mobile phone scam - beware!

[Stan]

My other half had a text this morning claiming to be from one of the big-name mobile companies. It said that the bill could not be processed by the bank this month (what????) and instructed her to click on a link.

The big clue was that we don't use that company.

The link was NOT clicked on. No doubt one of two things would have happened. Either a virus would have been downloaded which would have farmed personal data, leading to money being stolen. Or it would have asked for card details, leading to money being stolen.

If you get such a text, don't click on it. Go separately to your bank and/or mobile site and check independently.

 

[Blackswanwood]

There are loads of these around at the moment. Some purport to be fro Amazon of the fraud department of a bank saying they need to speak with you. I’m in favour of capital punishment for fraudsters.

 

[Doug B]

They are certainly getting more convincing, I received a text which purported to be from my bank informing me another device had successfully been logged in to my account & to get in touch via a link if I hadn’t added a new device.
The text was very convincing looking just like the normal texts I receive from them, a quick phone call confirmed it was a scam but I can certainly understand how folks are fooled.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Unfortunately the mobile phone companies don’t see stopping this as a priority. We are two years behind other countries in it being possible to flag that someone calling is using a masked number - hence international scammers target the UK.

It really makes my wee boil that more isn’t being done to stop it as it’s generally the more vulnerable who get scammed and it’s often linked to organised crime and funding drugs, people trafficking etc.

 

[artie]

I got one the other day from TV licensing to inform me that my monthly DD hadn't gone through, complete with a link to fix it.

There is one small fact they weren't aware of.

I don't have a TV license.

 

[Ozi]

There are loads of these around at the moment. Some purport to be fro Amazon of the fraud department of a bank saying they need to speak with you. I’m in favour of capital punishment for fraudsters.

I prefer the idea of having them flogged - and the money we get for them used to repay victims

 

[Phill05]

I got one from Sky to say they had taken too much money click here to claim it back, Oh yes sure!!!!
The scammers are everywhere so be aware.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

I got one from Sky to say they had taken too much money click here to claim it back, Oh yes sure!!!!
The scammers are everywhere so be aware.

Only marginally less sharp business practice is used by the "real" Sky !......

 

[Retired]

Hi,

BT; Amazon; ISP and now Virgin Media. I can always tell it's an unwanted call because there's a delay when I pick up the receiver and then I can hear voices in the background; usually sounds Indian; I've tried leaving the phone handset on the desk until it clicks off; I've pressed "1" and smiled as the vioce repeatedly says "Hello" I usually just hang up; the world is now such a selfish greedy place where extremely few can be trusted.



There are lots of funny videos on YouTube but really the whole thing isn't funny at all.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Skydivermel]

When I gat a scam call I mention to them that the number they have called is a police officers. They never call back.

 

[tulogngham]

+1 for instance capital punishment for all scammers and extend that to their whole family lines. That’s stop the rot in their genes.