[Samurai]

There is a major initiative from DOT, which will ensure legit service/transaction calls can be identified as legit thanks to the new prefix of 160.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIfram...x?PRID=2022249

DoT allots separate numbering series exclusively for service and transactional voice calls. New 160xxxxxxx number series will help in curbing unsolicited voice calls from telemarketers using 10 Digit mobile numbers

That means, if you receive any service and transaction calls with 160 prefix, they are legit.

[Beemer1077]

We all get calls from spammers and scammers trying to eat our heads and do something to us. And it is not just on phone regarding cars/bikes, but also in other aspects. But we all have our moments where we react in such a manner that things get out of hands.

Being an Indian American, or now you all can call me an American Desi, I have often received calls like these, especially from us Indians who pretend to use fake American names and try to fake an American accent. In many cases, I have hung up and blocked the number(s).

However, last week, I moved to Chicago from Houston. On Friday, I was roaming in the beautiful downtown, and for a moment, I was anticipating a call from my new company's HR, when I received a spam call on my phone - my iPhone stated "Spam Risk" above that phone number, and little did I realize that it was the same number that I received same spamming day before. As soon as I picked up, the guy starting talking in fake American accent about auto insurance quotes for me. Figuring out that others in background were talking in Hindi, I used some profanities like Kaleen Bhaiya/Munna Bhaiya from Mirzapur and hung up the call. And this was around the Chicago Bean in Millennium Park, near the Navy Pier, close to Lake Michigan.

Little did I anticipate that the person who I insulted with profanities, will call me back, as I received another call, from a different number. As I picked up, he and someone else began to use profane languages to me on the phone. I retaliated with threats of being from FBI(although I have an Air Force Reserve colleague who is an FBI agent). Subsequently I hung up, blocked the other number, while my wife, and one of my close friends from Pune, India advised me not to get into Mirzapur mode again while dealing with such scammers/spammers, or else they will keep on tormenting me.

These so called intellects who are indulging in such acts back in India are bringing shame and disrepute to the nation. I feel that the law enforcement should charged them with treason for such acts.

(I don't know which is the right forum to post this in, so I request the moderators to place it appropriately)

PS - As an Air Force Reservist, I put on the uniform one weekend a month and report to my base.

[gtonsing]

Not a call but something I am dealing with right now:
I had a personal loan from ICICI bank which I foreclosed this month by filling in the required forms and submitting a cancelled cheque and one ID proof to ICICI Kothanur Branch. I got SMS after sometime saying that the loan is closed and I cannot see that loan account in my ICICI portal anymore.
Now since last week, someone claiming to be from ICICI Yellahanka branch has been trying to reach out to me saying the loan account I recently closed has some excess amount and they need another cancelled cheque because they dont have my bank details. When I asked why Yellahanka branch is reaching out when my dealing with Kothanur branch, they said back-end team forwarded it to them. This is an alert from me since I dont think this should be the normal mode of operations. They told me that Kothanur branch cannot find my cheque details and they do not have access to my ICICI bank account details.
I find the whole thing real fishy. Anyone knows better?

[warrioraks]

Originally Posted by gtonsing

I find the whole thing real fishy. Anyone knows better?

Does sound weird on the face of it.
Might be worth dropping an email to ICICI bank or call up your person in the home branch and confirm if this is legitimate.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by gtonsing

Not a call but something I am dealing with right now:
I had a personal loan from ICICI bank which I foreclosed this month by filling in the required forms and submitting a cancelled cheque and one ID proof to ICICI Kothanur Branch. I got SMS after sometime saying that the loan is closed and I cannot see that loan account in my ICICI portal anymore.
Now since last week, someone claiming to be from ICICI Yellahanka branch has been trying to reach out to me saying the loan account I recently closed has some excess amount and they need another cancelled cheque because they dont have my bank details. When I asked why Yellahanka branch is reaching out when my dealing with Kothanur branch, they said back-end team forwarded it to them. This is an alert from me since I dont think this should be the normal mode of operations. They told me that Kothanur branch cannot find my cheque details and they do not have access to my ICICI bank account details.
I find the whole thing real fishy. Anyone knows better?

Just visit your ICICI Kothanur branch and discuss the matter with the manager.

If it's indeed an issue, then resolve it face to face sitting with the manager.

If it turns out to be a scam, just ignore it and move on.

A visit to your home branch is worth more than all these telephonic conversations..

If for any reason, you are unable to visit your home branch, atleast visit the nearest ICICI branch and have a word with the manager there. He would be conversant with these matters and better placed to advise you.

[Engine_Roars]

No point getting into arguments/abusing and increasing our blood pressure, I simply hang up, no why/what, no how/when, just simple hang up. Saves my time, my energy & the stress.

I follow the above approach for spammers, scammers, marketing calls and everything else that is not directly/indirectly related to me or my family members. I don't think it is my speech/talks that will make anyone chose the right path, hell, even I am unsure of the path I have chosen, at least they know what they want from their life.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by gtonsing

Not a call but something I am dealing with right now:
I had a personal loan from ICICI bank which I foreclosed this month by filling in the required forms and submitting a cancelled cheque and one ID proof to ICICI Kothanur Branch. I got SMS after sometime saying that the loan is closed and I cannot see that loan account in my ICICI portal anymore.

I find the whole thing real fishy. Anyone knows better?

Is there any reason for cancelled cheque given in Kothanur branch? Did they computed the remaining amount and you need to give a cheque for it or how did you paid the balance?

When closing the loan, please get the final transaction summary till that day printed by them. You can approach the Kothanur branch to get the same which will reveal whether any excess is there.

[gtonsing]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

Is there any reason for cancelled cheque given in Kothanur branch? Did they computed the remaining amount and you need to give a cheque for it or how did you paid the balance?

When closing the loan, please get the final transaction summary till that day printed by them. You can approach the Kothanur branch to get the same which will reveal whether any excess is there.

I dont know what they used the cancelled cheque for (its cancelled anyway, so monetarily of no use). I paid the remaining dues in cash - remember this was a smaller amount I had taken due to an emergency last year.

Thanks for your responses. As suggested by some of you, I went to Kothanur branch, spoke to them, identified the person who was contacting me was indeed an ICICI employee (by checking the email address and business account number in their system). It turns out it is genuine.
Their explaination of a transaction done in Kothanur branch followed up by Yellahanka branch was that Kothanur brach does not have a loans devision or the final closure activities in this area was done only in the Yellhanka branch. One new thing learned

[JediKnight]

I got a call from some random number stating I have some subpoena from some district court. It then proceeded with some IVR options to download it. I immediately cut the call sensing a scam. I don't think Indian courts serve subpoena via phone and IVR.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by JediKnight

I got a call from some random number stating I have some subpoena from some district court. It then proceeded with some IVR options to download it. I immediately cut the call sensing a scam. I don't think Indian courts serve subpoena via phone and IVR.

It was a scam.

The other day I got a call. "Sir, we are calling from Delhi Customs".

I didn't even reply. I just hung up and went back to my work.

Matter ends there.

[DigitalOne]

For whatever it is worth, just got this message from Airtel. Hope they live up to their promise

[Jaguar]

Is the spam filtering by the telephone company based on the circle?

I spent two weeks in my hometown in Kerala during Onam. I hardly received any spam/junk calls during that period. Once back in Bangalore, the daily spam calls are back to usual. Wonder what could be the reason.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

For whatever it is worth, just got this message from Airtel. Hope they live up to their promise

Attachment 2659788

Don’t know how effective Airtel is. It consistently tagged 3 x SBI Card calls from their Gurgaon landlines as ‘suspected spam’.

[meerkat]

I have got multiple recorded calls over past few weeks that started with: "Dear Fedex customer, you have.....".

Needless to say I hung up immediately every time, and blocked the number. I was not expecting any delivery from anywhere. I can't even remember when I last had something delivered by Fedex.


They even knew both my numbers, -- on termination of one call, they immediately called the other number!
.

[PreludeSH]

I have been getting calls from telecom department. Today the guy said Bangalore telecom department. I started talking in kannada and he spoke with Tamil/Malayalam accent and said phone will be blocked in 2 hours since someone else used my Aadhaar details to get another phone. I said go ahead I am not able pay the bills ��

But they know full name, extension name etc. Not sure how they get all details. Having everything linked to Aadhaar feels scary sometimes