"I'm calling about your accident" - how does this scam work?

Some where on here, there was a tale of o one of these calls where the recipient said "which one?" and the conversation went to ask about the injuries sustained in each accident. Apparently, the penny only dropped after the third report of decapitation!

the ones who ask about your accident in your car are totally thrown when you say that you do own that model.

Howard

I used to politely tell them not to bother me, but after so many of these calls over an extended period I now automatically switch to my second language, which is basic Anglo-Saxon.

Well, on another scam attack front I've now had an email from a chap who claims to have installed a virus on my computer which has hijacked the camera and recorded me masturbating while watching teenage porn. And he'll post the video to all my Facebook friends if I don't give him 2000 USD. Cripes! Same scattergun approach I suppose. Might have been more worrisome if (a) I watched teenage porn (and couldn't contain myself) (b) had a computer with a camera and (c) had a Facebook account. Weird, but lucrative I suppose. Presumably some people cough up?

Robin

Edited By Robin Graham on 30/07/2019 02:15:04

..or you just put a post-it note over the lens..

pgk

For quite a while now, BT has changed the policy on who controls the call. Originally it was always the incoming caller who could hold your line even after you, the called party, had "hung up" (it used to be for up to two metering periods when I worked for them). This was used to good effect by scammers who told you to call the security number on your bank card to verify what they had just told you about your account being raided was true.

Because of this, the system was changed to enable what is known in the trade as first party clearing, ie the called party can clear the call by hanging up and the line is freed. Since this facility has been available I have taken delight in explaining it to nuisance callers, with the parting shot of "I will now demonstrate this to you."

I don't know if other providers have this facility, it might be worth trying it out on the next incoming friendly call you have.