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Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

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Bamama
LIF Adult

Member since 8/11

991 total posts

Name:

Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

I received a phone call today on my cell phone from someone telling me that my husband was in a very bad accident and couldn't talk. It was very scary.
Ultimately they said that he had also injured a child in the accident, and the caller got very aggressive, yelling and cursing at me. He said they are gang members so didn't want to call the police and that they would kill him if I called. That's when I knew it wasn't real. They didn't even get a chance to ask me for money. My local precinct said they are getting a ton of calls like this today. Be on guard with any strange numbers calling you.

Posted 12/8/15 1:59 PM
 
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summertime
LIF Adolescent

Member since 9/10

852 total posts

Name:

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

This happened to someone I know. Very scary!

Posted 12/8/15 2:13 PM
 

dianadrw
LIF Adult

Member since 5/06

2092 total posts

Name:
Me

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

OMG that is so scary!!! Thanks for posting this.

Posted 12/8/15 2:14 PM
 

chilltocam
LIF Adult

Member since 11/11

9141 total posts

Name:

Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

A few weeks ago DH got a similar call, but said that his brother had been in a car accident with "them" and that they were holding him hostage until DH paid for the damage to the car - very scary that they even knew he has a brother!

Message edited 12/8/2015 2:19:51 PM.

Posted 12/8/15 2:18 PM
 

FirstMate
My lil cowboy

Member since 10/10

7790 total posts

Name:

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

This happened about 2 weeks ago to someone my mom knows. They called the wife and said they had her DH. She actually bought into it and wired money to the guy. After she wired money, they said it wasn't enough. She said she had no more and they told her to go to the WalMart in Medford and you can wire money from your credit card. Meanwhile, they also called her DH at the same time to say they had her. He drove to a fire house and got help there. So awful and traumatizing for them.

Posted 12/8/15 2:42 PM
 

Paramount
Sweet!

Member since 7/12

4289 total posts

Name:

Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

The OTHER scam "out there" is that PSEG (any utilities) will turn off your power at 2pm if you don't wire them payment.

Posted 12/8/15 2:42 PM
 

NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..

Member since 11/09

54921 total posts

Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you


Posted 12/8/15 2:45 PM
 

MyBabyG
LIF Adolescent

Member since 1/15

793 total posts

Name:

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by NervousNell

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you






Exactly this!

Posted 12/8/15 2:51 PM
 

SusiBee
. . . . .

Member since 3/09

8268 total posts

Name:
S

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by MyBabyG

Posted by NervousNell

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you






Exactly this!



Same here. I get so many phishing calls on my cell ever since DH answered one of the calls AFTER I told him I don't know the number.
Couldn't imagine getting one of these types of phone calls though. Scary shit.

Posted 12/8/15 2:59 PM
 

FirstMate
My lil cowboy

Member since 10/10

7790 total posts

Name:

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by NervousNell

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you





They actually have some type of software or something that makes it look like they are calling from DH's (or whomevers) phone number. It will pop up as whatever you have DH under on your phone.

I actually got a call from my own cell # a few weeks ago but I didn't answer it. It was strange.

Posted 12/8/15 3:05 PM
 

klsnyc805
LIF Adolescent

Member since 11/09

578 total posts

Name:

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

OMG this is insane!!!!

Posted 12/8/15 3:05 PM
 

JDubs
different, not less

Member since 7/09

13160 total posts

Name:

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by NervousNell

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you





This

Posted 12/8/15 3:17 PM
 

afternoondelight828
LIF Adult

Member since 1/13

3363 total posts

Name:
Afternoon

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by NervousNell

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you





Exactly and I tell people to do this all the time. Not sure why people pick up the phone if they don't recognize the number.

Posted 12/8/15 3:42 PM
 

afternoondelight828
LIF Adult

Member since 1/13

3363 total posts

Name:
Afternoon

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by FirstMate

Posted by NervousNell

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you





They actually have some type of software or something that makes it look like they are calling from DH's (or whomevers) phone number. It will pop up as whatever you have DH under on your phone.

I actually got a call from my own cell # a few weeks ago but I didn't answer it. It was strange.




Really? I never heard this, just that people have received calls.

Posted 12/8/15 3:43 PM
 

Bamama
LIF Adult

Member since 8/11

991 total posts

Name:

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by afternoondelight828

Posted by NervousNell

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you





Exactly and I tell people to do this all the time. Not sure why people pick up the phone if they don't recognize the number.



This call came from a local, unblocked number. I have two kids in school and get calls from teachers/nurses on occasion from numbers that are not in my address book on my phone. I would never not answer the phone while they are in school.

Posted 12/8/15 3:51 PM
 

mrsboss
my little love

Member since 12/09

5054 total posts

Name:
Me

Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

I've also gotten calls from "myself" before. It was my number showing up on the screen.

Posted 12/8/15 3:54 PM
 

busymomonli
Resident Insomniac

Member since 4/13

2053 total posts

Name:

Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

I have gotten calls from myself. If you share contacts in your cloud and you SO has a contact set up for you with your work, home, and cell and then he calls you from "home", it will say that its you calling you.

The other morning I was driving to a client and my office called to tell me they cancelled the appointment, and it came up as ME calling ME, with my little screen icon and all.

Posted 12/8/15 4:14 PM
 

NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..

Member since 11/09

54921 total posts

Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by mrsboss

I've also gotten calls from "myself" before. It was my number showing up on the screen.



Did you answer and say hello to yourself?
Chat Icon

Posted 12/8/15 4:16 PM
 

MrsB12614
LIF Adult

Member since 4/14

1986 total posts

Name:
Mrs

Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Omg this happened to my coworker!!! I never answer an unknown number either. So scary

Posted 12/8/15 4:17 PM
 

afternoondelight828
LIF Adult

Member since 1/13

3363 total posts

Name:
Afternoon

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by Bamama

Posted by afternoondelight828

Posted by NervousNell

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you





Exactly and I tell people to do this all the time. Not sure why people pick up the phone if they don't recognize the number.



This call came from a local, unblocked number. I have two kids in school and get calls from teachers/nurses on occasion from numbers that are not in my address book on my phone. I would never not answer the phone while they are in school.




Why not? Don't you have an answering machine or voicemail on your cellphone?

Posted 12/8/15 4:19 PM
 

Bamama
LIF Adult

Member since 8/11

991 total posts

Name:

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by afternoondelight828

Posted by Bamama

Posted by afternoondelight828

Posted by NervousNell

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you





Exactly and I tell people to do this all the time. Not sure why people pick up the phone if they don't recognize the number.



This call came from a local, unblocked number. I have two kids in school and get calls from teachers/nurses on occasion from numbers that are not in my address book on my phone. I would never not answer the phone while they are in school.




Why not? Don't you have an answering machine or voicemail on your cellphone?



I can't believe that I came on to share this, to hopefully prevent someone else's panic or even worse, loss of money, and now I have to defend myself.
Ok.
If one of my children is sick or hurt, I would not want to waste any precious moments waiting for a message to be left, listened to and then I would still have to take time to return the call.
If you don't have children, I imagine perhaps you don't understand this. But I'm not judging anyone for not answering their phone, even though people feel that they need to chime in and respond that they would never have put themselves in the situation I found myself in.

If you don't need the advice, no need to blame the (potential) victim. I wasn't looking for people who are obviously much smarter than I am, to tell me that I shouldn't answer my phone.

Posted 12/8/15 4:54 PM
 

afternoondelight828
LIF Adult

Member since 1/13

3363 total posts

Name:
Afternoon

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Posted by Bamama

Posted by afternoondelight828

Posted by Bamama

Posted by afternoondelight828

Posted by NervousNell

This is why I never answer my phone if it's a number I don't recognize.
Ever
If it's important they can leave a message
9 times out of 10 they hang up.
If I don't recognize the number I am quite sure I don't want to talk to you





Exactly and I tell people to do this all the time. Not sure why people pick up the phone if they don't recognize the number.



This call came from a local, unblocked number. I have two kids in school and get calls from teachers/nurses on occasion from numbers that are not in my address book on my phone. I would never not answer the phone while they are in school.




Why not? Don't you have an answering machine or voicemail on your cellphone?



I can't believe that I came on to share this, to hopefully prevent someone else's panic or even worse, loss of money, and now I have to defend myself.
Ok.
If one of my children is sick or hurt, I would not want to waste any precious moments waiting for a message to be left, listened to and then I would still have to take time to return the call.
If you don't have children, I imagine perhaps you don't understand this. But I'm not judging anyone for not answering their phone, even though people feel that they need to chime in and respond that they would never have put themselves in the situation I found myself in.

If you don't need the advice, no need to blame the (potential) victim. I wasn't looking for people who are obviously much smarter than I am, to tell me that I shouldn't answer my phone.



I actually have 2, a tween and teen who were in daycare since 12 weeks old and I worked full time. I understand getting the calls and sometimes did (most of them were the number of the daycare or school though so I knew exactly who it was).
I am a big advocate of not answering the phone though if you don't know the number. I can never stress this enough and that is the reason why this still happens because people do.

Posted 12/8/15 5:18 PM
 

afternoondelight828
LIF Adult

Member since 1/13

3363 total posts

Name:
Afternoon

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

If one of my children is sick or hurt, I would not want to waste any precious moments waiting for a message to be left, listened to and then I would still have to take time to return the call.




I don't really get this as if you would see the phone ringing and not recognize the number and still answer, wouldn't you get the message just a few seconds after that anyway?

Posted 12/8/15 5:55 PM
 

BargainMama
LIF Adult

Member since 5/09

15660 total posts

Name:

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

This scam has been going on for YEARS! I would be surprised if people actually send this crooks money!

Posted 12/8/15 6:47 PM
 

Chatham-Chick
*********************

Member since 5/05

10312 total posts

Name:

Re: Beware- phone scam- family member in accident

Thank you for the heads up!!! I told my family about it as well.

In regards to not answering unknown numbers, I tend to do that, but I have missed emergency phone calls as a result. :-/

Posted 12/8/15 6:48 PM
 
 

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Topic Posted By Started Replies Forum
Phone scam beware! Leb 5/6/14 16 Families Helping Families ™
 
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