Phishing for Credit Card Numbers

[COlady]

I just received a phone call from an Indian sounding guy with a Chicago number.

Guy: "I can help you lower your credit card interest rates due to a newly enacted federal law (okay, sounds legit) but I need to know the expiration date of your cc to ensure that I can help you"
Me: "Oh GREAT! It's 07/2019'
Guy: "I can definitely help you. What is the balance on your credit card and what card is it?"
Me: "The balance is around $25k (the balance is truly paid in full every month) and the card is a Chase VISA card"
Guy: "Okay, I can see that the first 4 digits of your card are 4266 (all Chase VISA cards have the same first 4 numbers). I'm going to need you to confirm the last 12 digits of the card".
Me: busting out laughing "Well if you know the whole card number can't I just confirm that last 4?"
Guy: "No, I need you to confirm all 12 numbers"
Me: "No problem, do you need my billing address and DOB too?"
Guy: "well that would certainly be helpful to prove that this is in fact your account"
Me: "Do you think I smoke crack"?
Guy: "Do I think you do what?"
Me: "Do you think I smoke crack cocaine? Like the drug?"
Guy: "I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just trying to help you get a better interest rate"
Me: "Does it help me for you to steal my CC number and sell it to others?"
At this point I can't believe the guy is still talking to me.
Me: "I guess I'm having a hard time understanding how you're going to help me by selling my credit card number to others"
Me: "How do you sleep at night knowing that you're ripping off at risk people? People who might have credit card debt because their child has cancer? People who have lost their jobs and their houses?"
Guy: "I sleep great at night knowing that I help people"
Me: "You're a piece of sh*it and I'm reporting you to the Federal Trade Commission.

I was so mad that I continued on with some other choice words until he hung up. I tried to call the number back and it was a robo number so it didn't even ring. First time I've ever received a call like this.

[galliver]

I was staying at a motel for a conference a few years ago and my phone rings. It's annoying so I pick up.
Him: "Hello, I'm the Regional [something] Manager for [motel chain]. We had some trouble running your card for payment on your room."
Me: "Oh, ok. I'll just head down to the desk to straighten it out then."
Him: "No, ma'am, you need to straighten it out with me now or we will have to call police and start eviction proceedings."
Me: *alarm bells, red flags, sirens, red alert* "Sir, I don't believe you. I think you're scamming me." [wasn't feeling particularly clever/creative]

I don't remember the rest of the conversation, we went back and forth maybe 3-4 lines more, but he tried VERY hard to convince me I needed to sort out "the issue" with him. Eventually, I just hung up and went down to the desk. Phone rang as I walked out.

Someone from another room was reporting literally the EXACT same phone call as I walked up. Tried to make sure the manager would file a police report or something (so at least there would be a record someone was doing this?) but he was very resistant. Not sure if he/the motel ever did anything about it. Sincerely hope no one that night (or ever) fell for that scam. :(

[CmFtns]

Wow so much anger OP...

Pretty much anything official has to come through the mail so therefore I know any phone call that is not recognized is a scam.

So this is what I do:
I pick up the phone, listen to the first few words to make sure it's a scam and not someone I know, and then hang that shit up and go on with my day. Why stress yourself out over these phishing calls?

[jeromedawg]

I simply don't answer the phone or I end the call if I don't recognize the number. If it's important enough, they'll leave me a voicemail or call back and leave a voicemail.

[Tester]

I just ask them who did they call and usually the conversation ends there :).

[BTDretire]

Yesterday, I was at work, my wife called and said there were 3 messages on the answering machine. She started the machine and put the phone near it, The message said I was being sued and needed to call a number immediately. I said, don't worry just some  type of scam. When I got home she said, "What about the messages?" I went to the computer and typed the phone number into Google, first page was about people saying it was an IRS scam, some had a story about keeping the scammer on the line for way to long. I once did that with a Microsoft windows support scammer, everything he wanted me to do caused something he didn't expect! I told him several times, " oh, it just went to a blue screen, let me reboot" it sure took a long time to reboot each time :-) He finally hung up on me.

[redbird]

I simply don't answer the phone or I end the call if I don't recognize the number. If it's important enough, they'll leave me a voicemail or call back and leave a voicemail.

Same. I've been doing this for years now, even when I still had a landline. I very rarely get spam or scam calls that I know about because I simply don't answer the phone when they call.

[JAYSLOL]

Yesterday, I was at work, my wife called and said there were 3 messages on the answering machine. She started the machine and put the phone near it, The message said I was being sued and needed to call a number immediately. I said, don't worry just some  type of scam. When I got home she said, "What about the messages?" I went to the computer and typed the phone number into Google, first page was about people saying it was an IRS scam, some had a story about keeping the scammer on the line for way to long. I once did that with a Microsoft windows support scammer, everything he wanted me to do caused something he didn't expect! I told him several times, " oh, it just went to a blue screen, let me reboot" it sure took a long time to reboot each time :-) He finally hung up on me.

LOL, i've never got one of those calls, but i kind of hope that i do one day when i have A LOT of time to kill.