Tag Archives: survey

Cyber security, Personal information and Phone scams

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The number of phone scams has been soaring in the recent years and scammers have been taking advantages of technology to perform endless phone frauds. As stated by the Federal Communications Commission, half of the calls made in the US in 2019 will be spam calls. Revenue lost due to phone frauds in US peaked $83M in the first quarter of 2019, more then 140K reports received in 4 months according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Phone scam is the most common type of frauds referring to FTC and the median of reported fraud loss is $1000.

Robocalls are the most notorious spam calls nowadays. We have little control for this particular type of phone fraud, as it is generated by computers that dial high volume of random phone numbers in a short period of time. But what about other types of spam calls, like Wangiri scam, IRS scam, telemarketing calls, sweepstakes calls……? Why do these scammers call you and where is the leak? There is always something we can do to lower the chances of receiving spam calls! Lets start with protecting our personal information on the internet!

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The May edition: exposing the targeted cities, figures and the top 3 questioned phone numbers

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It has already been a busy year at tellows. Our users have been occupied this year searching among phone numbers as such as those linked to the IRS phone scam targeting us taxpayers, USPS phone and email scam and the Jury duty scam that threatened many of the vulnerable to cough up a penalty fine by making a credit card payment over the phone. Yes, the first half of the year so far has showed us that the scammers are still working hard at it. Now, not all calls here at tellows are deemed to be linked to a scamming operation, however they are more often than not categorised as unwanted and unbeknownst to the caller even with the help of caller ID. This is demonstrably put foward with America’s figures in May.

Number of searches for the month of May per region.


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The 3 Most Wanted Numbers of the Week

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Dear friends of tellows,

This week, our most wanted numbers seem to be intent on asking as many questions as they can on a variety of different topics. Your holidays, your health and your satisfaction with their services are of great importance to them and if you don’t want to answer their invasive questions, they’ll just ring you back the next day and try again.

1. 3015759366 with 3 comments and 906 search requests. tellows Score: 7
2. 6073305304 with 2 comments and 856 search requests. tellows Score: 5
3. 6139072516 with 2 comments and 599 search requests. tellows Score: 7

Our first number 3015759366 from Potomac, USA, belongs to HealthStream and they seem to be making quality control calls regarding your recent visit to the doctor or stay at the hospital. They’re very keen to find out what you thought about it. How they got your number is a mystery but you can have your number removed from the calling list.

It’s like quality check or something after you’ve beent to the doctor, strange yeah but I wanted my number removed and she said she’ll take care if that. It was a bit annoying because they called each day bit I didn’t want to answer in case it was telemarketing because they call me too….

The second number 6073305304 is from Ithaca, USA, and its belongs to WB&A Market Research. As market research is of course of the greatest importance, you’ll be informed that they can call you despite you being on the DNC list. They’ll ask you to answer some questions regarding, for example, a holiday. Of course, they can’t force you to do the survey but that’s not to say they’ll give up trying.

They wanted to ask me questions about my trip which I took not too long ago using Amtrak. Apparently they were allowed to call me even with the DNC. well I answered the questions as fast as possible but still not revealing any information outside of that trip.

And in third place is 6139072516: MBNA Marketing. This company calls its customers regularly. Perhaps far too regularly. It’s difficult to maintain customer satisfaction if your customers are receiving two calls a day asking about it.

They call their customers out of courtesy, their choice of words, but even though I have a card from them doesn’t mean that I want to be called on a daily basis. this is not convincing me, they’re solicitous but simply annoying. I already told them to be removed from that list but it didn’t work. I’ll try again

That’s it for this week’s Top 3!. Keep on being careful and don’t let them take away your well-earned free time. Share your experience with other users on tellows and have a nice week!

Your tellows team

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Our Top 3 of the Most Wanted for you

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Dear friends of tellows,

This week you were undoubtedly harassed by numerous phone calls and sms. It’s difficult to decide whether you should leave it be or pick it up if you don’t know who is calling you. The numbers are quiet often identified as ‘unknown’ and there is this constant thought on your mind that the call could actually be important. The numbers, which we present you today, make use if that behavior and curiosity and if it doesn’t work, they make use of the fact that no one can stand annoying and harassing calls for long. This week we have numbers of debt collectors, survey and advertising companies. Inform yourself on their methods and don’t think that you are the only victim. By sharing your experience with others you can learn from them and be prepared when the phone rings once again.

1. 5159547694 with 3 comments and 1042 search requests. tellows Score: 7
2. 6068330105 with 2 comments and 626 search requests. tellows Score: 9
3. 2107363080 with 3 comments and 632 search requests. tellows Score: 7

Our first number 5159547694 is from Grinnell and may belong to the Credit Bureau Enterprises. They call people in order to remind them of their debts but in some cases, they get hold of a complete stranger and just don’t back off. Dan commented:

I get these annoying calls everyday. No messages, nothing. I don’t usually pick up calls with an unknown number but if I hadn’t done that, I would have smashed my phone against the wall. The best part is that when I did pick up they introduced themselves as CBE and asked for a person I don’t know. I’ve told them that again and again but they don’t listen. What kind of use does this behaviour have? I mean no one gains anything out of it!! I know I don’t have debts and I bet they know it too. They are just too lazy to search for the actual person (if he even exists)

On the second place, there is the number 6068330105 from Russell and it belongs to Lister, Inc which seems to be a hardcore advertising group and can’t accept a ‘No’ for an answer. It drives their clients crazy. Jenny commented:

They just call without leaving any message and then in an hour they try again. If this is important, then you leave a message, if not, well your own fault. I am on the DNC list…if that even counts. I’ll just call it harassment cause that’s what this is. I bet it has got to do something with advertising. looking it up I found out this name Lister, Inc. I think I’ll pick it up next time, just to say not to call anymore, because really there isn’t anything left for me to do.

And finally the third number 2107363080 from San Antonio belongs to the Scarborough Research. Their goal ist to carry out as many surveys as they can and for that, they don’t hesitate to call people again and again, even though they might be rejected each time. Well, actually this outcome is not really that surprising, considering the feelings of the ones who are called. Alice commented:

Calls during the day and night is nothing new when it comes to this number….I already told them I’m not interested in answering their questions but they just keep calling. I even asked them to remove my number from their database but all in vain. It seems that the National Do Not Call List doesn’t stop them. This doesn’t make me want to cooperate at all. Who in their right mind would endure that treatment and then happily comply to their demand?!

This were the numbers of the week. Keep on being careful an don’t be fooled by threats and confusing tactics. Share your expirience with others and have a nice week

Your tellows team

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