It seems there is a group that calls people and just says random names to them. usually the name is a first name that is audible and last name that is inaudible. The first name is a typical in relation to your location. Like people in the United States the name would be Brian or John, Dave, Tracy (names everyone knows). The last name you will never understand. Typically two syllables. You can mistake the last name because you are sure he has a bad accent so you think he is trying to say a word you know. ” I am calling on for Brian *mumble* ” . Of course you trying to be helpful you offer a last name of the most recent “Brian” you know. This person on the other end of the line will either ask you for their contact information and ask you for your name, or ask you for your name first and then tell you that they used you for a reference on a loan and you are now liable for the cost of the loan. If they go the other way, they call Brian and tell them that you got the loan and they are liable for the value of the loan. This scammer could be so bold as to try and sell you illegal medication or tell you that you got a loan (because everyone who is not in their country is a big fat pill taking loan getting sleeping on a waterbed driving flying cars fool) and they are from “Legal Officers” or “Law Firm” and that the police are in route to pick you up.
The phone call comes from a phone number that ends in 0000. When you call it back it says the number has been disconnected. This is a clear sign it is a scam. If you are one of the few who get a voicemail, they always leave a call back number that is different from initiating call. Save that phone number, save that voicemail.
Some people get scared by this and give up their credit card information over the phone (as far as they know this person knew to much to be a scam). They victim gets their bank account wiped out in it’s entirety. Credit ran into the dirt leaving the person stripped of everything they have earned. Simply because they doubt this could ever be a scam.
Some say your best action is to not take action. some say it is best to tell them they have the wrong number and have been mislead. I myself found it funnier to say ” Wow what are the odds? I am a federal agent who has been investigating your group for the past 4 months and you guys actually called me on the company line making this completely and entirely traceable. In fact I have just now (waited 3 seconds) pinpointed your exact location, the trucks should be rolling in within the next 30 minutes” . The voice on the line said something in a language I have no understanding of, to someone who was in the room with him as he hung up the phone. He never called back.
It is probably the best legal idea to call your local authorities and give them what ever call back number they may have left on your voicemail or any information that shows them as claiming to be a debt collector, or some collector of any sort. This is a phishing scam and is illegal in every country. If you can give this voicemail to the local authorities and let them handle any legal issues of this type of rip off, you would probably have better response just for them hearing this. It is illegal to threaten you in any way shape or manor. You can not threaten a person of arrest unless your legal proof is present, such as badge or twenty cops standing around you at the time. Passing on a call back number would be very helpful.
Never threaten the guy on the line, never tell him or her (usually a guy) that what he/she is doing is phishing or a scam. Bring the phone call to an end. If you can tell them you are at work and will call them at lunch time and need a call back number. That phone number will be the end of them. It is hard to bust phone scammers and they are well practiced. so tell them you are in an important meeting at work and will have to call them back after work or at lunch time. If they call back do not answer the phone. There may just be to much in your voice that let’s them know their phone phishing scam is at risk.
Report all phone phishing scam phone numbers you receive to this full list.
United States Federal Trade commission
Australia Numbers to report scams to
United Kingdom numbers to report Phone scams
Report phone Phishing scams in Canada
Happy hunting.