A new text scam?

[Arrowfoot]

I am curious as to what the endgame is in my case, but not curious enough to risk responding.

It an extension of fishing - throwing out multiple lines with bait (text) hoping for a bite which is a potential victim responding seeking clarification. When it comes to text (bait claiming to be health provider, bank or govt authority) they know people will be concerned and ask for clarification

Once the victim responds seeking clarification, here are the usual steps

• they will provide a number to call or they will call back
• harvesting as much of victim's personal detail on the false claim that they need to authenticate you first.
  • harvesting can take place over a phone chat or they provide a weblink for you to populate the details
  • vulnerable victims are known to provide their banking details and passwords
• Once your credentials are known they will contact your bank, impersonate to obtain new passwords or where passwords are given, money is siphoned off. With the harvested credentials, they can provide any personal details when the bank dos a security check.
• There are forms of scams after harvesting the details - using using details to order gift cards, order iPhone and expensive stuff.

 

[chris-suffolk]

I use an app called "Mr Number" - it filters out known scams, marketing, fraud calls etc. You can also flag a call through it, and if others report the same number it gets added to the list so others then don't see it. Works for both texts and calls, I find it's very good. Also has options to block private numbers etc.

 

[DaveReading]

thanks for the 7726 tip. Wasn’t aware of that

Me neither. The networks are doing a p*ss poor job of publicising this facility.

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2015/04/most-people-in-the-dark-about-reporting-spam-texts-399675/

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Ive had two text scams in the past week from UK Mobile numbers. One was a claim of a tax refund in which i must click a link to obtain from my local council and the other was a Royal Mail text in which i had to pay a £1.09 fee for redelivery (following provided link) in order to avoid my parcel being returned to sender. I must admit, i haven't seen that one before and i send parcels all over the world and thought it might have been a charge back through the postal system from another country, but then realised that is extremely unlikely. Bleeding pond life...

I've had the royal mail one several times, all I've done is to delete it, its the one ring calls that are annoying, I get them quite often, if I block the number I just get it from a different number.

 

[Fastpedaller]

My mobile 'phone broke beyond repair, and I wanted a flip phone so it fits in the saddlebag or pocket easily. A friend had his late Fathers flip phone and gave it to me. It was a Virgin PAYG, so I tried to get it unlocked, nobody seemed to be able to do it (even Virgin), and I then made the mistake of trying to unlock it online. Long story short, it was free, I entered my email details (would never give any bank details or location!) When I proceeded to the next page they wanted a small payment (hmm, for a free service?) so I closed the page immediately. Because they had my email address, my junk mail received 100+ spam mails for several days This has diminished to about 5 a day, probably because I just clear them without reading, and they have realised I'm not falling for it. Maybe it will end one day. judging by the titles of the notes being sent there must be about 3 skip loads of parcels awaiting my collection somewhere

ETA the plusnet spam filter does its job well - none get into my 'usual' incoming mail

 

[Paulus]

I've had two different phishing emails and texts in the last two days.
One supposidly from BT telling me my direc debit had run out so I needed to use the link provided to reinstate it.
The other was supposidly from UPS, twice telling me about a failed delivery.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I use one of the older well established web based email providers, and my email addy has been round the block so many times that I have a constant supply of spam, but very little of it gets into my inbox as the spam filter is impressively efficient.

I do check my spam folder reasonably regularly in case something important. I'd say it's 10% out and out phishing, 40% people pushing dodgy products, 40% actual organisations who have a right to spam me because I ticked some box at some time, and 10% weird shoot. Something like that. Totally unscientific survey from glancing at titles.

 

[oldwheels]

I've had two different phishing emails and texts in the last two days.
One supposidly from BT telling me my direc debit had run out so I needed to use the link provided to reinstate it.
The other was supposidly from UPS, twice telling me about a failed delivery.

I got the UPS one 3 times yesterday when I was not at home. Nothing is expected anyway so very obviously a scam.
I have also started getting at least up to a dozen per day Russian and other assorted “ ladies” offering a variety of services. They are all in my junk mail which I clear daily now.