Scams

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

First email this morning from Royal mail, 'You have a parcel pemding'. No I have not, click!

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Dave –

Some way back… I think the phone contract offer was a genuine sales attempt, not a con, but hardly credible when it would have cost twice my normal payments!

Interesting though, that the chit-chat with 'Angel' might have been part of the process all along. I'd not thought of that – but they'd still not have sold me anything, and perhaps three tries without success was their limit.

'

Most recent e-mail was a variant on the "need help to transfer a million dollars" nonsense. This time the liars claimed inviting me to join them in being middle-men exploiting the rarity and cost to the farmer of some vaccine or other for cattle. Reported it to both phishing.gov.uk and phishing [at] BT.

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Most recent letter was a genuine legal "scam" . NatWest inviting my home insurance renewal: all of £100 more than the same last year with no changes to the property and contract. About 33% increase for no adjustments, no claims and them doing nothing costing £100 to do. ]

I will be querying that, and am tempted to point out that we all know that insurance premiums simply establish a fund from which a paid claim is really a loan repaid by increased premiums to the insurer's profit….

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Pick up the phone answer the call & say nothing. If the caller says hello is that ???? ok. If the line goes dead it's a scam. Job done. Happens often with me but never a problem using the above method.

Steve.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Not necessarily so.

1) Some calls are silent anyway, and if left will close after perhaps 30 seconds.

2) Others will start speaking almost immediately, but are recordings; often of a woman speaking (reading) impeccable English. Try to speak back over it. A live caller will hesitate or otherwise react to the interruption, a recording carries imperturbably on.

3) Live callers, either criminals or cold-salespeople, giving a friendly personal greeting though depending on their location and own language might mispronounce your name. E.g., mine usually as "Gra-ham" with both 'a' hard. Sometimes these callers pause before speaking for some reason, but background sounds may show it is live.

Typical among these are the claims to be from 'The Windows Corporation' or even 'Microsoft', telling you your computer has been hacked or has reported a fault. My usual reply: "I know you are not and it has not" The caller bangs his phone down very promptly when he realises you know he is a liar. The bank-fraud calls are similar.

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Unexpected 'phone calls are easy to ignore if your 'phone displays the calling number or name, but many (like mine) do not. Also, the number may look like a British one (starting 01xxx) but be from abroad by a sort of parasitism or relay method that the telephone companies claim impossible to stop. Meaning they can't be bothered to try.

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Another live call that seems a recent development is from firms trying to sell you home insulation based on some "survey" supposedly already existing, or by opportunity as "our surveyors are in your area" – a variant on the old "the offer ends today" ruse. These callers tend to become very defensive, possibly aggressive, when you try to ask the survey company identity, and if you persist they hang up abruptly.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

they are getting a bit more cute as some of my scam calls are from a local exchange according to the caller display. I suppose you are more likely to answer if it looks local. the supposed insulation people won't take no for an answer even when you are downright rude!!

[Anonymous]

Posted by Steviegtr on 11/09/2023 02:23:10:

Pick up the phone answer the call & say nothing. If the caller says hello is that ???? ok.

 

… not OK for me. I never identify myself until I know the identity of the caller – and not then either for spam/scam calls.

(Basic politeness demands that a caller identify him/herself before asking any question whatsoever. If they don't/won't do that, then ….).

Edited By Peter Greene on 11/09/2023 15:46:31

[Fowlers FuryParticipant @fowlersfury]

NG2 wrote" .……… the number may look like a British one (starting 01xxx) but be from abroad by a sort of parasitism or relay method that the telephone companies claim impossible to stop. Meaning they can't be bothered to try. "

As the frequency of incoming scam calls increases, I don't always have time to do this but reporting to the "Who called me?" website is always worthwhile.
**LINK**

As if we needed proof, the incessant reporting of scam calls is shown live.

The explanation for NG's justified anger is given on their 'site:-
"Why do I get so many calls with local phone numbers from overseas?
They are using a feature called 'presentation number' that has been in telephone exchanges for decades. Essentially, you can dial from number X and arrange that number Y is shown instead to caller id, call return, and the various other network services."
So claims that this is "impossible to stop" by the telcos seems cr*p.

[Anonymous]

Posted by Fowlers Fury on 11/09/2023 17:54:20:

So claims that this is "impossible to stop" by the telcos seems cr*p.

Here in Canada, positive steps have been taken to combat this – and wow! does it ever make no difference. Presumably because no-one has really gone after the telcos. Publishing a set of rules makes for good publicity but useless without dropping the other shoe.

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

for the first time in My life I had an Irish Traveler (no disrespect to the Irish) stop in. He wanted to tarmac My drive. His truck had a badge on the side that had "road crew" on it. No other company or county name on it. Thank the internet as that was the only way I knew what it was.

FIL had His barn roof painted and it washed off the first rain. He supplied the paint and carefully watched but some how things got switched.

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

You really do need to be vigilant these days. On Monday, a guy turns up at a place with a work crew and got all ready to do a bunch of yard work, on over grown tress etc. The lady said , no I don't want you doing the work, and also said that I have no money to pay you, if you choose to ignore me. They packed up so much quicker than they unpacked and off they went. We reported them. They have been going around doing the scam and many have fallen for their rouse.

I had one last week called my cell number. I asked where did they get my number from, and then click.

The scammers are relentless and are doing a very good job of copying a legitimate agency , like the drivers licencing , or the tax department, and the only clue is in a very slight font change in the name or the return address somewhere is not quite what it really should be. But if you are not really sure of what these really should be, and just look at the first part of the return address, can be easily deceived.

At our company where I work, they do test emails etc, and on average 20 to 30 people fail to spot the spam test account, and either pay the bill or enter enough details to make some sort of vulnerability for the the next attempt. To be fair, they get so many a day, and are under the pump in processing payments, or approving payments, that these things can really happen. And that is what the scammers rely on. The few percent who they catch out.

Now it is at the point where people do not return phone numbers that they do not know, or in some cases will not answer a call from an unknown phone number. It has gotten so bad, that with some, unless a text is sent with a reference friend in the message, they will not answer the phone. Its a real pain to say in the least.

The phone companies are 100% complicit in the scams, and yet they still sit by and do nothing about it. They only time that the phone companies block a scam number is when they have been threatened it seems. But they will bill your account, and pay the scammers then plead innocent. I once called out my phone provider over it, and they did refund my money lost, that they paid to the scammers on my behalf. So I did not pay them directly, the phone company will pay them, then that amount is added or deducted from my account. As my phone was a prepay account, it put my account into the arrears and my phone stopped making calls etc.

I have not been able to stop the scam calls coming, but do have an extensive scam list of blocked numbers.

[Bob Unitt 1Participant @bobunitt1]

If you have caller-display on your phone it's worth googling the number displayed – a lot of them are known to be spam etc.

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

My landline has a very simple, free, and effective method of screening me from unwanted calls. If the caller's number is not in my "white list" they are asked to state their identity, which is recorded before ringing my phone. When I answer, the recording is played and I'm given three options; press "1" to receive the call and place the number in my white list, "2" to receive the call but not put it in my white list, and "3" to reject the call.

I can't remember the last dubious call I've had.

[Gordon BullardParticipant @gordonbullard35804]

Keep an eye out for the latest E Mail scam

tells you that your TV licence direct debit has failed and therefore asks you to press a link and update your

payment details.

Nice try, the E Mail has the usual errors including the fact we are on BST and then says GMT time.!!

Keep safe

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

That'd be an easy one for me to head off. I have no television and have just reminded the TVLA of the fact!

Rather like a string of posts allegedly security warnings from the Bank of Santander, all oddly titled just with a "." (full-stop) – a bank with which I have never had any dealings. Not had one lately so perhaps the liars have twigged I keep blocking and reporting them.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

Not exactly a scam but has anyone tried ringing SAGA Services lately. I tried all day yesterday in 1/2 hour stretches and couldn't get past iritating music. I am advised that I have to report a pacemaker fitting that I had on Tuesday

Roy

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

SAGA, what a. Rang to tell them that the property insurance they were trying to renew wasn't acceptable and yes, 15mins of music, when answered and the other end told, double last years price was a joke for exactly the same cover and we'd had this argument last year. "Hang on,I'll transfer you" Phone went down after another 15mins.

Regards Ian.

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Slight variation – called from an unrecognised number, answered with the usual, non-comittal “Hello?” and a recording of a female voice said, “Can you hear me?”. Obviously wanting “Yes” in response so they can then edit your voice into a conversation apparently agreeing to something. So I said nothing and let  the call continue on for a while until I got bored.

Rob

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

I keep getting quite a few BT text service landline text inviting me press a key to listen or press to delete which I do. I don’t know if theses are doggy but I cannot think of anyone I know who would txt a landline

H

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Last week, had a call from “Bank Security”, saying that there had been two suspicious items on my Credit Card. inviting me to “Press 2 to talk to one of our advisors”

The south Asian accent made me suspicious so put down the phone and then rang my bamk. Their security dept siad, “you did mright. It is a scam. We would have identified ourselves exactly.”

Last week an E mail from an old school friend, SUPPOSEDLY, but not his E mail address; DIMWIT!

The previous week one from supposedly a friend of my wife’s; plausible, but exactly the correct name or address that we use.

I suppose that hope springs eternal in the breast  and mind of the none too clever.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Have just received an invitation to track a parcel (that i have not ordered!)

Didn’t bother to check sender’s E mail, obviously a scam

Delete; empty Trash!

Recently, my wife recieved an E mail from me wanting to share some videos, BUT not from my E mail address!

Same treatment

Howard

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

I am normally very careful but anyone can be caught, and I was, a few days ago; by a “Melvin Cooper” with no accent to match (though these days that is not a given).

Pretending to be from BT he told me to open two diagnostic tools on the PC (running ‘Windows 11’). They showed a formidable list of errors and several apparently-foreign URLs – all, he said, evidence of hackers!

Before I realised what was happening he had taken over the computer and loaded a programme called AnyDesk. I asked what it is. “It allows devices to be connected to your computer, such as your TV and smart-phone” . I have neither, though he would not have known, and he brushed off my protest that I do not need any such software.

By now I realised this was not right but he was intent on finishing the job – “only another half-hour” he said.

Ideal! “Sorry – I’ve an appointment and I’m already running late”!

That was on Monday morning. We left it with a promise he’d ring back on Tuesday morning. He did. Though he’d locked my computer so firmly I could not log on.

.

My Little White Lie? To prevent him finishing his work before I made enquiries….

I rang BT to find yes, a scam; and advice to contact my back immediately. I’d already thought so and cancelled my credit-card by ‘phone. The credit-card lady was very helpful and rang the Debit Card department for me but after umpteen iterations of ghastly music I lost the will to live (nearly) and went into town to visit the bank branch. This showed my account was safe, but I still cancelled the debit-card and the on-line banking account I never use anyway. I was still sitting on the bank’s ‘phone, listening to more ghastly music, for over half-an-hour but the bank lady made me a cup of tea!

I should say I had also turned off the computer and modem at the mains, even before the real BT advised me to do that.

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“Mr Cooper” did ring back and I erupted at him. “Give me my computer back” , I yelled down the phone; with a few words not suitable for a family forum. He still insisted he was from BT and really was working to remove attacks! Eventually, when I would not play, he said fine, “they” (BT) would have to close my account. He must have realised I had eventually seen through his ruse.

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I had to have the computer recovered professionally, costing >£60 – luckily I could supply enough information for the repairer, a local, to contact the right people for the numerical key to unlock the hard-drive, encrypted by the manufacturer. He has passed the key numbers to me.

I learnt the EventViewer tool always shows hundreds of “errors” – the scammer uses it to frighten you. The foreign URLs? Goodness knows.

‘

At least I have not lost anything. If the worst had come to the worst, needing the whole PC re-formatting, I would have had to buy a new copy of Alibre and would have lost all my drawings by it, as I found I had not backed up all my files.  (I have TurboCAD 19 on my spare, off-line PC which also holds copies of my hundreds of photos; but my external hard-drives will not work on Win-11 and it seems impossible to obtain drivers.)

AnyDesk… is genuine! It is made in Germany, as a tool primarily for businesses to create internal networks, but the more sophisticated criminals have latched onto it to control your computer from theirs.

 

 

 

 

 

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

Nigel, just out of interest, how did ‘Melvin’ instigate initial contact with you?

..might help someone else avoid a ‘dose’..

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks for sharing your ‘near-miss’ Nigel

As useful background: This Wikipedia page is quite informative

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AnyDesk

MichaelG.

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P.S. __ Nothing very surprising here, but it’s worth a read:

https://business.bt.com/help/article/email-security-and-hosting/online-safety-and-security/i-ve-just-received-a-call-from-someone-claiming-to-be-from-bt-how-do-i-

know-if-this-call-is-genuine/

[Michael Gilligan]

On Michael Gilligan Said:

 

Is this something they just do for their own convenience [because they can] ?

 

Mass emailing is often performed from some third-party Customer ‘Success’ or Marketing product like HubSpot. It is best practice to keep your website domain segregated from any email domain you let such third party systems use to email you. Giving some control to the third party (e.g. Hub Spot) to send trused emails from your domain then means that the third party may introduce some opportunities for a malicious attacker (opportunities that have been otherwised locked down if control was not given). Blah blah..

Can be good security practice. Ideally, minimise use of third parties.. do it all ‘in house’… but that is not pragmatic these days.

[Mike HurleyParticipant @mikehurley60381]

I used Anydesk many times profeesionaly, and it is a very useful tool saving hours of travelling between sites when IT probs arose. Its also VERY powerful.

However – it only works if the user at the other end permits it. Simple as that. Stating the obvious – NEVER allow anyone to do anything you are not initially expecting. Quoting from (I think) Watchdog on BBC1 – “if its out of the BLUE its not for YOU”

[Author]

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