ALL NOVEL Chapter 2 - The phone call from my mother may also be a scam!
Chapter 2: The phone call from my mother may also be a scam!
So he seized the opportunity when the girl wasn’t paying attention. He discreetly glanced at the nearby police station. Good fortune! Not far away. Just not on the intended route.
On the way, the girl received another call from her mother. Listening to the tone, she seemed a bit anxious. The girl got a little impatient.
“Driver, why haven’t we reached yet? Are you taking a detour?” She inquired.
“If you’re really short on money, I can give you a little extra,” she added.
“I’m in a hurry. Can you speed up?” She urged.
Lin Yang quickly reassured her with a smile, “Miss, no detours. We’ll be there soon!”
Just as she exited the car, a turn led them straight to a large gate. If you looked closely, it read “Ansheng Police Station, West Sea City.”
The girl finally realized and asked, “Driver, what are you doing? Weren’t we going to the bank? Why did you bring me to the police station?”
“I want to get out of the car! I’m fed up with you!” She exclaimed.
Lin Yang hastily opened the car and shouted, “Police, someone here fell for a scam!”
The moment these words were spoken, footsteps echoed down the stairs. In less than five seconds, a middle-aged police officer arrived, asking, “What’s going on? Who’s the scammer?”
The girl was astonished. She didn’t expect Lin Yang to involve the police in their disagreement.
Lin Yang smiled and said, “I’m an online taxi driver. I overheard this lady talking on the phone, suspecting a scam. That’s why I brought her here for confirmation.”
The girl, now impatient, clarified, “I haven’t been scammed, Officer. I know what I’m doing. He meant well, but he’s a bit too…”
Officer Chen, the captain, interjected, “Sometimes those who get scammed believe they won’t. This young man bringing you here shows his good intentions.”
As they discussed, the girl grew restless and asked, “Officer, my dad is waiting for me to transfer money for his medical treatment. Can I please transfer the money if everything is okay?”
Captain Chen reached out to stop her, advising, “Remember, anyone asking you to transfer money to another city is likely a scam, even if it’s family or friends. Can you call your family now so we can confirm?”
The girl agreed, and with no delay, she dialed her mother’s number. After a brief conversation, Captain Chen assured her, “Okay, go ahead and transfer the money. Just explain the situation clearly. We’re here to help.”
…
After hanging up the phone, the girl gestured with her hands, “See, you heard it. This voice is indeed my mom’s. I’m really in a hurry, Officer. Just let me go.”
Now, Captain Chen and the others didn’t know what to say. It looked like there was nothing wrong with it. However, at this moment, Lin Yang, who had not spoken so far, stood up.
“Captain Chen, the reason I brought her to the police station is because I know of a scam just like this!” Lin Yang stated.
When the words came out, everyone looked at Lin Yang in surprise. “What scam?” They inquired.
Lin Yang calmly explained, “The caller ID can be changed except for special numbers. Everyone should know this. Secondly, with the advancements in AI, voice imitation is no longer difficult. So, achieving the same voice and number as the girl’s mother is possible.”
The girl countered, “But the problem is, the number I called back was my mom’s.”
Lin Yang smiled and shook his head, “Yes, he can’t change the number you entered. However, if they know your parents’ information, scammers can manipulate call forwarding using networks or advanced technology.”
He continued, “So, although it seemed like you were calling your mom, you were calling the scammer! And when you called your dad, the service was busy because they likely blocked his signal, especially since you thought he was in the hospital.”
Initially unable to prove his conjecture, Lin Yang brought the girl to the police station. He suggested, “All the police need to do is check if the number that called you earlier is your mom’s to confirm.”
Everyone was astonished, even the police officers who hadn’t heard of this scam before. It was unbelievable, and it was difficult to determine if one could be deceived in this situation.
Now calm, the girl no longer felt impatient. Lin Yang’s analysis left her speechless. Captain Chen ordered, “Xiao Li, check the girl’s call records and see if the number is her mother’s.”
The scene fell silent. Everyone was still processing Lin Yang’s analysis. Ten minutes later, Xiao Li rushed back, his face full of shock, “Captain Chen, I checked. The number is from a different place! It’s not her mother’s.”