Received text from (800) 410-9010 claiming to be Verizon (verizon doesn't text from standard phone numbers and this is likely spoofed) asking me to call (866) 483-7200 about my recent purchase. I called my local Verizon Sales Rep instead, who directed me to their official Customer Service. Nothing wrong with my account. Everything is paid, current, up to date. Interestingly, while the voicemail from the same 800 number also requests I call the 866 number (now blocked), the original text message disappeared (recalled). But hooray for screenshots! I know a few messaging services that can recall messages as well as agents working for governments (no, not a conspiracy theorist, friend works in tech security). Sadly, my number has been leaked on the dark web so I receive texts and spam calls in four (4) different languages that I'm familiar with. My number recently got added to an unrelated messaging app group in Russian (5th language). I don't know why they're targeting me. If they actually had any of my financials, they'd quickly discover I'm on a low fixed income with zero credit cards. Good luck with *that*! Hahahahaha! Don't scambait as one person suggested. How do you think I started getting texts and calls in multiple languages? I toyed with a pig butcher and instead of installing software to give them remote access to set up a NFT account that I was allegedly supposed to seed (as if!), I told them I was installed a Cold Wallet on my device first to protect our nest egg [prevents hackers from gaining access]. So, after swearing profusely and screaming at me– I guess they sold my number on the dark web in retaliation. Besides, it's also possible that some people may have been trafficked and forced to engage in these scams, which may be morally ambiguous to some but to me they are victims first and foremost.

December 3, 2025

They act as Verizon and then send you a text (looks like Verizon) but it is not DO NOT CLICK on it, you will be giving them access to your account. I have spoken to Verizon several times, almost at the point of cancelling my Verizon account. It is very frustrating, I really wish someone would step up and eliminate these types of scams, costing the consumer millions of dollars a year!

September 24, 2025

FAKE credit card, Verizon, AT&T, or account fraud notification scam by Puta'ng Ina Ka criminals phoning from the Philippines. This is a fake credit card impersonation or account security and fraud alert scam by criminals calling from the Philippines, sometimes spoofing Caller ID names and numbers that belong to financial institutions and various companies, to steal your credit card and Social Security numbers, online account user login and password, and other personal and financial information. The scam may begin with a pre-recorded message speaking English that is generated using text-to-speech translation software to disguise the origin of this Filipino scam, but then you talk to the Filipino scammer. The recording tells you either that their fraud services department detected suspicious activity on your credit card or your financial account and that your account has been locked, or that an online order was purchased using your account. This scam bait message is designed to scare you and the Filipino scammer then asks for your credit card number, PIN codes, online login passwords, answers to security questions, Social Security number, and other personal information "for verification purposes". Whenever you receive a fraud alert call from a bank, credit card issuer, Amazon, Apple, UPS/FedEx/DHL, or any business, ALWAYS verify the number that they ask you to call back on, or just phone the number that is printed on the back of your credit card or the number listed on the company website. About 50% of North America scam calls come from India and 45% come from the Philippines. Foreign scammers run thousands of fraud, extortion, money laundering scams every day such as posing as a fake pharmacy, fake Social Security officer saying your benefits are suspended, IRS officer collecting on fake unpaid back taxes, debt collector threatening you for fake unpaid bills, fake bank/financial/FedEx/UPS/DHL scams, posing as utility/phone/internet companies, pretending to offer fake health insurance, car warranty, student loan forgiveness, credit card and debt consolidation services, posing as Amazon to falsely say an unauthorized purchase was made to your credit card, posing as Microsoft/Dell/HP/Apple to say your account has been hacked or they detected a virus on your computer, fake "we are refunding your money" or "your account has been auto-debited" scams, fake Google/Alexa listing scams, fake solar panel and home purchase offers, fake fundraisers asking for donations, fake phone surveys, and the scammers try to steal your financial and personal data. Indian scammers often rotate through fake tech support, subscription auto-renewal, and fake pharmacy scams on the same day. Filipino scammers run many loan and tax/debt relief, Social Security and Medicare identity theft, auto/home/health/life insurance, and fake charity donation scams. Scammers use disposable VoIP phone numbers (e.g. MagicJack) and telecom software to spoof fake names and numbers on Caller ID. Scammers spoof thousands of fake 8xx toll-free numbers. CID is useless with scam calls unless the scam asks you to phone them back. CID area codes are never the origin of scam calls since scams use spoofed CID numbers from across the US/Canada, numbers belonging to unsuspecting people, invalid area codes, and fake foreign country CID numbers; e.g. fake women crying "help me" emergency scams spoof Mexico and Middle East CID numbers. Scammers often spoof the actual name and number of businesses such as banks to trick you into thinking the call is valid. How can you avoid being scammed by phone calls? NEVER trust any unsolicited caller who: sells something (most unsolicited calls are scams so your odds of saving money are very poor); asks for your Medicare or Social Security number; offers debt relief, loan services, Medicare assistance (people who are old or desperate in debt often fall for scams); offers a free gift/reward; threatens you with arrest/lawsuit; asks you to access a website, download a file, wire transfer money or buy prepaid debit/gift cards; claims your account is frozen or has suspicious activity; says a subscription is refunded or auto-renewed/auto-debited; and all recorded messages. Recordings are far more likely to be malicious scams and not just telemarketer spam. All unsolicited callers with foreign accents, usually Indian or Filipino, are mostly scams. No other countries are infested with phone room sweatshops filled with criminals. Most Filipino scammers speak better English than Indian scammers. Filipinos speak English with a subtle accent that may sound Hispanic. To hide their foreign origin, some India scammers use non-Indians in their phone room. Scams often falsely say that you previously contacted them or visited their website. Indian scammers play fake Amazon recordings. Amazon account updates are emailed, not robo-dialed. Many banks use automated fraud alert calls to confirm a suspicious purchase, but always call the number printed on your credit card to verify if the fraud alert is real or fake. Scammers impersonate phone/cable/internet companies, offering fake discounts or service upgrades. Indians impersonate the IRS and Social Security Administration. The IRS/SSA never make unsolicited calls and never threaten to arrest you; they initiate contact via postal mail. Real lawsuits are not phoned in, especially not using recorded threats lacking details; legal notices are mailed/couriered. The police, FBI, DEA never phone to threaten arrest; they show up in person with a warrant. Scammers try to gain your trust by saying your name when they call; your name, address, birthday are public data. Many scammers, especially female Filipinas, use "romance scam" tactics of sounding really friendly as if they are your best friend or lover to try to gain your affection and trust, hoping that you let your guard down so they can easily steal your identity and money. Scammers often play recordings speaking English, Spanish, or Chinese that is easily generated using text-to-speech translation software to disguise the origin of their overseas phone room. Some speech synthesis sound robotic, but most AI speech sound very realistic. Scammers often use interactive voice response (IVR) AI/NLP software that combines voice recognition with artificial intelligence, speaks English with American voices, and responds based on your replies. IVR calls begin with: "This is fake_name, I am a fake_job_title on a recorded line, can you hear me okay?"; or "Hi, how are you doing today?"; or "Hello? Are you there?"; or "Hi, may I speak to your_name?" IVR quickly asks you a short question to elicit a yes/no reply so it hangs up if it encounters voicemail. One myth is that saying "yes" to IVR lets scammers use your voice sample for other scams. IVR understands basic replies and yes/no answers. To test for IVR, ask "How is the weather there?" since IVR cannot answer complex questions. IVR usually transfers you to the scammer, but some scams entirely use IVR with the robot asking for your credit card or SSN. Phone/email scams share two common traits: the CID name/number and the "From:" header on emails are easily faked, and the intent of scam calls is malicious just as file attachments and website links on scam emails are harmful. Scams snowball for many victims. If your personal/financial data are stolen, either by being scammed, visiting a malicious website, or by a previous data breach of a business server that stores your data, then your data gets sold by scammers on the dark web who will see you as fresh meat and prey on you even more. This is why some receive 40+ scam calls everyday while others get only 0 to 2 calls per week. If you provide your personal data to a phone scammer, lured by fake 80%-discounted drugs or fake loan and debt services, you receive even more phone scams and identity theft can take years to repair. Scammers often shout profanities at you. Google "Hindi swear words" and memorize some favorites, e.g. call him "Randi Ka Beta" (son of whore) or call her "Randi Ka Betty" (daughter of whore). Scammers ignore the National Do-Not-Call Registry. Asking scammers to stop calling is useless. Scam recordings often tell you to press a keypad number to be placed on their Do-Not-Call list or to unsubscribe from their scam texts/emails, but those keypad commands are fake and they say that just to sound legit. Scammers often provide a toll-free callback number to look like a real business, but they regularly shed old callback numbers so you can never reach the scammers once you have realized that you were scammed. Scammers tell you their callback number just to gain your trust long enough to steal your identity and money and then they frequently switch to using new callback numbers. You do these scammers a favor by quickly hanging up. YOU SHOULD SCAMBAIT ALL SCAMMERS - slowly drag scammers along on the phone call, provide fake personal and financial data (16 random digits starting with 4 for Visa, 5 for MasterCard), ask them to speak louder and repeat what they said to waste their time and energy.

August 20, 2025

Same as the other replies, Says it's Verizon in reference to a recent purchase. I just got this phone & number a week ago. Makes you wonder if Verizon isn't in on it to scam you! How else would they get information a brand new account & number?

December 14, 2024

Have received emails and text pretending to be Verizon. They even changed or attempted to change my password, which I did myself after they hacked me. I spoke to Verizon and sent Verizon a phishing alert

November 29, 2024

"Please call Verizon in reference to your recent purchase"

September 20, 2024