It pays to question

[bobmac]

BT SCAM
I had a call today from a guy from BT today who says my bill is going up by £2 per month. He called from a mobile.
Then because I hadn't returned a non existent letter giving my authority to change my DD, he wanted to transfer me to a ''secure line'' and take my bank details to make the increase. If I didn't, my phone line would be switched off immediately and cost £18 to reconnect in a few days.
As I wasn't born yesterday, I said I'd hang up and phone BT myself which I did.
Of course, BT had no idea about the call or the increase and have blocked and reported the mobile number.
The thing is, he sounded so convincing and could fool some trusting folk.
Beware out there people

 

[Bazz]

I've warned my mom and dad about this kind of stuff so often they just don't answer the phone now, unless they've got the number saved.

 

[Billysboots]

Thanks for sharing Bob - that’s a variation on one I’ve heard, but not for a little while.

Sadly, my mum is very vulnerable to this sort of thing, to the point where I now have agreed access to her email account to keep an eye on things. She has fallen victim to two scams (that I know of), and despite being an intelligent woman in possession of her faculties she is of the trusting generation and can be very naive.

At a most basic level I have said to her if she gets a text from a mobile purporting to be BT, Royal Mail or similar, that she needs to ask herself how they would have her mobile number and, more importantly, why they would be texting her from one. Likewise, when Amazon or similar contact her regarding outstanding delivery fees, to ask herself if she is actually expecting deliveries. Simple stuff, but exactly the sort of scam she is now very prone to falling for I’m afraid.

 

[Neilds]

If you are ringing back, try and use a different phone as the scammers can leave the line open and you aren't actually talking to the real organisation, just the scammers mate.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

My mum struggles to get to the phone now but previously she would have been vulnerable. My FiL has been duped a few times, both on the phone and online. We have tried to tell him but he wont listen. 'You think I'm stupid, don't you?' he says angrily. Well, by dupe number 5 it's hard to put up a reasonable defence I'd say

Both of them struggle with the idea of just hanging up. They need to explain, to discuss and at that point, they get their claws into people. Vile people, a plague on them all.

 

[D-S]

We found that having call guardian on the landline got rid of 100% of these scams for our parents. Now iPhones have similar protection options for unsaved numbers and this seems to work well.

 

[Burnsey]

I get one a week at least from someone at 'O2' and always ask them...

"Hi, what is my name?"

"My name is George" (it doesn't sound like George, but let's not get into that one)

"No George, What's my name"

"My name is George"

"No George, What's my name"

"My name is George"

"No George, What's my name"

"My name is George"

"No George, What's my name"

"My name is George"

"Ok, bye George"

Blocked.

 

[Crazyface]

I really gullible. Been caught a few times. They are sooooo smart. Nothing major and recoverable, but one day they will get me good. See, and I blooming know this!!!!

 

[VVega]

iPhone has setting “Screen Unknown Callers”, one of the options is “Ask Reason for Calling”. So it then doesn’t show the call but instead you can see the text of what they are saying/or later can listen to their message in voicemail. I find it very helpful to avoid nuisance calls.

 

[jim8flog]

Every so often I nearly get caught by some of the online stuff following my interaction with Sir Raz.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I consider myself pretty clued up and savvy. But even so, I was suffering with a flu thing, having issues and concerns with family and my van and I let myself get caught. £4k gone.
Sometimes it's very easy to dismiss their calls and process and we all think we are clever enough to ignore them, but if they get their timing right it's very easy to get caught out.

 

[arnieboy]

I consider myself pretty clued up and savvy. But even so, I was suffering with a flu thing, having issues and concerns with family and my van and I let myself get caught. £4k gone.
Sometimes it's very easy to dismiss their calls and process and we all think we are clever enough to ignore them, but if they get their timing right it's very easy to get caught out.

That's a tough one to take.
My wife nearly got caught by an M&S scam yesterday but fortunately she has learned from previous experience.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

I really gullible. Been caught a few times. They are sooooo smart. Nothing major and recoverable, but one day they will get me good. See, and I blooming know this!!!!

Ere Crazy,
Send me over your bank details and pin and i'll send you some excellent software that will stop all these scams
The bank details etc are needed so I can embed them into the software for you otherwise it wont work.