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Scam phone calls

sti1000
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎17-11-2016

Scam phone calls

Hi all
The lastest scam now is a call that says its from your phone provider and has a recorded message telling you that your ip address has been compromised. The message says you need to press a number to proceed. I have had 2 calls today already
21 REPLIES 21
hangar18
Grafter
Posts: 40
Thanks: 15
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎08-03-2009

Re: Scam phone calls

I wonder what that one is all about then?

Were both calls from the same number?

sti1000
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎17-11-2016

Re: Scam phone calls

Hi Hangar18
The number is witheld sadly. If people press number 1 and proceed with the call no doubt the scammers will be after some financial gain. 😠
jab1
Legend
Posts: 16,731
Thanks: 5,293
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Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Scam phone calls

@sti1000 The usual advice for all unknown or unexpected phone calls is to ignore them- if the caller is genuine, they should leave a message and you can return the call later. 99% of these scam calls use auto-diallers and will cut off as soon as the answer-phone is detected.

John
Alex
Community Veteran
Posts: 5,500
Thanks: 921
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Scam phone calls

Sounds like a variation of the calls of what my parents get "There is a problem with your internet connection".
They say they're from BT, though they are with PlusNet.

(Yes I know BT own PlusNet but they operate separately).

So I confused one scammer with some very basic questions before he said "I don't understand" and hung up Grin

In your case as it is automated it is a bit different. I would mess around with the automated options and see what it is trying to do. It'll either try and get you to install some malware on your PC, or they are trying to collect personal details. So make sure you don't do either.

So pick random wrong answers (I sound like Chris Tarrant from Who Wants to be a Millionate here). If it transfers you to a human, just pretend you are really bad at computers and extend the call for as long as possible not giving anything away.

If you prefer you can use a sweary version of "Go away", but I prefer the subtle approach Tongue

But seriously post back on what you can find out, as no doubt you won't be the only person to have had them and it will help here. I can understand how annoying it is though.

hangar18
Grafter
Posts: 40
Thanks: 15
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎08-03-2009

Re: Scam phone calls

I struggle to understand why you have to pay the phone provider to block numbers that are withheld anyway! This should be a free service and ought be included in the ridiculous cost of line rental. 

Alex
Community Veteran
Posts: 5,500
Thanks: 921
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Scam phone calls

I said before on another thread but the scammers have already worked out how to create fake CLID’s.

I have had calls from a number which was 0123456789012. Clearly a scam call and I very much doubt that is a real number.

Trouble is CLID can be faked to get around any number withheld calls, and some companies like to withhold their CLID for a legit call.

So that kind of blocking can be bypassed anyway and prevent you from getting legitimate calls.
hangar18
Grafter
Posts: 40
Thanks: 15
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎08-03-2009

Re: Scam phone calls

Fair point..

 

Should still be down to the user to choose whether to receive these though.. And it should be free.

MymsMan
Dabbler
Posts: 23
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Registered: ‎30-06-2018

Re: Scam phone calls


@hangar18 wrote:

I struggle to understand why you have to pay the phone provider to block numbers that are withheld anyway! This should be a free service and ought be included in the ridiculous cost of line rental. 


You don't have to pay your provider to block withheld numbers this is provided free of charge as part of the  free Call protect service and the system is clever enough to be able to block.or allow different withheld numbers.

You need to be careful about blocking All withheld numbers since there are genuine users of withheld numbers, doctors and hospitals when calling you back often use withheld numbers to avoid revealing their direct dial numbers.

Withheld numbers are different from Unknown numbers which unfortunately Call protect does not give you the option of blocking Sad  Many annoyance callers (esp Window Scrappage scheme) hide behind Unknown numbers and I have never AFAIK received a genuine call from an Unknown number.

I had hoped the 'Unrecognised number' option of the Call Protect options would include Unknown numbers but it doesn't appear to.  

It would be a great improvement to the Call protect service if 'Unknown Numbers' could be added to the list of call categories which can be automatically diverted .

Alex
Community Veteran
Posts: 5,500
Thanks: 921
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Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Scam phone calls

Yep I agree @MymsMan

I think blocking withheld numbers is not a good idea, the scammers have already worked out how to get around it and you may miss legitimate calls.

With Unknown numbers you have to be careful too. I was in Malta roaming, calling my parents. For some unknown reason my CLID was sometimes showing, sometimes not. They wouldn’t answer my calls when it didn’t. I thought it was a bit strange and they told me why.
hangar18
Grafter
Posts: 40
Thanks: 15
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎08-03-2009

Re: Scam phone calls

I wasn't aware you could stop withheld numbers with call protect.. I will take a look. However, call features with plusnet home phone show that anonymous call reject costs £4 per month. 

RandallFlagg
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,915
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎11-01-2018

Re: Scam phone calls

 

Hi @hangar18

 

Thanks for getting back in touch.

 

Just to confirm - Anonymous call reject and Plusnet Call Protect are two different features, with the latter being free as discussed earlier in this thread.

 

Hope that helps to clarify.

 

Best wishes,

 

Dave

hangar18
Grafter
Posts: 40
Thanks: 15
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Registered: ‎08-03-2009

Re: Scam phone calls


@MymsMan wrote:

@hangar18 wrote:

I struggle to understand why you have to pay the phone provider to block numbers that are withheld anyway! This should be a free service and ought be included in the ridiculous cost of line rental. 


You don't have to pay your provider to block withheld numbers this is provided free of charge as part of the  free Call protect service and the system is clever enough to be able to block.or allow different withheld numbers.

 


 

@RandallFlagg

Am I wrong in assuming that withheld numbers and anonymous are the same? 

Alex
Community Veteran
Posts: 5,500
Thanks: 921
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Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Scam phone calls

I think you’re right.

Withheld means the CLID would usually be available, but for whatever reason the caller wants to hide it.

Anomyous would mean the caller has been a bit more clever in hiding it, or someone calls you from abroad for example and CLID hasn’t worked.
RandallFlagg
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,915
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎11-01-2018

Re: Scam phone calls

Agreed @Alex though to be fair, both routes would probably end up being displayed as 'anonymous' or 'withheld' depending on how the handset chose to represent the incoming call. Though the methods to "hide" the number differ, I doubt that the telephony network represents each method as separate display text.

 

i.e. - Both sets of calls would display as 'withheld' or 'anonymous' depending on the handset, irrespective of how the number was hidden in the first place. Plusnet Call Protect references these as 'anonymous' I believe.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave