Scam emails, phone calls, etc.

[oddoneout]

To get mildly self righteous ..... probably the impact of Hartlepool becoming a Tory fortress - as a student, if somebody had approached me to buy my bank account I would have smelt a rat and refused ...... I feel anyone who does this should be liable to prosecution .... having lived that call any old person could possibly have lost everything in their current account ......

The ability to smell a rat isn't as widespread as it should be (lack of financial education of youngsters doesn't help), and even when the odour does penetrate the correct response(call pest control) doesn't necessarily kick in, for various reasons.

[antongould]

The ability to smell a rat isn't as widespread as it should be (lack of financial education of youngsters doesn't help), and even when the odour does penetrate the correct response(call pest control) doesn't necessarily kick in, for various reasons.

But if the smell of the rat and the dangers thereof were more widely known/publicised then surely that would help stop this insidious practice .... ?????

[oddoneout]

But if the smell of the rat and the dangers thereof were more widely known/publicised then surely that would help stop this insidious practice .... ?????

Publicity and education would help, but human behaviour is a strange thing and possession of facts doesn't always modify action or if it does it can take a long time - think smoking, alcohol. Also the perpetrators have the motivation to keep ahead of whatever measure may be put in place to foil them and it becomes harder and harder to recognise the wrong 'un. Conveyancing transactions have become lucrative targets and highlight how sophisticated the criminal activities are now.
Students are provided with a lot of information about the dangers to their finances when they start their courses with large sums of money in their accounts but that doesn't necessarily feed through to taking care with their social media activity which can make them easy targets.An increasing difficulty with older people who may be uncertain is that getting safe advice, and passing on concerns, is often either difficult or impossible. The banks are not consistently and reliably prepared to help their customers. And then there are those who are clued up but have a momentary lapse of concentration and get sucked in. They perhaps stand a better chance of extricating themselves in time but it isn't a given, and again support isn't always forthcoming.

[johncorrigan]

Thanks Bryn. Apparently there's a scam, going around today...a message purporting to be from Royal Mail which says 'your package cannot be delivered unless you send £1.50' (or whatever) to them. Once they've got your details, of course, they'll take a lot more than that!

We got one of these yesterday, but for Hermes, ardcarp. We were out at the time - we had been expecting a package on Wednesday which had been delayed till Thursday. While out, Mrs C got a message saying that Hermes had failed to deliver a package...she was not at all happy, especially when she enquired further and got a message that the next delivery could not be made till at least Sunday. She was really fuming as the package had a birthday gift. We got back home and she started looking for the always unavailable phone number. I made myself scarce at this point, and then she said that she had an e-mail that her package was about to be delivered, and ten minutes later it duly arrived. She then told me that she had been asked for bank details to pay for extra delivery by Hermes, but had stopped short of completing it. A close thing - we hadn't considered a scam!

[antongould]

Publicity and education would help, but human behaviour is a strange thing and possession of facts doesn't always modify action or if it does it can take a long time - think smoking, alcohol. Also the perpetrators have the motivation to keep ahead of whatever measure may be put in place to foil them and it becomes harder and harder to recognise the wrong 'un. Conveyancing transactions have become lucrative targets and highlight how sophisticated the criminal activities are now.
Students are provided with a lot of information about the dangers to their finances when they start their courses with large sums of money in their accounts but that doesn't necessarily feed through to taking care with their social media activity which can make them easy targets.An increasing difficulty with older people who may be uncertain is that getting safe advice, and passing on concerns, is often either difficult or impossible. The banks are not consistently and reliably prepared to help their customers. And then there are those who are clued up but have a momentary lapse of concentration and get sucked in. They perhaps stand a better chance of extricating themselves in time but it isn't a given, and again support isn't always forthcoming.

Indeeds odders but it just irritates me how the vulnerable are being attacked and there seems no concerted international will to stop it

[Serial_Apologist]

Unless dealt with, as hackers keep ahead of the forestallers, this could be the death knell for online delivery, and the return of the high street, neighbourly assistance etc. Otherwise we'll all end up getting stuffed. The perpetual race of technological change will prove our undoing.

[antongould]

Unless dealt with, as hackers keep ahead of the forestallers, this could be the death knell for online delivery, and the return of the high street, neighbourly assistance etc. Otherwise we'll all end up getting stuffed. The perpetual race of technological change will prove our undoing.

You could well be right young sir ......

[Cockney Sparrow]

I haven't time to do this subject justice. But anything fraud is prioritised (outcome - very reverse of priority) for investigation, even more for action - with very limited resources in relation to the amounts involved. And even harming the vulnerable is unlikely to make much of a difference in all cases where that is present.

WHat percentage of Domestic violence, assaults, burglaries etc would we like to leave registered but with no real response, so the resources can be switched to work on Fraud - which is time consuming, difficult to obtain a conviction and comparatively down the list of concerns with the public.

Look at "Action Fraud" - its data collection, to pick out the larger operations, in the light of considerations such as the above to "target resources".

The only way is to NEVER use a link, act on on a voice all, respond to a message arriving out of the blue. Rather, if there might be some genuine message content, use an independent way of checking - does the carrier ever ask for payment by text. If so, can it be done on their website using the reference sent by the vendor....etc. Find the bank's number and call 10 minutes later or ideally from a different telephone.

I've trained my family to be completely sceptical of these messages, and not to respond to the actual message received.

Also - to research articles on fraud on specific areas they may confront e.g. when switching nest eggs. etc into new investments - research the fraud out there. As a result we go on to the registration details/link of the investment company via the (verified) FSA website (I find them via gov.uk). Why? - because there have been completely faked identical "shop front" websites for leading names which are thrown up by internet searches. Given they are making away with 10's of £1,000s I am sure the effort is repaid.

[Frances_iom]

Indeeds odders but it just irritates me how the vulnerable are being attacked and there seems no concerted international will to stop it

why expect such - most governments in 3rd world are corrupt especially Nigeria where I suspect your callers were based - even those in parts of Europe are; at one time the Chinese government knowing facilitated spamming etc

[oddoneout]

I haven't time to do this subject justice. But anything fraud is prioritised (outcome - very reverse of priority) for investigation, even more for action - with very limited resources in relation to the amounts involved. And even harming the vulnerable is unlikely to make much of a difference in all cases where that is present.

WHat percentage of Domestic violence, assaults, burglaries etc would we like to leave registered but with no real response, so the resources can be switched to work on Fraud - which is time consuming, difficult to obtain a conviction and comparatively down the list of concerns with the public.

Look at "Action Fraud" - its data collection, to pick out the larger operations, in the light of considerations such as the above to "target resources".

The only way is to NEVER use a link, act on on a voice all, respond to a message arriving out of the blue. Rather, if there might be some genuine message content, use an independent way of checking - does the carrier ever ask for payment by text. If so, can it be done on their website using the reference sent by the vendor....etc. Find the bank's number and call 10 minutes later or ideally from a different telephone.

I've trained my family to be completely sceptical of these messages, and not to respond to the actual message received.

Also - to research articles on fraud on specific areas they may confront e.g. when switching nest eggs. etc into new investments - research the fraud out there. As a result we go on to the registration details/link of the investment company via the (verified) FSA website (I find them via gov.uk). Why? - because there have been completely faked identical "shop front" websites for leading names which are thrown up by internet searches. Given they are making away with 10's of £1,000s I am sure the effort is repaid.

These prevention steps are indeed important but the combination of the level of sophistication and the fact that so much is now done online as standard makes that increasingly difficult - the problems with conveyancing when the false online dealings use all the details of the genuine firm and can time their activities to opportune points in the transaction highlights that.
I had an interesting situation this week with "signing" an online document (no money involved and I was expecting it) where I clicked the "type signature" box as I have a PC plus monitor rather than a touch screen device so writing doesn't work. Having typed my name in and clicked confirm what actually appeared on the page was a handwritten version of my name - but most definitely not my writing. A second attempt got the same result (autofill I assume)so I went back and cleared that and used the mouse to make a squiggle in the box instead, which is what now appears on my copy. I have a feeling I know where the false signature might have come from but if I'm correct it indicates yet another mistake I'll have to sort out from the useless firm I have to deal with ( which is keen on using 3rd party document handling software set-ups without bothering to check their end products are correct) but it worries me that there is potential, through their failings, for that false signature to get onto other legal documents that I wouldn't know about. Of course if I'm wrong that is possibly even more worrying...
It does make me wonder if the other party to the document did actually "sign" it, or whether that's another autofill job too. Grr.

[Serial_Apologist]

WHat percentage of Domestic violence, assaults, burglaries etc would we like to leave registered but with no real response, so the resources can be switched to work on Fraud - which is time consuming, difficult to obtain a conviction and comparatively down the list of concerns with the public.

I think the difference lies in the number, and it is probably growing, of ordinary everyday folk who are likely to be subject to online scam, as compared with the general experience of crime. Prior to the obligatory imposition of online payments etc and domestic computerisation, the ordinary person might be unlucky enough to be burgled, or mugged on the street, but one might take precautions as far as possible. "Invasive" crime, with its accompanying sense of personal and even family violation, was otherwise mostly the experience of women, and controversy surrounded the question of vulnerability and self-protection. Without in any way belittling the latter, now all are at risk, and life savings are being targetted. How far can we continue to guarantee the boffins success in keeping ahead of the game? My pessimistic conclusion is that sooner or later they will be impossible to check, and will then have a field day.

Look at "Action Fraud" - its data collection, to pick out the larger operations, in the light of considerations such as the above to "target resources".

The only way is to NEVER use a link, act on on a voice all, respond to a message arriving out of the blue. Rather, if there might be some genuine message content, use an independent way of checking - does the carrier ever ask for payment by text. If so, can it be done on their website using the reference sent by the vendor....etc. Find the bank's number and call 10 minutes later or ideally from a different telephone.

I've trained my family to be completely sceptical of these messages, and not to respond to the actual message received.

Also - to research articles on fraud on specific areas they may confront e.g. when switching nest eggs. etc into new investments - research the fraud out there. As a result we go on to the registration details/link of the investment company via the (verified) FSA website (I find them via gov.uk). Why? - because there have been completely faked identical "shop front" websites for leading names which are thrown up by internet searches. Given they are making away with 10's of £1,000s I am sure the effort is repaid.

Thus far, all well and good.

[french frank]

Just been phoned by an energy adviser and kindly offered a free roof insulation inspection as my old fibreglass insulation may cause lung damage. Maybe with the current problems over energy costs, now is a good time … And the inspection is free ...

But I turned down the offer because a) my number is TPS registered (just checked it still is) and b) I don't think a reputable company would ring random numbers and then not first announce their company name or give any sign they knew who they were ringing. Apparently an old scam but still doing the rounds. Not that anyone here would be taken in, but:

Who called me:

02921961220 is a landline and located in Cardiff (UK).

This number has been searched 707 times [edit: now 716 times][edit: now 746] busy lady this afternoon.

Calls started on 26 August 2022.

There has been a total of 13 comments left about the phone number.

[gradus]

I was scammed when down loading a car parking app. The car park had been converted to online payment only. After I'd registered on what I thought was the genuine site a further registration page appeared, I thought it odd but as I was using the phone in bright sunlight everything looked the same as the car park app however almost immediately a lurid game screen appeared so I shut down the phone and called Natwest but couldn't get through. A few minutes later Natwest Card Services messaged me to say that my card was suspended and would I verify three transactions by simply texting Y or N to verify or deny them. Two of the transactions seemed wrong so I texted N. About an hour later I got home and after much searching found the card fraud line. After the usual endless number entering I got through to someone who immediately asked me to enter the number I had entered 10 seconds before , apparently it wasn't showing on his machine. I then learnt that the scammers had charged me £59.99 and on looking at my emails I found a confirmatory email saying that I would be charged the same amount monthly as I had signed up for something called Themax. Natwest stopped the transaction but told me that if they unlocked my card it was likely that Themax would present the charge again and because I had signed up with them, inadvertenly or not, it was up to me to contact them and cancel the subscription. I thought this unreasonable but rang off and went to the Themax website which offered instant refund and cancellation by clicking on a link, needless to say it didn't work and there was no way of contacting them. However I emailed the address they had written from and two days later got an email saying that my refund would be processed but I wasn't reassured and my card remained suspended.
I phoned Card Services again and this time spoke to someone who was interested in helping. The upshot was that I cancelled my card and had to wait 4 days for a new one.
I was told that my experience was commonplace and that amongst other tricks, scammers visit car parks and paste their numbers and details over legitimate notices which could be what had happened to me.
I emailed East Suffolk County Councils Parking Tsar to let him know what had happened but two weeks on haven't heard a pip.

[oddoneout]

Just been phoned by an energy adviser and kindly offered a free roof insulation inspection as my old fibreglass insulation may cause lung damage. Maybe with the current problems over energy costs, now is a good time … And the inspection is free ...

But I turned down the offer because a) my number is TPS registered (just checked it still is) and b) I don't think a reputable company would ring random numbers and then not first announce their company name or give any sign they knew who they were ringing. Apparently an old scam but still doing the rounds. Not that anyone here would be taken in, but:

Who called me:

02921961220 is a landline and located in Cardiff (UK).

This number has been searched 707 times [edit: now 716 times][edit: now 746] busy lady this afternoon.

Calls started on 26 August 2022.

There has been a total of 13 comments left about the phone number.

I suspect there will be a rash of such things now. I have had several spates of calls in the past (why they keep repeating the attempt over a short period I don't know) claiming to be offering a government backed scheme for insulation. On several occasions it has resulted in a rather acrimonious altercation with the caller about my number being TPS so they shouldn't be using it - the classic response now is to say that the registration has expired, so they aren't doing anything wrong, which of course is a lie because it doesn't expire.

[Serial_Apologist]

Twice now this evening I have been phoned by my bank, ostensibly, with a pre-recorded message informing me that they think I may be having attempts made to use my debit card for fraudulent purposes. The message asks me to make use of the press buttons on my phone for testing purposes. I have immediately put the phone down without replying. I keep a manual record and quick online checking of my accounts reveals no unexplained deductions. It all seems too suspicious; for one thing the female voice refers to "your debit card" when I have more than one, and I don't think the bank would legitimately contact me over a matter such as this in this way: surely it would be by post?

By the way, the caller's number is available for me to make a reply, which seems unusual!