The Scammer Hotline
Added 2022-06-01 16:05:06 +0000 UTCHave you ever fancied spending your time receiving nothing but scam phone calls? I've been given access to new technology which allows anyone to barge into outbound scam calls. It's as if the scammers are only phoning scam baiters!
If you'd like to try this out, call 1-606-SCAMMER (1-606-722-6637) you'll get talking to a scammer as if they've just just called you. If you use TextNow (See: TextNow.com), you'll not even pay for your call!
The phone calls will round-robin through a few difference scam call centres, so keep re-dialing for different types of scams.
Remember, while they're talking to you, they're not scamming your grandparents.
Comments
I'm in the UK 🇬🇧. Is that number still valid and will it cost me to call? I wanna play the scammers 😁
Aurora
2023-11-11 16:01:12 +0000 UTCDisregard that...Tracfone sucks!
Alex Harl
2022-10-08 03:42:38 +0000 UTCIt says call not sent!
Alex Harl
2022-10-08 03:41:17 +0000 UTCWhat happened? I can't call!
Alex Harl
2022-10-08 03:41:01 +0000 UTCI make it my priority to talk to these kinds of scams but the ones that boil my blood are these new scams that are providing end of life insurance for burial, cremation, money for loved ones shit is sick and no connection is needed but they try to pull any and all info including your SSN, billing address name birthdate and are exclusively targeting those 50 and up roped one the other night for almost 2 1/2 hours before he caught on and cussed me out for about 5 mins and hung up. Only thing that sucks is they use spoof numbers so you can’t just called them back
Matt B
2022-08-24 23:09:55 +0000 UTCThere are fewer call centers active on a Sunday. Hope to get a few more into the dialler tomorrow.
Jim Browning
2022-08-21 18:03:09 +0000 UTCI’ve been trying to call it, but I get a message that says it’s “under maintenance “.
Mary Ann Ellis
2022-08-21 17:51:08 +0000 UTCIt isn’t working for me
Noah Madole
2022-07-26 18:33:13 +0000 UTCI been incognito for a bit now, SOOO sorry. I didn't realize Jim had opened this back up again for additional calls. I am not in Australia (sorry to say) am landlocked in the US . Well the first call I made to the number when Jim released it I was offered the free light bulbs as well as the new AC/HEAT unit. But mostly, I just dragged out all the calls, typing them up from calling someone else, with distracting questions.
Valerie C
2022-07-05 05:00:10 +0000 UTCThat was only a couple of days ago - seemed to go to a message bank just then.
Ben
2022-07-04 11:38:51 +0000 UTCIs the number active?
Karthikeyan Vaithilingam
2022-07-04 05:24:12 +0000 UTCAnother number for those interested for annoying PayPal scammers - $689 owed to PayPal.... - (US) +1 (877) 605-3069.
Ben
2022-07-03 04:52:28 +0000 UTC@Valerie C All official Australia government websites end with .gov.au So a Victorian government one would be vic.gov.au or for New South Wales nsw.gov.au and the same for the other state government websites.
Brendan
2022-06-24 02:22:37 +0000 UTCI kept getting the same two guys with the female Amazon voice scam. I probably talked to the same guy 10x. I was asking if he could help me with a pickup line. He told me to Google it. Rude.
Josh
2022-06-20 22:44:17 +0000 UTCNice.... I have a call to make :)
Jim Browning
2022-06-14 09:52:33 +0000 UTCI received a "You purchased $500.00 worth of Bitcoin (BTC)" email invoice from "PayPal AU" via Quickbooks just today with a phone number. To cancel (waste a scammers time) this transaction call 1800 841 430 (AU Toll Free Number). +61 1800 841 430 with AU prefix. Good luck!I
Ben
2022-06-14 09:43:11 +0000 UTC@Valerie C are you in Australia as I am and love to know if the ph number works here, I’m in Qld and we had a free light globe change over program but that was over a decade ago but they didn’t come to your home rather there were thousands of pickup places to get them from, however there was a water wise program that for $15 a council government plumber (my dad was one) came to your home and changed your shower heads and taps to water saving shower heads and flow taps
Banshee
2022-06-10 13:31:41 +0000 UTCThis number is amazing.
Jason Bedford
2022-06-09 17:19:03 +0000 UTCDoug, I do not think that is how it works. As Jim says, "you'll get talking to a scammer as if they've just just called you". But the manner in which their call is getting hooked may have a characteristic they are now recognising.
Syd
2022-06-08 14:51:10 +0000 UTCThis has been great fun messing with them. Are you able to share how many simultaneous calls your system can handle?
Joshua Rouw
2022-06-07 19:55:00 +0000 UTCJim, Any chance you can get me an Australian connection to this?
Ash Loveday
2022-06-07 12:29:30 +0000 UTCI gotta try this. I miss my new friend Bhenchod from the Australian tax department with the warrant for my arrest.... he was going to romance my wife.
Ash Loveday
2022-06-07 12:20:59 +0000 UTCThis is brilliant. Upon recognizing my voice one of the scammers yelled "I didn't call you motherfucker" and hung up. Lol.
Greg Krimer
2022-06-04 12:14:16 +0000 UTCCalled 9PM West Coast US time - no scammers online
Valerie C
2022-06-04 03:54:06 +0000 UTCOn the first night calling the scammers, I went to the gov site for Australia to see what information they had for the 2 different scams, one was bulbs, the other was new AC/Heat unit. So I pulled down some of the handouts from the site just wanted to get educated to drag out the calls with the scammers. Point it moot at this juncture :P
Valerie C
2022-06-04 03:48:55 +0000 UTCTried to call today 18:37 EST… msg came on “No Scammers currently online, please call later.” ☹️
André Forcier
2022-06-03 22:38:45 +0000 UTCThis is the greatest thing I've ever seen. I'll go buy a burner phone tomorrow.
General Jack Ripper
2022-06-03 19:14:07 +0000 UTCkeep getting hung up on with the Amazon 79.99 auto renewal. I ask who's this and they click. some woman keeps answering
Jennifer Grandchamp
2022-06-03 12:45:55 +0000 UTC“Are they able to see my phone number at their end?” - Jim said you’ll look like a random incoming caller their end. I think they get used to the experience every so often and just hang up all calls.
Paulo
2022-06-03 12:13:10 +0000 UTCSee how long you can keep them going before you land the scum point. The longer you can keep them going the higher the pain for them (make them invest a lot of their scripted process, then reveal what a waste it was… dynamite!)
Paulo
2022-06-03 11:50:48 +0000 UTCThe next challenge is to see how long you can keep one scammer going for!
Paulo
2022-06-03 11:47:13 +0000 UTCTextnow has started banning accounts ringing that number citing TOS violations.
Jake
2022-06-03 05:16:16 +0000 UTCWhat’s that?
Paulo
2022-06-03 02:17:24 +0000 UTCAny interest in discovery reviewing the 2 website docs download?
Valerie C
2022-06-03 01:16:39 +0000 UTCAgree it is evil, I use the kill them with love strategy - or talk their ear off using my high wit intellect
Valerie C
2022-06-03 01:09:53 +0000 UTCYO - 6:PM West Coast USA time. Just tried number, first call, got recording number not in service; second call, busy signal...will keep trying every 30 mins or so...
Valerie C
2022-06-03 00:50:01 +0000 UTCAh, looks like the number isn’t working anymore. I’m guessing the call centers linked to the number changed there systems or shut down. It was fun while it lasted though! I’d love to do this again!
Sami
2022-06-03 00:39:52 +0000 UTCClever, will try that on my next call. Gotta wrap some stuff up for now, will circle back to this post 6P
Valerie C
2022-06-02 22:02:23 +0000 UTCOk, finally got to a scammer after 7 calls. they had name confirmed I was Ashley McElroy, This time it was the "Government Grant" for new AC/Heating Unit. They are not using the Solar Program Asked for birthday gave them fake month/day - asked for year, I declined. Asked my age, I said 65 you can figure out the year now.... he hung up.
Valerie C
2022-06-02 21:59:11 +0000 UTCSame here, I'm back at it now, almost 3PM west coast US. I blocked my number, as I did yesterday with pretty good success - but they say hello, I say hello, they hang up. Last night I entered a comment that when they initiate hang up, you get the message "press 1 for scammer" you press one, it goes direct them, but line drops. I stopped using the recycle message to press 1 and just always did the new call with a fresh dial.
Valerie C
2022-06-02 21:50:07 +0000 UTCScott, burner phone - great idea.
Valerie C
2022-06-02 21:31:55 +0000 UTCROFLOL
Valerie C
2022-06-02 21:23:13 +0000 UTC8 minutes hilarious time with a guy telling me how to lie to questions to get money for free from the government. My old lady voice
Paulo
2022-06-02 21:04:24 +0000 UTCThe scammers are getting annoyed I think. I push 1 and they disconnect. I push 1 again and they disconnect. Eventually we are back to “No scammers are currently on line” - does that mean they left “the phone off the hook”?
Paulo
2022-06-02 20:45:05 +0000 UTCYeah, there must be some admin cost. Wonder what that looks like for the volume of people willing to take part. Good luck Jim getting a solution. Wish I was retired and comfy and able to help!
Paulo
2022-06-02 20:41:14 +0000 UTCThat’s awesome Josh!!!
Paulo
2022-06-02 20:33:10 +0000 UTCPick whichever you like. Both are very acceptable!
Paulo
2022-06-02 20:31:39 +0000 UTCLove love love that idea. Demoralise them.
Paulo
2022-06-02 20:29:30 +0000 UTCI will be looking into the economics part of this soon... The calls themselves cost next to nothing, but paying salaries is another matter.
Jim Browning
2022-06-02 20:10:54 +0000 UTCMy new schtick is to sound older (mostly by talking slow) and I ask for confirmation numbers again ... then I repeat it back incorrectly. I'll tell them I need a pen from the other room .... or this pen ran out of ink ... When I'm working and I don't have the time to mess with them, sometimes I'll just call and get someone on the phone and at some point put the phone down. Sometimes they'll stay there for 10 min's waiting for me. There has to be a tipping point where this is no longer profitable for them.
Jim Bustamante
2022-06-02 20:07:06 +0000 UTCOh this is too much fun! Having a blast telling these scammers what the English phrase “scum of the earth” means. I am quickly disconnected, but the point is made.
BStryk
2022-06-02 17:36:14 +0000 UTCEveryone needs a boogeyman. Jim's theirs :)
David Bullock
2022-06-02 17:33:56 +0000 UTCWe're not doing it for us, we're doing it for the vulnerable. Tie up their time. Demoralize them.
David Bullock
2022-06-02 17:28:49 +0000 UTCOmg Jim I haven’t had so much fun in a very long time lol this is the bomb 🙌🏽thank you so much for sharing this ❤️
Stephanie Humphries
2022-06-02 16:39:07 +0000 UTCDude this is so much fun. One scam call was about having duplicate Amazon accounts and the lady on the phone asked me if I wanted to cancel one of them. I just told her “yeah I’ll keep both” then she told me to fuck off and hung up LMAO
Sami
2022-06-02 16:32:27 +0000 UTCLol-Cano... :)
JediBhuddist
2022-06-02 11:10:37 +0000 UTCDUDE THIS IS AWESOME!!! I literally was able to call 3 different scammers within 3 minutes. The last girl on the phone tried to convince me that she makes money based on how much time she spends with me on the phone I just told her “you know that’s a lie you make money based on the scams you pull” and she just hung up lmao
Sami
2022-06-02 08:14:04 +0000 UTCJim can say if this is right, but I expect they can't see your number, because you're calling a number they don't control and they're reaching you on their outbound call. But not sure.
Craig Browning
2022-06-02 06:55:02 +0000 UTCThere WAS a lightbulb initiative in 2009/10. AGL partnered with the Bendigo Bank and the Lions Club text from site: *Ban The Bulb (2009-2010):A joint project with AGL and Bendigo Bank, whereby community organisations (Lion's Clubs, sporting groups, SES) were trained by LESS and installed CFLs in residents' homes. LESS made a financial donation of over $423,000 to the 53 community organisations that participated in the project. Ban the Bulb became an important fundraising project for rural and regional community organisations. The project installed 189,666 low energy lights into more than 12,500 homes and 22,169 low energy lights to SME across regional Victoria. Bendigo Bank Community Bank® branches provided links to recruit community organisations to be involved in the project and took bookings from customers at their bank branches. The project provided installation services and trained and supported over 1,000 volunteers.*
Valerie C
2022-06-02 06:52:10 +0000 UTC11:30PM USA time. At this writing - no scammers online. I've downloaded and am pouring over the roadmap for Victoria Energy Program, the fact sheet for how to apply online to qualify for the rebate and/or solar panels, ac/heating units. And the user guide for accessing the portal to enter all your information (which we can perhaps assume has been hacked, and may be the "list" the scammers are working from the make their calls)). In BING I entered "Is Victoria, Australia doing an energy program? and, two initial popups displayed, they don't appear to be bogus, but I didn't click either. There are definitely TWO different websites for the initiative. Solar Victoria and Energy Victoria Government (energy.vic.gov - appears to be main site) and you can hook into the home-level program portal from that site, from a link in the bottom of the main which is where I downloaded the documents from. There IS no "lightbulb" program mentioned in any content. I think that is the scammer's hook, but the guy used the new heater/cooler initiative on me, which is legit, but then offered the free lightbulbs which I've not seen anything to confirm that IS legit.
Valerie C
2022-06-02 06:38:51 +0000 UTCJust an observation, when the scammer picks up and you say hello first and they hang up on you, you can hear this "swoop" tone and then the message "press 1 to speak to a scammer" recycles; and if you press 1 again without completely hanging up you get the message "no scammers onlin"; however, if you are hung up on, you must completely disconnect the call without pressing "1" again, you don't get the no scammers online message. you tracking?
Valerie C
2022-06-02 05:43:12 +0000 UTCIt's 10:30PM USA time. Made two calls. 1st one dropped me soon as heard my voice. Second scammer was amazon iphone order, Ann, ept her on the phone, she said phone was getting delivered to address in californi how was that possible since my address is in australia, I said I have family in California, she hung up on me. Now getting message no scammers online. Will try again in another hour - yup I will still be awake
Valerie C
2022-06-02 05:34:25 +0000 UTCOne more thing, he said the call center was in Melbourne. I asked who he got the list of names from for the se cold calls and he said the government gave it to them. I think the next call i'm going to try to get as far as actually seeing if he will take a credit card, of course, I will use a Walmart Visa debit card that has about 10 bucks balance on it :P The reason I want to get that far is because I am worried, if they are actually sending people to the house to scope it out for robbery...that is a horrible crime...otherwise what is the actual point? That is truly worrisome.
Valerie C
2022-06-02 05:17:32 +0000 UTCI'm sorry if I'm responding to the wrong comments; my refresh seems to be loading only a few remarks at a time. Anyway, @ 8:50 PM U.S. time, got the message no scammers online so, I waited an hour. They are back in business if anyone from US is out there having fun with me. Just started canvas calling again. Apparently they have only LAST NAMES and addresses because he asked for my first name and gave me an confirmed the address they had on file. once he hit me up to schedule the visit he ALSO asked if I was interested in getting free energy efficient light bulbs ALSO being offered by the government He asked if I already got a call on that, and I said yesterday, but the call dropped and they never returned my call. Then I asked how much and he said we are not asking you for any money up front, that would be a scam and illegal. I asked him the name of the government person they were sending "Shahad" he said, and I asked for his last name, he said we don't have their last names. Then he told me to go online and enter www.gov.VICTORIAN.energy. I said VICTORIAN, he says yes that is the city, I said it's NOT a city....VICTORIAN is an ERA you scammer. he said we are NOT scamming, we are not asking any money up front. I said, NO you are doing worse, you are sending people to someone's home to scope out the place so you can bring them harm. And then that convo went on....then I got annoyed with his demeanor and said not interested, take me off your call list. Egg on face - there is actually several links online that direct one to the energy program for the Victorian's who live in Victoria. I'm pouring through what the Victoria Energy Minister has presumably posted and is proposing to see if I can get enough information to drag out the call with one of the energy-related scammers.
Valerie C
2022-06-02 05:15:39 +0000 UTCNice one Craig! I'm picking up a burner phone tomorrow and I'll have some fun with that. Now I need to go and practice my Nigerian language.
scott kochman
2022-06-02 05:11:16 +0000 UTCI have an idea if someone wants to do it to troll them. Insist that you KNOW they are Nigerian scammers, and yell at them in pretend Nigerian language, and say in English, YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID. Make up things about how you traced their location to a city in Nigeria and you can see their webcam and see they are Nigerian.
Craig Browning
2022-06-02 04:55:54 +0000 UTCOr both.
Craig Browning
2022-06-02 04:51:59 +0000 UTCthis post should just be titled "do you want a new hobby?"
marika cpl
2022-06-02 04:34:11 +0000 UTCYes…. Just a windows VM that i have on a separate network at home and i have a snapshot so that if i let them control it, and they install malware i restore it to a known state for each time.. i like to let them log in remotely and when they connect they see Jims video playing in the background and i ask them if they were one of the scammers in the picture.. 😀
Steve Jones
2022-06-02 04:06:06 +0000 UTCI've called 7 times. Now getting no scammers currently online. Will try again in an hour
Valerie C
2022-06-02 03:52:32 +0000 UTCYou gotta change your voice, talk through a pillow case....put on a foreign accent...the SKY IS THE LIMIT
Valerie C
2022-06-02 03:45:46 +0000 UTCIT IS SO MUCH FUN
Valerie C
2022-06-02 03:44:29 +0000 UTCI keep just trying to flirt with them at some point. Guy or woman. 😂
Josh
2022-06-02 03:40:15 +0000 UTCThis last call was the light-bulb scam again. I was a very excited scamee....then we got to the point of getting ready to schedule the replacement and I said, wiat a minute what are you doing with the OLD bulbs...he said hold on let me ask my manager....one minute hold (no elevator music....boring) he came back and said, they are going to decommission them, I said, wait a minute, what do you mean by de-commission? I used to work for a recycling mogul and I know what decommission means, it means grind them up and make them into something else, is that what you are doing. He said, let me ask, hold the line, don't hang up. He comes back and said they are going to demolish them, so I said, woah, demolish them and then what, put them in the ocean, or in a landfill? Or what because you know we've made enough mess of this planet and I really don't want the new bulbs, much as I'd love to have new bulbs all through my house, but I don't want them if you are just going to put them in a land fill, I mean can you even grind carbon based lightbulbs and dump them in the land without harming the water table....then he hung up. I can't seem to keep anyone on the line for more than 10 minutes. Maybe I am BORING them to death....
Valerie C
2022-06-02 03:38:02 +0000 UTCWhat’s up with the light rebate for Australia? Haven’t heard this scam.
Josh
2022-06-02 03:36:24 +0000 UTCAmazing, Valerie 😂 I, too, have an appointment for free LED lights to be installed 😂😂
sleepyjoshua
2022-06-02 03:32:36 +0000 UTCare we supposed to play along with the scam to keep them from calling someone else, or try to talk them off the ledge from what they are doing?
Valerie C
2022-06-02 03:22:27 +0000 UTCSo the 2nd time, I got free energy efficient lights,, first he thought I was a man and called me Mr. Jay so and so....then the more he talked to me the more I raised my voice and he started calling me ma'am. asked me how many lights I had in the house and I told him about 50 because it's a four story house (LOL I live in a 700 sq ft apt which makes that even more ironic) so I said bring 50 and he can take the rest back with him and then I pretended my pretend husband Jay was hollering at me to make some coffee so I said hang on James, then I hollered I'm on the phone we are getting free light bulbs they want to come replace them tomorrow, he said the government was giving them to us....so I came back on and apologized, crying, telling him my husband was yelling at me and I was afraid he was going to hit me because he didn't want new light bulbs and then he hung up on me....
Valerie C
2022-06-02 03:19:51 +0000 UTCOH MY GOSH this is a total blast. First guy hung up on me in less than 2 minutes. I snuggled up to him and got all friendly and he finally got down to business after about a minute and said he saw an order for iPhone 11 with Amazon and I said, oh I did but it wasn't the 11 it was the 10...why what's going on....and he hung up....LOL
Valerie C
2022-06-02 03:11:26 +0000 UTCI wish I could get my Dad on this, but he's gone (died at 92). He was scammed when he was 86, totally blind his only ailment and sharp as a tack he was. They told him his eldest nephew (who happened to be his favorite) was in jail in Germany or some such place and he had to send 3K if he wanted to ever see him again. He said hold on I need to call my daughter - me - and I said, Oh Pop, you gotta mess with them, it's fake. So he did for about 30 minutes and then we had a good long term laugh over it. Old people, you gotta love em, eh?!
Valerie C
2022-06-02 03:06:43 +0000 UTCLOL - Insane in the brain
Valerie C
2022-06-02 02:57:29 +0000 UTCI’m not mature enough to do this. 😂
Josh
2022-06-02 02:57:28 +0000 UTCwhat's it involve? I'm apprehensive but OH SO CURIOUS but mostly want to assist you JIM, I mean YOU can't BE everywhere and DO everything. I'm also in the U.S. Can I set my caller ID to BLOCK for outgoing? I mean someone give me the long and short of it. TA and Cheers....
Valerie C
2022-06-02 02:54:13 +0000 UTCI was able to get in but need to set up a text now so I won't expose my number
Jennifer Grandchamp
2022-06-02 01:48:55 +0000 UTCIf they open tomorrow I think they’ll have another poor day!
Paulo
2022-06-02 01:28:21 +0000 UTCI was just thinking, are they complaining to the carrier of the numbers calling them. Though I know the carrier of the number we call and I don’t think they would entertain the complaints from them. The carriers get complaints about these scammers so they probably prefer to have this service live and making the business model less profitable. Less for the carrier to waste time investigating.
Paulo
2022-06-02 01:27:09 +0000 UTCWell that’s annoying :(
Paulo
2022-06-02 01:22:51 +0000 UTCOne of the scammers asked me if I knew Jim Browning. They know about this.
Jeff Christofferson
2022-06-02 01:13:46 +0000 UTCOh yes please add more!
Paulo
2022-06-02 01:13:18 +0000 UTCI’m sure you are right on that. On both counts 😂
Paulo
2022-06-02 01:08:45 +0000 UTCI have to assume that Jim wouldn’t recommend this service to us if he thought it would show scammers our numbers. The Amazon fraudulent iPhone scammer guy was clearly defeated with all the scambaiters who called him today 😃
Krishna Ramaraju
2022-06-02 01:05:18 +0000 UTCThe reaction that many of us are getting, that scammers aren’t answering or hanging up quickly, is typical when they are getting lots of scambaiters. I really like this service and find it better than running through scammer.info for numbers to call. The only problem is that out of 5 calls I made today 3 went to the same scammers running the Amazon fraudulent iPhone purchase scam.
Krishna Ramaraju
2022-06-02 01:00:58 +0000 UTCIs a honeypot machine a VM?
Paulo
2022-06-02 00:56:02 +0000 UTCMe too. What fun!!
Paulo
2022-06-02 00:55:01 +0000 UTCThey did not call me back. I imagine the number they see is a different number than mine?
Paulo
2022-06-02 00:53:48 +0000 UTCWas working for me. Try again tomorrow maybe?
Paulo
2022-06-02 00:52:58 +0000 UTCOMG I am so with you on that!! Me on FaceTime to Dad while he is on the phone to [insert any domestic IT service provider name] is sooooo frustrating. But we love our parents and so these scammers get what they get from us in retaliation for all their evil work.
Paulo
2022-06-02 00:51:38 +0000 UTCThey can try and excuse their behavior as much as they like. Their religion, Hindu or Christian, as you rightly point out, does not support their actions. Muslims there can’t justify their activities either (unless they are extremists of course). Susan and John need to move on! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Paulo
2022-06-02 00:47:38 +0000 UTCThey are so *Warped.In.The.Head*
Paulo
2022-06-02 00:42:56 +0000 UTCI wonder if the service has been attacked by the evil scum. I can’t think of a reason to block any number from calling it.
Paulo
2022-06-02 00:38:37 +0000 UTCConsider services like Skype, Rebtel, or others that may be cost effective for you (I literally do compare the costs to going to watch a movie etc 😂) - entertainment and socially beneficial!
Paulo
2022-06-02 00:35:22 +0000 UTCNormal for this time of evening (in the US) - they literally are not “open” at this time in the India (mainly) call centers. Or they have had such a bad day they were all sent home early!
Paulo
2022-06-02 00:33:12 +0000 UTCThe scammer hotline is now saying "No scammers are currently online".
Jeff Christofferson
2022-06-02 00:13:09 +0000 UTCI’m rubbing my hands together in anticipation of the fun. Thank you Jim. If we can make life for these scumbags harder it’s a good thing.
Phillip Porch III
2022-06-01 23:57:06 +0000 UTCWill there be a local dial in number from Australia as I’d like to have fun with these scammers too.
Paul Fisher
2022-06-01 23:52:08 +0000 UTCYup. You will look like a random caller in their outbound call list.
Jim Browning
2022-06-01 23:26:27 +0000 UTCSeems to be blocking google voice numbers though - I'd like to be able to make the calls through my PC headset w/ google, but I dont even get to the first message
Steve Jones
2022-06-01 22:45:09 +0000 UTCIt seems that we're coming in instead of an outbound call they're trying to make... so they dont know who they are talking to..
Steve Jones
2022-06-01 22:42:52 +0000 UTCSame.. I'm starting to be able to tell who picks up.. "Alex - Dont hang up"... Nope.. "Alex" hangs up.. :-)
Steve Jones
2022-06-01 22:40:41 +0000 UTCProbably because they keep reaching scam baiters :) keep trying... More groups will be added over time.
Jim Browning
2022-06-01 22:04:03 +0000 UTCBrilliant idea!!! 🍻
André Forcier
2022-06-01 21:44:05 +0000 UTCThey're definitely on to us.. about half the time they're hanging up before they even say hi.. when I do get someone, they are hanging up at the first hint of me being slow. I'm going to have to get a faster honeypot machine.
Steve Jones
2022-06-01 21:37:57 +0000 UTCI'll give the text now a go in the morning Cheers JB
JediBhuddist
2022-06-01 21:18:36 +0000 UTCThey kept hanging up on me
sleepyjoshua
2022-06-01 21:16:55 +0000 UTCI love when they call and I have a free time. Every minute they are on the phone with me it another minute they are not scamming someone else. Now, I can CALL THEM when I have some free time. This is the greatest thing EVER
Jim Bustamante
2022-06-01 19:48:49 +0000 UTCLove this!
David Bullock
2022-06-01 19:31:56 +0000 UTCNo, but from reading all the latest comments, it sounds like they know this number
Ryan Dunn
2022-06-01 19:29:37 +0000 UTCThey are engaging me now. They are admitting everything.
Jeff Christofferson
2022-06-01 19:20:00 +0000 UTCWhen the U.K. can do this, I’ll put them on with my Dad- he’ll have them crying with frustration in 5 minutes- he does it to me whenever I try to get him to do something. At least I can use his powers for good…….
Lorna Mangan
2022-06-01 18:47:31 +0000 UTCI seem to only be able to get through to the “Daniel with Amazon” people. I did have some interesting conversations, actually. They say they are doing this because they don’t have better opportunities available. One “Susan” was sarcastically saying she is just lazy, but I told her she is better than that. She was saying I should do something else to help them then, so I started asking about what her education background was. She kept hanging up, but I would get her when I called again. Another “John” was an interesting conversation. I asked him if he was Hindu and if he knew what Karma was. He said he was Christian so I told him that what he was doing not the way Jesus would want us treating others and that there was forgiveness and wholeness available to him outside of scamming. He seemed pretty discouraged and told me I didn’t know what it was like for him. I told him about good friends I have in India who are surviving without scamming people. Of course, he hung up, but I got him back again a few times.
David Eustace
2022-06-01 18:38:15 +0000 UTCOMG I just spoke with a scammer who said "We only get to keep 50% of the money". He justified his activity by saying that the governments reimburse the victims so they are not victims. He said Governments are a scam so there is nothing wrong with scamming people because the Governments are the ones who pay and they are scammers too.
Jeff Christofferson
2022-06-01 18:34:37 +0000 UTCThey seem to be on to us: I just blocked my caller id and they hung up on me in the first 5 seconds.
Jeff Christofferson
2022-06-01 18:25:30 +0000 UTCHappening to me too. It worked until recently
Rock Lee
2022-06-01 18:21:31 +0000 UTChas it been shut down? I'm on hold then asked to continuously press 1
Jennifer Grandchamp
2022-06-01 18:17:56 +0000 UTCYeah, the scammer was desperate to get me in front of my computer. I don’t run a gmail either (yet!)… still 7 minutes of joy 🤩
Paulo
2022-06-01 18:14:02 +0000 UTCAh, so they don’t know our number we are calling from?
Paulo
2022-06-01 18:11:44 +0000 UTCThe number 1-606-SCAMMER must spoof your number when calling the scammer for you. I think anyway.
Paulo
2022-06-01 18:09:54 +0000 UTCI have been letting them call through to my personal numbers so I can harrass them, and a couple of call centers start hanging up on me once (I presume) they keep seeing my caller ID pop up. Same call centers with different scam pitches (extended warranty, Amazon order, yada yada).
Gary Maxwell
2022-06-01 18:09:04 +0000 UTC7 minutes with an Amazon Scammer ;) … wonder if they will call me back now they have my number.
Paulo
2022-06-01 18:06:55 +0000 UTCI've been calling them non-stop for the last hour. They have figured out who I am and they won't take my call anymore. Are they able to see my phone number at their end? How do they know its me?
Jeff Christofferson
2022-06-01 17:55:27 +0000 UTCFYI, Kentucky # so local from US.
Matthew B NJ
2022-06-01 17:44:34 +0000 UTCToo much fun!!! 29 minutes with “Amazon”
Matthew B NJ
2022-06-01 17:42:42 +0000 UTCworks well, just delayed a scammer just for a bit. When I have more time i'll go longer
Ian Hannah
2022-06-01 17:39:08 +0000 UTCoh that was wonderful, I really hope those are being recorded
James Thatcher
2022-06-01 17:23:29 +0000 UTCThis is great. I just talked to two scammers and wasted their time
Gerhard Peters
2022-06-01 17:19:56 +0000 UTCIt's great, but as far as actually taking up the time of scammers, my impression is they make a tiny fraction of what scambaiters do, so it's pretty inefficient. Other things like Jim's attacks on their infrastructure or the rare case the police will do anything and reporting them to other companies they use seem more helpful.
Craig Browning
2022-06-01 17:14:41 +0000 UTCThis looks fun!
TheManGamer03's Gaming
2022-06-01 17:09:52 +0000 UTCHAHA This is so much fun. By the way, the number, names and address all linked to the outbound number you are calling from cannot be traced to you own information. They thought I was someone by the name of Gloria.
Ryan Dunn
2022-06-01 17:05:50 +0000 UTCwowowow!
Steeven Gaulin
2022-06-01 16:49:02 +0000 UTCI would ask to repost on other social media but then they'll know what we're doing
Elizabeth Calvert
2022-06-01 16:48:14 +0000 UTCThis is brilliant and I am here for this!!!!
Elizabeth Calvert
2022-06-01 16:47:47 +0000 UTCI hope you are recording these conversations. I had one scammer for about 10 minutes, but drew the line when he wanted me to run supremo. (I wasn't on a VM)
Jimmy Sarmiento
2022-06-01 16:47:29 +0000 UTCThis is spectacular
David Perkins
2022-06-01 16:46:49 +0000 UTCWhat's your opinion on bobrtc ?
Raymus Munt
2022-06-01 16:44:45 +0000 UTCThis is fantastic and can't wait to try it after work.. On a similar subject, I've begun collecting anydesk IDs from those I convince to connect to my honeypot PC. If you have a way to discover their passwords, and/or some way to utilize the IDs from known scammers, let me know. I'd love to have that info, and/or I'll give you the IDs if you can't share that detail.
Steve Jones
2022-06-01 16:40:49 +0000 UTCCanada too please :)
Atef Marzouki
2022-06-01 16:16:10 +0000 UTCLove it! You're amazing!
Danae Panayiotidou
2022-06-01 16:15:49 +0000 UTCThis is awesome, I already spent some time chatting with a few Amazon scammers
Krishna Ramaraju
2022-06-01 16:13:27 +0000 UTCAt present, it's for US numbers only. I'll see if we can extend it to the UK too.
Jim Browning
2022-06-01 16:11:50 +0000 UTCWonderful!
Bjørn-André Henriksen
2022-06-01 16:10:59 +0000 UTCWhat an exceptionally fun idea! Whack 'em on speaker while I paint, and that's a jolly afternoon sorted. Thanks our Jim!
Lucian Summerisle
2022-06-01 16:10:32 +0000 UTCWill they see the number i use?
Rob
2022-06-01 16:10:32 +0000 UTC@Jim Browning I send you a scammer email on Skype
christian gaskinas
2022-06-01 16:08:35 +0000 UTCThis is brilliant! Any chance you might be able to add some international dial-in numbers for this (i.e. UK)?
manicminer
2022-06-01 16:08:33 +0000 UTCGreat work Jim! This is an awesome thing you put together for the community and will certainly hinder scambaiting. Thank you for all the hard work you do. It is certainly not overlooked and we are eternally grateful. <3
Seb Csontos
2022-06-01 16:08:32 +0000 UTC
