Phone Scammers Are Using A New Trick That's Difficult To Trace
You probably think you know how to tell a scam call from a legit one. But scammers are getting bolder, braver, and cleverer at conning folks — especially with a nasty new trick. One Seattle man knows that to his cost. When he responded to a seemingly innocent four-word phrase, he had to deal with the shocking consequences.
Unknown Caller
And of all things, the scam happened on Valentine's Day. Shoreline resident Calvin Chang was all set for a romantic night out. Then, suddenly, an unusual number buzzed up on his wife's cell phone.
Unexpected Question
Seeing that his wife was still busy getting ready, Calvin picked the phone up. At first, he expected it to be just another robocall. But as he lifted the phone to his ear, Calvin was caught off-guard by a human voice asking him one simple question.
Natural Reply
"Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?" asked the woman over a seemingly poor connection. Naturally, Calvin replied as anyone else would: with a clear, albeit slightly confused, "yes." An innocent enough response — or so it seemed.
Just Spam
The caller then began her sales pitch, offering Calvin great rates on hotel stays in California. She even claimed that he'd visited one of their properties before. But Calvin wasn't falling for it. He challenged the caller's claims, and she hung up. Even then, his ordeal was far from over.
