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I personally don't even allow them an opportunity to give a "phone number" either. I always ask them to identify their company and the branch that they are with

I personally don't even allow them an opportunity to give a "phone number" either. I always ask them to identify their company and the branch that they are with - and then personally go to the official website of the company (i.e. https://amazon.com https://amazon.com, etc.) and look up the phone number there. A little less convenient for a LOT more security.

bigiain 1y ago
For some reason I can't seem to find my local Google branch's phone number on their website...
- MobileVet 1y ago
  This was so much funnier than I wish it was… ugh. Contacting Google. Good luck.
  - cwmoore 1y ago
    Wonder why I've never had that problem.
    - tempodox 1y ago
      Are you saying you can find Google’s phone number?
      - cwmoore 1y ago
        Yes.
        figassis 1y ago
        You’re probably worth a lot of money rn. I would start an entire business just selling people Google’s number. Heck, I would start an entire Google support company rn, publish a phone number and proxy calls to Google. I’d screen calls then also sell Google my services. You’re welcome. Build this in 2 months. I want 30% ownership.
        cwmoore 1y ago
        Duh. EDIT: also thank you, but and 0.0% is fine.
        marklubi 1y ago
        I make them hundreds of thousands a year even with their commission from my app sales. Still don't have a contact there (same with Apple). They're happy collecting their commissions and avoiding you. The only good thing is that (for the most part) the payment method is just a password/faceid/touchid away.
- BobbyTables2 1y ago
  It’s not (248) 434-5508 ?
misnome 1y ago
There are a lot of contact numbers for e.g. banks and often it’s not obvious how to re-contact the department you are talking to. So, I’m happy to take a number, but I have to be able to find it on the conpany site somewhere (will also accept generic e.g. “call the bank fraud line and supply this reference number”)
II2II 1y ago
I have the fun of making outbound calls to offer people a public service and collect payment if people desire it. Most people gladly hand over their credit card details. A few years ago, someone wisely asked why they should trust me. (It only happened once in a decade!) I said they don't have to. They could look up our phone number at an easily verifiable government website, then call back; they could call any facility operated by the department; or they could visit any facility. Said individual provided their credit card details right then and there. Virtually noone cares about security.
- rapind 1y ago
  I don’t trust anyone calling me who isn’t already in my contacts. Callers from legitimate businesses treat me like i’m questioning the moon landing when I tell them I’ll need to call them at an official number. Now try and convince your family to do the same (especially parents who are prime targets).
  - benmanns 1y ago
    The trouble is, you have to place the outbound call to those contacts to trust them. People could spoof an incoming call from numbers in your contacts and it will look as legitimate to you as a receiver as if the real number was calling you. With voice spoofing, it's now possible to call someone as [grandchild] with [grandchild]'s voice with a pretty horrible story about what's going to happen if some Bitcoin or Google Play gift cards are not purchased and handed over immediately.
    - rapind 1y ago
      I'll give you an example. When the Bank calls me about something important, I tell them to give me their department / extension and I'll call them back. I then look up the bank's phone number on their website (it's actually in my phone already, and on my bank cards) and call them back. This process doesn't care about them calling from a spoofed number. We've had big problems with spoofed number scams and the CRA (Canadian version of the IRS) recently.
hedora 1y ago
I usually ask for the phone number, find it on the corporate site, then call the branch office. Alternatively, ask for their license number, check the license, then call the number it lists. (Kills two birds with one stone for licensed professionals.)
cortesoft 1y ago
But this is google, who don’t have a phone number to call them.
marklubi 1y ago
Just to add on, never say "yes" when you get a call from an unknown number (or maybe from all numbers, just be careful). "This is he(or she)", or "who are you trying to contact" handle most situations. Just don't let scammers get you saying something in the affirmative.
- avidiax 1y ago
  What happens if you say "yes"?
  - marklubi 1y ago
    They have you acknowledging something at that point. Doesn't really matter what it is when they can take it out of context. Edit: Many of them are scammers, they don't play by the rules.
    - tpxl 1y ago
      How does that help them? It's not gonna pass any legal scrutiny. If they were going to lie, it doesn't matter whether you said yes or not at any point in the call.
      - marklubi 1y ago
        > It's not gonna pass any legal scrutiny Probably going to cost a lot to get to that point, probably more than they will scam you for. They're after the quick hit that gets them something right away while also believing that you won't take it that far. It's like knowing how to pick a lock vs just throwing a rock through the window that's next to the door to gain access. They both get you there.
        tpxl 1y ago
        Scenario 1: You don't say yes and they lie you acknowledged something. You sue or you don't. Scenario 2: You say yes and they lie what you acknowledged. You sue or you don't. The math on your end doesn't change, no matter what you said.
docmars 1y ago
I simply don't answer my phone for anyone not already in my contacts, unless I'm expecting a call from a contractor or local service. I assume if I have a problem with any of my accounts, I'll eventually find out and self serve to go and fix it, as much as possible.
Gud 1y ago
Yes, why would you accept the phone number given to you by this stranger calling you as legit?
- 0xffff2 1y ago
  You don't, but large organizations can have a lot of entry points (or none... but that's a different topic), so you let the caller pick the inbound number that will actually reach them or their department, but then you still independently verify that the number belongs to the organization before trusting it.

bigiain 1y ago

For some reason I can't seem to find my local Google branch's phone number on their website...

MobileVet 1y ago
This was so much funnier than I wish it was… ugh. Contacting Google. Good luck.
- cwmoore 1y ago
  Wonder why I've never had that problem.
  - tempodox 1y ago
    Are you saying you can find Google’s phone number?
    - cwmoore 1y ago
      Yes.
      - figassis 1y ago
        You’re probably worth a lot of money rn. I would start an entire business just selling people Google’s number. Heck, I would start an entire Google support company rn, publish a phone number and proxy calls to Google. I’d screen calls then also sell Google my services. You’re welcome. Build this in 2 months. I want 30% ownership.
        cwmoore 1y ago
        Duh. EDIT: also thank you, but and 0.0% is fine.
        marklubi 1y ago
        I make them hundreds of thousands a year even with their commission from my app sales. Still don't have a contact there (same with Apple). They're happy collecting their commissions and avoiding you. The only good thing is that (for the most part) the payment method is just a password/faceid/touchid away.
BobbyTables2 1y ago
It’s not (248) 434-5508 ?

misnome 1y ago

There are a lot of contact numbers for e.g. banks and often it’s not obvious how to re-contact the department you are talking to. So, I’m happy to take a number, but I have to be able to find it on the conpany site somewhere (will also accept generic e.g. “call the bank fraud line and supply this reference number”)

II2II 1y ago

I have the fun of making outbound calls to offer people a public service and collect payment if people desire it. Most people gladly hand over their credit card details. A few years ago, someone wisely asked why they should trust me. (It only happened once in a decade!) I said they don't have to. They could look up our phone number at an easily verifiable government website, then call back; they could call any facility operated by the department; or they could visit any facility. Said individual provided their credit card details right then and there. Virtually noone cares about security.

rapind 1y ago
I don’t trust anyone calling me who isn’t already in my contacts. Callers from legitimate businesses treat me like i’m questioning the moon landing when I tell them I’ll need to call them at an official number. Now try and convince your family to do the same (especially parents who are prime targets).
- benmanns 1y ago
  The trouble is, you have to place the outbound call to those contacts to trust them. People could spoof an incoming call from numbers in your contacts and it will look as legitimate to you as a receiver as if the real number was calling you. With voice spoofing, it's now possible to call someone as [grandchild] with [grandchild]'s voice with a pretty horrible story about what's going to happen if some Bitcoin or Google Play gift cards are not purchased and handed over immediately.
  - rapind 1y ago
    I'll give you an example. When the Bank calls me about something important, I tell them to give me their department / extension and I'll call them back. I then look up the bank's phone number on their website (it's actually in my phone already, and on my bank cards) and call them back. This process doesn't care about them calling from a spoofed number. We've had big problems with spoofed number scams and the CRA (Canadian version of the IRS) recently.

hedora 1y ago

I usually ask for the phone number, find it on the corporate site, then call the branch office. Alternatively, ask for their license number, check the license, then call the number it lists. (Kills two birds with one stone for licensed professionals.)

cortesoft 1y ago

But this is google, who don’t have a phone number to call them.

marklubi 1y ago

Just to add on, never say "yes" when you get a call from an unknown number (or maybe from all numbers, just be careful). "This is he(or she)", or "who are you trying to contact" handle most situations. Just don't let scammers get you saying something in the affirmative.

avidiax 1y ago
What happens if you say "yes"?
- marklubi 1y ago
  They have you acknowledging something at that point. Doesn't really matter what it is when they can take it out of context. Edit: Many of them are scammers, they don't play by the rules.
  - tpxl 1y ago
    How does that help them? It's not gonna pass any legal scrutiny. If they were going to lie, it doesn't matter whether you said yes or not at any point in the call.
    - marklubi 1y ago
      > It's not gonna pass any legal scrutiny Probably going to cost a lot to get to that point, probably more than they will scam you for. They're after the quick hit that gets them something right away while also believing that you won't take it that far. It's like knowing how to pick a lock vs just throwing a rock through the window that's next to the door to gain access. They both get you there.
      - tpxl 1y ago
        Scenario 1: You don't say yes and they lie you acknowledged something. You sue or you don't. Scenario 2: You say yes and they lie what you acknowledged. You sue or you don't. The math on your end doesn't change, no matter what you said.

docmars 1y ago

I simply don't answer my phone for anyone not already in my contacts, unless I'm expecting a call from a contractor or local service. I assume if I have a problem with any of my accounts, I'll eventually find out and self serve to go and fix it, as much as possible.

Gud 1y ago

Yes, why would you accept the phone number given to you by this stranger calling you as legit?

0xffff2 1y ago
You don't, but large organizations can have a lot of entry points (or none... but that's a different topic), so you let the caller pick the inbound number that will actually reach them or their department, but then you still independently verify that the number belongs to the organization before trusting it.