A scam phone calls and emails discussion.

[Geezertronic]

I suspect they 'rotate' through different areas to avoid people becoming too used to them and not answering.

It could be they rotate through different batches of phone numbers rather than areas because mobile numbers in particular are area-independent

 

[Typhoon]

I suspect they 'rotate' through different areas to avoid people becoming too used to them and not answering.

Probably, I had a 'Benbecula' the other day. That's certainly a first.

 

[swt_passenger]

Landline rang with an 01924 number showing.
A polite American accented voice said “we’re conducting a telephone survey, if you’re registered as a democrat please press 1”.

Er, completely wrong country, or what’s the idea?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Bizarre! Might just be a genuine wrong number. 01924 area code, however, is usually Wakefield, assuming the caller number hasn't been spoofed. Wonder if there's a U.S. equivalent also using 01924?!

 

[najaB]

Bizarre! Might just be a genuine wrong number. 01924 area code, however, is usually Wakefield, assuming the caller number hasn't been spoofed. Wonder if there's a U.S. equivalent also using 01924?!

AFAIAA, 924 hasn't been allocated in the North American Numbering Plan - pretty sure that none of the 9xx range has been, at least not for regular use.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Interesting, struggling to work out the possible modus operandi of the "Are you a democrat?" call scenario; it doesn't seem like a typical scam where recipients are suckered into providing personal / financial information.

 

[MotCO]

Interesting, struggling to work out the possible modus operandi of the "Are you a democrat?" call scenario; it doesn't seem like a typical scam where recipients are suckered into providing personal / financial information.

Unless they were phoning the White House, and just checking

 

[BluePenguin]

I had one today telling me that there was a tax fraud case “under my name“. The recording said that I needed to press a number to get connected to an agent immediately or I would be arrested shortly. I hung up and am still waiting for the police to turn up several hours later...

What do you do where you do not have a credit rating, allowing for the fact that you have never had a mortgage or bought anything on credit?

You will have one. It will have a record of every bank account you have ever opened along with other financial accounts. It is not only debts you have incurred

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

You will have one. It will have a record of every bank account you have ever opened along with other financial accounts. It is not only debts you have incurred

Just out of sheer interest, why do they use the word "credit" in the title of these records. Is it some arcane use of that word not commonly in use in the 21st century.

 

[najaB]

Just out of sheer interest, why do they use the word "credit" in the title of these records. Is it some arcane use of that word not commonly in use in the 21st century.

Because they are credit rating agencies. Your financial history is what they base that rating on.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Just out of sheer interest, why do they use the word "credit" in the title of these records. Is it some arcane use of that word not commonly in use in the 21st century.

The word "credit" has various meanings nowadays, in this particular instance it means the ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on an assessment that payment will be made in the future.

The alternative meaning of "credit" as being an entry listed on the right hand side of a column of an account, of a sum received, (with "debit" being those entries on the left hand side column, of a sum owed) is perhaps the more arcane meaning of the word these days.

 

[MotCO]

The word "credit" has various meanings nowadays, in this particular instance it means the ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on an assessment that payment will be made in the future.

The alternative meaning of "credit" as being an entry listed on the right hand side of a column of an account, of a sum received, (with "debit" being those entries on the left hand side column, of a sum owed) is perhaps the more arcane meaning of the word these days.

Also you have debit cards and credit cards - they are not opposites of each other! It is not as though the other party is giving you money - it is you who are paying for the goods whichever card you use.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Also you have debit cards and credit cards - they are not opposites of each other! It is not as though the other party is giving you money - it is you who are paying for the goods whichever card you use.

Yes and no. With a credit card, you are obtaining the goods or services before you part with your own money, in the expectation that you'll settle up with the credit card company later.

With a debit card, the money will normally come out of your bank account more or less straightaway.

Anyhoo, reckon we are drifting a tad off-topic now as regards the subject matter of "scam phone calls and e-mails".

 

[oldman]

The amount of information the credit agencies have is enormous. They include a figure (which they acknowledge is out of date) for how much is outstanding on my credit cards.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The amount of information the credit agencies have is enormous. They include a figure (which they acknowledge is out of date) for how much is outstanding on my credit cards.

That'll usually be the amount outstanding (if any) at each calendar month end. If nothing is outstanding, that'll also be reported (as £0).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Anyhoo, reckon we are drifting a tad off-topic now as regards the subject matter of "scam phone calls and e-mails".

Yes, we should really be "on topic", as those scam agencies are always supplying "plenty of ammunition" for website members to discuss on this thread.

 

[The Ham]

I had one today telling me that there was a tax fraud case “under my name“. The recording said that I needed to press a number to get connected to an agent immediately or I would be arrested shortly. I hung up and am still waiting for the police to turn up several hours later...


You will have one. It will have a record of every bank account you have ever opened along with other financial accounts. It is not only debts you have incurred

I'm still waiting after a few months after the first call.

 

[najaB]

I'm still waiting after a few months after the first call.

Perhaps it's time to commit a few crimes to make their job a little easier?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Perhaps it's time to commit a few crimes to make their job a little easier?

Like opening yet another scam call centre.....

 

[AngelRoad]

Hi there. Im new around here, just discovered this thread which is really interesting. Im 63 and tech savvy, got rid of my land line yesrs ago, do all my banking online via banking apps, and touch wood, have never fallen for a scam or fraud attempt.

I feel really safe online but this takes a commitment to my security, so for example, every password is a unique random scramble of characters which I change periodically, I check haveIbernpwned (sp?) regularly for data breaches and use the Apple KeyChain password manager on all my devices. Theres much more to it than these examples but it gives an idea.

I keep up to date on current scams as forewarned is forearmed. One form of scam that never ceases to amaze me is romance scams, just why on earth would anyone send money to someone they only know virtually?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I keep up to date on current scams as forewarned is forearmed. One form of scam that never ceases to amaze me is romance scams, just why on earth would anyone send money to someone they only know virtually?

Welcome to the forum.

Good points raised, wonder if there are any stats for this particular type of scam? Perhaps not too many folk do fall victim, but when it does happen, it's for sizeable amounts that still makes the scam potentially highly lucrative to fraudsters. Might also be that this kind of scam is generally under-reported because victims are too embarrassed to subsequently report having been scammed to the relevant authorities.

 

[najaB]

Welcome to the forum.

Good points raised, wonder if there are any stats for this particular type of scam? Perhaps not too many folk do fall victim, but when it does happen, it's for sizeable amounts that still makes the scam potentially highly lucrative to fraudsters. Might also be that this kind of scam is generally under-reported because victims are too embarrassed to subsequently report having been scammed to the relevant authorities.

Both of these are true. I certainly know of a handful of businesses that have fallen victim but which have quietly written off the losses to avoid the reputational damage. I've no reason to believe that individuals would behave any differently.

 

[AngelRoad]

Thanks for the welcome, I havent quite worked everything out here yet so not sure how to quote just a small section of a post, but I’ll keep practicing.

Anyway, yes, you are right to say romance scams are underreported due to embarrassment, which goes for other scams too Im sure. The sums lost in some romance scams are eye watering but another very “profitable” scam is the spoofing of email addresses to lure people into authorised push payment (APP) fraud, especially around house purchases. I know when I bought this house I had to transfer what for me was a humongous and irreplaceable sum from my bank to my solicitor. I went into the branch to do this and sat with a bank employee as they entered the account details, I checked their entry twice, having just rung my solicitor and confirmed these speaking to the person I knew.

One area I know nothing about at all is Bitcoin and other virtual currencies, has anyone here any experience of this?

 

[najaB]

One area I know nothing about at all is Bitcoin and other virtual currencies, has anyone here any experience of this?

I don't personally use them, but I'm reasonably au-fait with how they work. As far as scams are concerned, they should be treated as one would cash since, once transferred, they are virtually untraceable.

 

[swt_passenger]

Hello Visa customer, “unexpected payment” etc etc,

So can you actually be a uk “visa customer”, or are you generally a customer of such and such a bank that happens to use the visa processing system?

 

[Typhoon]

Hello Visa customer, “unexpected payment” etc etc,

So can you actually be a uk “visa customer”, or are you generally a customer of such and such a bank that happens to use the visa processing system?

(I think) most credit cards in the UK are Visa so a random call is likely to be productive. My two credit card providers have always referred to themselves by their bank name but a scam call from, say, 'Barclays' is likely to find someone whose card is one of the hundred or so other providers. Definitely a scam - it is your provider who would know whether it was unexpected! There are others who would be able to supply a fuller answer.

 

[swt_passenger]

(I think) most credit cards in the UK are Visa so a random call is likely to be productive. My two credit card providers have always referred to themselves by their bank name but a scam call from, say, 'Barclays' is likely to find someone whose card is one of the hundred or so other providers. Definitely a scam - it is your provider who would know whether it was unexpected! There are others who would be able to supply a fuller answer.

Clearly that must be what their aim is, to catch any card holder with “visa” on their plastic. As you say a proper security call would come from Lloyds, Barclays or whoever - although I suppose someone’s bound to know an exception…

 

[greatvoyager]

I’ve been getting the “we’re ringing about your recent car crash” scam phone call. If they did their research they would know that I don’t have a car or license.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I’ve been getting the “we’re ringing about your recent car crash” scam phone call. If they did their research they would know that I don’t have a car or license.

There is probably no research whatsoever. They're just ringing folk at random and seeing if anyone positively responds. Accident claim leads are a potential nice little earner!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Just an idle thought, but does the public at large in Russia suffer from this type of criminality?