Phone Scam

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

My daughter had a only call t'other day saying her computer was being hacked. After a few moments and thankfully without giving anything away she realised it was a scam and hung up.

Next day they tried again. This time she was waiting for them and said "just hold on a moment whilst I get my dictaphone. Please note that this call will be recorded and may be used in training" – (how often have you heard that message?!).

Click.  

And they haven't been back.  She also realised it was the same mob the second time as the patter was identical, even though they said it was another company calling

She did get her computer checked out anyway "just in case" – fortunately it was OK, they hadn't managed to hack into it.

Edited By ChrisH on 25/04/2018 10:51:40

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Ask them if they mind speakerphone as the office enjoy a bit of entertainment.

Mike

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I'm wondering if websites that share scammer's phone numbers might be in breach of the new data protection regs….

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Public interest ?

[Gordon AParticipant @gordona]

On receiving a call of this type a neighbour of mine says, "Just cut the cr*p, let's get to the reason you are calling, would you like my bank details now?" They have no answer to this direct approach and hang up immediately. Hasn't failed yet.

Gordon.

[JonParticipant @jon]

There used to be public lists from various sources Neil, definately on actionfraud.

Reporting these is more hassle than its worth though action fraud will check in to it and contact you. Most they will do is acknowledge and monitor adding that number to the growing list.
When they contact you they might transfer the details to another gov agency who in turn may repeat the same again. End result cant do a thing about it.

Last one i reported was from a local co in Bilston tracked them down. In short blocked 14 numbers they rang from all forwarded with times and dates to Action Fraud. Waste of 1hr compiling they did nothing depite me almost having a heart attack giving them some. Looked at 7 calls a day 3 days a week for many months, phone could only block 20.

Theres scammers who try and flog you call blockers, some might even send you a cheap call blocker. End result the only people that are authorised are the TPS, register with them.
If on TPS its illegal for any legit business to contact you, so if they do you know theyre up to no good.

Scams get loads daily seen em all, by email and phone been going on for last 18 years.

If answer phone and dont recognise the number or with held, first thing "What you selling" now if its someone ie a customer i have to apologise, if not they get it full on or if cant be arsed put phone down.

Silent calls are to see if its an active number, if it is when you pick up the datas sold on and continually sold on. In the past when was with TT for a brief period – paid to get away 1 scam a day turned in to 7 within a week continually multiplying so get 28 by the end of the month.

Funny one two weeks ago had an email from myself wanting me to click on something. They changed the headers, beware.
Seen it thousands of times from so called banks or reputable businesses but they usuall create another name in front or the real one.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

If you type these numbers into Google the search results can be very illuminating.

[ShadowParticipant @shadow]

I had a call on my cell phone I did not recognize so I did not answer. They left a voicemail with callback number. It was for an arrest warrant and I needed to pay or be taken to jail. I called them back and heard background of young kids and a voice of a minority individual and when he repeated the same thing I told him it is hard to believe that my police officer partners would let that go by. A second of silence and click. Obviously a beginner and probably needs to work on his scam, I mean really, a callback number?

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

This week had a call purporting to come from my internet supplier, telling me that my internet would be terminated that day, and to press 1 to prevent this. Presumably, if I had the call would have cost a lot.

Funny, my internet is still here.

They don't like being told that they are Ambulance chasers, either.

Sometimes when they ask for me by name the response is "Please hold the line while I find him" and very quietly put down the handset and walk away. Eventually they ring off, but it has a) cost them more, and b) kept them off someone else's back for a short time.

If the caller display shows the number, it goes to the UK T P S or the I C O.

The pestilential nuisance is slowly abating, apart from the numbers that are either overseas, or obvious fictional.

Keep wasting their time and P***sing them off!

Howard

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Gentlemen,

Whilst reading this thread has been very informative and an interesting read, particularly for looking after my Mother, I sorted this sort of problem plus cold calling by buying a BT call guardian phone system, for the last three years the phone has never been so quiet, yes I still get calls, the numbers appear on the display, but they never get through because the automated calls cant pass the block and spammers obviously loose interest and never give their name etc.

Martin P

[Trevor Crossman 1Participant @trevorcrossman1]

+ 1 for the Bt Call Guardian system. Kills all junk calls dead!

I used to do what several others do/did and waste as much of the scammer's time by pretending to be senile/deaf/short sighted or say '' which computor, I've got 5'' and all the other tomfoolery just to waste the scammers time, but of course there are literally thousands of these ratbags out there and so I got the call blocker system because I do have other things to spend my time on! It can be a bit of a nuisance though for 'innocent' callers who might be encountering the system for the first time,though mine seems to work better than Martin's​ because I also use TPS and only ever get genuine callers. What does annoy me though is Bt's seemingly feeble efforts in stopping these scum in the first place, they own and run the network and surely a modern electronic phone system can identify bulk/ automated calls, after all, computors filter out junk mail? Perhaps it's a sales ploy to get folk to subscribe to Call Guardian and buy phones with call display? Trevor

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

"Sir, we're contacting you about a car accident you were involved in the last 6 months"

"Well that's interesting, I don't own a vehicle, please go on"

phone goes dead

Michael W

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

I have been registered with TPS for years, just checked and still registered.

Martin P

[Barnaby WildeParticipant @barnabywilde70941]

It strikes me as rather odd that what are totally obvious scams (to the most of us) get talked about, yet the REAL scams go totally unmentionable.

Has no one here ever bought an extended warranty?

What was the APR on that damn mortgage?

Nobody here ever got 'divorced' & discovered how divorce lawyers work?

How did you go on when it came time to buy your annuity with your pension fund?

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Posted by Mick Charity on 28/04/2018 15:41:06:

It strikes me as rather odd that what are totally obvious scams (to the most of us) get talked about, yet the REAL scams go totally unmentionable.

Has no one here ever bought an extended warranty?

What was the APR on that damn mortgage?

Nobody here ever got 'divorced' & discovered how divorce lawyers work?

How did you go on when it came time to buy your annuity with your pension fund?

1. No

2. House mine now so not issue

3. Wife wouldn't allow it

4, financial advisor who came FOC as he was contracted by the company I worked for.

Martin P

[Stephen FollowsParticipant @stephenfollows82099]

My standard answer is:

Sorry, you've been put through to traffic, hold on I transfer you to fraud. Strangely, they always ring off.

[Swarf MakerParticipant @swarfmaker85383]

"Thank you for calling the Action Fraud hotline. For the purposes of security your call is being traced . . . . . Please hold the line"

Seems to avoid further calls!

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

The latest round is they call a cell phone, and land lines, just long enough to register a missed call. Sometimes they are so short, the phone does not actually ring. If you call the missed number back,you will be charged a fee on your phone bill. And because you called the number back, the phone companies won't easily refund your lost money.

Neil

[JonParticipant @jon]

Surprising when you get loads over several decades how many these scammers/sales use the very same person.
Just one of many, only got to hear first word "Hallo" "am i speaking to Mr …"

Registered with TPS several times makes no difference, except now its illegal for these companies to contact you without your consent. Therefore any so called company is breaking the law by contacting though have had two legit ones that filtered through and immediately apologised.

Looked at BT Guardian when first released but i/we have never ever owned any phone that has lasted more than 12 months no exageration except a Panasonic now in to its 8th year! Believe me tried the lot inc BT past models.

Cant believe theres some old favourites going back 18 yrs these scammers are still trying it on ie Nigeria and Western Union and from Microsoft.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

TPWS can only work on calls originating in UK. Most of these scams come from the dreaded 'abroad'. Don't hang up, don't be offensive, just put the phone to one side and let them talk to thin air for a while. Similarly when all that bumph arrives through your letter box, bung the prepaid envelopes back in the pillar box, that way it costs them twice as much, and keeps the postman in a job. Takes no time, I pass it on my daily dog walk.

[Colin WhittakerParticipant @colinwhittaker20544]

The downside to these call protection schemes is that they block my Skype phone calls from overseas to my elderly mother in the UK. (Skype calls are given an arbitrary UK phone number in the UK when you initiate a call.)

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by Jon on 28/04/2018 22:43:11:

Registered with TPS several times makes no difference, except now its illegal for these companies to contact you without your consent. Therefore any so called company is breaking the law by contacting

If that actually works in the UK, perhaps they could contact the CRTC (Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission) in Canada and tell them how they run it. The CRTC set up essentially the same thing here and it's been totally ineffective since day-1.

Still over 90% of my incoming calls are junk/spam/scam. The telephone company (Bell Canada in this area) are part of the problem, with frequent calls trying to flog you expanded services (I dumped those guys for an independent 15 years ago but still they call).

Edited By Bandersnatch on 29/04/2018 01:23:56

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Posted by Jon on 28/04/2018 22:43:11:

.

Looked at BT Guardian when first released but i/we have never ever owned any phone that has lasted more than 12 months no exageration except a Panasonic now in to its 8th year! Believe me tried the lot inc BT past models.

Cant believe theres some old favourites going back 18 yrs these scammers are still trying it on ie Nigeria and Western Union and from Microsoft.

My BT Gaurdian is at least eight years old and apart from replacing the rechargable batteries has not missed a beat.

Martin P

[Roger Williams 2Participant @rogerwilliams2]

I really enjoy saying to them, " hello, now f… off ". Cheers me up !.

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