5 ms·

As usual this started with an incoming phone call. If you ever receive a phone call from a tech company, it's a scam. The caller ID doesn't matter. The caller's

As usual this started with an incoming phone call. If you ever receive a phone call from a tech company, it's a scam. The caller ID doesn't matter. The caller's accent (wtf) doesn't matter either. It's a scam.

ripped_britches 2y ago
Not if you’re an app developer on their platform, they make outbound calls to you. I’m sure there are other situations as well.
- do_not_redeem 2y ago
  If the consequences for letting that call go to voicemail are any less severe than full account takeover by a script kiddie, you're still better off never picking up. Google in particular is famous for making it impossible to contact a human. If Google calls you, before picking up, consider whether you truly believe you're lucky enough to be one of a handful of people in the world to ever get human support from them.
  - teractiveodular 2y ago
    I've spoken on the phone with humans in Google support. (You, too, can do this, just pay them enough.) However, they called me after I filed a support case and specifically requested a call, and they started off by mentioning the number of the case I had filed. If you ever get a cold call from "Google Support", it's basically guaranteed to be a scam.
    - bookofjoe 2y ago
      After I got Google Glass in 2013 as one of 8,000 "Explorers" I was given a support telephone number that was always quickly answered by a Google employee knowledgeable about Glass.
      - psd1 2y ago
        Becoming an SME on a Google product - now that's job security
- lolinder 2y ago
  You still always assume an incoming call is a scam no matter what. Hang up, look up, call back, in that order. Very occasionally you might be making some poor customer support person's job harder, but the vast majority of the time you'll be hanging up on a scammer. You can be polite about it, but firm and brief. "It's my policy to always call back no matter what, nothing personal."
  - dawnerd 2y ago
    The problem is verifying which number is correct. In most cases it's pretty easy. Bank? Call the number on a debit card. Google? Good luck even finding their number. But I do agree with you. They can leave a message and a way to contact back if its important and I can take my time doing research. The urgency part is what's caught so many high profile people off guard.
- nodamage 2y ago
  For what purpose do they make these calls?
hbn 2y ago
> The caller's accent (wtf) You don't have to pretend to be confused. The industry of Indian scam call centers is not a crazy conspiracy invented by racists.
- quesera 2y ago
  > The industry of Indian scam call centers was not invented by crazy racists. Nor was the industry of Indian legitimate call centers. You cannot glean any useful signal of legitimacy from the caller's accent. That's the WTF.
  - moi2388 2y ago
    As if official Indian tech support is not a scam..
    - quesera 2y ago
      Support quality is a function of cost, which is a function of customer value. Low-margin businesses will hire low-cost support on whatever continent it's available.
      - silisili 2y ago
        So worst case, it's a scam. Best case, it's some useless cutrate support or sales call. Sounds like this is absolutely an indicator not to bother.
        quesera 2y ago
        The best indication not to bother answering is that they called you. Doesn't matter how familiar their accent sounds. They are not calling for your benefit. No need to get xenophobic about it.
      - ruszki 2y ago
        High-margin businesses too. Useless, powerless customer support is the default. Most of the time, even in person.
qingcharles 2y ago
I regularly get phone calls from Google because I helped a friend with their ad account once. No matter how many times I tell them not to call they eventually find a new number to call me from. They are legit calls. Google just won't take no for an answer.
goguy 2y ago
I do this for any inbound call, unless the caller id is someone in my contacts it can go to voicemail. If it's important they either leave a voicemail or keep trying, for repeated calls I will answer but with skepticism. If they are in my contacts I will recognise their voice.

ripped_britches 2y ago

Not if you’re an app developer on their platform, they make outbound calls to you. I’m sure there are other situations as well.

do_not_redeem 2y ago
If the consequences for letting that call go to voicemail are any less severe than full account takeover by a script kiddie, you're still better off never picking up. Google in particular is famous for making it impossible to contact a human. If Google calls you, before picking up, consider whether you truly believe you're lucky enough to be one of a handful of people in the world to ever get human support from them.
- teractiveodular 2y ago
  I've spoken on the phone with humans in Google support. (You, too, can do this, just pay them enough.) However, they called me after I filed a support case and specifically requested a call, and they started off by mentioning the number of the case I had filed. If you ever get a cold call from "Google Support", it's basically guaranteed to be a scam.
  - bookofjoe 2y ago
    After I got Google Glass in 2013 as one of 8,000 "Explorers" I was given a support telephone number that was always quickly answered by a Google employee knowledgeable about Glass.
    - psd1 2y ago
      Becoming an SME on a Google product - now that's job security
lolinder 2y ago
You still always assume an incoming call is a scam no matter what. Hang up, look up, call back, in that order. Very occasionally you might be making some poor customer support person's job harder, but the vast majority of the time you'll be hanging up on a scammer. You can be polite about it, but firm and brief. "It's my policy to always call back no matter what, nothing personal."
- dawnerd 2y ago
  The problem is verifying which number is correct. In most cases it's pretty easy. Bank? Call the number on a debit card. Google? Good luck even finding their number. But I do agree with you. They can leave a message and a way to contact back if its important and I can take my time doing research. The urgency part is what's caught so many high profile people off guard.
nodamage 2y ago
For what purpose do they make these calls?

hbn 2y ago

> The caller's accent (wtf) You don't have to pretend to be confused. The industry of Indian scam call centers is not a crazy conspiracy invented by racists.

quesera 2y ago
> The industry of Indian scam call centers was not invented by crazy racists. Nor was the industry of Indian legitimate call centers. You cannot glean any useful signal of legitimacy from the caller's accent. That's the WTF.
- moi2388 2y ago
  As if official Indian tech support is not a scam..
  - quesera 2y ago
    Support quality is a function of cost, which is a function of customer value. Low-margin businesses will hire low-cost support on whatever continent it's available.
    - silisili 2y ago
      So worst case, it's a scam. Best case, it's some useless cutrate support or sales call. Sounds like this is absolutely an indicator not to bother.
      - quesera 2y ago
        The best indication not to bother answering is that they called you. Doesn't matter how familiar their accent sounds. They are not calling for your benefit. No need to get xenophobic about it.
    - ruszki 2y ago
      High-margin businesses too. Useless, powerless customer support is the default. Most of the time, even in person.

qingcharles 2y ago

I regularly get phone calls from Google because I helped a friend with their ad account once. No matter how many times I tell them not to call they eventually find a new number to call me from. They are legit calls. Google just won't take no for an answer.

goguy 2y ago

I do this for any inbound call, unless the caller id is someone in my contacts it can go to voicemail. If it's important they either leave a voicemail or keep trying, for repeated calls I will answer but with skepticism. If they are in my contacts I will recognise their voice.