received a phone call from BT, informing me that he was disconnecting me because of an unpaid bill.. He demanded payment immediately of £31.00 or it would be £ 118.00 to re-connect at a later date. The guy wasn't even fazed when I told him I was with Virgin Media, allegedly VM have to pay BT a percentage for line rental! I asked the guy's name - he gave me the very 'English' John Peacock with a very 'African' accent - & phone number -0800 0800 152. Obviously the fellow realized I didn't believe his story, so offered to demonstrate that he was from BT. I asked how & he told me to hang up & try phoning someone - he would disconnect my phone to prevent this. AND HE DID !! My phone was dead - no engaged tone, nothing - until he phoned me again. Very pleased with himself, he asked if that was enough proof that he was with BT. I asked how the payment was to be made & he said credit card, there & then. I said that I didn't know how he'd done it, but I had absolutely no intention of paying him, I didn't believe his name or that he worked for BT. He hung up. I dialed 1471 -number withheld I phoned his fictitious 0800 number - not recognized. So I phoned the police to let them know. I wasn't the first! It's only just started apparently, but it is escalating. Their advice was to let as many people as possible know of this scam. The fact that the phone does go off would probably convince some people it's real, so please make as many friends & family aware of this. How is it done? This is good but not that clever. He gave the wrong number - it should have been 0800 800 152 which takes you through to BT Business. The cutting off of the line is very simple, he stays on the line with the mute button on and you can't dial out - but he can hear you trying. (This is because the person who initiates a call is the one to terminate it). When you stop trying he cuts off and immediately calls back. You could almost be convinced! The sad thing is that it is so simple that it will certainly fool many. By the way this is not about getting the cash as this would not get past merchant services - it is all about getting the credit card details which include the security number, to be used for larger purchases.
Actually, often these alerts are also a scam. But, this one has featured on the news and in the latest Which? Magazine. They reckon thousands have been conned.
I have had this one twice now and our police said that they do NOT cut off your phone, but when you hang up they do not. So when you pick your phone up to try and call someone they are on the other still being extremely quiet making it appear that you have been disconnected. Another scam is the one from a technical company caliming that Microsoft has been trying to send updates to your computer. They then get you to go to a website and when you do they then have all the access they need to read everything on your computer, passwords, emails everything. I ahd one of these yesterday, the 4th in less than 2 weeks. And I gave them the usual response 'I do not have a computer' and they hang up quick smart. It is so cruel and I hear so many people have been caught out by it. If I get the BT one again I will just say I do not have a credit card xxxxx thanks
Thanks for the details of this scam, another place to report it to is your local council and trading standards, as they send out warnings to vunerable groups,ageconcern and others about such scams, and is a good way to get the message round large groups of the public
This shows that the BT phone scam is real. It has been sent by email.
The other thing I do is contact BT direct and let them know, they will also confirm if the phone call is from an employee of their or not.
NEVER click on any links in an email and NEVER phone the number they give you over the phone**. go to the web site of BT for instance and find out a bone fide contact number and dial that instead of the one given.
** there have been instances where a phone number is given and if you dial it you end up with a huge telephone bill on the next quarter.
Omg! another scam. Thanks for the warning. There is another I found recently. Its an email supposedly from the Inland Revenue saying you have a tax rebate. And to ring a number. Apart from the fact that as far as I know the IR don't email about that, they don't have my email number details anyway!
Another one is setting up a site almost identical to a legitimate one. It offers you a chance to win something with a pop up. Its only a scam to get your details. Beware!
Thanks Sweething for this heads up on this and, and yes I have had the Microsoft call quite a few times. They sound very knowledgeable and I agree, the best answer is to tell them I do not have a computer.
Thanks for the warning, I will pass it on. I would be very suspicious of anyone ringing me and demanding I pay a bill as all mine go out on DD from the bank.
Thanks for that sweetthing and I will pass it on. There are so many scams going on and it is getting harder to stay safe online or on the phone. We used to get the "techinical" department ringing regarding our computer and they rang every day for ages but we now belong to a company that helps to stop that so we tend not to get so many calls now. They are the telephone preferance service and you can register with them online. xxxx
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WARNING .........PHISHING EMAILS !!!!!
DWP warning of new scam
