Phone scam?

Desert Orchid

Desert Orchid

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Joined
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Can anyone verify this (from an email I received today):

Got a email about a new phone scam.Having checked as much as possible this does appear to be happening,.Theres also a slightly diff which I have added also and ofcom know about because people have reported it to them.

PLEASE PASS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY.

THE NEW TELEPHONE 'SCAM' HAS ARRIVED.

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.

Dialed 1471 & phoned his fictitious 0800 number - not
recognized.

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 maket as many friends & family aware of this.
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A colleague replied with the following

Real con job, don't get caught

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.

Cheers

Ian A Younger CFE, MABI, MICM
Certified Fraud Examiner
Specialist in Fraud and Commercial Investigation
Member of the Fraud Advisory Panel

(Ian Younger has given his permission to use his name)



Scam alert: Beware of bogus callers

17|09|2009


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Fraudsters are currently phoning consumers claiming to be from BT or Ofcom.
They claim that the consumer’s telephone line needs digital upgrade work. This, they say, will cost £6 and if it isn’t paid within 10 days the consumer’s phone line will be cut off.
In some cases, the fraudster will claim that the line needs testing and they will temporarily disconnect it. When the consumer tries to make an outgoing call they are unable to do so. This is simply because the fraudster is still on the line meaning no outbound calls can be made.
This is a scam. Ofcom and BT have alerted the relevant authorities for investigation.
What to do if fraudsters call
If you receive such a call and you suspect that it is fraudulent:
  • Do not give out any personal or bank details
  • Call your service provider’s nuisance call bureau to see if the call can be traced
  • If it can, pass on details to Ofcom or Consumer Direct (contact details at the end of the article)
What to do if you have given out personal details
If you have already received a call and given out your bank details you should:
  • call your bank immediately to let them know about the scam and to cancel your credit card or change your bank details
  • ask your bank to try and trace the payment
  • and if you get any details, let Ofcom or Consumer Direct know
To contact Ofcom’s Advisory Team call 0300 123 3333.
To contact Consumer Direct call 08454 04 05 06.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consumer/2009/09/scam-alert-beware-of-bogus-callers/


Additional Notes: if you ever get a call from BT and then dial 1471, the number would/should always be 08003289393, if you call this number you will here a recorded message stating that BT tried to call you and if they need to speak to you they will call you again This bit of info from someone who works for BT
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