Got a text for 8 Ceiling fans to replace

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Fred B said:
I've had the same thing, when I contacted the phone co they said there was nothing that they could do as it was "legal" for these scammers to hijack a number.
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The phone companies CAN do something about scammers. They just choose not to as they're making $millions every month from them.
 
Fred B said:
Got a text from a guy (not a local number) who says that he just bought a house and wants to replace 8 Ceiling fans (Unusual around here). He wants a price site unseen, he won't give a name even when repeatedly asked.
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If a caller won't give a name and home address that's a real red flag.
 
Fred B said:
Last text also appears he want fixtures included in cost. Sounds like a scam or something. Anyone else have this experience or suggestions?
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Just text him that you know that this is a scam and not even a very good one (been done to death) and to not bother you anymore.
 
I always say yes and take the card number, call the bank or google the person and tell them their card was stolen. It’s easy to do.
 
JoeyD74 said:
I always say yes and take the card number, call the bank or google the person and tell them their card was stolen. It’s easy to do.
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That's what I do. I've even had the scammer text me after a couple days and claim I'm scamming THEM!

I usually just ignore them after I get the card info, but sometimes I mess with them and tell them, "Hey, thanks for the free stolen card info! I was able to charge $18,750 on it before it what shut down!!!"
 
480sparky said:
That's what I do. I've even had the scammer text me after a couple days and claim I'm scamming THEM!

I usually just ignore them after I get the card info, but sometimes I mess with them and tell them, "Hey, thanks for the free stolen card info! I was able to charge $18,750 on it before it what shut down!!!"
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Its fun to have fun with them if you have time.
 
Love the ones with heavy indian accent...goes like this..."allo this is bill smith you do wiring electrics is that not correct? i am needing light kitchen in replaced. kindly allow me to give you credit card to start immediately" instantly know its a scam because who even talks like that. lol
 
I've gotten the same text. Good to know I'm not alone in this, but also bad to know it's this wide spread.

This is why I ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS INSIST on an IN-PERSON estimate. I frame it as the chance for me to introduce myself and them to meet me so they know who they are working with... as well as the opportunity to gather the correct information for an accurate estimate... which is ALL TRUE, but it's also about me getting the chance to size them up.

It sucks that we have to be suspicious like this. I would love to trust all and jump on every opportunity for work, but yea...

I had a GC try to tell me that I need to be able to just shoot numbers out digitally and rapid fast, but now I feel even more reaffirmed in my practice of insisting on an in-person estimate knowing this problem is this wide spread.
 
LarryFine said:
Dead silence
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I get the dead silence calls almost daily. It's really picked up in the last 2 years. The first few years of business I never got one. Every call to my business line was a legitimate customer...

...now I sometimes hesitate to even answer the business line, which is really unfortunate. You gotta learn to let it not bug you and just have fun with it, otherwise you'll miss legit calls.
 
Might I suggest a forum thread dedicated to the reporting of scams?

Be nice if we all shared the ones we encounter to help each other out.
 
I get silent calls but I assume they're waiting for me to say "hello" which I don't (if I don't recognize the number, I'll just say "telephone"). I also never say "yes"; if the caller asks "is this <myname>?" I just say "who's calling, please ?", "this is me", or "go ahead". (There was a scam a while ago where they used the "yes" as approval for send/bill for something.)

A friend used to answer his phone "You're on the air, what's your question?" :ROFLMAO:
(I also do that occasionally.)
 
zbang said:
I get silent calls but I assume they're waiting for me to say "hello" which I don't (if I don't recognize the number, I'll just say "telephone"). I also never say "yes"; if the caller asks "is this <myname>?" I just say "who's calling, please ?", "this is me", or "go ahead". (There was a scam a while ago where they used the "yes" as approval for send/bill for something.)

A friend used to answer his phone "You're on the air, what's your question?" :ROFLMAO:
(I also do that occasionally.)
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I often answer such calls with "Fire Department. What is the nature of your emergency?"
 
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