Hello all,
So I spoke to my mother who damn near having a panic attack because of how angry and scared she was today. All of this was due to a phone that her aunt received, from a fast talking man about some type of debt. My great-aunt calls my mother, who calls this number, and proceeds to have an argument with some stranger. According to my mother, the man asked if he had her SSN correct, which my mother refused to agree or disagree, even though it was correct. He claimed she had a outstanding Visa bill, but my mother told him that she hasn't had a credit card in 8 years. Well the man starting getting angry, claimed her wages would be garnished and they'd see her in court, then hung up on her. Now my mother lost a house 8 years ago, moved around a lot, picked herself back up but this scared her because she thought maybe something would take the money she's re-saved.

I calmed her down, and we discussed how the man getting angry didn't make sense, and that this is probably a scam where they want you to get scared and call back giving more information for them to use. Well, turns out I was right, because my Mother's friend did some online snooping and this group has done this to like 50,000 people. It's a skip-tracing scam where they get dated information through relatives and employers, then through them contact you and get you to think you're in trouble. They scare you but get you thinking they can help you out once they get you a new card number or protect your bank account number,well you all know the rest.

So if anybody has a family member who gets a call about your debt and leaves this number, don't bother, it's all bs.

877-268-9286

And since I brought up the subject of phone scams, hopefully we all know to steer clear of the three long-distance pay-per minute numbers. Now granted AT&T have worked hard after a lot of people have been burned by this, but if you ever get an email, text or phone call that says you have to call about some type of financial mishap with these area codes:

809
284
876

...look into further before you call. Some of these phone relays jump down to Caribbean island junction or across continents. You don't realize that these numbers are pay-per-minute, and can charge up to $500 a minute. The moment you press the buttons to enter the menu it begins, and while you listen to the automated lists, or even speak to a person, you're phone bill is getting raped.

Just figured this is a good way to keep people aware of this and their money safe.

Aw Thanks Spooky!

And thank goodness for you being there to help! UGH! Makes you so angry to think of people pulling this crap on people. I was always told never to give any information out over the phone.

I also heard the other day on the radio that some people are taking great advantage over the jobless situation and making up fake businesses hiring in an attempt to get a hold of your SS number and other personal information in order to steal identites and sell them online.

Never doubt the ingenuity of devious people.

My Mother was upset, but she wasn't going to give any information out.

it's been agreed that if they call anyone else, we're just going to say our lawyer will look into it. But I suppose their just waiting for my mom to call back worried.

I've been getting these darn calls on my cell for awhile myself. I wish I could find the people responsible and hang them up by their ears.

I've been getting calls to my cell too.
Apparently my car insurance ran out (I don't drive)
I'm gotten the same message from different places. My cell phone tells me the state or province the call is coming from. I hate scammers!!!

I don't get scam calls but why do help line calls cost so much?

That's what it is!! The warrenty!!

I also get messages left on my machine every now and then about my car's warranty is supposedly about to expire. I don't worry about that because my father has all the documents and knows whether or not if my warranty is about to expire. I also don't answer the phone unless I know who is calling.

FTC sues cos. to halt auto warranty 'robo-calls'