👮 Scam phone calls and texts

[Jcx500]

I've had an automated 020 number phone me a fair few times over the past few days claiming to be HMRC claiming i have been dodging tax!

[Garacesh]

I've had an automated 020 number phone me a fair few times over the past few days claiming to be HMRC claiming i have been dodging tax!

 

Had that a couple of weeks ago. Googling the number showed that they were actually spoofing HMRC's real phone number.

You'd have thought by now the networks would have fixed phone number spoofing

[mikeprice]

I've had an automated 020 number phone me a fair few times over the past few days claiming to be HMRC claiming i have been dodging tax!

 

I'll see you in prison - apparently there is a warrant out for my arrest for the same thing

 

at least that is what the automated said

[LeMarchand]

"Tesco" just called to let me know that the iPhone 7 I ordered is on it's way but press "1" to speak to the fraud team if I haven't ordered one.

 

 

1. Why would the only contact option be fraud rather than "change time" or something?
   
2. Have they not updated their scam recording in four years?
   
3. I was highly offended by the inference that I would be interested in an iPhone.
   

[DJ-1701]

"Tesco" just called to let me know that the iPhone 7 I ordered is on it's way but press "1" to speak to the fraud team if I haven't ordered one.

 

 

1. Why would the only contact option be fraud rather than "change time" or something?
   
2. Have they not updated their scam recording in four years?
   
3. I was highly offended by the inference that I would be interested in an iPhone.
   

 

Nothing wrong with an iPhone.

[elsiegee40]

Today’s text from LLOYDS, their caps, who I don’t bank with.

 

Telling me that a payee had attempted payment from a NEW DEVICE and to visit verify-newpayee(dot)com

 

Forwarded to 7726 and deleted [emoji849]

[Steve21]

Forwarded to 7726 and deleted [emoji849]

 

Today I learnt there's a number to forward junk too! And it spells out SPAM on your phone haha

 

Steve

[elsiegee40]

And it spells out SPAM on your phone haha

 

Steve

 

Today I learned that 7726 spells spam. I am rubbish at the letter substitution. I remember numbers really easily [emoji3]

[Norphy]

Unfortunately 7726 depends on your provider supporting it. All off the major ones do but Plusnet, who I use, don’t and I’m sure some of the other smaller ones don’t either.

[elsiegee40]

Unfortunately 7726 depends on your provider supporting it. All off the major ones do but Plusnet, who I use, don’t and I’m sure some of the other smaller ones don’t either.

 

It appears that PlusNet doesn’t support any shortcode messaging unfortunately which is why 7726 doesn’t work

[6Foot2]

Link: Scam alert: fake NHS COVID-19 vaccine text [Which.co.uk]

 

 

A dangerous fake NHS text has been circulating, telling people they’re eligible to apply for the COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s what it looks like.

 

A member got in touch with us today when they received a text message purporting to be from the NHS.

 

It confusingly stated that “we have identified that your are eligible to apply for your vaccine” and advised him to follow a link to get more information and ‘apply’:

 

This URL takes you through to an extremely convincing fake NHS website that asks for your personal details, but the member became suspicious when it asked for his bank/card details in order to ‘check his identity’.

 

It was then that he began spotting spelling mistakes on the site and in the SMS itself, which we’ve warned many times before are classic signs of a phishing scam.

 

We found that the fake site was also registered just two days ago – another reason to be suspicious, and one that demonstrates the importance of reporting these scams as soon as you receive them.

 

Remain vigilant of coronavirus scams

 

We know that criminals will use the confusion and urgency around the pandemic as a way to target potential victims – we’ve covered five similar attempts here on Which? Conversation already

[Ketlane]

My latest one from an 020 number (apparently) was allegedly HMRC. It's stunningly incompetent - how would HMRC hire someone with a New York accent? HMRC would first attempt to verify the identity of whoever picked up the phone.... And HMRC never phone people..... But presumably some people fall for it and all it needs is a tiny proportion of them to give bank details / make payment /whatever and the scammers are in profit. On the other hand no-one has contacted me about inheritance from Nigeria for ages, and I'd really like some of those $5,000,000 (Five Million) dollars....

[6Foot2]

Link: Scam HMRC texts are offering a ‘third lockdown grant’ [Ledbury Reporter]

 

Reports claim people around the UK have been targeted by fraudsters claiming to be HM Revenue and Customs.

 

The scam comes in the form of a text message, asking for personal details claiming that the recipient can claim money from a fictional government grant.

 

The text message reportedly reads: “From HMRC: The third lockdown has been announced, we have been issued a grant off £240 to help during this period, visit to claim.”

 

The message is followed by a link.

 

Despite the fact that the message claims to be from the HMRC, the message contains a number of grammatical errors, such as the use of the word “off” instead of the word “of” - a telltale sign that this is not a legitimate message.

 

The website that the text links to has been created to look similar to the government website, with the same branding, layout and font choices. However, it is not hosted on the official gov.uk domain, which should be another red flag for those targeted by the scam, as it indicates that the website is fake.

 

The fake website also informs users that they will need to provide their card details in order to claim the grant.

 

Both Chrome and Safari web browsers automatically flag the website as deceptive, and inform users that it may be tricking them into disclosing their card details.

 

‘Do not reply to the message’

 

The government website has a whole section dedicated to highlighting and debunking HMRC related scams...

[mikeprice]

Mrs mikeprice had a phone call earlier

apparently THE NCA are wanting to talk to her because her NI number has been used for suspicious purposes

 

OK - so far so just another one of those calls - press 1 to talk to etc etc etc

 

but she says that when she tried to hang up it wouldn't let her

 

I have never seen that before - anyone else heard of it????

[Davit2005]

Mrs mikeprice had a phone call earlier

apparently THE NCA are wanting to talk to her because her NI number has been used for suspicious purposes

 

OK - so far so just another one of those calls - press 1 to talk to etc etc etc

 

but she says that when she tried to hang up it wouldn't let her

 

I have never seen that before - anyone else heard of it????

 

Have I heard somewhere that it is possible for them to keep line open somehow. Like if they phone up then keep line open expecting yo to call your bank??

[LeMarchand]

Not heard of that, but I do know that both my wife and I are on the HMRC's "Most Wanted" list. We're a regular Bonnie & Clyde.

[mikeprice]

Have I heard somewhere that it is possible for them to keep line open somehow. Like if they phone up then keep line open expecting yo to call your bank??

 

The type that I have heard of they play a ring tone to make you think they have hung up at their end

 

Can they force your own phone (mobile in this case) to refuse to hang up???

[6Foot2]

...but she says that when she tried to hang up it wouldn't let her

 

I have never seen that before - anyone else heard of it????

 

The phone making the call at the other end hasn't hung up. The idea is that they spin whatever story it is they want to sell you.

 

Then, to finally convince you, they say hang up and call back using a number you trust.

 

They pretend to answer the call, either disguising their voice or putting another scammer on the line.

 

The victim now convinced of the person they are talking to (as they 'called out') is ready for the scam proper to be sold to them.

 

[Davit2005]

Not heard of that, but I do know that both my wife and I are on the HMRC's "Most Wanted" list. We're a regular Bonnie & Clyde.

 

Would I get a bounty reward :-)

[Davit2005]

The type that I have heard of they play a ring tone to make you think they have hung up at their end

 

Can they force your own phone (mobile in this case) to refuse to hang up???

 

I don't know. I'm wondering what will happen if phone is unplugged.

 

I'm on a VOIP service with my ISP now and don't have a normal phone line anymore.

[Rob_D]

I don't know. I'm wondering what will happen if phone is unplugged.

I'm on a VOIP service with my ISP now and don't have a normal phone line anymore.

 

Years ago (I guess sometime in the 90s) I remember this being a problem if a mobile phone called a landline - the mobile had to end the call otherwise the line stayed open. I vaguely remember someone pocket-dialing us (presumably from a mobile) and we tried everything to either get the person's attention or end the call from our end (including unplugging the phone) and nothing worked.

[ChrisC]

Yea, since the fraud while keeping the line open became prevelant, things were changed so that the line closes if either end disconnects.

 

I have had it where my android (I think the call app) hangs when a call ended and wouldn't respond.

 

I ended up just restarting the phone.

[Jcx500]

Another one today a 0114 number, Claiming i will be in serious legal trouble if i don't call them back!!

[LeMarchand]

No longer Bonnie & Clyde; now The Manson Family. Bonus Daughter #2 is now on the list.

 

BT and EE also after me, despite never having had an account with either.

[Davit2005]

Just had my first HMRC txt.

 

 

If that link is true link it was registered yesterday

 

Reported to 7726 and deleted.

Edited February 3, 2021 by Davit2005