[alexmarcy]

In most cases because it is impossible to find out who is doing the calling because the numbers are spoofed.

For example, when my phone receives a call from my own phone number am I going to sue myself? There is no way to track down the actual caller in most cases.

[RajT88]

When you ask for the company name, they hang up on you usually.

You have to sound like a potential buyer (sucker) in order for them to properly identify themselves.

This is true for Auto Warranty, Medicare, Timeshares, etc. robocallers.

[ipython]

Exactly right. It’s actually a fun exercise in social engineering, and can be a fascinating sociological experiment if you’re into that sort of thing.

The most successful persona unfortunately is that of a slightly senile senior citizen. Senile enough that you seem gullible to the caller, but believable that you have enough money and sense to continue with the transaction.

[sydbarrett74]

I love watching videos of Kitboga and some of the other scam-baiters impersonate elderly individuals and then unmask themselves at the very end.

[RajT88]

Correct. Sounding old and slightly senile is what gets them on the hook most effectively.

Unfortunately - when they're calling, they also seem to have all your personal info, and know your name and how old you are. So I put on my best senile guy voice, they confirm my name, and then they hang up.

It's actually quite concerning!

[ipython]

I have several personas that have made the rounds in the underground somewhere. It’s actually kind of interesting - I made up a persona back in 2016 or so and even six years later I’ll get calls for that “person”.

So while sometimes the information is legitimate - especially if you’re not opted out of the major internet people search engines (ref optery which is a yc graduate company) - but you can also “poison the well” enough to get your fake persona disseminated.

[squeaky-clean]

In my experience it's usually a 2-step system. I get a spam call frome either a robot voice or someone with a heavy accent. This company is generally not based in the US. After collecting some basic information like your name and eligibility for Medicare, they forward you to a US based company.

I'm not a lawyer, but even though the foreign scam call company illegally called you, I don't believe the US based company is liable for anything because the scammers make you agree to be transferred to a Medicare licensing office.

[giantg2]

The money has to be sent somewhere. Those accounts are usually more traceable.

[Libcat99]

Your carrier can trace it back. They have more information than just the spoofed CID.

They almost certainly don't have ALL the information, but they'll know which carrier sent them the call, who can then look into it... and on back to the source carrier.

[pmoriarty]

I got a lot of telemarketers calling from numbers that only show up on my phone as "Restricted".

So there isn't even a phone number to trace.

[snarfy]

Do you answer those calls? Caller ID is default on. You have to do work to turn it off. If they did that work, I don't answer.