👮 Scam phone calls and texts

[Jcx500]

Just had my first HMRC txt.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60682[/ATTACH]

 

 

That link is quite convincing at first site for someone who isn't tech savy

[Jcx500]

Just had my first HMRC txt.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]60682[/ATTACH]

 

 

Looks like that domain was only registered yesterday!

 

[mikeprice]

Phone call from OpenReach this morning becasue they are seeing a lot of errors logged on their central server showing problems on my internet connection

 

funny that - my ISP isn't OpenReach

 

kept them on the phone for 10 minutes before I got fed up

also got a recorded message a few hours later saying my internte would be cut off due to non payment - press 1 - blah blah blah

 

seems like the landline has got on someone's list

[6Foot2]

This text arrived a couple of days ago:

 

 

I closed my Halifax accounts a number of years ago (can't recall when)

 

Link: Scam warning: fake Halifax SMS text [Which?]

[Davit2005]

Keep getting phone calls that end as I pick them up within a few seconds, all different numbers, mostly mobiles.

 

I'm not calling them back

Edited February 12, 2021 by Davit2005

[6Foot2]

Keep getting phone calls that end as I pick them up within a few seconds, all different numbers, mostly mobiles.

 

I'm not calling them back

 

Yeah, that too. I posted about the same thing in the 'Annoying Things' thread a couple of days ago:

 

1. Went to answer the phone, dropped and broke my glasses.
   
2. The call was a nuisance call ('BT are going to cut you off. Press 1 to talk to accounts' etc. We are Virgin customers)
   
3. Another nuisance call (from a different number, but the same call content) arrived a few minutes ago.)
   

[elsiegee40]

Keep getting phone calls that end as I pick them up within a few seconds, all different numbers, mostly mobiles.

 

I'm not calling them back

 

Unless I recognise the number I don’t answer. If it’s important a message will be left.

[mikeprice]

It's fine saying they will leave a message - but a lot of people don't any more

 

I have had several problems where people have been genuinely been trying to get hold of me for a good reason

when they finally ring when I am in they say they have been ringing me for days but couldn't get hold of me

there seemed to be no understanding of why I thought they should have left a message

In fact some companies have started they have a policy (i.e. they have written something down that they then think is correct because it is a policy) of never leaving a message

 

annoys me because they have me down as being difficult to contact - whereas in reality they have only used a single method to try to contact me and have not even used that in a sensible manner (in all cases they had my postal and email addresses

 

more on topic - 3 dud call today so far

one on landline - apparently Openreach are STILL trying to get hold of me or they will cut my internet off - dunno why they keep trying after so many fails???

one on mobile - missed call - whocalledme says it is one of those road accident places

another on mobile - much more welcome because apparently I have won 150,000 (currency not clear) on the US Lottery - must be real because they clearly said it was administed by the US Lottery - and apparently they have been emailing and ringing me for ages and this is my last chance (see above!!)

 

 

 

we seem to have got onto someone's list

[elsiegee40]

It seems that I too am about to be arrested for tax fraud having failed to press 1 on the robot call I received just now.

 

It’ll give me a change of scenery in lockdown I suppose [emoji23]

[6Foot2]

...It’ll give me a change of scenery in lockdown I suppose [emoji23]

Exchange one lockdown for another?

 

[Garacesh]

Phone call from 07506 745 052 (though most likely a spoofed or hired number).. Apparently my social security number (since when did we have those?) has been compromised (what does that even mean?) on the Wesh border (wut?)

Press 1 to speak to someone or legal action will be taken. Oh no! I guess I'd better do that, then..

 

I got put through to a wonderful lady who gave me a very stereotypically English name for someone with such a thick Indian accent, though if we're being fair, I guess that's not outside the realms of possibility.

I cut her off mid-opening-spiel to say I knew she wasn't anything to do with the government, and asked who she was really.

 

All I got back was blblllbbbblblblllllblblbllbl tongue-wagging gibberish, before she hung up.

Shame, really, I'd have liked to have questioned her about why she's scamming people and if she's really happy with her career.

 

Ah well. Number reported and blocked.

[Protec]

My mother got another phone call from "Amazon Prime" and the phone call was about stopping payments and to press 1 to speak to a person. She hung up straight away.

[Garacesh]

My mother got another phone call from "Amazon Prime" and the phone call was about stopping payments and to press 1 to speak to a person. She hung up straight away.

 

See, I might be wrong, but if they care, they know my phone is active because it rang.

And chances are they don't care, they're just calling random numbers, or +1 each time depending on how many 'customer service advisors' they have.

 

So I might as well answer. Like pseudo-scambaiting. Even if I only keep them on the line for 30 seconds, that's 30 seconds more than if I'd have just dropped the call.

[mikeprice]

a few months ago I was bored - must have been bad weather at the time so I couldn't go cycling

 

 

so when they rang I talked to them - for as long as it took to make a cuppa and drink it

 

then got fed up and revealed that $whatever

 

 

this used to result in calls gradually stopping

 

but this time the number of overall scam call increased - by quite a lot

 

since then I have started just saying they are wasting their time and mine - and asking them to take me off their list

whcih seems to have reduced the number of calls

 

 

anyone else seen this - there must be other awkward bu****s on here ???

 

 

seems like there might be an organised tactic here maybe - or is it just me??

[Garacesh]

seems like there might be an organised tactic here maybe - or is it just me??

It's pretty well-known that these scam call centres buy and sell lists all the time.

Jim Browning usually shows a (redacted) file every now and again that shows the extent of how they're managed.. Names, numbers, emails, whether the person was scammed or not, how much for if they were, go2assist/teamviewer/etc password to their machine..

 

They've also been known to set up shop in legit offices after-hours and running things like a 'proper' company.. CCTV, payroll/commission, etc.

 

It's not uncommon to have them be really well-organised.

[mikeprice]

It's pretty well-known that these scam call centres buy and sell lists all the time.

Jim Browning usually shows a (redacted) file every now and again that shows the extent of how they're managed.. Names, numbers, emails, whether the person was scammed or not, how much for if they were, go2assist/teamviewer/etc password to their machine..

 

They've also been known to set up shop in legit offices after-hours and running things like a 'proper' company.. CCTV, payroll/commission, etc.

 

It's not uncommon to have them be really well-organised.

 

What gets me is the number of times I get pretty much the same phone call

 

today it was the old OFCOM saying the internet line will be disconnected - press 1 to talk to BT

 

a few weeks ago it was the Amazon Prime one

 

but we get a load exactly the same for a week or two - before they stop

 

Once the get a failure - especially if they actually talk to someone who makes it clear they know it is a scam - surely the chances of success on that number can now be seen to be about zero - so why try again??

 

Presumably they have data that shows it sometimes works - maybe they are hoping to get a different person???

[Garacesh]

Once the get a failure - especially if they actually talk to someone who makes it clear they know it is a scam - surely the chances of success on that number can now be seen to be about zero - so why try again??

If you were selling a list of mugus, which would you do? Pad it out with numbers you know are active, even if the chance of a successful scam is nil, or remove those and curate a smaller, but more accurate and reliable list?

If all you care about is making quick, eazy dosh, it's the latter. The former is only useful if you plan to stay in business and build a reputation - and a reputation is what these companies want to avoid. That's why they change their fake name so much, or bounce between different kinds of scams.

[Davit2005]

Smishing TXT for LLoyds , forwarded to 7726.

 

Claims new Payee setup.

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2021 by Davit2005

[Koldov]

Smishing TXT for LLoyds , forwarded to 7726.

 

Claims new Payee setup.

 

I got this one the other day (don't have a Lloyds account though)!

 

I forwarded it to 7726 and then deleted the text... thought nothing more of it, then got a text from 7726 asking me for the number I received the original text from!

 

Strangely enough I woke up the next morning to find 2 strange calendar entries added to my iPhone... thought I'd been hacked, until I realised they do this automatically through email (thanks Apple)...

[Davit2005]

I got this one the other day (don't have a Lloyds account though)!

 

I forwarded it to 7726 and then deleted the text... thought nothing more of it, then got a text from 7726 asking me for the number I received the original text from!

 

Strangely enough I woke up the next morning to find 2 strange calendar entries added to my iPhone... thought I'd been hacked until I realised they do this automatically through email (thanks Apple)...

 

Many years ago was, yeah they ask to reply with number which is a pain in the rear but I'll do it.

 

Got first phishing email from a bank about 20 years ago, yeah never had account with them either, lol.

[mikeprice]

As a historical point

 

Many years ago - i.e. before computers were a thing outside universities and military and stuff - my Dad commented that my Grandad had received a letter from a 'firm of solicitors' in London

 

Apparently they were dealing with the residual parts of the will of Henry 8th's last wife - Catherine Parr

Now - my Dad's Mum's maiden name was Parr

But she has died several years before - sooo

 

anyway - the letter claimed that they were tracking down people with a surname of Parr and checking if they are potentially entitled to the inheritance - and my Gran had been identified as a possible recipient

 

so there are 2 possibilities

 

a) I am 'quite closely' related to the Royal family - and you lot should really treat me with more respect

 

or b) scams and phishing are far older than the WWW

 

 

 

or course - if (a) is actually true then it would explain 'a certain person' seeming to have an urge to turn me into a frog - there are precedents!!!

 

 

of course - this post could be seen as an attempt to get 'certain people' to wander off topic - by 'some other people'

 

but of course that was never my intention

 

 

 

[Davit2005]

Royal Mail smishing txt??

 

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1408310/royal-mail-scam-alert-fake-text-message-warning-trading-standards-institute

 

"Royal Mail will only ever contact you via text or email if a customs fee is due, not for domestic parcel delivery.

 

"If you have any suspicions, contact Royal Mail to verify before you click any links or share details.

 

I must say that trying to find contact details for Royal Mail to check validity of the text is proving very difficult.

 

 

Edited March 11, 2021 by Davit2005

[Garacesh]

Huh.

 

I'm guessing those are capital I's?

[Davit2005]

Huh.

 

I'm guessing those are capital I's?

 

Yeah hard to say but judging by the media report and hesitancy to click any links in txts I'm not about to test it.

[IRL]

I got this one the other day (don't have a Lloyds account though)!

 

I forwarded it to 7726 and then deleted the text... thought nothing more of it, then got a text from 7726 asking me for the number I received the original text from!

 

Strangely enough I woke up the next morning to find 2 strange calendar entries added to my iPhone... thought I'd been hacked, until I realised they do this automatically through email (thanks Apple)...

 

You can send the message body and then the phone number straight afterwards, you don't have to wait until you get a reply. You'll receive two replies afterwards for confirmation.