A scam phone calls and emails discussion.

[DM352]

Indeed they can. It's relatively easy to spoof caller ID information.

Yes, even more interesting when the caller has the last 4 digits of a US/Canada number off by a few numbers to your number.

Never answer them but my in-laws use a cub whistle on their spam calls when a scammer speaks.

 

[najaB]

Never answer them but my in-laws use a cub whistle on their spam calls when a scammer speaks.

Please ask her to stop. It can be charged as assault and land her in court.

When I worked in a call center (not cold calling, before you ask) someone did it to one of my colleagues and they ended up being off work for several days.

 

[bubieyehyeh]

Evening all

I've just opened this email purporting to come from the RMT Credit Union.

----------------
From: "c.union@rmtcred[anti-spam]itunion.co.uk" <c.union@rmtcred[anti-spam]itunion.co.uk>
To: [my real email]
Subject: Email Subject: YOUR RMT CREDIT UNION INACTIVE ACCOUNT
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2025 17:04:48 +0000 (UTC)

Dear Member

Your account is currently on hold and is inactive with the RMT Credit Union.

Please can you contact us by email c.union@rmtcrediutunion.co.uk or call on 0203 5355820 as soon as possible to either reinstate your direct debit for your savings or notify us of your intention with your account.

Failing to contact us with an update as to how you wish to proceed will leave us no option but to close your account.

Kind regards
Nicola Hoarau
Office Manager
----------------
The things that arouse my suspicion are that the email address to reply to, c.union@rmtcrediutunion.co.uk, appears to be misspelt; and even if the direct debit had failed (which it hasn't - I've checked), why would they close my account? I can log in fine and there's nothing to indicate that my account is dormant.

They've spelt the administrator's name right though. Anyone else had this? And what do you think?

I'm not sure its a scam since the domain rmtcrediutunion.co.uk hasn't been registered (or its already been deleted), so it possibly a real email with a typo in the email address in body and from field, or someone trying to wind u up.

 

[najaB]

...possibly a real email with a typo in the email address in body and from field...

While not impossible, how often do people get the from address wrong (given that it's usually configured once and doesn't change)?

 

[bubieyehyeh]

While not impossible, how often do people get the from address wrong (given that it's usually configured once and doesn't change)?

A typo in just the body is more likely, it possible if someone setting up a new computer and misconfigured email and their email server doesn't verify the from address is valid.

A wind-up seems more likely.

 

[najaB]

A typo in just the body is more likely, it possible if someone setting up a new computer and misconfigured email and their email server doesn't verify the from address is valid.

Not checking the local part is bad form but isn't uncommon, however it's almost unknown for a server to relay mail for an incorrect domain. That would expose the server to being massively abused.

 

[Ediswan]

Not checking the local part is bad form but isn't uncommon, however it's almost unknown for a server to relay mail for an incorrect domain. That would expose the server to being massively abused.

And promptly blacklisted, which would also block delivery of mail from the correct domain from that server.

 

[swt_passenger]

“This is (un-named) Bank Security. About your payment to Amazon for £199 etc etc…”

I thought they’d stopped for a while, seems they must have been on holiday, I’ve had three this week.

 

[Jon_jpwh]

After not getting many unwanted calls I have had a succession of them over the last few days. They are telling me that they have discovered a dormant account in my name containing 2.9 bitcoins. Only I can access this but they will help me do this. I tell that I am not interested and terminate the call. The only odd thing is that they seem to know my name.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Whilst I was visiting one of my new neighbours, a man of similar advanced years like me and a former head teacher, he was telephoned by a scammer who he tells me claimed to be from the "International Fraud Department" from his bank, saying that £1.500 had been transferred from his account to an overseas bank. He says he is well used to such scam calls and told the caller that the bank should have followed the agreed procedure of first checking what they had been notified of by him and said that the £1,500 was just the agreed 10% part of the £15,000 full transaction. (Of course, there was no such transaction in reality, but he takes pleasure in castigating the caller). He ended the call, telling the scammer how inefficient the department was in which the scammer worked.

 

[DannyMich2018]

I rarely get spam phone calls but just had a call from an 020 number, an Indian accent gentleman saying he was from Sky and saying he can reduce my bills. After pretending to listen to him I twice told him I'm not with Sky and I hung up!!

 

[contrex]

I rarely get spam phone calls but just had a call from an 020 number, an Indian accent gentleman saying he was from Sky and saying he can reduce my bills. After pretending to listen to him I twice told him I'm not with Sky and I hung up!!

I made one of these wait for a long time, faffing about, saying 'I'd love to reduce my Sky bill' but after about ten minutes I pretended to look at my bill and said 'Is Sky the same as Virgin?' and he swore and hung up.

 

[Jon_jpwh]

I have received an email from Elon Musk telling me I've won 18,087.71 Tesla Stock at $228.0 per share (TSLA) valued at $4,131,028.28. Interestingly he is using the name Dario Javier Alban De La Cruz and the email was sent from Ecuador. I thought he would be too busy with Doge to worry about me.

 

[Trackman]

I made one of these wait for a long time, faffing about, saying 'I'd love to reduce my Sky bill' but after about ten minutes I pretended to look at my bill and said 'Is Sky the same as Virgin?' and he swore and hung up.

Had one of those from BT. Like you, played along with it for a while.

 

[bearhugger]

A new one to me, just had a call on my mobile from a UK mobile number. Upon answering there was an automated womans voice saying along the lines of "I want to discuss a job opportunity with you, please add this number to WhatsApp.".
I'm not actively job hunting & haven't for a number of years.

 

[Leyland Bus]

Have had several calls over the last year from what look like mobile numbers (starting 07) but on closer inspection, they're 12 digits long, rather than 11... I never answer so who knows what they were flogging...

The last scam call I answered was for some money I hadn't received from an accident claim I'd apparently made (never had one!). I just started breathing heavily and asked what they were wearing... They hung up immediately!!!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I have just had a rather posh female voice on a call this morning saying that their records show that I am entitled to solar powered heating. I asked what were these records were that their company had and who complied them, but the caller then just hung up. Having only just moved into this house, as the elderly lady from whom I bought it has relocated to a retirement complex some distance away, I have taken over the existing telephone number, which makes me think that the caller intended to speak to that elderly lady.

 

[styles]

I have just had a rather posh female voice on a call this morning saying that their records show that I am entitled to solar powered heating. I asked what were these records were that their company had and who complied them, but the caller then just hung up. Having only just moved into this house, as the elderly lady from whom I bought it has relocated to a retirement complex some distance away, I have taken over the existing telephone number, which makes me think that the caller intended to speak to that elderly lady.

We have thankfully avoided such situations by simply not plugging a landline phone in. Don't think I've had one for around 15 years now.

 

[dangie]

Had one of those from BT. Like you, played along with it for a while.

I tend to play along with all of them until either I get fed up or they do. Quite a good hobby to have over these winter months.

 

[KeithMcC]

Upon answering there was an automated womans voice saying along the lines of "I want to discuss a job opportunity with you, please add this number to WhatsApp.

I have had that one as well. Duly ignored and number blocked!

 

[swt_passenger]

I have had that one as well. Duly ignored and number blocked!

If I get one of those, I shall try and remember to ask them WTF WhatsApp is…

 

[steamybrian]

Just had a recorded message from "bank security" to say that £110 had been paid to East Midlands Railway for a rail ticket betweeen Kings Cross and Edinburgh. If I did not make this payment to press 1.
Needless to say I put the phone down...

Has anyone had a similar call...?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Just had a recorded message from "bank security" to say that £110 had been paid to East Midlands Railway for a rail ticket betweeen Kings Cross and Edinburgh. If I did not make this payment to press 1.
Needless to say I put the phone down...

Indeed! Is that even a valid fare? (First Class or Standard?)

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Indeed! Is that even a valid fare? (First Class or Standard?)

There is a £109.70 1st class 70 minutes flex child ticket on BR fares, but nothing at exactly £110 (I didn't check railcards)..

 

[steamybrian]

A second "scam" call today regarding reducing my (alleged) annual payment on insurance for my domestic appliances. Kept him talking for about 10 minutes during which I said I did not receive any paperwork for the previous years. He said he had sent to my address to which he had on file...... 23, Leinster Gardens, London W2.
I then had to put the phone down as if he tried to scam me then I will scam him back

 

[Mcr Warrior]

He said he had sent to my address to which he had on file...... 23, Leinster Gardens, London W2.

Isn't that the address of one of the false-facade properties in Bayswater hiding an uncovered section of the Metropolitan Line?

 

[steamybrian]

Isn't that the address of one of the false-facade properties in Bayswater hiding an uncovered section of the Metropolitan Line?

Yes-

 

[davews]

I think 23 Leinster Gardens does have a postbox, but presume the posties know not to post anything through it....

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I think 23 Leinster Gardens does have a postbox, but presume the posties know not to post anything through it....

Not sure that it actually does. That's one of the main clues that it's a false facade..

23-24 Leinster Gardens, London's False-Front Houses

Information on the fake houses at 23-24 Leinster Gardens in Bayswater, London, with visiting information, hstory and photoraphs.

www.britainexpress.com

Extract...

The only clue that you are looking at false frontage comes from the fact that the front doors have no letterboxes, and if you look closely you will see the painted windows are not sporting curtains like their neighbours. As disguises go, it is masterful.

 

[Gloster]

I think 23 Leinster Gardens does have a postbox, but presume the posties know not to post anything through it....

I think it is a dummy with just the external decorative part fixed to the ‘door’. (Or maybe not. Is there one with a dummy letterbox somewhere else? Edinburgh?)