Scams

[Whynd1]

I have been so busy looking out for the what's app scam this week, that I nearly fell for a talk talk scam today.
Phone rang with an 01793 number, left a message asking me to ring back saying they were from Talk talk. So I did and he told me the router had been corrupted and my internet access would be terminated tonight.
He wanted me to turn the laptop on and when I started asking questions he started shouting at me, at that point I realised it was a scam.
I thought I don't think talk talk would shout at its customers !!!

Oh how difficult it is these days to be so aware of everything.
Have sun e reported the incident and phone number to talk talk.
For anyone's info the number was 01793 852417 which looks like a bona fide number and we do have security on our phone but this one slipped through the net.

Lindsey

[Manoverboard]

Tis a Swindon area code ?

You could try this site next time ...Who called me ?

ps ... I searched your number and nothing had been reported previously, assume a nutter with nought better to do

[david63]

Since the rules changes a while back most of the "international" numbers now display what appears to be a valid UK number

[oldbluefox]

I often get calls from 'Talktalk' telling me there is a problem with my internet. Depending on how I feel and what time I have on my hands I either just put the phone down or I might engage with them. My favourite is to tell them I'll have to switch on the computer, put the receiver down and walk away. They eventually get tired of waiting for me but it does waste their time. Talktalk will never contact you to say there is a problem so be wary of any scams like this one. Mne very often originate from an 02 number but it could come from anywhere.
I also seem to get calls about the recent accident I never had!! They get the same treatment.
Does anybody else have any novel ways of dealing with these scam calls?

[towny44]

As I have commented previously since we opted for Skytalk shield we no longer receive nuisance calls, quite a lot of providers have similar features.

[sunseeker16]

The BT call blocker phone works perfectly. I never get nuisance calls now and thus get very few calls on the landline. I’ve seen ads in phone shops for broadband connections for £20 or so a month but I think I’ll let others try that out for a while before I jump that way

[Manoverboard]

I agree ... the BT phones a la BT 4500 and beyond come with the ability to block unknown & unwanted calls.

ps ... they also have BIG BUTTTONS

[allatc]

I have been so busy looking out for the what's app scam this week, that I nearly fell for a talk talk scam today.
Phone rang with an 01793 number, left a message asking me to ring back saying they were from Talk talk. So I did and he told me the router had been corrupted and my internet access would be terminated tonight.
He wanted me to turn the laptop on and when I started asking questions he started shouting at me, at that point I realised it was a scam.
I thought I don't think talk talk would shout at its customers !!!

Oh how difficult it is these days to be so aware of everything.
Have sun e reported the incident and phone number to talk talk.
For anyone's info the number was 01793 852417 which looks like a bona fide number and we do have security on our phone but this one slipped through the net.

Lindsey

I have had the same call.

hung up.

[david63]

The problem with all these call blocking systems is that there are occasions where you need to accept a call that is "withheld" such as the doctors or an "international" call when you have family who are overseas.

[Meg 50]

'withhelds' we have on 'announce',

'international' go straight to answerphone

unavailable are blocked

any nos not on our allow list have to announce, then we'll decide whether to put them on the allow list permanently

[sunseeker16]

It’s not really a problem - just a factor.
If I ask someone to call I warn them they’ll get ‘security’; if any reputable individual or organisation wants to contact me then all they have to do is listen to the message and announce themselves.

[towny44]

It’s not really a problem - just a factor.
If I ask someone to call I warn them they’ll get ‘security’; if any reputable individual or organisation wants to contact me then all they have to do is listen to the message and announce themselves.

That is also the way that Skytalk shield works, all genuine callers follow the prompts and are connected fairly quickly, but nuisance callers never bother to announce themselves.

[Quizzical Bob]

'withhelds' we have on 'announce',

'international' go straight to answerphone

unavailable are blocked

any nos not on our allow list have to announce, then we'll decide whether to put them on the allow list permanently

We too.

Weve had a BT 8600 since November 2017 and no cold callers since. It's just like having a receptionist to hamdle your calls.

[Meg 50]

we still know how many come in because we kept part of our original system and that rings each time - but stops after one ring.

[Mervyn and Trish]

We very rarely, if ever, get scam phone calls, but we've had five in as many days and three of those this morning telling us there's a problem with our Broadband. I wonder why the sudden spurt?

They were allegedly from various companies, though curiously not from our actual internet provider! And interestingly three were from "Angela". Either she can't hold a job down or the scammers have limited imagination when making up female names.

The first four we just put the phone down. I decided to engage the last this morning in conversation. Yes I was very well thank you. No I hadn't realised there was a problem with my Broadband.

Then I asked Angela if she realised she'd called Leek Police Station and said I'd have to get the Duty Sergeant to deal with her call. She immediately hung up. Mardy bitch.

I have blocked each of the numbers but since they were all different I guess we'll get more calls. Unless Angela has mentioned my response to her boss! I'm not over bothered but the first one today was before I was awake!

[allatc]

You would know it is a Talktalk scam if you immediately connected to a real person instead of listening to music for half an hour.

[Manoverboard]

You would know it is a Talktalk scam if you immediately connected to a real person instead of listening to music for half an hour.

[Stephen]

Just answer the phone, start a conversation then say 'I've just got to go to the kitchen to turn something off'. Put the phone to one side and let them wait. Carry on with whatever you were doing. It's there call after all.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I did similar with a junk call once. Told them they needed to talk to the householder and left them dangling

[Mervyn and Trish]

Another call this morning. I led this one on. Did everything he told me to. Well that's what told I him anyway. Never even turned the PC on. After a few minutes of supposedly conducting speed tests, he asked what I could see on my screen. I said a big message had come up saying he was a criminal trying to steal my money. He got very upset. Told me I'd said a bad thing. I said it was a pleasure to have wasted his time. He hung up. I've blocked his number. I wonder if he'll block mine to warn his colleagues not to bother!

[david63]

If I am in the mood to string them along (which is not very often) and they say turn your PC on I respond with "Which PC - I have six?" (slight exaggeration!) which leads to all sorts of weird answers.

[Stephen]

[Ray B]

When stringing then along it gets more difficult to quickly think what to say next to keep them interested. It's a challenge to see how long you can take them before they clock you.
But as you say David, it's having the time and being in the mood.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Next one will get the "hold on I'll fetch my wife" treatment.

[oldbluefox]

I always tell them I'll go and switch my computer on and leave them waiting. Sometimes they ring back so I ask why they rang off and would they like me to switch it on again. Usually they hang up but only I have kept them talking. Happy to waste their time. Blocking a their number doesn't seem to work as they seem able to change numbers at will.