Darren, let me tell you about my latest experience. I started receiving calls from "myself" last week--they were spoofing my own number. They periodically spoof businesses I deal with in my own area code too. I was getting calls from "myself" every 15 minutes, --day and night-- (which in this country constitutes criminal harassment, but the calls can't be traced). These calls all came from "Microsoft" who claimed my computer had been "compromised" and they were "freezing" my "Microsoft account" (which I don't have by the way). I finally called the phone company and complained. The calls stopped. But every few days I get a phone "spammer" regardless of which phone I'm on. According to the phone company, they are so prevalent in the US now there's nothing that can be done, as most of these "robocalls" originate outside the US with spoofing numbers. I think that's why I like to see you guys nuking them-- I have to get my thrills vicariously these days!
VR, Russ

Oh I do love "Steve" from "Microsoft" and all the robodialers from "Centralia", "Boston", "Washington D.C." And I didn't know that our government outsourced the I.R.S. to Mumbai. The last time the "I.R.S." called they said I had mistakes on my 2016 tax return so I owed several thousands of dollars and the cops were in my drive and demanded payment via money transfer and they would call the police and have them leave. I just laughed, told them I haven't had to pay taxes since 2003 and told them to kiss a part of my anatomy that I sit on and hung up. Then for the next 6 hours every 10-15 minutes I was called and threatened with arrest. Called my phone company and they blocked the calls.

And don't worry, I really don't feel guilty just disgusted that this is what the internet is now.

And about a minute after I posted this I got a call from "Centralia" and on a whim I answered it and got a voice from India offering med from a Canadian pharmacy.

Patrick, I'm luckier than you-- I had "Karen" and "Adele" calling from Microsoft in their best sexy computer voice (alternately). I don't get any actual people anymore-- all the calls are recordings. It's less fulfilling telling a computer voice to "fold it five ways and stick it were the sun doesn't shine" than it is an actual caller-- I long for the good old days! But then again, when I see Robin and Darren at work, I feel (a little) vindicated! I guess I've got our two erstwhile "internet guardians" "off 🎯 " now, should let them get back to work.

VR, Russ

I am kind of surprised that us Brits have something you do not. Most cold callers will not leave their number and others don't want to speak to the robots that we have to when calling someone. The result no cold calls to me.

Not just the US guys. We are flooded here in Oz too. I have a land line I never use except for work dial in conferences (costs me zip this way). I have given the number to no-one. However when I'm working from home the phone rings 4 times per day. Stupid thing is, I time my lunch break by the call at 12.15 daily... and at night when the phone rings, my wife says it must be our 8.00 pm reminder call....

Now I just unplug the phone line and plug it in when I want to use is....

I think the US is fair game for lots of phone (and internet) scammers from East Europe, Africa, the Phillipines, India and South Asia because our FCC rules and the way we do business (otherwise called free enterprise, commercial marketing and privacy laws) make it easy to buy up blocks of computerized numbers to call from. 90% of these calls are phishing scams, and a great many of the victims are elderly or just plain gullible, but A few are taken in by what we'd call a "Flim-Fam man" in the "old days"--the promise of a "good deal". Then there's a legitimate 10% that are actual "good cause" calls--fundraising, political, community interest. It used to be just the other way around-- when you got a call, even a recorded one, it was likely something of interest or important. Having lived in Europe for seven years, I never saw the same kind of scams going on there-- because the phone isn't really an advertising sales tool in Europe as it is here. In Europe, as you said, if it's not a real person, nobody wants to hear from them-- the phone is a true two-way communication device. In the States, everything is recorded now days. We are used to waiting, ordering, sending and receiving from "robotized voices". Makes me want to move to a cabin in the hills sometimes. But then I wouldn't have Armorama! (Might get more modeling done though!).
VR, Russ

I'm not sure this makes me feel better....! When the greedy and dishonest start preying on everybody, it makes me distrust everyone. I'd much prefer to see the good in folks. But that cabin in the hills is sure looking better and better!
VR, Russ

Thanks Gary,
I needed terminating a spammer today.
I wasn't just an ordinary spammer, it was a repeat offender.
Ahhh! Feels better now
/ Robin

Hey Robin! Got a call from myself. Looked at the caller ID and it said Patrick Bowers and it showed my number. So I answered it hoping it was me calling from further up the time line with the winning lotto numbers but dammit it wasn't. Just Karen from Microsoft offering a refund on windows 10, but since I'm not running 10 I'm wondering if I could get a refund anyway. So if any of you guys get a call from me let me know, it might be one of my multiple personalities and I want to know they've seen my car keys.

One of my colleagues in a previous career got one of those
Microsoft support calls where they try to convince you that your computer has a virus. Male voice, english with indian accent, background sounds like the railroad station in Calcutta.
So he asks the guy on the phone if he has his hand down the front of his trousers. Shocked voice on the other end: "SIR! This ins NOT that type of call!"
Joker answers: I don't care what kind of call it is, I just want to know if you have your hand stuck down the front of your trousers.
Caller: WHY do you need that information??!!??
Joker: Because if you do you can go and f--k yourself.
Caller: Silence. Click.

About two weeks after my colleague had told this story during a coffee break I get one of those calls.
This time it is a female voice. So I start the same routine and BOY did they get upset. Some irate CRAZY irish dude kept calling for half an hour afterwards screaming about what he would do with my wife and daughters.
I told him to get his ass over to my address and I would personally make him eat selected dangly parts of his own anatomy. Had lots of fun with that one.
Now I just leave the phone on the table until they hang up, it consumes a very small amount of their staffs work hours and prevents them from calling someone else.
There are lots of videos on YouTube where hackers have fun with these scammers, sometimes even hacking their computers and wrecking them.
/ Robin

Reminds me of the story my 89 year old Dad (who passed in 2009) and a WWII veteran, told me. One day he received a call from a legitimate local window installer who was selling a new type of window frame in the small town my Dad was living in. He'd been badgering all my Dad's neighbors with sales calls for several weeks. When my Dad got the anticipated call, he went along with with the sales pitch for about ten minutes, right up until the point where it came to agreeing to a "pre-paid sales" estimate. Dad asked the salesperson if the frames came in lightweight OD canvas. The salesman was perplexed by the request, and asked my Dad why he needed the window frames in Olive Drab and "canvas". My Dad calmly replied, well, they need to match the tent I live in. There was silence on the end of the line, then the guy hung up. Never bothered my Dad again.
VR, Russ

Suspicious.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/user.php?op=userinfo&uname=amzounslide

This one is suspicious too. Very generic post on an article written in Hungarian.

amzounslide has been terminated

I will keep the other one under surveillance

No doubt about this one.
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/user.php?op=userinfo&uname=shubhupatil

Someone else has already "serviced" this user

I took him down Robin for posting his tripe in one of the D-Day threads.

As the saying goes: The only good spammer is a suspended spammer

I believe you mean Canned Spammer.

Of course! How could I have missed that one

Is ol' Harry speaking in tongues?

Speaking, squeaking, shmeaking, whatever ....
I sent him packing, doomed by his own gibberish.
I needed a killing today

The IP-adress used for the account is somewhere in India, Googling the e-mail turned up some business directory with very sparse details about selling Sildenafil Citrate.
Pretends to be located in California
/ Robin