If these threads are for real and not just time-wasters (no assumption either way on my part), then a few things surprise me about this. A couple of them scare me completely, not about the wa...r who makes the calls, if he exists, but about the publishers of the posts. I am scared because I am a father and sole parent of a young adult daughter and I believe that many of you are around her age.

Please indulge me while I try to suggest the following. Also, forgive me if I sound too parental, I am not trying to patronise anyone really. I am genuinely trying to be helpful. Also forgive me for the length and possible verbosity of my post.

1) I believe and hope that my daughter would hang up the phone immediately upon the first stupid request the w..... made. Both of us have done so in
response to the frequent, varied and ever more creative scamming calls (eg, the moment I hear the greeting "Congratulations, you have......." I terminate the call and so does my daughter.)

2) If there are a few seconds of delay in his response to you after you have said "Hello" or whatever other response you have used to answer your phone, then the caller is likely using a web based phone system such as Skype or Voipstunt - for me a sure sign of a scam or a cheap offshore call centre. (Obviously, those are utilised by legitimate companies and marketers as well as scammers) This idiotic bloke may be working in one and using their facilities illegitimately when he should be working.

3) Note the times he is calling and compare notes with other call recipients in different parts of the world to establish what time zone he may be in. (But bear in mind that a big part of his game may be reading these posts for kicks and so if he reads mine, he may change his calling times from now on.)

4) Please do not put the responsibility on "God", "The Universe", "kharma" or "inevitable justice" or any other such external entity. ...................................
..........REFER THIS THREAD to your country's, Federal, National or Local law enforcement authority.....you may be able to identify them and the relevant website by some phone calls, starting with your state, provincial or other nearest police. It may mean being shunted from one to another agency before locating the correct one. Perhaps it would also not hurt to forward the link to internationally obvious agencies such as the FBI, Australian Federal Police (or Scotland Yard?)

5) In relation to the abovementioned creature or other sources of strange approaches, simply do not take any real action or give out any information AT ALL until you have checked them out. Contact a local university or similar for advice on how to check out the credentials of any supposed institution which approaches you by phone.

6) Above all, young women, please simply be prepared to hang up that phone on any unusual conversations just as much as you would on a "heavy breather" or a guy who approaches you with strange talk or suggestions. Both genders should also be prepared to terminate any bizzarre conversations - males and females can both be scammed and exploited.

7) Move on and stop giving that pathetic creature your time and energy. He is controlling all of us while we do that.

8) To completely sound like a pedantic senior fusspot.....please, please pay attention to your grammar and spelling......some of the oversights on here are not simply netspeak

With sincere concern and in the spirit of helpfulness......thanks for your indulgence, take care and all the best with your careers.