URGENT - please read this - scam alert

[Spectric]

I must be lucky or it could be because I have worked with software and electronic systems so have a very logical thought process that see's the detail but I keep full details of all finances and trust no one, work along the lines of a whitelist where everything is blocked rather than a blacklist and just accept that you cannot get anything for nothing so any promises of such are just a scam and playing on the human trait of loving anything for nothing.

 

[stuart little]

There's a 'pop-up' with US accent voice over that tells you, your security has been breeched & your pc has been locked, do not switch off or restart as you could lose data. Please call this number. I've had this two or three times, I just kill the power, wait a minute or two, switch on, & it's gone. Happened last week, I had one monister with google, & a second one on Firefox, it was Firefox with the scam message, & guess what? Google was unaffected. I then did a restart, & all was 'goood' again. I wonder how many that one has caught?

 

[skeetstar]

Once had my credit card company call me about my account. Before they would tell me what it was about they wanted me to answer a series of security questions, I got suspicious and asked them how I could be sure it was a bona fide call. In the end we agreed to end the call, and I initiated a new call to the card company using the number on the back of my card. Turns out wasn't a scam call, and they really did need to speak to me.

Thing is even when it's not a scam.. we often think it is.

 

[skeetstar]

When I get call from numbers I don't recognise, I often respond with.

This is Captian Walter Walker, duty officer , Royal Navy Strategic Launch Control,
Please may I have your security code and preliminary target data.

If the caller persists I ask thme how they got the number etc, and tell them that they heed to be more careful, The UK is on high alert and they could've started a nuclear war by calling this number. Etc etc.

I've got a few variations.. another is Exeter hospital ear nose and throat department.

I've another one for the people who ring about my recent accident.. my head was torn off and the hospital stitched it on back to front.. surely I have a claim for negligence.

Often I string them along for as long as possible, give them loads of nonsense information, then when I get bored I tell them that I don't have a Sky account, and admit that I have been lying to them. At that point the call ends abruptly, or I learn a whole load of new things about my parentage.

 

[Keith Cocker]

Many years ago a neighbour called round in the evening. He looked worried and I knew his wife was away visiting relatives. He said that he’d got a virus on his computer that had locked it and was asking for a payment to unlock it. He knew I was in business and “knew about computers “. He was a Headmaster of a public school. “What could he do?” he asked. I said I would come round and look at it. He didn’t want to trouble me and perhaps I could just suggest some things he could try. By now I was beginning to have my suspicions. I said I really would need to have a look. After a bit of humming and ha-ing he said that he been looking “at some of them - you know - adult places”. I told him to switch off and back on again and he would probably be ok. He went of shame faced and never mentioned it again. Knowing his wife his guts would have been garters if she had found out. Never mind what the governors at his school might have said!!!

 

[stuart little]

When I get call from numbers I don't recognise, I often respond with.

This is Captian Walter Walker, duty officer , Royal Navy Strategic Launch Control,
Please may I have your security code and preliminary target data.

If the caller persists I ask thme how they got the number etc, and tell them that they heed to be more careful, The UK is on high alert and they could've started a nuclear war by calling this number. Etc etc.

I've got a few variations.. another is Exeter hospital ear nose and throat department.

I've another one for the people who ring about my recent accident.. my head was torn off and the hospital stitched it on back to front.. surely I have a claim for negligence.

Often I string them along for as long as possible, give them loads of nonsense information, then when I get bored I tell them that I don't have a Sky account, and admit that I have been lying to them. At that point the call ends abruptly, or I learn a whole load of new things about my parentage.

I've got a 'call blocker' phone - so I don't get any! AHH, peaceful days.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Once had my credit card company call me about my account. Before they would tell me what it was about they wanted me to answer a series of security questions, I got suspicious and asked them how I could be sure it was a bona fide call. In the end we agreed to end the call, and I initiated a new call to the card company using the number on the back of my card. Turns out wasn't a scam call, and they really did need to speak to me.

Thing is even when it's not a scam.. we often think it is.

I always do that. It really pisses them off

 

[GuitardoctorW7]

My financial institutions have a different approach to notifications. They never contact me by phone, text, or email asking for immediate verification of my account, and I immediately delete any emails asking for this information. All of my bank, credit card, retirement, and investment accounts use unique and complex passwords as well as Two-Factor-Authentication for access. The wolves can bang at the doors as much as they want, I doubt they will get in easily or quickly without being detected.

For the few times when a credit card holder noticed suspicious activity, I received an immediate email notifying me to log into my account and check the message center. The email notification did not have any links, as it is up to me to know how to log into my account. In each case, the suspicious activity was me trying to purchase a meal at an airport or restaurant while traveling.

I'm with HSBC and they're pretty good. Every 15 or so contactless transactions require a PIN, which can be frustrating but at least I'm being looked after. Also if I'm making a purchase and it doesn't follow a usual pattern on my profile they'll ring up and ask me if I'm where the card says I am. Online purchases are always ensured by 2 factor authorisation too

Fergie, the only trouble is there are many of these scamming "operations" operating from numerous locations, chiefly India, they each have their own particular scam and MO, they are generally unconnected and each have they own list of numbers to call. You were lucky not to receive more calls. The authorities in India rarely act on the information given to them by "scammer -baiters" and generally continue to act with impunity.

I love the idea of pressing a button and sending their phone/computer and themselves to oblivion.

 

[paulrbarnard]

I'm with HSBC and they're pretty good. Every 15 or so contactless transactions require a PIN, which can be frustrating but at least I'm being looked after. Also if I'm making a purchase and it doesn't follow a usual pattern on my profile they'll ring up and ask me if I'm where the card says I am. Online purchases are always ensured by 2 factor authorisation too

I’m with first direct, part of HSBC, and they are the same. However their automated checking is a real pain. I have had way too many times a payment has been declined and I get a text to contact the fraud team. I’ve tried telling them multiple times, and it is marked on my accounts, that I travel a lot and having transactions in US, Europe, China is not unusual behaviour for me. It is not as bad as it used to be as the fraud line is now operating 24/7. I had a blazing row with them a few years back when they declined my card in a supermarket in the US. I had to wait until the next day to get the block cleared. The person in the bank had the temerity to suggest I call them before every trip. I pointed out the they were my bank not my mother.

 

[John on the Wirral]

Joking apart, if you answer a question incorrectly eg mother's maiden name and they accept it put the 'phone down.