Indeed, but they don't, presumably hence why they need the policy.
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A scam phone calls and emails discussion.
- Thread starter S&CLER
- Start date
Indeed, but they don't, presumably hence why they need the policy.
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R
RailUK Forums
Phone providers are very happy to convey scam calls because the traffic brings them income; their first duty is to their shareholders not their users, so they do nothing to stop it. Why do you only mention mobile providers anyway? Older people who are more likely to fall for scams will probably be using land lines, and I get more scam calls by landline than mobile.
Having said that, I don't care whether a call comes from UK or abroad, there are domestic based scams too. I get someone with an English accent wanting to assess my house insulation every few days, in addition to the Indian accent ones. I deal with each call as it deserves - you need to be either naive or senile to fall for these tricks, or have such a chaotic (but basically average) life that you don't know whether you are coming or going. Mrs Lucan's boss is so busy and harassed that he is likely to say yes to any demand coming over the phone just to bat the issue away, and Mrs L has to sort out the mess afterwards.
Not using Amazon, Windows, life insurance, or money lenders insulates you from 99% of scams anyway.
As I understand it, that should be "can't", rather than "don't".
The system used for caller ID in the UK is relatively easy to spoof. There is a more secure system, but it would require rulemaking to compel the telcos to implement it.
I assume that that is why the shadow Government are proposing a policy.
I have to admit my preferred option to deal with the scam callers from outside the UK is a few choice Hindi swear words I picked up from the internet.
The phrase "Teri ma kaa bhosda maru maderchod, chutiya, rundi, bhosdike" tends to get rid of them quite quickly.
And if that doesn't work "bhenchod, bakrichod, teri ma kaa rundi" also works quite well.
Mcr Warrior
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Where's 'Google Translate' when you need it?! 
Where's 'Google Translate' when you need it?!
Well, putting the English translations on the thread may not have been appreciated......
But it does tend to throw them when you start swearing at them in Hindi - they don't like it.
4COR
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Even my rudimentary knowledge (as picked up from decades of playing cricket) tells me we wouldn't want those translations on here 
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
I had a similar one on Monday. I like to think I'm pretty savvy when it comes to these sorts of things, but I took it as a genuine error and was about to reply just to tell the person I wasn't who they were trying to reach and they must have mistyped the number on their friend's phone... Luckily my friend who I was with pointed out that these sorts of messages are intended to find out whether a number is active, as well as how trusting/naive the person on the other end is.View attachment 131970
(Image shows a scam text to "mum")
Hmmmm...
Something tells me that this is a scam. Off the top of my head, I can think of the following reasons:
I realise that I've just spent 5 minutes analysing a scam message. I really should have something better to do!
- I'm male
- I don't have any children
- The phone number given is formatted the "wrong" way. In the UK it's typically given 07xxx xxxxxx not 07xxxx xxxxx
- No-one I know (apart from myself
) would write a message that is grammatically correct, in the way that this text is. Correct apostrophes AND capitalisation of WhatsApp? Who actually does that?!
A Challenge
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I mean if you reply to that text saying wrong number, they'll know you're not going to fall for that one, as you obviously don't think it's for you, but I'd imagine it might mean you get a few more scam texts soon.
Russel
Established Member
I had 4 calls from a random number located in London, yesterday.
After the 3rd call, all from the same number, I decided to answer, it turns out it was "02" offering to reduce the cost of my monthly plan, which is great, but I'm with Smarty...
Honestly, how anyone falls for these scams is beyond me.
After the 3rd call, all from the same number, I decided to answer, it turns out it was "02" offering to reduce the cost of my monthly plan, which is great, but I'm with Smarty...
Honestly, how anyone falls for these scams is beyond me.
Because every so often they hit the "right" buttons - usually a slightly older person and the caller claims to be representing a company they *do* use e.g. right bank, right mobile phone provider.
I agree, for many these scams are easy to see through, but having worked in large companies who routinely run organised 'scam' e-mails to employee's work e-mail addresses (as part of their Information Security processes) to raise awareness, you'd be amazed how many people click on the links etc.
That's why it's called 'phishing' - it's just like attempting to catch piscine animals: the net will come up empty more often than not, but if they keep casting eventually it'll come good.
Class142sbad
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Got one from a "Hydrogen Group" Not sure whether this fits in here or not but it is a little bit strange that it is a +27 phone number. I looked it up and it is the South African dailing code.
Don't know whether this is a scam or not.
Don't know whether this is a scam or not.
Have you been looking for a job in South Africa?
bearhugger
Member
I've had a few similar messages but using Telegram rather than WhatsApp, and using the UK +44 code recently. Seeing as I haven't been job searching for over 5 years the message senders are blocked the messages deleted.
steamybrian
Established Member
Just had a telephone call from a lady with an Indian voice stating that "Healthcare" are supplying an emergency personal alarm to all people over 60 years. In the case of sudden illness or a fall the person can press the alarm for assistance.
I confirmed that she was speaking to person she named and then asked to confirm my date of birth.....
Accordingly I stated I was born in 1985 and she slammed the phone down.
(for interest I am over 60 but I am aware that scammers are targeting us of a mature age so hopeful she has deleted me from her list.)
I confirmed that she was speaking to person she named and then asked to confirm my date of birth.....
Accordingly I stated I was born in 1985 and she slammed the phone down.
(for interest I am over 60 but I am aware that scammers are targeting us of a mature age so hopeful she has deleted me from her list.)
Class142sbad
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Note the use of 2 languages and a currency we don't really use. It just seems really suspicous to me
I would say straight in the bin. If, for instance, the poster was waiting for a delivery from DHL and really wanted to make sure, it would make sense to check with them first for the seasons you have given; but not to open it!
ChrisC
Established Member
I have had about half a dozen phone calls during the last few weeks informing me that I have a reduction in the price of my gas boiler cover and servicing. All of these calls have been from people with an Indian accent. They speak very quickly and become somewhat abusive when I won’t listen to their speech and try to explain that I have a contract with British Gas but not with them. Yesterday I was told that I had no manners because I interrupted their speech, in previous calls I have been called an idiot for not listening and even told that I am wasting their time!
swt_passenger
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I leap in straight away and tell them David, Michael, Robert or whoever doesn’t seem to be an Indian name. Then if they go on ask to speak to someone with better English. For some reason it really gets them arguing….
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pdeaves
Established Member
Here's an interesting one; email just in with the subject line
How could I possibly resist whatever it was they were after with the template fields not even filled in (and misspelt)?!? The message began 'dear manager', I don't think I will bother with the rest!
.
How could I possibly resist whatever it was they were after with the template fields not even filled in (and misspelt)?!? The message began 'dear manager', I don't think I will bother with the rest!
Do the perpetrators even think that they will fool anyone like that? Or are some people (the scamee) really dumb?
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
Would this have something to do with English not being their first language?
It did go in the bin and sometimes I use DHL.
I reckon some people would just click on the link without thinking and checking it... enter bank details for the 2 euros or whatever then wonder why their bank account is empty.
Apparently some of them deliberately make minor mistakes - the logic being that people who are paying enough attention to notice them are probably not good 'marks' as they'll spot the faults in the scam. They want people who are either habitually or through being busy in a more pliable mental state.
contrex
Member
Yes, this is a very common way of targeting people who gullible or lacking in alertness. Also propositions which appear to defy common sense or basic knowledge about the world (e.g. 'increase your investment 10 times in only one month!' - (a) where will that money come from? (b) wouldn't it lead to the collapse of the finance system if enough people did it?, and (c) if it works, why are you telling anyone else?). Mentioning Nigeria (or, increasingly, any other African country e.g. Ghana). People lacking common sense, and people willing to exploit them have always existed, but modern communications make it much easier for the latter to find the former. I remember reading about a bloke who (before the war) placed adverts in newspaper small-ads sections offering 'a metal clothes wall hanger and a guaranteed light-first-time cigarette lighter' for one shilling, and sent the people who fell for it a nail and a match.
Intercity110
On Moderation
Got a link earlier today to a scam website which ‘locks down your computer’ to stop ‘illegal activity’, and it says ‘apple has blocked this IP call Microsoft support at [phone number]. Quite amusing spotting the mistakes, really.
The trouble is the massive publicity (and public admiration) given to billionaires who have indeed increased their wealth by factors of a million or more in very short periods of time, with or without fraud. Zucherberg, Gates, Musk, Bezos, Elizabeth Holmes, Bankman-Fried, numerous cryptocurrency winners (as opposed to the cryptocurrency losers) are a few examples. There is a view that "If they can do it, why can't I?".
Those examples are few enough not to have caused financial collapse except among the suckers who fall for a fraud. Among those who fell for Holmes' Theranos scam were Henry Kissenger, Larry Ellison, Bill Clinton, Rupert Murdoch and George Shultz, despite her scheme appearing too good to be true, and real medical experts warning that it was BS. Those investors lost millions; it seems they wanted to believe her because she ticked all the modern heroic boxes : young (tick). female (tick), attractive (tick), college drop-out (tick), dresses like Steve Jobs* (tick), "disrupts" existing tech (tick), speaks with a masculine voice* (tick), and so forth.
Regarding telling everyone else, even legitimate ventures can require investment input from others. Of course, schemes such as those supposed to win the lottery don't require other's co-operation, so (c) is a good question, you would think the inventor would keep quiet about it. Not like the cartoon wild west gold prospector who finds a lump of gold in a mountain stream and then runs into the nearest town shouting "GOLD!" at the top of his head.
* Deliberate, part of her act.