SCAMS....Email (without an apostrophe) and by phone

[Steve J]

Famous last words but our 'Amazon' calls have stopped of late.

[Techno II]

The scam calls seem to go on a six to eight week cycle, Steve.....We probably (Hopefully) won't get any more for the next couple of months.

Cheers - Phil.

[hammurabi70]

The scam calls seem to go on a six to eight week cycle, Steve.....We probably (Hopefully) won't get any more for the next couple of months.

Cheers - Phil.

Hadn't noticed that before but it could well be so.  I had the Indian Call Centre for BT try today  He was non-plussed when I asked him which account?  Trick question, as I do not have a BT account.   

[Techno II]

I believe the 'bits of kit' that send out ridiculous numbers of calls each second, are probably set up to call a limited number of area codes.....and these codes get changed every few days, so the b*stards can try and spread their contamination, all over the UK, bit by bit.

I only base this from conversations I've had with other folk in the locality. Who will obviously have the same area code as your truly.
When I'VE been 'suffering'.....other locals also seem to suffer as well.

Cheers - Phil.

[steve_holmes_11]

Hadn't noticed that before but it could well be so.  I had the Indian Call Centre for BT try today  He was non-plussed when I asked him which account?  Trick question, as I do not have a BT account.   

Maybe Covid will slow these guys down.

[steve_holmes_11]

I believe the 'bits of kit' that send out ridiculous numbers of calls each second, are probably set up to call a limited number of area codes.....and these codes get changed every few days, so the b*stards can try and spread their contamination, all over the UK, bit by bit.

I only base this from conversations I've had with other folk in the locality. Who will obviously have the same area code as your truly.
When I'VE been 'suffering'.....other locals also seem to suffer as well.

Cheers - Phil.

They used to be known as War Diallers, probably still are.
And yes the common policy is to saturate an area for a while then move to another.

Despite all their claims, the Telecomms providers ought to have no difficulty tracing these calls to source and putting a stop to them.
It's no different to them knowing how many pennies you've spent on phonecalls each month.
However they regard it as "Just business" and they fob you off with "Untraceable number".

[pbeccas]

We have been smashed with Indian scam callers pretending to be the tax department.  Unless the outstanding tax bill isn't paid immediately in iTunes cards the police will be around to arrest you.  It was funny because they called every extension at my police station.

[Techno II]

 

Awesome !!!......I love it !! 

But asking to be paid in iTunes cards (??) seems a bit more than a  tad unusual !! 

Despite all their claims, the Telecomms providers ought to have no difficulty tracing these calls to source and putting a stop to them.

I'm with you on that, Steve.

Cheers - Phil.

[Raider4]

They used to be known as War Diallers, probably still are.
And yes the common policy is to saturate an area for a while then move to another.

There was an early Simpsons episode - Lisa's Date with Density (25 years ago now!) - where Homer finds an auto-dialler and rings everyone in town.

Thought it was funny at the time, now not so much. Reality has caught up and is much, much worse

[pbeccas]

=

But asking to be paid in iTunes cards (??) seems a bit more than a  tad unusual !! 

You won't believe how many elderly people fall for it.  Retail outlets are now required to warn elderly people who are buying a couple hundred dollars worth.

[DecemDave]

Like most here, we have had the "amazon prime renewal", the "arrest warrant over unpaid taxes", the "router has been compromised" and your "PC has errors" .  I love the latter because I used to work in IT so I can keep them busy.  Problem is you then go on a "hit this one" revenge list .  I tried a line once of saying "I'm sorry, he died last night and we are here arranging his funeral, and the a.hole on the other end didn't miss a beat in saying "well perhaps you would be interested instead"....   Those types seem to have faded away to the robo-call and automated message versions and yu only get a person if you press "1" 

The issue for us is that we cant use the unknown/withheld blocking features on our landline because legit organisations (NHS I'm looking at you) use that method.  Don't the individuals who set that legit system up get this same scam rubbish as the rest of us? BT et al should end the unknown/withheld capability.

On mobiles Apple and Google definitely  could collect data on phone numbers blocked by more than a set number of people.  I also think we should have the Spanish system where mobile numbers are linked to a verified address even though it was a bit of a pain when I needed a local SIM there. 

So I am forced to agree with a previous post that this nonsense survives because no-one with the power to stop it has any incentive to do so  and possibly an incentive not to.  Scam emails continue but are largely  held back by spam filters and occasional action by Microsoft and other big providers closing down the rogue servers.  They have an incentive of keeping legit traffic moving.     

[Techno II]

Very true, Dave.

Von & I get quite a few genuine 'withheld' numbers at the mo.....NHS...Registrar for births deaths & marriages....because of Von's Mum dying a couple of weeks ago.

I'd genuinely like to have the round spherical things to press 1.....That bothers me in the respect that that might connect me to some super premium rate line.

Cheers - Phil

[Techno II]

AAARGH !!!

I actually fell for one last week.

Someone, (allegedly from Middlesbrough), phoned and asked if I'd repair some figures, which had gone waffy in a mould.

"Yeah...I'll do those, no probs !" (Thinking there would be four of five of them.)

WRONG !!....Should have thought......A whole mould's worth is more like 20 figures.

Boy...was I suckered ! 

Cheers - Phil.

[sunjester]

There's some very dodgy customers about Phil! 

[Techno II]

But he was just SO believable, Graham. 

Cheers - Phil.

[Leon]

Someone, (allegedly from Middlesbrough), phoned and asked if I'd repair some figures, which had gone waffy in a mould.

"Yeah...I'll do those, no probs !" (Thinking there would be four of five of them.)

WRONG !!....Should have thought......A whole mould's worth is more like 20 figures.

This sounds like a proper shady character... 

[Techno II]

If I ever find out who it was........

Cheers - Phil

[Leon]

If I ever find out who it was........

[hammurabi70]

The "BT" scam seems to have gone automated; this morning's try was machine driven.

[hammurabi70]

"arrest warrant over unpaid taxes"     

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