That's actually quite clever. It's close enough to actual bank behaviour - contacting you about an unusual but reasonable transaction - to seem legitimate enough to catch people out, without them cottoning on to the warning signs: 'the bank' rather than naming your bank, and having to speak with them to cancel the suspicious transaction rather than it being blocked and having to authorise it.
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A scam phone calls and emails discussion.
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Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
If Trump decided to target the Indian sub-continent and "South of the Sahara" scam companies, I wonder what action he might have in mind.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
Usual precautions advised. Always say you'll phone back, and do so using the number on your card/bill/statement whatever. UIf they're genuine, they will understand your caution and agree.
Preferably use a different phone, in case they've kept the line open.
If that's not possible, make another outgoing call first.
I have had such a call when I was in deepest Snowdonia. It was a genuine one - my bank had picked up that I'd apparently been buying petrol in Wales and shopping in New York on the same afternoon. Card stopped and replaced.
Preferably use a different phone, in case they've kept the line open.
If that's not possible, make another outgoing call first.
I have had such a call when I was in deepest Snowdonia. It was a genuine one - my bank had picked up that I'd apparently been buying petrol in Wales and shopping in New York on the same afternoon. Card stopped and replaced.
Cheshire Scot
Established Member
My late mother who never had a computer received one of those 'it's about your computer' calls. 'Oh yes' she said, 'it's a Russian make, a bugerov', 'a what?', 'I'll spell it for you, B U G G E R O F F'. They hung up!
This is much less of an issue that it used to be. It used to be the case that the cleardown time for calls was almost indefinite on BT landlines - the calling party was responsible for clearing the call - this was so that you could, for example, put your hall phone down and walk to the conservatory and pick the phone up and continue the call. This 'feature' was rendered useless by the increased adoption of cordless phones, and increasingly became more of a bug due to scammers keeping the line open as you described.
As such, BT changed this several years back so that either party can now clear the call.
The other factor is mobile phones - where it's never been possible to keep the line open in the first place.
I believe it is standard practice for banks to say they are calling from "the bank" rather than naming the bank until they have established they are talking to the correct person.. This is in case someone has an account that for whatever reason they do not want their partner/family member to know about, and said partner/family member answers the phone.
3rd rail land
Member
Whenever a bank has reached out to me and not been able to get a hold of me they have always asked me to call back. They don't leave much if any detail beyond something like 'This is X bank fraud department' One even emailed me saying something like 'We have been unable to reach you. Please contact the bank.' The email made it obvious which bank this was.
They never leave a number either as of course you are supposed to call using the number on your bank card.
They never leave a number either as of course you are supposed to call using the number on your bank card.
Maybe it's a different protocol with different banks (or with mobile Vs landline) but from memory my bank identified itself in their outbound security call.
That said, it has been a while since I received one so things may have changed.
As a matter of interest, other than asking "Is this Mr X?", how do they ensure that they are speaking to Mr X and do the necessary security checks without revealing that Mr X has an account with them?
DelW
Established Member
- Joined
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One of the things that alerted me to the nature of an otherwise very convincing attempted scam call a couple of years ago, was the caller asking me to read out the phone number on the back of my bank card "to demonstrate [to him] that I still had the physical card in my possession". Of course the real purpose was for him to find out which bank my account was with.
Jon_jpwh
Member
I received this email last week.
And another one yesterday:
I have obviously deleted them although I was amused by the concept of "corrupt bank officials and courier companies"
Another email today claiming to be from Home Energy Support UK. with a suspicious looking pdf attached. The heading was
And another one yesterday:
I have obviously deleted them although I was amused by the concept of "corrupt bank officials and courier companies"
Another email today claiming to be from Home Energy Support UK. with a suspicious looking pdf attached. The heading was
Obviously also deleted.
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swt_passenger
Veteran Member
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You really must be a very important person for the IMF to be so interested in your financial wellbeing…
Jon_jpwh
Member
I've just had a look at the IMF website and I hadn't realised that Kristalina Georgieva is the managing director of the IMF. There is also a big section on the website warning about scams.
Statto
Established Member
Had a call earlier today from 07394 391109, which showed Pro Clenz on my phone, never answered, & put the number on block, had a look up on this site & it's a scam.
londonbridge
Established Member
- Joined
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Have previously posted about the Food Rewards scam pages on Facebook, it came up again so I reported it again, surprisingly got a response within a few hours saying they’d removed it, maybe they’re finally starting to crack down on scams and frauds.
Mcr Warrior
Veteran Member
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Some folk, however, will be. Clearly, the scam is a numbers game.
Oh it's absolutely a scattergun sort of approach!
swt_passenger
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I wanted to send my son a few quid a couple of weeks ago, but he’d changed his bank details, so before my bank would allow a new transfer recipient to be set up they did ask me to confirm that I’d got the details by making contact with him on a known good number.
They did the same to my Dad, which was promptly followed by a trip to his flat to ask him why he wanted money!
ABB125
Established Member
I've just had a call from "the Visa security department" about two "suspicious transactions". One for £99 with Amazon, and one for £1100 with Zoom (I think). Luckily I can press 1 to confirm that these were authorised, or press 2 to speak to someone because they weren't. Thank goodness for that.
Alternatively, I could ignore this obvious scam call. £1100 payment to Zoom (I think that's what they said) seems like an interesting choice - perhaps this is to try to make people suddenly worried, sine a £99 Amazon order wouldn't be especially unusual?
Alternatively, I could ignore this obvious scam call. £1100 payment to Zoom (I think that's what they said) seems like an interesting choice - perhaps this is to try to make people suddenly worried, sine a £99 Amazon order wouldn't be especially unusual?
I can imagine that "failed delivery" one does quite well. On any given day of the week, there will be thousands of people expecting a delivery. So if the scammer sends a few million of those "failed delivery" messages, loads and loads of the recipients will be waiting for a delivery.
Indeed. That's exactly why it's called phishing. Cast enough hooks and someone will bite.
There was a documentary made by BBC NI. About scammers from Ireland in the United States, knocking door to door about home improvements. I was aware from Americans, that they were active in a couple of states. But now they appear to all over. The sums involved are far more than they would get over here.
Of the people who knock on my door. It has been a long time since someone Irish was a caller. Also, stories about travellers, appear to have dried up in the local paper. Apart from them fighting amongst themselves.
Of the people who knock on my door. It has been a long time since someone Irish was a caller. Also, stories about travellers, appear to have dried up in the local paper. Apart from them fighting amongst themselves.
Not 100 percent sure this is a scam, but I'm wary.
I booked an Ibis hotel for tomorrow night. I have received an email from saying I have been upgraded to the Novotel next door. I have already paid for the room at the Ibis as per the booking confirmation.
The email advising me of this change is from a named person.accor.com and the title simply states 'regarding your reservation' , it has also cc'd in ibis and novotel.
The email says I have to quote the new booking ref and make payment when I arrive at the Novotel.
I will be going to the Ibis in the first instance.
Anyone had this before?
I booked an Ibis hotel for tomorrow night. I have received an email from saying I have been upgraded to the Novotel next door. I have already paid for the room at the Ibis as per the booking confirmation.
The email advising me of this change is from a named person.accor.com and the title simply states 'regarding your reservation' , it has also cc'd in ibis and novotel.
The email says I have to quote the new booking ref and make payment when I arrive at the Novotel.
I will be going to the Ibis in the first instance.
Anyone had this before?
Sounds legit, Ibis and Novotel are owned by the same group - Accor.
I'd call Ibis reservations tomorrow just to confirm so you are not faffing about.
I have got proof my original booking was paid. I have checked my bookings on Accor manage my booking, both are showing with Ibis as paid.
I have a feeling that they may want to charge me again and will say they will refund the old booking.
I'd give them a call tomorrow to clarify matters.
I'd be wary about paying again even though I think this is legit, I would stand my ground saying it's a transfer at the Novotel.
DelW
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In that situation, I'd be very unwilling to pay anything beyond the original payment made with the booking. It's hardly an "upgrade" if they want you to pay more for the alternative that they've chosen to move you to.