Identity Scam : Just a heads up re yet... - Lung Conditions C...

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Identity Scam

Thepainterswife profile image
49 Replies

Just a heads up re yet another scam telephone call 🙄. Many of you may have had this or a similar call but for those of you who haven’t please be aware ! I just received a call from a lady speaking very poor English , she didn’t say which company she was calling from ( first red flag ) but said that my boiler maintenance plan ( I do have one) was being reduced in price for twelve months - I decide to carry on listening. The new reduced cost will cover call outs to boiler repairs and radiators ( 2nd red flag because I’m only covered for the boiler ) She then reads out my address and postcode and asks me to confirm - I do , they already have that info 🤷🏻‍♀️ but then asks for my date of birth at which point I tell her that she needs to contact me by post if she needs any of my personal details and end the call . This to me is obviously an identity scam , with enough info they can access all manner of accounts etc . Starting the conversation by offering reductions on services you already have is a good ploy to get you hooked so please be careful- if in doubt ask them to contact you by post

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Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife
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49 Replies
Stratos20 profile image
Stratos20

Thanks for the heads up. Despicable people 😖

sassy59 profile image
sassy59

Thats dreadful Val, thanks for letting us know. Xxx❤️

Alberta56 profile image
Alberta56

Thanks for the warning. xxx

tomc profile image
tomc

I had very similar. Hello SIR? I am calling about your boiler, First of all can YOU CONFIRM YOUR NAME?? ANDis your address Blah Blah BLAH.... Yes

Great all I nee now is your bank details at which point I said you already have that The she said well I have to confirm these details , YOU already have them.

She was persistent.. and so was I,,,,Eventually the phone call went dead I think she was exasperated talking to an old HUSTLER, OR is that Rustler 😆

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply totomc

My husband used to enjoy winding them up , he felt he was getting his own back by wasting their time 😂🤣

garibaldon profile image
garibaldon in reply toThepainterswife

yes I wind them up and when some of them ask why I continue the call if I know it’s a scam I tell them while your wasting time trying to scam me your not scamming others. Lol

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply togaribaldon

Well done 😃

Nula2 profile image
Nula2

Thank you for the warning👍. Cruel people!🙁 xxx

jazzy-shoes profile image
jazzy-shoes

Hi All, A word of warning, if you have a telephone call and the caller asks you to confirm any personal information it means they do not have that info and are fishing, I, either ask them to tell me what they have or give completely made up information, and wait for the reply,

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19

i quite accidentally when my partner died i transferred the account to my name and somewhere along the way i became ex directory .

I i have left this b ecause i do not get scam calls

BUT unfortunately i do have hackers living on my router who lived next door and repeatly tried all the local calls on tp link and found access to mine . cannot get rid of them . there are two characters one week i have a very polite considerate one who lets me use the connection whemn asked the other is not a nice persson and repeated ly denied me access and interfered with how i recievred things . the s econd on went on holiday back to wherever he came from for three weeks at christmas as i had no problems then until he returned

they even set up a network with my computer on network of its own . that week they used 10 gb and i used 523 mb . then i was piut on parental control . the screen actually said this but no one believes me as i didnt get aphoto of it. all true . Not imagining it . have one friend who believes it but the phone is through the router too and can be heard . they know who has come to help and who is safe to ignore . those who help are blocked on my mobile too my food shopper , my cleaner and onr friend who worked for age concern and did a blue badge application for me

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply toJaybird19

wow that sounds bad ! Can your broadband or landline provider not do something about it ? Failing that I’d go to the police , I really wouldn’t feel safe On the plus side it’s good that you don’t get scam calls , I’ve been x directory for forty years plus and also have Call Protect which supposedly sends bogus calls straight to voicemail but and I still get them occasionally. The trouble is these scammers and hackers are so sophisticated these days they manage to bypass all the restrictions 🤷🏻‍♀️ Do try to get your problem sorted out it sounds very worrying xx

Patk1 profile image
Patk1 in reply toJaybird19

This is terrible!surely something can be done x

Izb1 profile image
Izb1 in reply toJaybird19

If they are on your router speak with your provider about getting a new router with a different password, if they dont want to do this then I would change my provider. I would also get a professional to clear them off your computer and put safeguards in, you cannot live with this, if nothing else please contact the fraud helpline x

garshe profile image
garshe in reply toJaybird19

No one can get access to your Reuter as have to have the password ,this is written on the back. xxSheila

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife

Best way ! I usually put the phone down within seconds but I posted about this one because I thought it was quite clever , although being the most suspicious person on the planet I was on high alert right from the start 😂

Caspiana profile image
Caspiana

I don't answer my phone if it is not a number I have registered. I let it go to voice mail. If it is legit they will leave a message if not they don't bother. Then when they can't reach me they send snail mail. We had our number removed from the phone book too. I also asked Google Street view not to display my property. So noone can Google my address and see my property. It is a bit of a fiasco but it has been worth it. xx 🙄

Cloudancer profile image
Cloudancer in reply toCaspiana

Thank you for those tips Caspiana.Its a worry for those of us who are not technically literate x

Cloudancer profile image
Cloudancer

Thank you so much for your post- my hubby who does understand these things is currently overseas and I don't have a clue about internet etc.I tend not to answer the land line even though we are ex directory....

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply toCloudancer

You’re welcome cloudancer , I’m x directory but still get the occasional one . If you don’t feel confident best to just do as you are doing and ignore them xx

garshe profile image
garshe

I get these often. Usually saying my TV or ,washing machine cover is expiring and to renew. When I ask them what make my washing machine is always get wrong answer. Same as you always someone with poor English accent. It's funny as they hang up when I tell them wrong answer lol. I NEVER give any personal details over the phone to anyone. When I see the programme on TV and these people have handed over thousands of pounds to someone they have met on dating site. Men and women who are usually old believing these young beautiful looking young girls are interested in marrying them, always from foreign Countries. I really have no sympathy xxSheila 👍💕

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply togarshe

I agree Sheila I’ve seen those programs and think it beggars believe how stupid these people are but my daughter says they must be very lonely ( and I must admit most of the older women have lost their husbands ) I’ve never been that lonely and can’t imagine ever falling for those scams but I suppose some people cope better than others 🤷🏻‍♀️

garshe profile image
garshe in reply toThepainterswife

I really am baffled why,anyone would keep sending money over years. Never met person .they have stolen photos off social media so dont even look like that.I know people are lonely but I still have no sympathy. Why they believe all the ridiculous stories they are told to get cash These people have families but never tell them so must know it isnt normal.😱😱 xxSheila 👍💕

TeachKat profile image
TeachKat

When I get one of these calls, I exaggerate my old ladyness and say, ‘Sorry dear, I won’t remember what you say so let me get a pen and pencil.’ Then I go away, leaving them waiting until they get fed up and hang up.

It’s a bit childish, but very satisfying 😆

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply toTeachKat

Brilliant 😂

garshe profile image
garshe in reply toTeachKat

Good for you lol xxSheila 💕👍

Shonkie profile image
Shonkie

I am also perpetually pestered with scam phone calls. I have a friend who always answers them by saying ‘ Young man I would like to know whether you have let Jesus Christ into your life’. For some reason they tend to ring off!

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply toShonkie

😂🤣

Lee_Scoresby profile image
Lee_Scoresby

These are common features of almost all cold scam calls: “We can save you money on your xxxxx bill”.

But from the word Go you know they’re dishonest because, of course, there is no way a cold caller can know what your bill is. No need to entertain them any further; stop the call and save time.

Izb1 profile image
Izb1

I have a whistle by my phone now x

battison profile image
battison

thanks. Scam calls are really worrying! They can be so sophisticated. We had one recently about someone accessing our internet. I listened but they hung up when I said I didn’t have a mobile. There are so many cold callers ringing about smart meters too. We keep saying we don’t want one and our energy providers say we’re on an opted out list, but they keep coming. It worries me for frail and isolated people who are just glad the phone rings. So easy to give out too much information especially about vulnerabilities, living alone etc.

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply tobattison

This was my worry , I’m a carer but my husband who is so poorly could be confused and taken in. I’ve removed the phone from his room but my heart goes out to anyone in his position living alone 🥲

battison profile image
battison in reply toThepainterswife

same here. My extrovert hubby, not tech savvy either, is lonely through ill health and is excited talking to anyone and will chat away before thinking if it’s a scam call..

battison profile image
battison in reply tobattison

I do have fun with those ‘have you had an accident calls’ tho and go on and on making up fake ever more extraordinary accidents suffered until they catch on I’m taking the p*ss..😁

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply tobattison

My daughters father in law had one when they asked the question he said in a raised voice “ Have I had an accident ?? Have I had an accident!! I’m sat here encased in plaster , skydiving and chute failed to open ! ! “ Apparently he managed to keep them in conversation for quite awhile 🤣

battison profile image
battison in reply toThepainterswife

ha ha ha! That’s the way to do it!!

gardenalan profile image
gardenalan

thank you best answer is you have got my email address forward all that on please if I want to waste their time when they say next thing I need to do I say next thing I need to do is phone the fraud squad that gets rid of them xx

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply togardenalan

😂🤣

Tykelady profile image
Tykelady

I've had many of those over the years but know that my appliances are so old that no genuine warranty firms would touch them.

mediumship profile image
mediumship

I got a whistle when i got a scam phone call i blew hard they never phoned me again. lol

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply tomediumship

I’ve heard of this before , it’s sounds effective 😊

Shirleyj profile image
Shirleyj

It's shocking isn't it x

Morrison10 profile image
Morrison10

It’s terrible number of scam calls we get. I usually ring off when certain not a genuine call, within first few words. I’m now getting fewer calls, so hope my technic is working. Best luck, Jean x

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife

I can’t ignore calls because those from the hospital, district nurses , respiratory team etc show on the caller display as unknown number and nurses will sometimes ring from their mobiles 🤷🏻‍♀️ Also I’ve had calls showing the local dialling code that have been scams , apparently they can now clone dialling codes 🥴😡

Caspiana profile image
Caspiana

Hello Catsgirl. 😃 Chom is well thank you currently chewing on a treat!! I can only hope Chom will live as long and be as healthy as your Baby. 😍

BronchyBronwen profile image
BronchyBronwen

Many thanks for this. I went to an Age UK event on scams this week, which underlined the importance of never giving out your date of birth or any details they ask for. Asking for postal contact is a brilliant ploy on your part.

My late Mum was brilliant with unsolicited phone calls. They often started with "How are you today?". Mum always responded with "Thank you. I'm so glad you asked me that." She proceeded to go into great detail with every aspect of her health from head to toe. They couldn't wait to get off the phone!

For those of us with less time and patience, best thing is to simply hang up.

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply toBronchyBronwen

I can’t believe how many people on here have come up with (or know others people who have ) hilarious ways to fight back 😂 lol

Caspiana profile image
Caspiana

Really?!? I've been told 12 ish. 😔

Marionmarion profile image
Marionmarion

I answer them always:"My husband is better with those things than myself. I will ask him to ring you back. But I don't know yet when this is gonna be, because he has just been arrested for killing a scammer"

😄

Thepainterswife profile image
Thepainterswife in reply toMarionmarion

😂🤣😂

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