad things.

Definitely organised crime, and normally done from overseas. The resources needed are massive - they have to set up dodgy bank accounts, they have to set up dodgy telephony connectivity, they have to set up dodgy call centres. The victim rate is so low nowadays they need to make literally thousands of calls and be able to cover their tracks to make any money at it.

Bastards

I agree. Scum of the earth

The novel 419 by Will Atkinson is quite revealing on a number of levels.

It is *only* a novel but I assume he did some research.

It's not just the recipients being scammed.

I had an Indian guy once who was very pleasant and got upset when I started abusing him. Normally they shout abuse and hang up at that point. I've since found out that some of these callers actually believe they are working for Microsoft. They've taken a job in a call centre and they think they are helping people. So criminals have put a lot of effort into the scam, it's definitely not some guy in a bedroom.

Look up Jim Browning on youtube if you want to see someone trying to shut down those call centres.

interesting and sad article. Thanks for posting a link to it

Im getting about 3 to 5 calls a day at the moment on my landline. All from uk numbers. Virgin Media or BT is the claim normally. I wonder, do they up the calling on smartarses?  I played one for a while last week before giving him grief and all of a sudden the calls have gone up.

I dont get any calls on my mobile number but I do get dodgy texts with iffy links.

You're probably the scammer's version of sending the apprentice to the stores for a long stand / left handed screwdriver / bag of sparks for the grinder 😀

I wouldn't be surprised if the purveyors of such phone number to companies for the purpose of spamming were to have in place a feedback mechanism so they can assess the 'quality' of the numbers provided (so as to charge more for proven quality elsewhere.) If so, it would make sense for companies that have been given the timewasting runaround to give that number a top review simply in order that their competitors are more likely to try it too and their time will also be wasted!

There are a couple of episodes from the podcast "Reply All" that are worth a listen, in which they actually travel to India to investigate a scam call centre. The episodes are called Long Distance, parts I and II.

It's from a few years ago, there was a follow-up in the summer but I haven't listened to it yet.

Mote likely, simply because they answered the phone.