leichter@lrw.com (Jerry Leichter) (01/24/91)
The {New York Times} a couple of days ago reported on a return to good
old American values: No complicated high tech for these phone
scammers, just simple fast talking. What they do is pick a number at
random, dial it, and tell whoever answers that they are with telephone
security and in the midst of some kind of test. As part of the test,
the victim will shortly receive a call from an operator asking whether
they approve of a third-party charge. The victim is to cooperate with
the investigators and say "yes". If the victim agrees ... well, it
doesn't take much guessing to fill in what happens next.
If the victim disagrees, the scammers will often threaten to cut off
phone service.
Apparently they have little trouble convincing enough people to go
along to make this a going business.
Jerrydas@cs.ucla.edu (David Smallberg) (01/29/91)
In article <16404@accuvax.nwu.edu> leichter@lrw.com (Jerry Leichter) writes: [Phone scammers call random numbers and claim to be telco security conducting a test. Victim is told to say "yes" to the following call asking approval of a 3rd-party charge.] >If the victim disagrees, the scammers will often threaten to cut off >phone service. How foolish of them -- I'll bet fewer people would think something was amiss if instead the scammers said, "Well, in that case we'll have to schedule a visit to your premises. During what four-hour period will an adult be present, etc.". The hassle involved would probably get more victims to give in. Are any telcos planning to automate the third-party charge approval call with a voice-recognition system, the way that many collect call approvals are now done? I imagine there's plenty of scam potential there, if so. David Smallberg, das@cs.ucla.edu, ...!{uunet,ucbvax,rutgers}!cs.ucla.edu!das [Moderator's Note: Illinois Bell has collect and third-number charge approval completely automated. After dialing the number and the 0 for operator assistance a recording says "to place a collect call dial 11; to place a third-number call, dial 12; otherwise dial 0 once again to reach an operator." You then record your name, are placed on hold while the request is verified, then connected (or disconnected!) as appropriate. The other nice thing we have here is we can have our lines set to automatically deny collect/third number billings if desired. The IBT/AT&T data base will tell operators everywhere that you do not accept such calls without the operator even bothering to call you and ask. PAT]