USDA monitoring this forum?

[AmeliaBedelia]

You can always call the USDA, or whoever, on a legitimate phone number, and ask. We get scam calls often, and they can be so sincere. Today one from California, saying they were some police charity. Right. hang up immediately, and block the number.
Mary

Yes. Have the number you were called from handy in case they want it. But call the number on their official website - not the missed call number. If it's legit, it will be in their system. But I think it's likely a scam to get social security numbers out of people or something.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I don't know what cellular company that you have but US cellular has sold our phone numbers to scammers. Now US cellular wants us to pay for the app to block the people they sold our numbers to.
Well bless their hearts...

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Do you have a landline? A lot of those types of gub'ment scams target landline customers because they assume that they are older folk. :/

 

[Folly's place]

it used to only be our land line. now it's our cell phones too; at least those calls are easy to block! Scammers keep using new numbers though. May they all rot 'down below'!
Mary

 

[aart]

Moonshiner and friends,

I know there are lots of scam calls these days. The message left for me was not a computer but a real person. (unless it was a cyborg from the terminator maybe?) I am not on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. Like Moonshiner noted, this is like the only post/forum platform that I am on which made me wonder if they 'found me' this way? Or, is there some other reason someone from the USDA called me. I do have an Agriculture degree but man that's like going back nearly 30 years.....

Far more likely.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Scammers are getting more and more sophisticated in their methods.
I do not respond to any calls I do not recognize.
As soon as you answer the phone, they know it is a “live” number, and you will then get even more such calls.
A agree with others that a government agency will never call you, they always reach out by mail.

 

[Ascholten]

Let me join this party late.
THey won't even do their jobs they are supposed to do, let alone make calls out to customers. NO govt agency is going to call you for anything good. If you are in trouble, you get a letter or a visit from them, NOT a phone call. If you are about to get in trouble, talking to them on the phone is the absolute LAST thing you want to do !!

Yes they DO scan forums, looking for any angle to try to scam people. Hello, I seen that you have chickens, well how do you like them. Hey, the reason I am calling is, I noticed you did not pay the 20 dollar county fee that is required to have and raise chickens. Oh that's perfectly OK, Mr Gully-Able, we understand perfectly and this is something we can clear up right over the phone here. I can take pre paid, a credit card, you can send a money order to our local office, etc etc.

If I do not recognize a number I do not answer it, they can leave a message and I'll call back.

Aaron

 

[aart]

I do not respond to any calls I do not recognize.

Same here, but now I don't have caller ID I just don't answer the phone.
Legit callers will leave a message.
I've brought back the 'screening your calls' technique, from before caller ID existed.

Even if they were 'monitoring' the forum, how would they get your phone number from that?

 

[Painted Calls]

Same here, but now I don't have caller ID I just don't answer the phone.
Legit callers will leave a message.
I've brought back the 'screening your calls' technique, from before caller ID existed.

Even if they were 'monitoring' the forum, how would they get your phone number from that?

Father Overo has an old school answering machine. When I call, I wait for the machine to pick up and then I yell "Dad, it's me!!! Pick up!!!". If he doesn't pick up, he's not inside. Pretty simple system lol.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Government agencies will not call you unless you asked them to. I worked for the government and it's not something they do. Blocking the numbers of these scammers is not helpful either as they use software that disguises their real number. I've had close friends get scam calls from their own numbers. Also, if you get the call and they ask if you can hear them, hang up immediately. They are trying to record your voice saying "yes."