Caller: Lisa Collins Charity Choice Survey

READ THIS CAREFULLY - THIS IS A HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED SCAM

I've received a number of these calls from the same 'person' ("Lisa Collins") since late 2020. It's now August 2021.

This is a highly sophisticated scam, and this is how the back-end of this operation works.


1. Quick Overview

First, Charity Choice is supposedly an Australian company - but it's not and doesn't exist. It is a scam.

Second, this scam also involves a 'front company' named "Datagen Facilities Incorporated / Datagen Facilities OPC" (datagenf.com) that tries to pose as a real company supposedly based in Australia. Their actual base of operation is in the Philippines - not Australia.

Third, if you answer any questions (or give any information), it then farms out your phone number to a network of scams posing as supposedly legitimate charities (which they are not).

It's a high-end operation with a fair chunk of tech behind it.


2. Technology Behind It

The voice/"person" who speaks to you (supposedly "Lisa Collins") is actually a very sophisticated computer generated voice, and not an actual person. It also has some very state-of-the-art software behind it.

The computer (voice) is programed to respond to keywords the recipient (you) use in response to its statements.

That's why it always sounds very calm and sunny no matter what you say to it, and never gets upset if a caller abuses it.

It also doesn't take 'Don't call me again' as a response, because you're actually talking to a computer - not a real person.

Of course, during the call, your voice and responses are recorded, as well as your phone number, and the times at which you answered the call because this is how the database behind it builds a profile attached to an ID it gives your phone number.

It can tell if the auto-dialed phone number it dialed is real or not, if the recipient (you) is/are male or female (young or old), and estimate a time to best call you again to try the same thing. It can also do a bit more than this, but this is just a quick run-down on the tech behind it.


3. How To Deal With It

This part is hard, but also easy, if you have the time to spare, and you're willing to have some fun with it to annoy the scammers.

a) Speak to it in a made up language (eg "Goo laka ja ja blook"). The language database behind it only uses English, so start speaking to it in a made-up language, or just keep saying something like "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (one of the songs from the movie 'Mary Poppins').

b) Or, keep making animal noises into the phone. The language database behind it won't understand it.

c) Or, just put down the phone and walk away so that it uses up their time, resources, and bandwidth.


4. Conclusion

I've worked extensively in IT and with some very advanced tech in the past (sometimes similar to this), and it is both surprising and shocking that scammers can now utilize this type of tech to try to scam people.

There's not much you can do about permanently stopping this scam from calling you again and again, and blocking it's number doesn't help because it 'masks' it's originating phone number with another real or fabricated number from within Australia.

However, it's better to know what this thing is (and share this information) so it can be seen for what it is, and handled as properly as it can be handled.

So, try the above methods to deal with it, and, remember... don't anger or upset yourself because you're talking to a computer, not a real person, and you'll never get the upper hand with a computer until you pull out its cord from the power point.

Hope this helps.

Caller: Charity

It’s a charity group asking for money

Caller: Lisa Collins - but it's a recording, until you start speaking, then it switches to a real person

i get called with the same message from WA and from Melbourne. Doesn't matter if I block the number, a new number calls a few days later. Th sis 8th or so time, this time when I got the real person, I got rude and hung up. Being rude seems to be the only way to stop them

Smells dodgy. Rang me but no response...... just silence??

Caller: Charity Choice

Friendly female caller announced she was calling from a company called Charity Choice.
Wanted to ask some questions and gage my opinion on donating to certain charities.
DO NOT answer the questions and hang up. Otherwise you will be bombarded with phone calls from various charities over the next week looking for donations.
Charity choice sell your answers to various charities and thats how they make money.

Caller: lisa collins and hannah philips

You guys are almost or closest right. The owner of datagen here in the philippines is Australian we only know his name as "BOB" bald white guy.
I was once trained there but never got in as a probi, plus their salary that they give is low. The job offer was non voice type but you still take calls by using a sound board. one comment is close buddy. But real human are still answering those calls they just need to click a rebuttal for each thing.
On their program we can already see your last name, addresses and your state, the workers (lisa or hannah if youre in new zealand) will just need to make your your details are right on the script that the program gives us. Then it will only proceed in doing surveys.

There are 3 types of surveys which are non completed survey, completed survey and partially completed survey.
Also if someone really asked when they want to Do not call list. we push the DNC button on the disposition page after the call has ended, and another call will come in. (in which it automatically dials and we dont have control of who we are dialling)
in the rebuttals section we had "prank 1, 2 and 3" buttons if the people are rude then we dispose the call either DNC or Not Interested.

So if there is question you want to ask more i'll be gladly to answer it from what i know.

But basically they told us that the charities actually called us to contact people on behalf of them and that if they answered on the survey the charities will either knock on your door or call your phone and that what were doing is legit. i know its spam and thats all i know from that.

Caller: Lisa Collins

Received a call from her. But I had my Squeaky duck dog toy near the phone, so kept making it quack at her. She asked me to give her a chance. So I kept it quacking. She then told me off for being rude to her and that she does not deserve this lack of respect, and hung up on me.

Caller: "Lisa Collins"

She wouldn't answer my questions so that makes sense if she's a computer. I said can I ask you some questions and "she" seemed confused. :-)

Caller: Lisa Collins

Claims to be from Charity Choice, has called several times. Was quite rude when I pointed this out.

Caller: lisa collins

constantly getting calls by a Lisa Collins claiming to be from a charity organisation ringing from various numbers, latest Banella Victoria from a landline (03) 5746 4600

Caller: Looks like charity demanders

This is a weekender. When we're here which we are most of the time at the moment there are about two calls a day usually from 07 or 03 numbers. Numbers coming up as 'private numbers'. Female voice is robotic or half witted - take your choice. We don't answer them and I would block them but I can't find that option. I'll have to wait until my granddaughter visits

The number that Charity Choice contacted us on was, (03) 4100 0011.

Caller: Charity choice

Don't like them calling early in morning. Will have to block them, or try to stop them.

Caller: Richard from Charity Choice Australia call from Hamilton Victoria

The caller stated he had 2 questions to ask and that I could opt out I asked him if he was from a call centre & who he represented he stated Charity Choice & for further information go to their website which I did guess what URL doesn’t exist
I checked their ABN via asic yes it’s legit but
It’s not registered to pay tax so it’s a scam
As registered Australian company soliciting money for over 3 years is rather odd
Also the registration address is a housing estate in Woodcroft NSW 2767
Looks like a scam
Return phone number has automatically recorded message(03) 5537 9277

Caller: CHARITY PRIME

IF YOU WANT THEM TO STOP JUST SAY TO TAKE YOUR NUMBER OFF THE CALLING LIST, AND THEY WILL INSTANTLY STOP FROM CALLING YOU OR SAY THAT YOU HAVE A LONG TERM ILLNESS LIKE CANCER AND SOMETIMES PLAY A LITTLE.PRANK FROM THEM.

Caller: (08) 6244 6135?

IF YOU WANT TO STOP THEM TO CALL YOU ,JUST SAY EVERYTIME THEY ARE CALLING YOU TO "CAN YOU TAKE OFF MY NUMBER FROM THE CALLING LIST" AND YOU HAVE A LONG TERM ILLNESS OR YOU HAVE CANCER YOUR NUMBER WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST AND THATS IT OR SCREAM IN THE PHONE TRUST ME THIS WORKS AND SAY THAT WHEN THEY RANG YOU AGAIN YOU WILL REPORT THEM TO THE ACMA FOR HARASSING AND SPAMMING YOU.

Caller: Australian male voice

Had the same experience. He kept asking for address. Gave a fake suburb and he kept asking using a different wording. First it was for client demographics then it was for confirmation...obviously had my address. Aussie phrases like 'come on mate' made it pause but then he/it asked for address again. I laughed and hung up. Will try the madeup language next time.

Caller: Charity Choice

I've had a few calls from CC. Today it was an Aussie voice. He was phishing for my address and asked for my street name 3 times. I told him to ask his Qs and he kept saying 'this will be quick'. He was stuck on getting my address so he never asked his charity Qs. After I was silent for 10 seconds, he said, 'I can't detect anyone so I'm terminating the call'. I said 'Bye.' In retrospect, it may have been a CG voice as he was stuck on a loop over my address and he repeated key phrases.

Caller: American sounding male

Computer generated questions and went quiet when I asked if this was a computer

Caller: I don't know, they hung up when I answered!

Supposedly some firm called "Charity Choice" Australia rang, although they hung up as soon as I answered! What is the point. I assume their name is this, as that's what the recorded message with a transatlantic accent said they were.

The sus number is (03) 4108 9604.

Seriously, why don't these shysters and time wasters put their "talents" to GOOD instead of wasting people's time.

One word for you silly, petty people KARMA.