A scam phone calls and emails discussion.

[londonbridge]

Another email from “Royal Mail” asking me to pay a customs fee to release my package. Haven’t got anything on order from overseas at the moment (well actually I have, as I’ve ordered an LP from a Canadian artist, but it’s a pre-order and not released till February), plus the email starts “Hello client”…….

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The issue is that there's a very low bar to entry and a relatively low chance of significant consequences, so as soon as one group gets shut down another one pops up to replace them.

That should therefore lead to a situation where democratic freedoms which enable such criminality to flourish should be brought to an abrupt end for the good of world-wide victims.

I never thought that I would say this, but in East Germany, the Stasi had their surveillance to a fine art.

 

[najaB]

That should therefore lead to a situation where democratic freedoms which enable such criminality to flourish should be brought to an abrupt end for the good of world-wide victims.

I never thought that I would say this, but in East Germany, the Stasi had their surveillance to a fine art.

An alternative, and perhaps slightly more appealing option: how about we start by educating people so that they are more scam aware?

 

[nanstallon]

Has anyone had a letter from Atlas For Men? We had one thanking us for an order that we knew nothing about, telling us that the transaction on a credit card had been declined, and that we should contact them on line, by phone or sending them a cheque to an address Comdata-1 Unit 2-4 Pullman - BH24 1HD Ringwood.

I ignored it, but wonder whether others have had a similar experience. It all seems a bit odd, and I can't see whether anything untoward is going on. It may be perfectly innocent, but if I didn't place an order how would they know my e-mail address? I googled the name, and it seems to be a clothing company based in Paris.

 

[Trackman]

Has anyone had a letter from Atlas For Men? We had one thanking us for an order that we knew nothing about, telling us that the transaction on a credit card had been declined, and that we should contact them on line, by phone or sending them a cheque to an address Comdata-1 Unit 2-4 Pullman - BH24 1HD Ringwood.

I ignored it, but wonder whether others have had a similar experience. It all seems a bit odd, and I can't see whether anything untoward is going on. It may be perfectly innocent, but if I didn't place an order how would they know my e-mail address? I googled the name, and it seems to be a clothing company based in Paris.

Sounds odd this, they have asked you to send a cheque (who uses them???) and secondly the card would (or should) have been declined at point of sale.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Has anyone had a letter from Atlas For Men?

Curious! Are you able to post/upload a photo of same? Obviously, please obscure or otherwise cover up your name and address details if they are showing.

 

[John Webb]

Has anyone had a letter from Atlas For Men? We had one thanking us for an order that we knew nothing about, telling us that the transaction on a credit card had been declined, and that we should contact them on line, by phone or sending them a cheque to an address Comdata-1 Unit 2-4 Pullman - BH24 1HD Ringwood......

A look at Google maps etc shows the UK address is on an industrial estate on the south side of Ringwood backing onto the site of the former Ringwood station. The buildings on 'Streetview' appear to be general purpose office blocks. I couldn't see one with the 'Comdata' name, but streetview is over a year old, so they may be newcomers.
I would ignore the contact from them - if you never ordered anything why are they trying to contact you? Such an approach always raises my suspicions!

 

[MP33]

I have not been contacted by Microsoft support for a long time. So I have not been able to use the excuse for the delay of moving into Windsor Castle, due to.

The property being vacated due to a marriage, death and now stating I am the lodger. I moved into a recently vacated room.

 

[John Webb]

Looking back at 2024, in January I had 13 unwanted calls on my landline - this slowly crept up to a maximum of 33 in August but then dropped off to 12 in September and has been in single figures since, December having 7 unwanted calls. Only about 3 calls actually got through to me, as my phone has 'Call Guardian' built in. In comparison my mobile had just three unwanted calls over the whole year!

 

[Bald Rick]

Looking back at 2024, in January I had 13 unwanted calls on my landline - this slowly crept up to a maximum of 33 in August but then dropped off to 12 in September and has been in single figures since, December having 7 unwanted calls. Only about 3 calls actually got through to me, as my phone has 'Call Guardian' built in. In comparison my mobile had just three unwanted calls over the whole year!

I found the best way to avoid having unwanted calls on the landline is not to have one!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I found the best way to avoid having unwanted calls on the landline is not to have one!

On a personal basis, I have found the 80% of friends and families who once had a landline now no longer have one, such is the smartphone epidemic that has spread over Britain.

 

[infobleep]

I found the best way to avoid having unwanted calls on the landline is not to have one!

What is the best way to avoid unwanted calls on a mobile? Not having one?

I do have a landline, which i only use to speak to a friend in Germany who isn't so advanced with their tech.

However, I do have some old analogue phones and if I could ever get someone to seevuce them and build the modifications they require, I would put them into use.

I don't get too many, and most likely no spam calls to my landline, but then it starts 0300 and I guess that isn't so popular. Give them time........

 

[dangie]

When the wife looked at her phone this morning she'd had 18 texts from unknown numbers wishing her Happy New Year. Guessing all were scam probably hoping for a reply. They didn't get one. She deleted them.

 

[John Webb]

Has anyone had a letter from Atlas For Men? We had one thanking us for an order that we knew nothing about, telling us that the transaction on a credit card had been declined, and that we should contact them on line, by phone or sending them a cheque to an address Comdata-1 Unit 2-4 Pullman - BH24 1HD Ringwood.

I ignored it, but wonder whether others have had a similar experience. It all seems a bit odd, and I can't see whether anything untoward is going on. It may be perfectly innocent, but if I didn't place an order how would they know my e-mail address? I googled the name, and it seems to be a clothing company based in Paris.

Just seen an advert for this company on Talking Pictures TV - phone number 0800 021 1162 and website atlasformen.tv
I pass this on for your information.

 

[swt_passenger]

What is the best way to avoid unwanted calls on a mobile? Not having one?
...

I should probably hesitate before writing this, but I have never had a scam call on my current mobile number, going back over 20 years now.

 

[Gloster]

I should probably hesitate before writing this, but I have never had a scam call on my current mobile number, going back over 20 years now.

I think that I am in the same situation, although I keep mine switched off except for on the very rare occasions that I make an outgoing call or am receiving a message. I did have a series of messages on my old ’phone asking to speak to someone that I have never heard of, but that was probably a wrongly written down or given number.

Just seen an advert for this company on Talking Pictures TV - phone number 0800 021 1162 and website atlasformen.tv
I pass this on for your information.

I am afraid that the name ‘Atlas for Men’ sounds like one of those dodgy handbooks listing strip and lap dancing clubs, and ‘discreet’ addresses in large cities. An area of business to avoid.

 

[John Webb]

....I am afraid that the name ‘Atlas for Men’ sounds like one of those dodgy handbooks listing strip and lap dancing clubs, and ‘discreet’ addresses in large cities. An area of business to avoid.

The advert was actually for outdoor clothing - perhaps I should have mentioned that!

 

[nanstallon]

I think that I am in the same situation, although I keep mine switched off except for on the very rare occasions that I make an outgoing call or am receiving a message. I did have a series of messages on my old ’phone asking to speak to someone that I have never heard of, but that was probably a wrongly written down or given number.



I am afraid that the name ‘Atlas for Men’ sounds like one of those dodgy handbooks listing strip and lap dancing clubs, and ‘discreet’ addresses in large cities. An area of business to avoid.

I had better not reply to them!

 

[infobleep]

I should probably hesitate before writing this, but I have never had a scam call on my current mobile number, going back over 20 years now.

That is impressive.

 

[nanstallon]

I have just received a catalogue from them - no kinky clothes! All seems perfectly normal, but I don't need new clothes.

 

[JKF]

I get about one scam call per month on my mobile. I like to remind the caller that those people at school who said they wouldn’t amount to anything were right.

 

[BingMan]

I have just received a catalogue from them - no kinky clothes! All seems perfectly normal, but I don't need new clothes.

Atlas for Men supply good quality outdoor clothing Good quality apart from the dodgy zips

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Jan 2025 ==

Another email from “Royal Mail” asking me to pay a customs fee to release my package. Haven’t got anything on order from overseas at the moment (well actually I have, as I’ve ordered an LP from a Canadian artist, but it’s a pre-order and not released till February), plus the email starts “Hello client”…….

An email purporting to be from a car park company telling that my my car had been illegally parked and that I had incurred a fine which I could pay by clicking on this link.
I knew it was a scam since I don't have a car

 

[nanstallon]

Another email from “Royal Mail” asking me to pay a customs fee to release my package. Haven’t got anything on order from overseas at the moment (well actually I have, as I’ve ordered an LP from a Canadian artist, but it’s a pre-order and not released till February), plus the email starts “Hello client”…….

I used to get a card in the letterbox saying that customs duty had to be paid on a parcel from abroad, which I could collect from the delivery office out of town on payment, plus £8 Royal Mail fee. As I had been expecting such a parcel, I duly attended and paid up to get the parcel. I never get these cards now; I think that foreign sellers deal direct with UK customs, collecting the duty in addition to the cost of the item. Royal Mail were presumably legally authorised to charge the £8 fee on top of the duty.

.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I used to get a card in the letterbox saying that customs duty had to be paid on a parcel from abroad, which I could collect from the delivery office out of town on payment, plus £8 Royal Mail fee. As I had been expecting such a parcel, I duly attended and paid up to get the parcel.

And did you then receive the parcel you'd ordered?

 

[nanstallon]

And did you then receive the parcel you'd ordered?

Yes.

 

[londonbridge]

I remember getting a card and having to pay the fees on at least two occasions but I’ve not had one for years. In any case, a lot of the time it’s now uneconomical to order things from the US when the postage/shipping charges are sometimes almost as much as the cost of the item. When it comes to CD’s or vinyl I’ll mostly order direct from an artist website only if there is no alternative outlet to obtain it from.

And then of course there are companies such as Barnes And Noble and Walmart who do not ship items to the UK. For these I set up an account with one of the mail forwarding services so items are delivered to an address within the US and then forwarded on to me. However Barnes And Noble previously did ship to the UK as I used to order directly from them, I’m not sure why they no longer do so but I’m guessing it may be due to Brexit?

 

[DM352]

Been getting an increase in text messages with prefix +63 (Philippines) with now generic parcel is held for customs. They are getting lazy as at least it used to be a spoofed Canada Post or a delivery company that serves here.

I can relate to the "real" postage charges of the previous message #2066 for US to UK delivery. Amazon UK used to ship to Canada with Royal Mail and Canada Post but now selects anyone like Dhl who puts expensive brokerage charges on the order making it up to twice as expensive all in. Of course I check the text is legit first asking for duty to be paid.

 

[oldman]

Email today to say that my application to subscribe to a far-right German-language online news service Der Tag beginnt with NIUS (The day begins with NIUS[Nachrichten]) is under consideration. There doesn't seem to be any malware involved, apart from the news service itself which is very mal.

I have a personal domain name and spam usually passes through that, but this one was direct to my email provider. Distribution is from beehiiv.com in New York though the publisher is in Berlin.

Not that I'm paranoid, but do 'they' know I speak German? I sometimes google in German, has someone noticed?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Not that I'm paranoid, but do 'they' know I speak German? I sometimes google in German, has someone noticed?

Could someone have signed you up as a joke?

 

[MP33]

I had a call today about the work installing foam insulation in the loft. Immediately after I said that I have none, the phone went dead.