# So the police are scamming me now... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 17, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501 "2017-07-17T17:03:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Murph1111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@Murph1111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murph1111)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/41 "2017-07-21T19:39:36Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I’m tempted to say that 100% of all telemarketing calls are scams. But surely some are legitimate? > > I have a detailed database compiled over the last 2-3 years of every unwanted call made to my phones (hey, it’s a hobby). Every time I get called by a supposed “charity,” I investigate, at least by doing some quick googling. I haven’t found a single legitimate one yet. Why are they avoiding me? I believe you are correct. The only legitimate charity I ever hear from is Habitat for Humanity, and they don’t phone - they write letters. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/42 "2017-07-21T19:58:50Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I doubt that this is actually authorized by the police in your area. Or if it is, the association gets 5 or 10%, and the company takes the rest. It’s more or less a scam. Yes, years ago I asked an officer about those calls. He said they get a very small percentage. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/43 "2017-07-23T05:44:49Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > _helas_, pretty soon we will be folk of the '20s … Better get our death rays ready… > [@Yllaria](#): > > I’ve been getting a bunch of “dead air” calls at work. From what I can google, it’s autodialers creating lists of numbers that will be answered by a human. Still annoying. When telemarketers call, they always claim to have had a problem with their headset, even when there’s no delay they have to explain. I figure it must be written into their script. They also claim that I’ve stayed at their resort previously, which must also be part of the script, since it’s a bald-faced lie. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/44 "2017-07-23T12:12:33Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > When telemarketers call, they always claim to have had a problem with their headset, even when there’s no delay they have to explain. I figure it must be written into their script. They also claim that I’ve stayed at their resort previously, which must also be part of the script, since it’s a bald-faced lie. Among the phrases used in scripts, all of which are lies are:[ul][_]I am not a computer, I just use one for quality control purposes[_]We have been unable to contact you[_]We are [Microsoft, Visa, Mastercard, etc.][_]Your computer is sending us error reports[_]We can reduce your interest rates[_]Your computer is infected with a virus and we can fix it[\*]This is Steve and I’m calling from Florida[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/45 "2017-07-23T13:43:35Z")
When that telemarketer claims to have had a problem with her headset, she’s not doing so because it’s in the script. She’s doing so because you’re listening to a recording. The bit about the headset is just to explain the delay at the beginning of the call, where the computer is waiting to hear if they’ve reached a live person before they begin to play the message. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/46 "2017-07-23T17:49:15Z")
Both my phone and my dad’s are suddenly actually getting these calls. Before, it was always only on a landline. I’m not sure what’s changed. Dad may give out his number, but I never do. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/47 "2017-07-23T18:04:36Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Both my phone and my dad’s are suddenly actually getting these calls. Before, it was always only on a landline. I’m not sure what’s changed. Dad may give out his number, but I never do. For some reason my cell phone has been overwhelmed with telemarketing calls for the last several months. This is a new thing, and I’m not sure why it’s happening now. I check the Do Not Call registry and the number is still listed. I recently got a “landline” phone for the first time in years, it was part of a cable package. Within an hour it began ringing off the hook so I disconnected it. I dont really have much use for another phone but I’m tempted just because it has an awesome phone number. Original area code ( very rare for new numbers ), and it starts with 3 repeating digits and ends with 75. And I’ll never use it. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/48 "2017-07-23T18:13:05Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Both my phone and my dad’s are suddenly actually getting these calls. Before, it was always only on a landline. I’m not sure what’s changed. Dad may give out his number, but I never do. > [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > For some reason my cell phone has been overwhelmed with telemarketing calls for the last several months. This is a new thing, and I’m not sure why it’s happening now. I check the Do Not Call registry and the number is still listed. > > I recently got a “landline” phone for the first time in years, it was part of a cable package. Within an hour it began ringing off the hook so I disconnected it. I dont really have much use for another phone but I’m tempted just because it has an awesome phone number. Original area code ( very rare for new numbers ), and it starts with 3 repeating digits and ends with 75. And I’ll never use it. Oh well. Telemarketing is changing, and much has moved overseas, where the US govt has no jurisdiction and the FTC seems to turn a blind eye. The cost of a phone call has dropped to near-zero and with automated systems, the labor cost has dropped, too. Which means that most crooked telemarketers, since their success rate is extremely low, must make numerous calls just to make a single dollar or rupee. Quantity, not quality. No longer are unlisted numbers, Do Not Call List numbers, fax numbers and cellphone numbers treated any differently from any other. They now dial every possible digit sequence from the zeros to the nines, in all possible area codes, and I have evidence that suggests that at least _one company dials all possible North American numbers every business day._ (that would be 10 billion) If you want to use ANY phone number and not be bothered by these calls, you might look into [nomorobo](https://www.nomorobo.com/) or other services/gadgets designed to alleviate the problem. None are perfect but some provide a little relief. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/49 "2017-07-23T18:22:45Z")
Not to mention that the calls start with a recording and the mark is meant to indicate at the end if they’re interested. So you don’t need to have an actual person start the spiel hundreds of times before they get a live one. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/50 "2017-07-23T18:38:07Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I recently got a “landline” phone for the first time in years, it was part of a cable package. Within an hour it began ringing off the hook so I disconnected it. I dont really have much use for another phone but I’m tempted just because it has an awesome phone number. Original area code ( very rare for new numbers ), and it starts with 3 repeating digits and ends with 75. And I’ll never use it. Oh well. > [@Musicat](#): > > If you want to use ANY phone number and not be bothered by these calls, you might look into [nomorobo](https://www.nomorobo.com/) or other services/gadgets designed to alleviate the problem. None are perfect but some provide a little relief. Definitely get nomorobo for your cable package. We did and now all robocalls give a very short ring, not even long enough to trigger the caller ID. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/51 "2017-07-23T18:43:04Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Not to mention that the calls start with a recording and the mark is meant to indicate at the end if they’re interested. So you don’t need to have an actual person start the spiel hundreds of times before they get a live one. Some are more clever than that, and fool many people into believing they are talking to a live person. Supposedly, a computer-assisted clerk can handle 3 phone calls at once without speaking a word, just by pressing buttons on a console to play back canned phrases. Since I never let a telemarketer get so far as to needing a credit card number from me, I’m not sure about this, but I think a well-written program should be able to automate the entire “donation” process without any human intervention whatsoever. Certainly if my local electric power or cable company can accept a phone payment without a human clerk intervening, a fake charity can do the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501/52 "2017-07-23T22:15:35Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I have evidence that suggests that at least _one company dials all possible North American numbers every business day._ (that would be 10 billion) Can’t be that bad. I am in North America (Canada, to be specific), and I don’t get a telemarketer every single working day. I get them often enough that they can be a nuisance at times (so my phone has a call blocking feature - however I can still see a list of who tried), but I can occasionally go a few days without garbage calls. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-police-are-scamming-me-now/791501.md?page=2)