Telephone scam warning.

[Silver Fox]

This is an extract from an e-mail I received this morning regarding a current scam. The elderly or infirm could be at particular risk.

"I received a call from a 'representative' of BT, informing me that he was dis-connecting me because of an
unpaid bill. He demanded payment immediately of £31.00 or it would be £ 118.00 to re-connect at a later date.

The guy wasn't even fazed when I told him I was with Virgin Media, allegedly VM have to pay BT a percentage for line rental!

I asked the guy's name - he gave me the very 'English' John Peacock with a very 'African' accent - & phone number - 0800 0800 152.

Obviously the fellow realized I didn't believe his story, so offered to demonstrate that he was from BT. I asked how & he told me to hang up & try phoning someone - he would dis-connect my phone to prevent this. AND HE DID !!

My phone was dead - no engaged tone, nothing - until he phoned me again.

Very pleased with himself, he asked if that was enough proof that he was with BT. I asked how the payment was to be made
& he said credit card, there & then.

I said that I didn't know how he'd done it, but I had absolutely no intention of paying him, I didn't believe his name or that he worked for BT.

He hung up. I dialed 1471 - number withheld
I phoned his fictitious 0800 number - not recognized., so I phoned the police to let them know. I wasn't the first! It's only just started apparently, but it is escalating.

Their advice was to let as many people as possible know of this scam. The fact that the phone does go off would probably
convince some people it's real, so please make as many friends & family aware of this.

How is it done?
This is good but not that clever. He gave the wrong number - it should have been 0800 800 152 which takes you through to BT Business.

The cutting off of the line is very simple, he stays on the line with the mute button on and you can't dial out - but he can hear you trying (This is because the person who initiates a call is the one to terminate it). When you stop trying he cuts off and immediately calls back.

You could almost be convinced!

The sad thing is that it is so simple that it will certainly fool the elderly and vulnerable.

By the way this is not about getting the cash as this would not get past merchant services - it is all about getting the credit card
details which include the security number so that it can be used for far larger purchases."

 

[davefb]

http://www.snopes.com/fraud/telephone/btscam.asp
its not new, but is real.....


I've also had 2 people get the 'I'm from your ISP's IT dept, you've got a virus, can I log into your machine' phone call recently.... my mum DID get this,, and told em where to get off ( i felt very proud )

 

[Black Sheep]

http://www.snopes.co...hone/btscam.asp
its not new, but is real.....


I've also had 2 people get the 'I'm from your ISP's IT dept, you've got a virus, can I log into your machine' phone call recently.... my mum DID get this,, and told em where to get off ( i felt very proud )

I had this,

calmly asked which computer it was to be told that it was my pc, to which I asked which

"your windows pc"

yes, which one? which version of windows?"

erm, xp

that hasn't been connected to the internet for two years

i can see it has lots of viruses on

I doubt it, fresh install last week, the computer I have for internet use runs Linux

it's that one then

stop lying, you can't see my computer because of various network masks including my home network which has no windows computers on it, I wouldn't bother calling me again.



he did a few weeks later - I might tell that tale if I can be bothered to type it up

 

[byegad]

The OP scam is an old one. They do it by getting you to put down your phone, muting theirs and when you pick up you are still connected to them. They hear you put down the phone the second time. Drop the call and redail you in order to tell you they'd demonstrated their 'power'. It takes BT several hours to do anything so it is a load of tosh. When they tried it with me I laughed at him and asked him how long he was willing to stay on line to deny me access. End of problem.

We've had the computer one a couple of times too. Sadly my wife answered and she just told them to go away. I've a plan to wind them up but won't reveal it until I've put it into action myself.

 

[ianrauk]

Yup agree it's not new. Been around a few years now. Was even featured on Watchdog or some programme like that a while back.
But a good reminder though. These people do keep trying don't they.

 

[XmisterIS]

I had someone claiming to be British Gas phone me up regarding my account at 9:30 pm on the bank holiday monday just gone.

I said, "You are British Gas, and you are phoning me at 9:30 pm on a bank holiday?"

The reply was, "I will need your name, address and account number before we can be proceedings today".

"Before we can 'be proceedings'? At 9:30pm? On a bank holiday?"

"Please to give this information sir, very kind, thank you".

"Please to answer my questions sir, very kind, thank you".

"Errr ... what is?"

At that point I got bored and hung up ...

 

[HLaB]

Somewhere else in the Cafe is the Microsoft SCAM. I was out on a ride last year I think and I got a panicky call from my elderly mother, Microsoft had been on the phone trying to fix her laptop but she couldn't follow their procedure so she told them to ring back at later time when I'd be back. Of course they never did, although she was SCAMMED, I'm quite glad she was too IT illiterate to go through with it. For a week though she never believed me telling her it was a SCAM until she talked to a friend who backed me up