Pocketables

I just got the most interesting probably scam call

I’m going to say it’s probably a scam, mostly sure of this, and ISP isn’t helping, but dang… new one on me

I get a call from with a caller ID showing the name of someone I know. I haven’t seen her (T) in years, and we are friends on Facebook, that’s the only way I know to contact her. I only answer the call because it’s the name of someone I know. It wasn’t her. It also had the verified check mark T-Mobile puts on phone calls that pass their SHAKN/STIR so it’s coming from a cell phone, which also I assumed was her.

Instead it was from a man claiming to be from my national carrier-level ISP wanting to come to my house due to “issues that have been going on in the neighborhood since the last freeze.” I asked what exactly he needed and the response was they needed to come in, plug into my modem, shouldn’t take 5 minutes.

As someone who worked for an ISP and someone who’s spent a hell of a lot of time talking to tech support for various ISPs, everything he described could be done remotely. Why would any tech need physical access to my modem for an unreported problem? Why would a carrier like mine, one of the top 4, have a display name that isn’t even in my contacts list on my phone? When have they ever been proactive after a contract was signed, ever?

Why would I be required for physical access?

I mean I went and checked – did T have any entry on my phone? There was an email contact with no phone number from 2006 in my Outlook, but it wasn’t spelled the same (I had the shortened/nickname) – I’d thought perhaps something odd happened and threw her name in there when there wasn’t a display name or something, but no.

I’ve contacted my ISP, they’re investigating.

So current operating theory – attempt to gain access to my house / case the place.

Unfortunately, major ISP customer support has the dumbs and can’t quite figure out that if I say “pretty sure this is a scam, this your employee?” I’m asking about a scam and not attempting to report a service issue that I don’t have that the scammer reported to me. They also won’t investigate without the person’s credentials, which obviously I don’t have – just a phone number, name, time of call, office location that was told to me, etc…

I shot T a note, talked a bit, have the vague idea that someone we both know had their contact list compromised

Assuming it’s not a scam

ISP being proactive / refusing to listen to IT professional saying it’s all good
ISP wasting money on dispatching techs when this could be done remotely
ISP IT department in charge of work cell phone distribution needs to realize they’re a major phone company and can change caller ID

Follow up – got in touch with the ISP

I was told that I needed to provide the guy’s credentials because the phone number, office, name of the person calling, my information, and what he’s calling about was not enough for them to do any sort of investigation. As of 10 hours since I told him to email me, there’s nothing.

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Paul E King

Paul King started with GoodAndEVO in 2011, which merged with Pocketables, and as of 2018 he's evidently the owner. He lives in Nashville, works at a film production company, is married with two kids. Facebook | Twitter | Donate | More posts by Paul | Subscribe to Paul's posts

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