Telephone Scammers.

[Techno II]

To me, the other complete giveaway is that they never call you by your name. (Because they don't know it.)

It's always "Good morning sir, how are you today"

Cheers - Phil.

[mmcv]

"Good evening sir, this is your bank, who you have banked with for many years...."

[DecemDave]

Yesterday

"Can I speak to X please"
"what about"
"about the minor accident"
"are you a friend or a relative, because I am sorry I have some bad news for you that he is not very well at all and.... blah gabble waffle
They rang off in the middle of me speaking!   I was just warming up.

[DecemDave]

To me, the other complete giveaway is that they never call you by your name. (Because they don't know it.)

Sadly some do.  I once was daft enough to fill in one of those "win a holiday" surveys at an airport.  Well the plane was delayed, I was "tired and emotional"...  Luckily I put a false first name with the real mobile number.  Its obviously for sale on a list somewhere as I have had quite a few calls for it since.

[mmcv]

My email address must have made its way onto a scammer list recently, getting 10-20 times the number of spam emails I used to. Thankfully the filters catch them but quite annoying as easier to miss the odd mistaken spam email that was actually legit. 

[Techno II]

Sadly some do.  I once was daft enough to fill in one of those "win a holiday" surveys at an airport.  Well the plane was delayed, I was "tired and emotional"...  Luckily I put a false first name with the real mobile number.  Its obviously for sale on a list somewhere as I have had quite a few calls for it since.

Since the time I filled in a form for some wonker (10 ? years ago)....I've changed my e'mail addy....and that (fortunately) still seems to be 'secret'.

I have had just one call in the last few years, where I've asked "What's my name, then sonny ?".....And the answer was a surname from someone who used this (postal) addy, as a blind, for her own nefarious reasons.

I know exactly who that was.

One day, I'll drop her in the poop.  

Cheers - Phil.