I'm just seeing if I can make this a 'sticky' thread.
I agree...we should have something like this.
Ignore me for the time being. :P
Cheers - Phil :)
Think that's done. :)
Put all your vitriolic posts (and warnings) about these frigging sc*mbags here. >:(
Cheers - Phil :)
Call yesterday from a company offering a warranty on my five most expensive kitchen white goods for a one-off payment of £149.
Don't know if it was a scam or merely unsolicited hard-sell.
I spent an interesting 23 minutes with a gentleman, discussing the finer points of difference between insurance and warranty and arguing my point that they were functionally the same.
We moved on to my contention that all insurance was basically betting and that they were betting my white goods would need less than £149 worth of repairs or replacement and I would be betting they would need more and since they, presumably, knew the odds better than I, I was happy to assume they were right.
My final argument that betting was forbidden by my religion lead to a brief debate over whether Pastafarianism was actually a religion before he cut the call. Perhaps I should have claimed to be a Jedi?
Happy Days.
May the Flying Spaghetti Monster bless you all with his noodly appendages! :D :D :D
Congrats Phil - something IT based WORKED. :P
Ramen!
;D ;D ;D appreciated that one.
Andy
I don't think Pastafarianism bans betting. I'm just looking forward to the Stripper Factory they have in heaven.
Quote from: Last Hussar on 03 January 2021, 03:21:44 PM
I don't think Pastafarianism bans betting. I'm just looking forward to the Stripper Factory they have in heaven.
Pretty sure Pastafariansim bans dogma :)
Besides I'm a follower of the schismatic Vegetarian Pastafarianism which believes the FSM is composed of vegetarian pasta and Linda McCartney's meatless meatballs. ;)
May his ethically sourced appendages touch you all :D
A new one......
Though I'm not totally convinced about its authenticity.....
You receive a call, and a real person (for a change) asks if you can hear them OK.
They allegedly simply want you to say "yes"......So they can clone/copy your telephone number...and your voice.....and then order stuff from a firm that uses an automated ordering service..... Allegedly they use your recorded "Yes" to do this.
Quite where it goes from there, I'm not sure......But if it IS true....Don't say 'yes' if someone asks you if you can hear them......Just say "I can hear you."
If anyone knows anymore about this one, feel free to chip in.
Cheers - Phil :-\
The real question Phil - is why you are such a target for these scammers?
:D
This scam/story about this possible scam, has been around since late 2016 - mainly in the US initially.
Haven't seen any evidence of the second part of the scam - actual illicit use of the recorded 'Yes'.
May be true but there are doubts about the existence of any system that would allow this as the charging mechanism.
It may be part of a plan to beat two factor authentication if voice recognition is used on phone apps, but so far there is serious doubt about its veracity.
So far. :)
Quote from: Big Insect on 18 January 2021, 01:31:34 PM
The real question Phil - is why you are such a target for these scammers?
:D
No.....Not me, Guv.
Something Von picked up on faceache this morning.
It doesn't sound 'quite right' to me either......But you never know.
Cheers - Phil.
Quote from: Big Insect on 18 January 2021, 01:31:34 PM
The real question Phil - is why you are such a target for these scammers?
:D
I have his phone number, I like silly voices, I get bored.
Who could resist?
Quote from: Gwydion on 18 January 2021, 01:32:57 PM
This scam/story about this possible scam, has been around since late 2016 - mainly in the US initially.
Haven't seen any evidence of the second part of the scam - actual illicit use of the recorded 'Yes'.
May be true but there are doubts about the existence of any system that would allow this as the charging mechanism.
It may be part of a plan to beat two factor authentication if voice recognition is used on phone apps, but so far there is serious doubt about its veracity.
So far. :)
This - can't possibly see how anyone could use this. Feels very tin foil hat.
What they want is payment info - how would any company know what you sound like when saying Yes? Or what would they compare it against.
Sounds very FB
Just received an email invitation from the 'NHS' to book a covid vaccine appointment.
I need to click to accept or decline.
Don't think that will be happening .
My name not on invitation
NHS apparently issuing invitations based on 'family genetics and medical history'
senders underlying email address is 'karlbigboy17@hotmail.co.uk' ;D (I know we live in an informal world but I don't see NHS Management going for that one.
Classic !! =)
Dearie, dearie me.....I know I shouldn't laugh...BUT.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Gwydion on 01 February 2021, 12:21:14 PM
senders underlying email address is 'karlbigboy17@hotmail.co.uk' ;D (I know we live in an informal world but I don't see NHS Management going for that one.
Ah! One of the Ruritanian Bigböys, no doubt. :)
AMAZON DELIVERY
We regularly buy through Amazon, which has been very helpful during the C-19 lockdown. Today we had a text message stating they [the delivery company] were sorry we were out but they would deliver (again) tomorrow ... with a supplemental delivery charge. We promptly texted back that we were in, and had been, all day and nobody had called; within the hour we got the delivery.
Anybody else had this style of skimming some extra income?
Not had it personally, but we were warned about this at work.
Fresh warnings over Royal Mail parcel scam (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56496203). They mention they use DPD as well as Royal Mail.
Carlisle ex-police officer 'devastated' by £3k Royal Mail scam (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-56660334).
Quote from: hammurabi70 on 17 April 2021, 09:25:38 PM
AMAZON DELIVERY
Anybody else had this style of skimming some extra income?
No.......That sounds rather 'iffy'.....I'd be tempted to report that to Amazon.
Von gets very similar email ones to the ones Martyn's just mentioned....she always treats those as scams and instantly deletes them.
We had a load of phone calls, a fortnight ago, purporting to be from Amazon...either thanking me for a huge order, that I hadn't made..or thanking me for renewing my Amazon Prime a/c, which I hadn't done....Obviously NOT Amazon....I just let the automated calls go through their messages until they finish, with the vain hope that it might cost them a few more pence by keeping them on the line each time.
GITS !! >:(
Cheers - Phil.
Famous last words but our 'Amazon' calls have stopped of late.
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. :)
Quote from: Techno II on 18 April 2021, 10:16:08 AM
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. ;D
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.
Quote from: hammurabi70 on 24 April 2021, 09:21:45 PM
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. ;D
Maybe Covid will slow these guys down.
Quote from: Techno II on 25 April 2021, 06:22:00 AM
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".
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.
=O =O =O =O
Awesome !!!......I love it !! :-bd
But asking to be paid in
iTunes cards (??) seems a bit more than a tad unusual !! :o :o :o
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 25 April 2021, 08:51:28 AM
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. ;)
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 25 April 2021, 08:51:28 AM
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 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa%27s_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 :(
Quote from: Techno II on 25 April 2021, 09:59:22 AM
=O =O =O =
But asking to be paid in iTunes cards (??) seems a bit more than a tad unusual !! :o :o :o
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.
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.
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
AAARGH !!!
I actually fell for one last week. X_X
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 ! ;D ;D ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil. ;)
There's some very dodgy customers about Phil! ;D ;D ;D
But he was just SO believable, Graham. ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil. ;)
Quote from: Techno II on 27 June 2021, 06:47:21 AM
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... :D
If I ever find out who it was........ ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil ;)
The "BT" scam seems to have gone automated; this morning's try was machine driven.
Quote from: DecemDave on 25 April 2021, 11:45:05 AM"arrest warrant over unpaid taxes"
Now available on your mobile too!