I am calling from XYZ insurance about the email you sent us about your hot water heater.
There were several things wrong with this. First, I never sent and email. XYZ is not my insurance company. And I don’t have a hot water heater; the building management has a big boiler in the basement and supplies all the apartments with unmetered (and essentially unlimited) hot water. When I was looking the condo over, I searched for the hot water tank until the tenant here told there wasn’t any. So I hung up. She called back immediately and I told her to commit a doubly impossible act and hung up again. She did not call again. I cannot imagine what the scam was going to be.
They are casting a wide net. They will eventually get someone who matches the parameters or thinks that they do and the scam starts there. It could be anything like “if you send us a $50 delivery fee, your insurance company will pay for a new water heater”.
Sadly scammers make a lot of random calls and use a lot of fake iDs.
Think of it as a boring repetitive day for them, following prepared scripts. Of course it’s also nasty and criminal.
Hanging up is good (and you can then block that number.)
Other responses (purely for your amusement):
Scammer: Hello, this is Microsoft Support.
Me: Yes, you’re through to Microsoft Support - how can I help?
Scammer: No, I’m Microsoft Support!
Me: Yes, you’re through to Microsoft Support - how can I help?
Scammer swears and rings off…
Scammer: Hello, this is your phone provider - as you are an excellent customer, we have an offer for you.
Me: I don’t have a phone.
Scammer: No, this is your phone provider!
Me: I don’t have a phone - how are you talking to me?
Scammer swears and rings off…
If you’re interested, there’s an excellent BBC program that fights back against Scammers: