Scam or what ?

[Ronaldo]

We are with talktalk, a couple of years ago my wife could have lost her life saving when she had a bogus call. They had all her personal details, and bank account number from where the monthly bill was paid, so sounded genuine. They claimed that they had compensated £200 into her account because of internet connection problems we had been having, they asked if she was near a computer, and could she log on to her current bank account where the bill was paid from and check that she has received it. She logged on but could see there was no £200 deposited there. In the mean time while they kept her busy talking, the phone line was open, and she was still logged into her bank, unknown to her they somehow managed to hack into her account and transfer a sizeable lump sum from her savings account with the same bank into her current account, making it look like she had received a bank transfer way above the £200 they said they were refunding. The "talktalk" person then said he had made a serious error and could lose his job, and pleaded could she please transfer the supposedly overpaid funds immediately to another bank account before his manager found out ! At this point she realised something wasn't right, came to get me, and I told her to log out of her account , turn the computer off, and hang up ! She got in touch with her bank, thankfully her funds were safe. They explained that thankfully the scammers were not able to move funds out of her accounts, only just move it around to make it look like funds had been transferred into her current account. The bank phoned the real talktalk on our behalf, but they didn't want to know of course, and refused responsibility for my wife's personal details being leaked to scammers, but with a bit of forceful persistence from her bank, they eventually gave us some discount and changed our phone number.

This scam is still on the rounds by the way, after a couple of years with no scam calls, just had 2 similar calls in the past week, and that's with the new phone number ! Beware they are out to rob the unwary !

[MAD Dave]

If I have the time, I take the line that there is definitely nothing wrong with my PC, therefore theirs must be experiencing technical problems. Some just hang up but the more entertaining calls are those where we debate the issue trying to "out-tech" each other - before they hang up. Can be good fun but I know I should be out working in the hangar........

[Old Geezer]

Same but different problem with BT - typical problem caller - poor line, caller identifies herself as from BT using an Anglo' forename, but with an accent redolent of the Indian sub-continent. My immediate reaction was "Here we go again" - well, it was the first one of the day, so I just put the phone down and got on with refurb'ing the J60. Perhaps another 4 of the usual automated wastes of time plus 2-3 benighted time wasters and or scammers who got either shouted at or the wee-wee extracted spending how I was feeling at the time. BUT - 3 days later I had a (legitimate) text message from BT - asking how I rated their employee. 😳 There might be a lesson for BT somewhere there.

Edited By Old Geezer on 22/03/2018 14:03:04

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Nigel R]

Life's too short to give these calls time of day, I just hang up straight off the bat, far more interesting things to do than baiting cold callers.

You lot must have far too little to do!

[John Privett]

I derive a little bit of satisfaction from knowing that whilst I'm winding them up they aren't scamming somebody who might actually fall for whatever their scam is.

And of course you can be doing other things whilst having the scammer wait because they think you've gone to get your laptop from the boot of the car, gone back to the car because you forgot the power supply, gone to answer the door because the postman is delivering a parcel etc.etc...

[PatMc]

Like Nigel I rarely spend any time on cold calls/scammers but if we're visiting my 87 year old SIL she always asks me to answer any calls whose number she doesn't recognise. Reason being that she enjoys listing to me winding them up.
I use two basic methods, first is to answer every question with a question. Surprising how long that can go on for before the penny drops at their end.
Second method is to adopt a strong regional accent. I'm Scottish so can manage 4 or 5 different Scots accents that are difficult for a non Scot. Also can do Tyneside Geordie & a couple of Northumbrian unintelligible variations, a reasonable southern Irish & aggresive sounding NI Ulster both very hard to understand. Any time I'm asked to repeat myself I do but louder.
Variations are to compound the question time with the accents or to plead hard of hearing [which I genuinely am when not wearing my hearing aids] so they have to keep repeating themselves. The latter often gets them contradicting something they said earlier which is fun to exploit.

[onetenor]

One thing I do is keep saying I can't understand them. Another is to use a very strong Liverpool accent and although a "scouser " I don't sound like one usually but I do it for fun at the same time making out I'm thick. There are more tricks I use but these normally work.I'm stuck in my chair all day but still don't have time for these ladies and gents.. They usually "Just want to ask a few household questions. To this I say I don't do surveys on the phone" and hang up

[onetenor]

One thing I do is keep saying I can't understand them. Another is to use a very strong Liverpool accent and although a "scouser " I don't sound like one usually but I do it for fun at the same time making out I'm thick. There are more tricks I use but these normally work.I'm stuck in my chair all day but still don't have time for these ladies and gents.. They usually "Just want to ask a few household questions. To this I say I don't do surveys on the phone" and hang up

[Keith Lomax]

Posted by Old Geezer on 22/03/2018 14:01:31:

Same but different problem with BT - typical problem caller - poor line, caller identifies herself as from BT using an Anglo' forename, but with an accent redolent of the Indian sub-continent. My immediate reaction was "Here we go again" - well, it was the first one of the day, so I just put the phone down and got on with refurb'ing the J60. Perhaps another 4 of the usual automated wastes of time plus 2-3 benighted time wasters and or scammers who got either shouted at or the wee-wee extracted spending how I was feeling at the time. BUT - 3 days later I had a (legitimate) text message from BT - asking how I rated their employee. 😳 There might be a lesson for BT somewhere there.

Edited By Old Geezer on 22/03/2018 14:03:04

Even that text could have been a scam. The "reply to" could have been a premium rate text number. A relative had a similar one, and by replying signed up to a £10 per month service that eventually EE refunded.

[Neil67]

Hi guys

I am currently in Cyprus and have just received a text from 07592 657932 informing me that my mobile number has been drawn as a winner in the Samsung Easter Draw. Apparently I have won £495,000! All I have to do is send my details to an email address with no mention of Samsung. I deleted the text - do you think I have just lost £495,000? I would have settled for a phone .......

[Denis Watkins]

Posted by Neil67 on 30/03/2018 19:06:20:

Hi guys

I am currently in Cyprus and have just received a text from 07592 657932 informing me that my mobile number has been drawn as a winner in the Samsung Easter Draw. Apparently I have won £495,000! All I have to do is send my details to an email address with no mention of Samsung. I deleted the text - do you think I have just lost £495,000? I would have settled for a phone .......

To send a text costs a few pence to send out Neil

These people can get up to £5 just for current reliable details in the legit marketing world

Let alone unscrupulous identity theives

Have nothing to do with anyone who is not friend or family

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Alex Ferguson 2]

I had a call a while back from Inland Revenue, a thick Indian accent so asked for his name and said I'd ring them. I rang and told them about the call, gave the name and they laughed, yes, the first call was genuine but they understood my caution and did the required business without going back to the original caller.

Often get calls for double glazing despite having a modern double glazed home. I ask them if they know where they are calling and tell them to find out first before wasting everyone's time. All the houses around here are modern.