The problem with the existing telephone system is that it is ridiculously easy to spoof a number, you really can’t rely on the number shown on your phone as being where the call is actually coming from.
So let’s imagine that VM have a genuine, real number. The scammers will be aware of it, so start calling people and spoof their number to appear to be coming from the real VM number. Victims of this fraud then start posting that the number they ‘apparently’ were called from is a scam number and hence VM’s legitimate numbers get flagged as a scam.
However, having said all that, if you were to get a call from someone claiming to be VM, the issue is that you don’t know that. The onus should be on them to prove they are who they claim to be, they rang you, and they should tell you three characters from your memorable word, absolutely not the other way round!
And if they refuse to do so or claim they can’t, simply do what you did and put the phone down!
