Yet another scam

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

More of the usual, but seems to have been more prevalent over the last week or two are calls allegedly originating in Coventry and Cardiff, purporting to be from your mobile phone provider. Mostly I ignored them, but thought I'd see what is was about on the last call. I didn't get any further into the process than them offering a 40% discount on my bill and then asking how much I was paying at the moment – they said this was to confirm my identity???

Rob

[Dr. MC BlackParticipant @dr-mcblack73214]

Posted by KWIL on 29/10/2022 13:11:30:

Apparently scammers have now started using modified QR codes instead of click here to get you to move to their site to scam you.

Source BBC

I'm quite safe then because QR codes are far too complicated for me and I would never even think of using one!

MC

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Nealeb –

Interesting point that: the thieves using apparent errors as a filter. The ones pretending to be from The Bank of Santander go the other way, looking as realistic as possible, apart from of course from the glaring one created by your not having an account with Santander!

it does need the authorities to get a grip on this by ordering the ISPs etc to hand over the source and routing details to the Police, and by blocking the sending instrument.

I don't of course know what they already may do. If you report a phishing attack it normally elicits only an automatic acknowledgement and no results or action taken – which I suppose in only right.

'''

QR codes? I don't have anything that can either read or create one of those so at least, like Dr. Black, I am safe from those.

I am in the Retired Members Group of my union, and at its recent AGM one member said a propos of communications difficulties within the organisation that some 40% of the RMG don't have Internet access. (Many had relied on work e-post addresses.) Further, that this proportion is likely only to rise thanks to the steep and ever-rising cost and complexity of telecommunications services.

Now, this is a union that represents technical people, too: most of them highly-educated, professional scientists and engineers, many of fairly senior rank. So hardly strangers to computers even if only at work.

Given that; and also that many commercial organisations are striving ever harder to enforce on-line only services using the increasingly insecure and hazardous Internet; I fear in time very many people will be left out on a limb, isolated, ignored, unable to live their lives properly.

At least they won't be the victims of Internet-based money and identity thieves.

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