Who Is Jim Browning? New Details On The YouTuber Who Got Access To Scam Call Center And Protected Victims
He is the hero we need right now.
getty Jim Browning is a man in the UK who has devoted his YouTube channel to stopping scammers. He is the hero we need right now. Let's face it, getting scam calls, pop-up ads and emails dangling carrots that lead to your bank account being drained is one of the annoying things about modern life. Even worse is trying to stop elderly relatives from falling for these scams. If you're like me, you liberally use the "block contact" option on your phone — but even that can become a part time job trying to keep up with the sheer amount of calls that come in each day. In 2018, roughly four million robocalls were made to American phones EVERY HOUR. That is 12 billion calls a year. Now along comes Jim Browning, a YouTuber dedicated to exposing scams. Or, in his own words, he is: "Tracking and identifying scammers who knock on my front door, call me or shove popups onto my computer screen." Who is Jim Browning?
1. He hacked a scam call center
Jim Browning pulled off what seemed to be impossible. He gained access to a Kolkata, India based scam call center and exposed the inner workings and super-shady things they do. He tried to shut down the call centers but wasn't able to. He was, however, able to change the scammer's outbound recording into a warning to the people the scammer is calling. He also reported the group to law enforcement in Kolkata.
2. He got access to a scammer's webcam
Browning gained unprecedented access to the call center via one of the call center employee's webcam. We are able to see what a small, cramped space it is. About eight people are working, talking and smoking side by side. The scammers get a list of known numbers —known as a "sucker list"— via a WhatsApp conversation. The people on the list are considered ideal targets to be scammed a second, third, or fourth time, but this time in the form of offering a refund for the "services" the first scam "provided."
3. The scammers gain access to targets' laptops
I'm understanding how my late father's accounts got hacked so much better after watching this video. One of the call center scammers walks around the small office with his laptop while others can be heard walking their targets through installing software that gives the scammers access to their computers. Once they have access, they show the target a fake bank statement that shows a "refund" for the services that is a larger amount than what the victim originally paid. They are then asked to repay the difference.
4. The most vicious scammers
Browning commented that these scammers are some of the most vicious he's ever encountered. The video shows the scammers activating the victim's webcam, collecting photos of her family and then trying to delete all of her files when she gets wise to the scam and tries to back out. On another call, the scammer is walking a victim through how to transfer money to him and convinces the victim to not call their bank because the bank is in on the scam.
5. Browning takes action
Jim Browning used the scammer's IP address and WIFI network to pinpoint their exact location in Kolkata, India. He relayed this information to local police, though to be honest, he's skeptical the police will do much, if anything. The good news is, at least for the time that Browning was hacking into the call center, no new victims were scammed.
Amy Lamare is a Los Angeles based freelance writer covering entertainment, pop culture, beauty, fashion, fitness, technology, and the intersection of technology, business, and philanthropy. She is deeply devoted to her chocolate Labrador and an avid long distance runner. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.