A scam phone calls and emails discussion.

[najaB]

Many scam calls spoof the number that displays on your phone so blocking will have no effect. I'm amazed how many "energy companies" have their HQ in Armagh.

Keep in mind though that in a lot of cases the contact centres are contracted out - so the presentation number may have little relevance to the company calling.

 

[Class360/1]

I keep on having people pretending to be from virgin mobile and lloyds bank- it gets annoying

 

[Typhoon]

Had a phone call from 05766145758. Usual rubbish from 'Your internet provider', going to cut off service. That in itself is not report-worthy but its the first time I've had an '05' and I've looked back a fair way and cannot find one. '057' does not seem to be allocated, ('055' and '056' are, which I was unaware of) so a spoof.

 

[najaB]

Had a phone call from 05766145758. Usual rubbish from 'Your internet provider', going to cut off service. That in itself is not report-worthy but its the first time I've had an '05' and I've looked back a fair way and cannot find one. '057' does not seem to be allocated, ('055' and '056' are, which I was unaware of) so a spoof.

I thought 057 had been allocated for some VoIP services? 055 and 056 definitely are as I used to have an 50601 number.

 

[Typhoon]

I thought 057 had been allocated for some VoIP services? 055 and 056 definitely are as I used to have an 50601 number.

Actually, you may be right. I've looked back, I first used Ofcom but none are listed there, BT site is unhelpful, then the website https://www.ukphoneinfo.com/05-numbers but I've just noticed the date is 2018, a lot has happened since.

 

[Jamesrob637]

07789446741 texted me yesterday purporting to be from Halifax

I don't bank with Halifax so knew immediately that it was suspect.

 

[najaB]

Actually, you may be right. I've looked back, I first used Ofcom but none are listed there, BT site is unhelpful, then the website https://www.ukphoneinfo.com/05-numbers but I've just noticed the date is 2018, a lot has happened since.

No, I think you're right - there's no charge band listed for calling 057 numbers so it's highly unlikely they are in use: https://www.bt.com/pricing/current/Call_Charges_boo/0025_d0e5.htm#0025-d0e5

 

[PeterC]

Had a recorded call on my mobile today telling me that I would be prosecuted for tax evasion. Didn't bother listening all the way through.

I am just glad that my mother is no longer here to make a panic stricken call to me about things like this. She was convinced that all spam phone calls were carefully targetted at her personally by local people as she still thought of trunk calls as being prohibitavely espensive.

 

[ABB125]

I've had numerous missed calls from numbers ostensibly from London (020 3675 xxxx, where xxxx changes each time). Most were in late December/early January, but I've now had two more this week. I'm starting to wonder whether it's some sort of legitimate call (although I can't think who it would be from). The reason I haven't picked up any of the calls is my phone's on silent, so I never know that they've called until I look later!

 

[BluePenguin]

Might be an idea to enable vibrate on your phone to help you catch it when they next call. Perhaps it would be worth calling them back to find out if it is genuine? There is no harm in calling an 020 number after all

 

[ABB125]

Might be an idea to enable vibrate on your phone to help you catch it when they next call. Perhaps it would be worth calling them back to find out if it is genuine? There is no harm in calling an 020 number after all

I've done that now, but notification noises can be a bit irritating/distracting! I did call them back last time, but nothing happened. Admittedly it was after 1800 though...

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Have had both the automated Amazon Prime "39.99 auto renewal" message and also two of the "internet service provider service suspension" messages in the last 24 hours, the latter ostensibly from an 07404 xxxxxx number and an 01606 xxxxxx. (Does anyone legitimately use 07404 numbers?)

Oh, and a genuine NHS call!

 

[ABB125]

Have had both the automated Amazon Prime "39.99 auto renewal" message and also the "internet service provider service suspension" message in the last 24 hours, the latter ostensibly from an 07404 xxxxxx number. (Does anyone legitimately use 07404 numbers?)

Oh, and a genuine NHS call!

Error - number not found?

 

[A Challenge]

(Does anyone legitimately use 07404 numbers?)

07404 is actually not a UK mobile network number the ranges for them are 074 - 079

074 040 Mobile Lycamobile UK Mobile WiFi FW7 WiFi Services Lycamobile UK the interesting bit is the FW7 allocation for charging. as if you look here: sales.talktalk.co.uk/pricing/calls/uk-non-geographic it's classed as a wifi service, just like 07405, 07406, 07417, 07424, 07438, 07440, 07466...

community.talktalk.co.uk

This might explain it - it won't let me copy more than one word at a time to quote, but it appears that they are used by VoIP services through LycaMobile and are therefore classified as Personal Numbering Services, and are, on TalkTalk at least, charged separately to mobile numbers and not included in inclusive mobile minutes

 

[najaB]

[07404 numbers] are therefore classified as Personal Numbering Services, and are, on TalkTalk at least, charged separately to mobile numbers and not included in inclusive mobile minutes

And can attract quite a premium - 12.599p/minute from a BT landline (if I'm reading the price list correctly).

 

[Westcountryman]

See post 501. My god. She's still at it! She's still committing tax fraud!

 

[ABB125]

I've just had this text. It claims to be from O2:

However, the number it's come from (202202) makes it suspicious: O2 use 20202 as one of their contact numbers, so this appears to be trying to imitate the genuine number. Furthermore, I've never had anything like this before from O2, so naturally I'm suspicious.

It's probably a scam (although I can't think what the scammers could gain from me replying). There's a small chance it could be genuine, but I'm not convinced!

 

[Steddenm]

I've just had this text. It claims to be from O2:
View attachment 90929
However, the number it's come from (202202) makes it suspicious: O2 use 20202 as one of their contact numbers, so this appears to be trying to imitate the genuine number. Furthermore, I've never had anything like this before from O2, so naturally I'm suspicious.

It's probably a scam (although I can't think what the scammers could gain from me replying). There's a small chance it could be genuine, but I'm not convinced!

Have you contacted o2 in the last few days? I get them a lot from EE when I've spoken to them or used their website.

 

[ABB125]

Have you contacted o2 in the last few days? I get them a lot from EE when I've spoken to them or used their website.

Nope!

 

[py_megapixel]

Nope!

Do you even use any services provided by O2? Or are they just sending out randomly in the hope they'll get a bite?

 

[A Challenge]

I've just had this text. It claims to be from O2:
View attachment 90929
However, the number it's come from (202202) makes it suspicious: O2 use 20202 as one of their contact numbers, so this appears to be trying to imitate the genuine number. Furthermore, I've never had anything like this before from O2, so naturally I'm suspicious.

It's probably a scam (although I can't think what the scammers could gain from me replying). There's a small chance it could be genuine, but I'm not convinced!

I think these are genuine, not that I've ever responded to one from my network provider. This may be wrong, but I also see nothing they hope to gain from you, though it could be attempting to set up one of those text donation services from you without your knowledge.

 

[ABB125]

Do you even use any services provided by O2? Or are they just sending out randomly in the hope they'll get a bite?

Yes, I use them for pay as you go.

I think these are genuine, not that I've ever responded to one from my network provider. This may be wrong, but I also see nothing they hope to gain from you, though it could be attempting to set up one of those text donation services from you without your knowledge.

It could be genuine, but I'm suspicious of the number used: it's very close to one I know they use.
Not that I'll bother replying, even if it was genuine!

 

[swt_passenger]

I had a new, (to me), variation on the “about to expire” scam on my landline yesterday.

Something about “ the leasing agreement for your computers and network equipment is expiring”. Does that mean they think I’m a business user...

 

[Master Cutler]

I've just received a call from a debt collection agency regarding an outstanding £125 that needed paying immediately to avoid court action.
After politely explaining to the gentleman that as he was speaking to me on my company mobile phone he should check the details on the invoices and contact our accounts payable department via the telephone number printed on our original purchase order documentation to progress the matter.
For some reason he quickly terminated the call.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I've just received a call from a debt collection agency regarding an outstanding £125 that needed paying immediately to avoid court action.
After politely explaining to the gentleman that as he was speaking to me on my company mobile phone he should check the details on the invoices and contact our accounts payable department via the telephone number printed on our original purchase order documentation to progress the matter.

Let me guess. Accounts payable are still waiting for any follow up call?

 

[Master Cutler]

Let me guess. Accounts payable are still waiting for any follow up call?

I think you may be onto something there Mcr Warrior.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Again, I wonder if ever such a global type of crime is openly perpetrated with such impugnity that seems to ignore all efforts by the police forces of all continents has ever been tried previously since established police forces came into being?

 

[najaB]

Again, I wonder if ever such a global type of crime is openly perpetrated with such impugnity that seems to ignore all efforts by the police forces of all continents has ever been tried previously since established police forces came into being?

Unlikely, since it's only the advent of modern, cheap communications technology and the growth of a technologically-dependent yet technologically-naïve population that has made such trans-border crime possible and, more importantly, profitable.

I can't imagine that, back in the 1700s, had there been a knock at the door and someone dressed in [choose your foreign country] garb, saying that there's a problem with your spinning wheel, which he could fix but only if you first accompanied him down to town to withdraw some money from the bank they would have gotten very far with it.

 

[RichT54]

I've been getting a noticeable increase in the number of calls on my landline during the last few days, up to 5 or 6 calls per day. I've already had 4 today. Most are showing as either international or mobile numbers. I let most go to answerphone and they terminated immediately. I did pick up one which was a rather distorted automated message about a suspicious payment of £1100 on my [unintelligable] account. I did wonder if they deliberately made the account name impossible to hear in order to catch people that wouldn't have an account with a specific supplier.

 

[najaB]

I did wonder if they deliberately made the account name impossible to hear in order to catch people that wouldn't have an account with a specific supplier.

Yup, exactly that.