Scams - each call they state they're calling from different, 'legitmate', company, claiming I've won several Millions of dollars!!!

ComplaintsScamsUnknown - shows up as "Cell Phone JM" each time, from several numbers all with (876) area codes

Complaint

+1
Monica
Country: United States
Each call comes in from a (876) area code, with differing numbers, almost always shows up as, "Cell Phone JM" on my caller ID, different voice each time, always with the same message, which claims I've won several million dollars; however, each time, they state they're calling from a new, yet 'legitimate' company - some companies they've claimed to be are as follows: 'Bank of America', 'Readers' Digest', etc.  Many others have stated that I have a prize package with a large check waiting for me to claim it.  The scam goes on & on...  They call SEVERAL times a day, almost every day, always a new number - which when I call back, I find has been disconnected - so it's my belief that these people are using 'disposable or pre-paid cell phones'.  What I find to be the most alarming is that EACH caller gets insanely aggressive and hostile as soon as I tell them I'm aware this is a scam and that I've contacted my local police department, FBI, and/or have a trace on the line.  These callers become SO HOSTILE, that they have THREATENED ME WITH PHYSICAL HARM, in addition to getting very VULGAR.  What's more, they each state my home address, which is NOT PUBLICLY LISTED, NOR IS MY LANDLINE, for that matter, IN WHICH THEY CONTINUE TO CALL ON!!!  Also worth mentioning, is the fact that I have registered ALL of my telephone numbers, as well as my e-mail address, on the "Do Not Call Registry"; I did double-check the registry to ensure my contact information was still listed & valid under the "Do Not Call" Registry, and indeed, it was, is.  Another important aspect from these callers, is the fact that I have actually, at times, heard these callers pressing buttons as my "physical" answering machine begins to pick up, in attempt to, what I believe, BREAK INTO MY MESSAGE MACHINE - again, I know this from viewing my caller-ID at the time they're calling (as I don't always pick up the phone for these scammers, but I do screen my calls), and the instant my machine goes off, they begin to punch in numbers, and actually HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL at times, in effort to access my PRIVATE MESSAGES!  

With that said, I'm submitting this complaint to, one, WARN ANYONE & EVERYONE within my power, as well as, two, with the hopes that someone else out there has experienced this and/or something similar and, hopefully, may have some advice/input/procedures/suggestions, anything really, on how I should proceed in taking action and/or what my options are here as far as taking action(s) to make the individuals behind this scam, face accountability, etc.  If this is you and/or someone you know, PLEASE DO RESPOND --- while I picked up on the fact that these calls were fraudulent, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for not taking action and/or doing everything in my power to put a stop to these scammers, before they successfully pull this off on some trusting, unsuspecting individual!!!  This is BEYOND HARRASSMENT what these people are doing; it's deceitful, threatening, and rather frightening, in my experience in dealing with these Con Artists!!

Comments

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  • 0
    tj
    They are spoofing their caller id, and they are running multiple scams.

    Basically, they are crooks, con artists, and thugs, with no fear of consequences since they are hiding their identity.  Law enforcement may have problems taking any action if they can't locate them, but you should still file complaints with your local police, in case others in your area are getting the same types of calls.  

    Also file complaints with your local phone company.  They may be able to set up your line so that they can trap caller information that may not be available to caller id, although they generally only provide this on request to police.  After receiving one of these calls, you hit some keys and their system logs any information.  You then file a police complaint so they can retrieve it.

    If the caller is out of state, or out of the country, this still might not work.

    Since they are not going to fool you, but the on-going harassment can be a problem, see what you can do to block the harassment, and relieve them of any illusion that they might scam you until they give up.

    Get one of the boxes that can be inserted into your phone line to block telemarketing calls.  You can have it play a message and divert to an answering machine, but if your friends and family punch an access code, it rings through so you can still use your phone.  If these were normal telemarketers using autodialers, you could even have your message give the code to enter, since autodialers don't understand spoken words, but these con men are probably using anonymous cell phones, not autodialers.
  • +1
    jewnie
    | 1 reply
    Oh Yes! They are most definitely low rate scammers! The 876 area code is from Jamaica Telephone Company. My Dad got drawn into the scam with promises of receiving 2.5 million and a car. He actually sent "X" amount of money via Western Union to Jamaica with the promise that the "team" would be at his door shortly after they verified the money was received. Of course, it was not forthcoming. They called again and said he must send another "X" amount and then most definitely the team would be on the way with his winnings. There would be FBI and IRS agents to escort him to the bank. This extra money they were asking for was for a gold star on the check to verify it was authentic. Soon after they called back and said they would meet him at the Western Union and go in with him to see that he sent the money and would then hand him 10,000 cash. Well, we called the local Police and asked that they also be close at hand for this deal. Of course these Jamaican idiots,continued to call and said they couldn't show up because of the amount of money they had and it was tooooo dangerous, they could get robbed! I told them they would not get another cent of my Dad's money unless they showed their face. The Policeman then took the phone and asked what the deal was, and flat told them they were a scam and not to bother my Dad anymore, and hung up. They called right back, and the policeman answered, the Jamaican obviously was spouting off at the mouth and the Officer laughed and told him he sure was brave over the phone, he called him a [***] told him to lose the number and hung up. The Officer said he would put our address on extra patrol alert, told my Dad not to send anymore money because it was a scam!! Well these jerks continued to call and each time they were a different company and even gone so far as saying they were UPS, the US Postal Services, Publishers Clearing House, even the IRS! They've claimed to be Reverends, Preachers, etc., who would not lie to us, and they also swear on their children's name that they are telling the truth. I never believed there could be such totally ridiculous idiots who think Americans are brainless!! AND yes, I admit I have gotten rather upset and verbally abusive with these jerks, but what the heck! It's alittle gratifying listening to them lose their cool and get soooo upset that they cannot get anymore of my Dad's hard earned money!! One Day, it will all come back on them and I just Wish I could be there to watch and smile.....
    • +1
      unkown replies to jewnie
      they are very dangerous. One said he is calling to give me good "[***]" which is really cheesy. then he hung up
  • 0
    Virginia
    Yes, they keep calling every day.  It is scary to read all this scam stuff Is there any way to block these calls?  Does it do any good to tell them we are on a DO  NOT CALL list?
  • 0
    cindy
    This has just happened to me also. I could tell they are calling with disposible cell phones so that they can't be traced. They are also calling my mother at her job. They asked me if I was home alone and that if I was they would deliver the check to me in person, which is scary.
    • 0
      Carol58
      We have been dealing with these morons since June 13th. They call and call, even after being told NOT to. When I hung up on them, the guy called right back and actually yelled at me for hanging up on him! When we stopped answering, they took to these annoying little harrassments, like calling and ringing once or twice and hanging up, or calling very late at night, like after midnight. Guy just couldn't figure why we didn't want his $3 million and Mercedes!
      So.... we get a letter in the mail, telling us we've won $120K, which included a very real looking check for $3800 for "taxes", but we were directed to call prior to attempting to cash the check. I called the number and sure enough... SAME GUY!!! Yes, this has ALL been the same guy using a couple of different names. The check was supposedly from a place in Wisconsin, drawn on Bank of America in Chicago, with the letterhead reading "Customer Satisfaction Program" in New York, with a phone number in Toronto!! YIKES! There would be NO tracking this guy! Anyway, once I deposited the check (and he got my bank info...duh!), he would then let me know where to send the tax $. I asked why I wouldn't just send it to the IRS and he got really mad and told me to "LISTEN". Total creep.
      That same night, he began calling non stop, even after my son answered and said he was FBI and tracing the call. Guy said he was the "delivery man" and was coming "into US" to "negotiate" with us. When he gave me my address, it really freaked me out!
      Our phone service is part of our cable package, so I went online and blocked every number he's used, and the following day he called 32 times in the afternoon and evening, each time hearing the message that our number does not accept calls from his number. Such persistence!!
      Thought he was gone, but there it was today... "cell phone JM" YIKES! Blocked the new number and am printing out the call records, taking it and the letter to my local police. I am concerned because they do threaten and get very angry. I know if my Dad were alive today, he'd be sending these morons $$.
    • 0
      Vikki
      these guys are incessant! calling every 2-5 minutes for hours at both my home and my mother in law as well as her cell phone.... i am going insane! I have called the FTC and our phone companies but doesnt seem to be much anyone can do to stop it and that is beyond sad... Looks like I am going to have to change my number because of this if i cant get a resolution!
    • 0
      Willo
      Caller ID said: JM 876-498-7532 traced online said from Country: Jamaica_Caller said,"I won $380,000,an UPS, FBI, IRS, Attorney,& security would escort me safely to a bank with my winnings. He said<I was entered into the drawing from Florida gas station I recently visited on road trip from Tampa to New Orleans.Said to verify I'm not gettn scammed to let him transfer partial winnings to a credit card. He gave me this DESERT SCHOOLS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Account and Routing number.I He then told me to call my credit card, pay the balance that would clear 24/hrs he mentioned. Then called back to say I had to pay 1% tax on winnings, so $7,000 I have to pay to these names to send quantity #2 $3500 certified checks to Names:Micki Come and Eruee Brooks."
    • 0
      south carolina
      this keeps happing to us as well its very scary and they are threating us
    • 0
      New York
      Today, this morning while still asleep.. I have received a restricted phone call thinking it was my mom trying to wake me to go out with her.. when a lady answered and said "Hi,(persons Name)" me: "Yes" her: "You've been randomly selected by our company and you've won 1 Million Dollars and a Jaguar" I asked her what was that i had signed up for? she said that i signed a coupon to be entered for a million dollars...so as I am still half asleep she asks me "Are you excited" and I told her "um, sure but what are you asking for me to do?" her: "Well in order to claim your winnings would you like it publicly or privately? Publicly- camera crew will come to your city and also take pictures to view on tv and on the internet" "All we need is for you to go to your local Kmart store and purchase a $205 dollar Green Dot Money Pak Paper...once you've done that i'll give you a call so that you can give me the number codes from the money pak so, that tomorrow at 12 noon you'll receive your prize and the tv crew will glady announce your winnings" sooo, I finally got up from my bed..Did I purchase the money pak? Heck no! but she did call again and is still calling but one thing for sure i won't be picking up no more restricted calls ever again or Cell Phone JM (876)246-3244 or unavailable calls..well I have never picked up the last two.. but yea avoid being scammed.
    • 0
      ss-AK
      This is ridiculous. There should be a US law requiring telephone companies to provide the ability to block calls from abroad, including all calls to/from a particular country, such as the 876 area code. I have had a relative scammed out of serious money -- a vulnerable elderly person, of course -- and there is "nothing" the phone co. can do to block their calls in or his calls out, despite the fact he is under full guardianship. Are any legislators --or ETHICAL phone company executives --listening?
    • 0
      Utah
      Same thing just happened to me. He referenced it to the American Sweepstakes.  I called them on the scam and was treated very rudely and was called vulgar names that even a sailor wouldn't even use. I can't believe that anyone would fall for this, the guy who called was so uneducated that I had to have him repeat every thing he said three or four times.  I have relatives in law enforcement, but they said that there is very little that can be done but just educate people that if sounds to good to be true, it is a scam.   I am also on the do not call registry, but Jamaica seems to be run under their own set of rules.
    • 0
      Barbie from Flordia
      I keep receiving calls from 876 numbers and 876 449 4636 tried telling me he was from the FBI calling for Amanda Houle.  When I told him that person does not live here, ( because she really does not) he told me I am a [***] who needs to learn how to respect a man other wise he is coming to beat my ass, when I told him I am recording this he told he is coming to beat my [***] he knows where I live and he can see me, I hung up. Then he taunts my voicemail which messages like he can see me, he is watching me unchanged etc, so I have been recording his messages for months I don't pick up anymore and his threats have gotten worse; so I spoke to a lawyer who advised me and we are now going after this man. Do not let them control your lives !!!!!!!!
    • 0
      Diana
      Tips about the 876 number;
      When you go on Google it says the location of that number is Kingston Jamaica,
      When you Google your phone, cell, work line any number they call you on the most a bunch of website's pull up like Spokeo , and for 95 cents they would tell me my address, full name, DOB, email, location history, and relatives, so I did and the information matched mine completely.
      They are doing the same to all of you !!! That's how they can call all of you on different phone numbers, tell you your address, say they will stop by etc.
      Be smart don't give them any more information than you need to stop answering there calls, change your number etc
      Online as easy as you can pull up the do not call list they can too
      You tube has videos showing you how to buy prepaid phones and how to pull what they are pulling
      they also have videos showing you how to disguise your number
      I also went online to Google and I Googled the number who calls me on spokeo and pulled up someone's address where they say the phone calls are coming from and since they probably use prepaid phones there is no catching them but just like it showed me my address, full name, email, DOB, location history, relatives,
      Also be very careful because each time you answer there calls you run the risk of possibly having to pay long distance charges for those phone calls
      I have learned a lot about companies like because I live in Florida scam capital of the world,
      the news consistently tells consumers to becareful and yet people always still get robbed
    • 0
      Scott
      My mother in law has been getting these calls as well.  She has gone through all of the same steps as the rest of you (police report, AG complaint, FTC complaint etc), and the calls have continued.  She has digital phone service and most of those service providers have a call blocking feature (up to 30 numbers in her case).  If the calls are coming from just a few numbers, most phone companies should be able to place a block on those used.  

      In her case, she has received over 100 phone calls with only one repeated number, so the 30 provided simply aren't sufficient.  Her phone service also provides the option of an international call block (to stop the 876 Jamaica numbers), but she has family out of the country so that wouldn't work either.  For others, this might be the quickest/easiest option...

      We purchased a 'Pro Call Blocker' from Amazon ($60) that allows the blocking of specific area/country codes(876), 1000+ explicit numbers, unknown/anonymous/unavailable id's.  We're hoping that we can set up the right blocking so that these calls can be disconnected automatically before going to her answering machine, or ringing at all.  She would get several phone messages each day from these scammers and having this device block the call from even getting to her answering machine might be enough to prompt the calls to stop.

      Lastly, most phone companies will offer a phone number change for free if the reason for the change is harassment.
    • 0
      Daisy
      It was because of this scammer that we did web research on incoming call blockers. I wanted to be able to block the entire 876 area code. We opted for a Panasonic wireless phone set, and it has been marvelous! This jerk now gets disconnected after the first ring, and we have even set the system to make that first ring silent. The only phone that rings is one non-panasonic phone that we have in a drawer in the basement entertainment center. It does not interfere with the blocking, and from the living room, I can hear it only very faintly for that one ring. Then I do a fist-pump to celebrate whatever jerk has been blocked. And there is no way he can hack into my voicemail because of the disconnect after the first ring. And just to make sure that he doesn't spoof his number to make it look like it's coming from my own telephone number, in order to hack into my voicemail, I have blocked my own telephone number. I have no need to acess my voice mail remotely, and don't want anyone else trying to do so either. And I'm glad I did, because last month someone did spoof my own telephone number- and got immediately blocked after the first ring, so they never made it into my voice mail.

      Another word to the wise. Make sure that you have changed the default password on your voice mail. These crooks know the default passwords for all the major voice mail systems, and those default password numbers are what they'll be typing to try to hack into your voice mail. Once they get in they'll be capturing phone numbers from your friends and family. Then they can spoof their numbers when calling you. Disaster! This way they got the number of my cousin's wife. Now what's he gong to do? Block his wife's number? I don't think so! So now my cousin has to answer every call from that particular scammer and any other scammer with whom this first scammer decides to share the number.
    • 0
      Daisy
      P.S. My Panasonic phone blocks up to 250 numbers, including ranges, where you can specify the first 3-8 digits. For example, I have blocked every area code in the Carribean, not just Jamaica, even though Jamaica has been the only troublesome one in the Carribean. And I keep a separate database (on my computer) of all my blocked numbers, sorted by number, so that when I get a new number that I need to block, I can easily compare it to my numbers already blocked. If the new number differs by only the last one or two digits from another that I have already blocked, then I can figure that the telemarketer has purchased or rented a block of numbers. In that case, I go to the ranges feature of my phone and block the first 8 digits. Then I can remove those individual numbers from my block list. This has been extremely effective in reducing the total number of blocked numbers that my phone has to store, so that I don't use up my entire 250 numbers trying to block just a few persistent telemarketers using blocks of numbers from which they dial randomly.

      I tell you, this Panasonic system is a real honey! When we started with this system we were getting 8-10 scam calls daily, despite being on the DNC list. Now, 3 months later, it is rare for us to get a new number to block. All of our friends, family, and associates (even our pharmacies and doctors etc) have been assigned musical rings with this Panasonic phone system. So if a non-musical ring comes through, we just let it ring. Usually they don't leave a message, at which point I Google the number, and almost invariably end up blocking it. And even if I can't find any complaints about the number, if they didn't leave a message AND I don't recognize the number AND I can't find out who it's listed to under white pages or other Google sources, I figure it's safe to block it.

      Also, where a number according to my Google search comes from an impossible area code, I block that area code.

      For the record, I have no affiliation, financial or otherwise, with Panasonic. It has simply been a Godsend system for us.
    • 0
      Dave M.L.
      I went along with a particular scammer for about a minute disguising my voice as a woman's and finally let the S.O B. know that I was aware of his scamming and "let him have an ear full. He later on called back and left a threatening voice message. What balls these [***] have.
    • 0
      georgia
      I received a call from this number 4 times today on a line that is only for my gate so no one calls it. I finally answered because I was on a conference call (big mistake) and the guy tasked for a Ms. Griffin stating they were calling from Bank of America. I said there is no one here by that name please remove my number and never call here again. The guy said "F&*% you" and told me to go to hell. I told him to get some Jesus in his life. While I am assuming this is a scam, I called BofA and reported as well.
    • 0
      Panasonic Phone Lover
      I got this call from 876-841-2222 also listed on my caller ID as Cell phone JM.  Panasonic phones offer a call block.  As soon as the caller said "why haven't you claimed" at that point I hit the call block button.  He called back and my Panasonic blocked it and dropped the call.  Just FYI - Panasonic offers a sync with your cell phone so it will block a call if it it's listed from you cell.   I'm glad I found this website...it was disturbing to me that he knew my middle name, I never use my middle name except for legal purposes.  I'm aware that my information has been compromised with my bank, the federal government, and several other private companies.  Nothing I can do about it as I can't change my name.  I'm thankful to all of you for giving me some tips.
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