A friend's husband in Florida 74 yrs, lost $25,000 (!) to a scammer 4 months ago. The scammer convinced him to use TeamViewer (or similar) and got into his bank account, convinced him to give the routing number, and got the money. It was unrecoverable. Gone! poof, just lost forever.

His wife was busy and did not notice until he later admitted he "made a mistake." $25,000 from their retirement.

These scammers are vicious. I have teased them along and wasted their time for 6 years, but it is tiresome. I know all their scripts and tricks, so I can play them. "Verify me the last 4 digits of your social. Just the last 4."

Recently I got one of my personas, Antonnio, to die from covid. Calls keep coming in. One of the scammers engaged me and boasted: "Do you know how much money I make everyday? He claimed $4,000 per day, $30,000 per week. I don't doubt it ; this one call center in Mumbai brings in $25 million a year. All stolen/tricked from poor internet users.

There is another call center in New Delhi, and another in Khalsi Hills (with a different script).

Simply hanging up is very cheap for them; their telephone calls--even international--cost them mere pennies. What does cost them in frustrations is wasting their time, drawing out and playing them along. Usually for about 30 minutes, while they are not scamming someone else. I trapped one for 1 hr 44 min.

The best way to waste their time is: "My credit card is upstairs in the bedroom, Hold the line, and I'll get it." Put the phone down and refill your coffee until they hang up.

Just remember: "Can you--or your grandmother-- laugh off losing $25,000 to a scammer?"