Yet another scam

We have been hit by phone scams. +67655 77017 , 82385, 94423, 94130 , 94701 , 93226,

They all come from the above area code, and the last 5 digits changes. The 1st 4 were in one day alone. They call, and then hang up quite quickly in the hope you will call them back. Then they make money by charging your account on the call back. I did answer one as I was right by the phone. The hung up of course immediately.

They do this to land lines and to cell phones.

Neil

Why would anyone do that? Call back to a number who's call was so unimportant they didn't leave a message.

Easy 2 dodge, just answer the callers that u recognise;relatives,friends,club members and ignore the rest

John

+676 is the Tonga country code (using the mobile convention of a + for international access). Depending on the nature of the operator/system making the calls they may get a "termination charge" for delivering an incoming call to a given number, paid by the international operator carrying it and recharged with margin to the caller - i.e. you. Yet another unintended consequence of the way telecom systems work.

Not practical if you are locked into the 'new' NHS system, I get loads of calls from unknown numbers.

Tony

I regularly get calls from a number starting 0843, the last part of the number is always different every time it calls. It rings for about 3 rings then disconnects, this has been going on for about 18 months, first few times I answered but the call was disconnected, now I ignore any calls that start with 0843, the annoying part is because the number changes every time it calls it is not possible to block it, only calls on my mobile. I now ignore any calls on my landline and only use my mobile, deafness means I can’t hear on the landline only on my mobile, all those who need to know don’t use my landline only the mobile. Dave W

In my experience, those would all leave messages anyway. Still don't get it ...

Got a phone call from my medical insurance company the other day. He just wanted to ask a couple of questions and would I confirm some personal details so that he could confirm it was me.

Yeah, like I'd fall for that one. So he persisted and suggested that I call him back on the number he would give to me.

Yeah, I was born yesterday after all.

But I did call them, using the number in my files and behold; it was genuine. They wanted to know if I had any pending needs built up during lockdown, if not they would reduce my premiums. I didn't and they did!

Guess I've got so used to scams I see them every where - but surely an honest caller should not be asking me personal questions - that's for when I call them.

Stuart

Just got a scam email purporting to be from BT of failure to take payment. Know it is a scam because it went to an email account not registered with MyBT. Usual click the link to update payment details. Beware.

One persistant gang sends e-posts headed "Costumer Services" [sic] , or (I think from the same scum) headed with a genuine supermarket name such as Morrisons. They seem pretending to be offering some sort of bonus or something.

However the liars leave an obvious clue as well as the preposterous claim - a bizarre sender's address, and the 'View Source' tool it reveals any reply is "bounced" through another strange, temporary address.

Having tagged several of these by name and domain they now fall into the Spam trap, so I can delete them at leisure..

.

It’s [hopefully] worth forwarding these to [email protected]

… At least they have the decency to acknowledge receipt.

MichaelG.

Royal Mail logo and ZIP file link at the top they want me to click

Hi Customer,

Your parcel from Online Seller - is over due to be delivered:

Monday 26rd July 2021*

Between

07:54am and -1:54pm*

Note:THIS MESSAGE WAS SENT TO YOU AT THE REQUEST TO NOTIFY YOU THAT THE SHIPPING ADDRESS PROVIDED AT OUR FACILITY IS NOT CORRECT AND THE PHYSICAL PACKAGE MAY NOT BE DELIVERED UNTIL THE ACTUAL SHIPPING ADDRESS IS VERIFIED. SEE ATTACHMENT FOR MORE INFORMATION TO BE VERIFIED WITHIN 48HRS.

We won't need a signature.

*Please be aware this is not a guarantee.

Today's scam is a beauty. From [email protected] it starts "Dear respected user...." purporting to be from VirginMedia about ending your email account. Except they have sent it to all VirginMedia employee corporate email accounts. Pity the IT department who who will get 2000 phishing reports on Monday morning when the staff log in.

If you have bought anything, perhaps a 3D printer from Havanny.com 4c Ruskin Rd, London and not received the goods be aware it has just been revealed on the G13D forum as a scam to harvest credit card details. Took £3k off someone but he had smelled a rat and already alerted the credit card company several weeks earlier who had refused to take any action. More fool them as they had to refund the loss.

New one for me today. The phone rings and I pick it up to hear a recorded message purporting to be from Visa debit/credit security team. Then it asks you to press 1 to cancel payment. End the call and dial 1471 to find a number but get the same recorded message again. They are waiting to see who call and then take over the call. Beware! Nathan.

Not all these are false Nathan. Got one from one of these and checked on t'internet which said spoof number. Checked with my bank (Genuine) via phone call and was given spoof number to call so it was cosher, BUT always check with bank before using.

Regards Ian.

I usually answer unsolicited calls with "Sharpness Light House, Chief light house keeper speaking, who is calling" this usually ends with the Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr of a phone hung up. If they persist I say "Hang on I have got to go and change the lamp", then go back some time later to replace the handset.

Sharpness for those who do not know is a Canal outside Gloucester.

Regards

Gray,

Ian, I agree not all are dodgy numbers. I would not expect to get the same message when dialling 1471 and the call is picked up on second ring. I also doubt the bank would hold the connection once I've ended the call. Pretty obvious scan to me. Nathan.

The international telephone networks have a quirk by which one party ending the call does not terminate the connection immediately, and the scammers used this for their false instruction to ring a certain number while they stay on the line. They've also been known to use recorded dialling-tones to make you think the line is clear.

I believe BT and other companies have now managed to cut the delay from a couple of minutes to seconds.

My login to my Rogers (large telecommunication/media company in Canada) account consists of the common username and password. They also have my email address.

Now they are requesting** that I change my username to my email address "to enhance my account security".

I can't, for the life of me, see how that would enhance security - rather the opposite I should think.

**(Knowing Rogers the "request" is more likely a demand).