A scam phone calls and emails discussion.

[nanstallon]

Best not even say 'hello' - wait for the caller to identify himself. Your voice may be recorded, and copied.

 

[najaB]

Some services (such as the Australian Tax Office) use voice as biometric authentication, so even talking nonsense could be dangerous.

If that is true then I am severely disappointed that a governmental body could be so monumentally stupid. Voice is about the weakest form of biometric authentication that exists, given that the ability to reproduce voice has existed for a mere century and a half!

 

[Buzby]

Well, both Bank of Scotland & Santander use voice a Level 1 authentication on their Telephone Banking services where you have to state the same passphrase to clear it. It has always worked for me, but should I wish anything more than balance or transfer to an existing creditor, further checks are made.

 

[najaB]

Well, both Bank of Scotland & Santander use voice a Level 1 authentication on their Telephone Banking services where you have to state the same passphrase to clear it. It has always worked for me, but should I wish anything more than balance or transfer to an existing creditor, further checks are made.

It seems appropriate to use it for balance checks, but it seems a bit dodgy to use it for an account mutator. I wonder what their policy is for disputed transfers?

 

[pdeaves]

In the last 24 hours I have received no fewer than five emails all from 'edubuntu dot org' addresses, two from info@ and three options@... Apparently, I can get NHS prescriptions free to my door, McAfee has expired, a payment has failed, they've been trying to reach me, and UPS needs to know some detail.

I suppose with the wonders of technology, it's quite possible for one individual/organisation to do all those things... (ha, ha).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Just wondering why obviously scam calls asking to be put through to "The Lady of the House" need that specific personage to speak to. Do such female entities in the country of the scammers command financial overliordship?

The last time that I received this type of scam call, I said the Chief Amazon was away on a hunting trip.

 

[pdeaves]

Just wondering why obviously scam calls asking to be put through to "The Lady of the House" need that specific personage to speak to. Do such female entities in the country of the scammers command financial overliordship?

The last time that I received this type of scam call, I said the Chief Amazon was away on a hunting trip.

Probably females are considered easier to scam (if you're a scammer).

 

[swt_passenger]

Just wondering why obviously scam calls asking to be put through to "The Lady of the House" need that specific personage to speak to. Do such female entities in the country of the scammers command financial overliordship?

The last time that I received this type of scam call, I said the Chief Amazon was away on a hunting trip.

I still tell them she died in 2000.

 

[MotCO]

I still tell them she died in 2000.

It reminds me of when I was contacting British Gas to cancel the account after my Mum died. They asked if they could supply the service to her new home. I said, I don't think you supply a service where she's gone! They had no sense of humour.

 

[martin butler]

As regards scammers etc, an old saying always proves to be true, If it sounds too good to be true, often it isn't, according a message i get every day my cloud payment has failed and I need to confirm my details, strange thing is I have never registered to cloud services, only as part of the package I pay for my internet account, and that's clearly not failed, also, i supposing purchased a car on finance some years ago, and i am now owed compensation on it, except i have never purchased any car on finance , I've never bought a car from a dealership and any loans I took out, were through my bank,

 

[dgl]

It reminds me of when I was contacting British Gas to cancel the account after my Mum died. They asked if they could supply the service to her new home. I said, I don't think you supply a service where she's gone! They had no sense of humour.

I had similar issues when cancelling the broadband at my Grans house when we finally sold it after her passing, as I don't pay for the broadband at home and I had been paying it there they couldn't initially seem to understand that I didn't need it transferring. It was all sorted in the end though.
Also I remember going to get my PAC code from O² when switching supplier (I had got a very good deal with Plusnet), naturally they tried to get me to stay, but a worse contract for about triple the price was hardly going to make me stay.
Interestingly my mum had no such issues with Virgin Mobile, and they just have her the code with no attempt to sell her anything.

 

[ChrisC]

I’ve had six phone calls during the last few days from people who claim to be ringing me from BT Openreach concerning a problem with my internet. They have all been male and speak with an Indian accent. I tried to tell the first one that I am not a customer of BT Openreach and that even if myISP does use BT Openreach for the line l would not be getting calls telephone calls from BT. He then began to get quite aggressive insisting that BT Openreach had been working in my area over the last 2 days and had found a fault which urgently needs dealing with. He obviously wasn‘t going to listen to anything I said and wouldn’t stop talking in aggressive way. I shouted back to him “You are a scam” and he hung up.
I‘ve now had 5 more calls, including 2 this morning. Once they have told me they are from BT Openreach I don’t try to argue with them, but just ask them to confirm my name and address, and they immediately hang up.

 

[najaB]

I’ve had six phone calls during the last few days from people who claim to be ringing me from BT Openreach concerning a problem with my internet.

As I'm sure you know, Openreach wouldn't be responsible for contacting customers about problems with their Internet connection. It would be up to the ISP.

Once they have told me they are from BT Openreach I’ve asked them to confirm my name and address and they immediately hang up.

You can also ask them to confirm your ISP.

 

[ChrisC]

As I'm sure you know, Openreach wouldn't be responsible for contacting customers about problems with their Internet connection. It would be up to the ISP.

Yes I do know. It was when I tried to explain that to him that he started arguing in an aggressive way.

 

[MotCO]

Openreach is one of those companies you cannot contact - you need to go through your ISP provider. Which is not very useful when I want them to replace an ageing telegraph pole in my garden (my electricity supplier put a new pole up for their services, and said that Openreach would transfer their services to the new pole 'sometime soon' - but no sign six months later! Also, I want to know when they are going to replace my copper wire with fibre, so if they phone you again, can you pass them over to me.

 

[najaB]

Openreach is one of those companies you cannot contact - you need to go through your ISP provider. Which is not very useful when I want them to replace an ageing telegraph pole in my garden (my electricity supplier put a new pole up for their services, and said that Openreach would transfer their services to the new pole 'sometime soon' - but no sign six months later!

Report it to Openreach here: https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/damage-health-and-safety

 

[steamybrian]

Scammer rung me this morning and he wanted to confirm my name and address. I said my address was wrong and I had just moved to London. My new address was 24,Leinster Gardens, London W2 2ET. I asked him to send all correspondance to that address.
I would like to see his face when he sees it is the famous false fronted house...!!!!!

 

[Bevan Price]

I have recently received a number of emails telling me I have missed their phone call, and inviting me to click a (probably dodgy) link to hear (or read) their message.

 

[Buzby]

I activated an eSIM from 1p Mobile and as soon as it was activated, started receiving identical SMS texts saying ‘my network’ has tried to call me and my details need to be validated. A shortened URL was provided and interestingly but even more telling, advises I need to select 1 for English or 2 for Chinese! What a giveaway!

 

[dgl]

Nationwide now have an app feature that if you get a call claiming to be from them you can go to the app and Call Checker will tell you if they are actually calling you at that point in time.
If a scammer does call you and claim to be calling from nationwide you can call their bluff and say "well nationwide say otherwise, and are not calling me at the moment".

 

[Oxfordblues]

I'm a doddering old fool of 73, but I like to think I'm "scam-proof". We don't have a landline at home and if I get any calls or texts on my mobile phone from anyone I don't know I simply ignore them. Similarly with e-mails. I don't even answer the front door unless I'm expecting someone and I check it's them before opening the door. Any letters go straight in the bin unless specifically addressed to us.

It's sad really that elderly, vulnerable codgers like me are told not to trust strangers and have become even more isolated from the outside world thanks to the scammers.

 

[najaB]

I'm a doddering old fool of 73, but I like to think I'm "scam-proof".

Which is a dangerous way of thinking. You might be scam-aware, but there is someone out there who will be able to fool you.

 

[side effect]

Would Thames water call and demand a payment of £7 50 without sending final demands inthe post. My kids mother was asked for this payment by phone Friday.

 

[najaB]

Would Thames water call and demand a payment of £7 50 without sending final demands inthe post. My kids mother was asked for this payment by phone Friday.

I could be wrong, but I believe the maxim "a verbal agreement is worth the paper it's written on" would apply. Any demand for payment would need to be in writing (either physical paper or an online billing account).

 

[styles]

Nationwide now have an app feature that if you get a call claiming to be from them you can go to the app and Call Checker will tell you if they are actually calling you at that point in time.
If a scammer does call you and claim to be calling from nationwide you can call their bluff and say "well nationwide say otherwise, and are not calling me at the moment".

Monzo has had this for a while now. Glad to see it being rolled out across other banks!

 

[AM9]

I could be wrong, but I believe the maxim "a verbal agreement is worth the paper it's written on" would apply. Any demand for payment would need to be in writing (either physical paper or an online billing account).

... although it might be more worthy if it was made with a witness present.

 

[Buzby]

I believe the maxim "a verbal agreement is worth the paper it's written on" would apply.

Surely you mean ISN’T worth the paper….?

 

[AM9]

Surely you mean ISN’T worth the paper….?

No, the saying was 'is', - emphasising that there's no paper involved.

 

[Steddenm]

Nationwide now have an app feature that if you get a call claiming to be from them you can go to the app and Call Checker will tell you if they are actually calling you at that point in time.
If a scammer does call you and claim to be calling from nationwide you can call their bluff and say "well nationwide say otherwise, and are not calling me at the moment".

Would be good if Nationwide could roll out instant push alerts when your card is being used or direct debits/credits go through. Other banks have it.

 

[Buzby]

No, the saying was 'is', - emphasising that there's no paper involved.

I beg to differ. It is a humorous quotation and latterly attributed US film producer Samuel Goldwyn. Your version misses in its entirety it’s meant to be a joke.

Tracing Quotations - Quote InvestigatorVerbal Agreement