[VoiceOps] Can't Figure This Scam Out

[Aaron C. de Bruyn]

Doubtful.  I'm pretty sure the Google "wait on hold for me" feature is
local to the device.  Plus the feature is activated after the call is
already placed.
It would be a nightmare if every call you placed from your cell phone
allocated a random virtual TIN to make the call.
Plus this client doesn't really put callers on hold.  It answers, asks the
user to press 1 or 2 depending on what they want, and then immediately
rings through to someone.

Even if none of that were true, calling the number the patient claims they
called ends up routing to us for a while...I couldn't imagine Google would
allocate a virtual TIN and then leave it active for hours or days before
reusing it to forward to another completely different client.

-A

On Thu, Nov 11, 2021 at 9:37 AM Mike <craigslist4md at gmail.com> wrote:

> Perhaps it has to do with a Google Assistant feature, such as "hold for
> me," or "make an appointment for me."
>
> I would think they would simply make a call directly from the device used,
> but they could be using a temporary virtual TN for some reason.
>
> On Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 12:02 PM Mark Wiles <mwiles at akabis.com> wrote:
>
>> One of my co-workers is more so on the school side of our business… and
>> she ran into something similar in the past… I still lean towards Google or
>> BW.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* VoiceOps <voiceops-bounces at voiceops.org> *On Behalf Of *Carlos
>> Alvarez
>> *Sent:* Thursday, November 11, 2021 11:39 AM
>> *To:* VoiceOps <voiceops at voiceops.org>
>> *Subject:* Re: [VoiceOps] Can't Figure This Scam Out
>>
>>
>>
>> Pest control and locksmith services are very ripe for fraud, and in fact
>> are often sold/advertised in a pretty sleazy way.  Schools are confusing,
>> unless they're trying to capture something to do with for-pay private
>> schools.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Nov 11, 2021 at 9:35 AM Mark Wiles <mwiles at akabis.com> wrote:
>>
>> I’ve been seeing a similar issue in the past week or so with a pest
>> control business we provide services for… they’re getting calls that were
>> meant to be for other pest control businesses.
>>
>> It’s starting to look like it’s related to TNs seen in web searches… and
>> in call cases, the TNs are not those of the primary business… but a Google
>> number (owned by BW).
>>
>> It seems like maybe Google is having an issue?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* VoiceOps <voiceops-bounces at voiceops.org> *On Behalf Of *LICT
>> VoiceOps via VoiceOps
>> *Sent:* Thursday, November 11, 2021 11:02 AM
>> *To:* VoiceOps <voiceops at voiceops.org>
>> *Subject:* [VoiceOps] Can't Figure This Scam Out
>>
>>
>>
>> One of our clients is a small private school.
>>
>>
>>
>> For the past month, the school has been getting calls meant for other
>> schools in the general area (within 20 miles or so)
>>
>>
>>
>> We have been able to get limited information from the caller like
>> what number did they dial. They are definitely not dialing our client's
>> DIDs.
>>
>>
>>
>> It seems that they are dialing a number that they found on an internet
>> search, and the call is then forwarded to one of the DIDs at the school.
>>
>>
>>
>> We are seeing matching CDR records for our PBX and our carrier's CDR
>> billing reports, so it does not look like a SIP hack.
>>
>>
>>
>> It seems that the number is forwarded for just a few minutes to our
>> school, then goes dead, or rings busy, no longer forwarded to our client.
>>
>>
>>
>> The pattern here is that the caller obtained the number from an internet
>> search of a school in the area. These are real people calling, as we have
>> been able to call them back and verify. The callers who reached our client
>> are as bewildered as we are.
>>
>>
>>
>> I am sure this is some sort of scam -- but I can't figure out what it is.
>> Are the scammers recording the lines and seeing if they hear financial
>> information? Seems like a longshot, but that is the only thing I can think
>> of.
>>
>>
>>
>> I know there is little that can be done to prevent a call being forwarded
>> to you upstream of the carrier, but would love to hear anyone's thoughts
>> about this.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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