👮 Scam phone calls and texts

[Ditto]

Even on this forum, the English in that message gives it away!

[3s-gtech]

Why are the scam call centres even bothering with the Microsoft ones any more? Surely that’s a seriously diminishing domestic market?

 

“Hello we’re calling from Microsoft. Is that ?”

“No. We don’t have a computer.”

“Any portable devices, tablets, iPads?”

“No.”

“*snottily* We’re putting a block on all of your devices.”

Hangs up.

 

Cretinous ******* *****. Get a proper job.

[elsiegee40]

Even on this forum, the English in that message gives it away!

 

It’s not written badly enough to alert most people. The sender’s email address, the URL, the fact that evri has all the parcel details on their system however…

[Scan099]

Today’s scam phone call was allegedly from the Bank (didn't say which one). A recorded voice saying that they had detected abnormal use of my credit card and to press 1 for something or 2 to speak to an operator. I didn't

A charge of 1000 to Amazon and an not sterling transaction of 500.

 

needless to say checked accounts and no pending transactions noted.

 

[Scan099]

Just had the same call again but from a different number this time 01326 212903

[mikeprice]

New one today

 

You have booked train tickets from East Midlands to Edinburgh

if this is not right or you wish to cancel please press 1

 

 

at least they are changing from the old Amazon Prime idea!

[6Foot2]

Link: Ofcom clamps down on millions of scam ‘spoofed number’ calls from abroad | Scams | The Guardian

 

Millions more scam calls from abroad that use spoofed UK landline numbers are to be blocked after the telecoms regulator finally ordered a long-overdue clampdown.

 

From Monday all phone companies will have six months to identify and block calls from abroad that falsely display a UK telephone number under strengthened guidance from Ofcom.

 

Fraudsters around the world have been able to call UK consumers for years using what is known as a spoofed phone number – changed using a laptop to appear as if it were coming from a UK bank, government department or similar.

 

People answering often saw the same number on their handset as that used by their bank, and were frequently scammed after believing that they were talking to the lender’s fraud department.

 

The Guardian first highlighted how fraudsters were able to use spoofed numbers in 2019, at a time when most readers were unaware that a fraudster could hack the system to make it appear they were calling from another number.

 

It went on to feature and help a dozen readers who had collectively had £290,000 stolen from their bank accounts.

 

Ofcom has since been under pressure to act, but progress has been painfully slow. BT has prevented as many as 1m calls a day from entering its network on a voluntary basis since July 2022, and other firms such as TalkTalk have adopted similar measures.

 

Now the regulator has ordered the other telecoms firms to block “presentation” numbers, albeit with a further six-month grace period. That means fraudsters will still be free to call consumers on some networks until January.

 

Criminals stole £1.17bn through unauthorised and authorised fraud in the UK in 2023, much of it starting through a spoofed number phone call.

 

The Ofcom group director for networks and communications, Lindsey Fussell, said: “Criminals who defraud people by exploiting phone networks cause huge distress and financial harm to their victims.

 

“While there’s encouraging signs that scam calls and texts are declining, they remain widespread and we’re keeping our foot to the throttle to find new and innovative ways to tackle the problem.

 

“Under our strengthened industry guidance, millions more scam calls from abroad which use spoofed UK landline numbers will be blocked, with similar plans uunder way for calls which spoof UK mobile numbers. We’re also challenging the industry and other interested parties to provide evidence on the best solutions to tackle mobile messaging scams.”

 

Ernest Doku, a telecoms expert at the price comparison website uSwitch, welcomed the move. “With increasing mistrust around answering phone calls, consumers will welcome this development. Recent research from Uswitch shows that almost two-thirds of Brits don’t answer the phone because of concerns about scams or scam callers,” he said.

 

“While making changes like this can take time, Ofcom’s six-month timeline may mean a delay before we see a reduction in these types of phone scams, as the deadline for these stricter measures to be implemented isn’t until 29 January 2025.”

[Davit2005]

Friend received a text message about a parking penalty over the weekend. I've not seen one before.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dvsa-issues-warning-about-parking-fine-scam-text-messages

 

Deleted, blocked and told friend to ignore the texts.

[Ditto]

I've had a few of those recently - no number plate, no date, no location. For me they are pretty poor, but I guess there are a small number of people that get caught out sadly.

[David44]

I wish the general advice was to always press 1 (or whatever) to speak to an operator. You don't actually need to speak to an operator, simply mute your phone or put the call on hold and put it to one side while the person says "Hello?, Hello?, Hello?" a few times.

 

By just hanging up, you are helping the scammers filter the calls. They know that the people who press 1 have probably already fallen for the first part of the scam, believing it to be real, if everyone pressed 1 they would be swamped by live calls that have to be handled by an a real person. There would be less chance that someone who will fall for it will get through to the second part of the scam as their system will be tied up with silent calls. Eventually, it would not be cost effective to keep making the calls as they would not catch enough people.

 

I wish BBC Watchdog or similar would give the advice to 'press 1' rather than the only helpful to the scammers advice of 'just hang up'.

[Oaktech]

Not really a scam, but someone called Louise has, I think accidentally, used my mobile number whilst trying to buy furniture. I have had about a dozen calls from John Lewis, DFS, Sofology and Bensons around the Midlands asking to speak to her to arrange an appointment and one apologising for being unable to match a price. I do have a surname but so far attempting to find a social media account for someone with that name in the vicinity of those stores has not proved fruitful.

[Norphy]

My girlfriend has a similar problem - someone with the same name as her is some sort of professor at a college in the US and she keeps on giving my GF's email address instead of her own. My girlfriend is getting all sorts of email for this namesake of hers, sometimes with very sensitive information. She's tried telling this other person but it's not sinking in.

[Andrew_C]

A school in Cheshire used to send me emails about my child in their school. I do have one, and she does live in Cheshire but is 30+.

 

This kept happening until I threatened the head with ICO involvment. Fortunatly, they never sent anything "sensitive".

[Davit2005]

On Sunday I had an automated message about a job opportunity. Basically said press 1 to register the phone number on WhatsApp. Needless to say I did not press 1 but did hang up. Reported number.

[6Foot2]

I just got a call (supposedly a wrong number) They were "returning a call" about an enquiry made on their site about whisky as an investment. They promised 12.5% per year and tried to get details about me. The (private) number was withheld.

 

I don't smell whisky, but a scam.

[6Foot2]

I have just received a call (number: 0738 556967) My phone identified it as "Suspected Spam" but I answered anyway (for the giggles)

 

When I picked up the recorded female voice was already partway through the "spiel" Something about finding my details, they have a job that I would find interesting and please add this number and call back.

 

Reported and blocked.

[6Foot2]

Arrived just now:

 

"You made a claim for New Style Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) om 09/04/2021 and we took pension income into account. If any of this income was inherited from someone who has died (survivor's benefits) we need to check you got the correct amount of New Style JSA. We may owe you some money. Go to gov.uk/new-style-jsa-inherited-pension to find out more."

 

My phone identified it as spam.

 

Reported and blocked.

Edited February 4, 2025 by 6Foot2
Correct typos. :(

[HarryMonkey]

Yep, I just had one of those (but without the typos). The dates on mine check out so I think mine might be genuine

[6Foot2]

Yep, I just had one of those (but without the typos). The dates on mine check out so I think mine might be genuine

Whoops! Typos are mine. Went back and corrected what I could spot.

[Ditto]

Arrived just now:

 

"You made a claim for New Style Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) om 09/04/2021 and we took pension income into account. If any of this income was inherited from someone who has died (survivor's benefits) we need to check you got the correct amount of New Style JSA. We may owe you some money. Go to gov.uk/new-style-jsa-inherited-pension to find out more."

 

My phone identified it as spam.

 

Reported and blocked.

Was the weblink spoofed - on first glance, it looks valid?

[HarryMonkey]

The web link is valid. There's nothing to click on, just an explanation and an address to write a letter to if you think it might affect you. Edited February 4, 2025 by HarryMonkey

[6Foot2]

Was the weblink spoofed - on first glance, it looks valid?

 

Surprisingly, it is a genuine address.

[Ditto]

Could it be genuine? I see it has many scam like features, but perhaps the Gov department has just got their data in a muddle and are messaging the wrong people?

[Garacesh]

Arrived just now:

 

"You made a claim for New Style Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) om 09/04/2021 and we took pension income into account. If any of this income was inherited from someone who has died (survivor's benefits) we need to check you got the correct amount of New Style JSA. We may owe you some money. Go to gov.uk/new-style-jsa-inherited-pension to find out more."

 

My phone identified it as spam.

 

Reported and blocked.

 

My phone flagged my (legitimate) JSA text messages as spam when I signed on in August. Worth mentioning that the shortcode they came from did display as 'DWP', though.

Could be dodgy, could be identity fraud. If it didn't come from a random mobile number, I'd personally try and check it out further

[LeMarchand]

 

I guess the JSA is finding it hard to recruit people interested in justice.