My friend's mum who is 86 rang her in floods of tears on Saturday morning. She had answered the telephone to hear a recorded message telling her to press 1 now or she would be arrested. Thankfully she hung up. We don't know who or what this was about but it caused a lot of upset for a very lovely old lady..
Bad people frightening older people - Positive Wellbein...
Positive Wellbeing During Self-Isolation
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Bad people frightening older people
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kitchengardener2
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Hi kitchengardener2, this sounds like a call my husband got about a week ago too. It was a recording, and is a scam which mentions HMRC and as you said, invites the recipient of the call to press 1, but for anyone elderly and vulnerable it's an absolute disgrace. Imagine now being so lazy as to scam by automation! Unfortunately there isn't much which can be done about it and although it's horrible that this lady was so distressed, it did at least frighten her enough to make her hang up the call. Which is the best result. One of the worst aspects though is that it can frighten people into not answering genuine calls. I don't know what the answer is when scammers are such ruthless, unempathetic people. I think that what I'd tell this lady is to not only hang up when she finds herself distressed, but to call a friend right away for some reassurance. If it's a genuine caller they will try again to contact her and she has absolutely no need to listen to abusive calls. The older generation was brought up on politeness and sometimes it's hard to let go of that and act in a way that might once have been thought of as 'rude'. So sad to hear about this!
β’ in reply to
Hi yes unfortunetely that's the problem older people were in the generation of trust where you could leave the door unlocked and it was so different then, all this modern teghnowlegy can be wonderful but it does encourage the evil people unfortunetely life is made up of good and bad people I think majority are good and there will always be someone we can turn to that will help, I feel it should be stressed and advertised more not to trust anyone unless we know them via internet and phone calls my mam and uncle myself have had scams from banks PayPal and all sorts I don't even do PayPal nice and sunny here pixie woke at 4 he's asleep now I'm not lol what's new ππΊπ
β’ in reply to
I remember the old days when I was a little girl and when the doorbell rang it was a welcome visitor there that you knew.
β’ in reply to
I really feel like moving some where In the country a little village not far from the sea where everyone knows each other πππ€½
kitchengardener2β’ in reply to
Do it,it's wonderful x
β’ in reply to
Thats what we say if a call is important then they will ring you again later.
AndrewTβ’ in reply to
A lady that I knew, some years ago now had a Genuine Scout Whistle, she had been a Scout Leader. Apparently, if Blown LOUDLY, down the Receiver, it can be Most Effective!
There is a BT Fraud Number 0800-661441, who are very helpful. You can Set Up a Call Minder System which Intercepts your calls....Allowing you o Choose, or not, to accept them.
Give them a 'Shout' and set this up.
AndrewT
Being an eighty year old, if it's a recorded message , ignore. If it's a voice , I was born near Grimsby, and know dockers language, so they get answered in that!!!!!!!!!
πππ I love it!
Hi kg2 ππΏπΈπ¦
Iβm across the pond.
Here we have that and all kinds of other call that are called scam calls.
The caller is targeting elderly disabled and vulnerable people to trick them into giving up personal info to use fraudulently against them into getting money open up fake accounts and charge money too them so you owe it.
My then 89 year old blind dad got a call from a tropical island pretending to be his grandson. He was in jail from an accident. Needed 3,000.00 dollars for bail and medical care.
My dad believed it really was him. At the last minute he called my hubby and revealed his dilemma.
Hubby had to call grandson and prove he was here NOT there.
Dad still gets those calls but now he cusses them out and hangs up.
Fake police calls have come to me threatening to arrest me if I donβt give them so much money. I yell back COME AND GET ME and hang up.
The latest scam is from FAKE Amazon demanding hundreds of dollars owed them.
I ignore and hang up.
Best not to press any buttons. Some thieves have special electronic equipment that can steal your data when instructed numbers are pushed.
Hope this is helpful.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Please take care and be safe.
EJ ππ€β₯οΈπ₯°πππΏπΈπ¦
My late wife's aunt was called by "the police" - and they told her that they had information that she was going to be targeted by burglars - so she handed over all her valuables to the "detective"!
They truly are scum!
Thank goodness she hung up
Thats a horrible thing to do to someone!
Best thing to do with those calls is hang up the phone!
β’ in reply to
I often get them insurance ones saying you've recently been in a car accident I say I don't drive and out phone down in a sharp voice I was annoyed today in chemist I waited 2o mins for my HRT then I had to go outside as couldn't breeth there was 2 in the cue when I got there prior to saying to a customer what's the delay after been calm 2o mins she said pharmacists at dinner I waited outside ten mins later the first customer got served j went back in then waited a other ten mins I got to the till she said wait a minute she had to sine a big pile of prescriptions I stayed calm thought well it's not her fault she served me after another ten mins I think never said sorry π€―π
β’ in reply to
It's frustrating isn't it having to wait and I think what it is that upsets people is the way the wait is dealt with as if they explain and apologise for the wait I can forgive that as I do understand that things crop up unexpectedly and the world doesn't revolve around me nor anyone else but not to apologise is rude really!
How's Pixie getting on? Baby is well and getting her walkies on her lead!
β’ in reply to
Hi cat yes I wasn't annoyed just now as went to dentist waited outside said on door emergency only I rang up said number 2 in cue I waited ages kept saying number 2 I saw was only one on the desk so I decided to ring from home which I need to do now I was frustrated but it said leave message and we ring you back makes a difference how they speak and handle things π€ͺπ
β’ in reply to
Thats it though it's the way the things are handled that makes a difference.
Here is one from my own experience.
When I was at my previous job I had put in an application for flexible working to cut my hours and had filled out a form and it had been about 2pm and I had received a demand that I see management to discuss my request at 3pm that afternoon.
If they had been polite and apologised for the short notice we would have had a different conversation and I could have squeezed them in at 3 no problem.
The request in itself didn't upset me it was the rude attitude that did as with all due respect that was no emergency!
β’ in reply to
Yes I feel like not botherring my old job in re applying like they said as if I'd know I only had 3 month's leway in staying off I'd have gone back it was just for the sake of s month just ringing dentist while I lay on bed pixie got me up at 4 he's had few naps I'm.shatterred lol πΊπ
MidoriVisually impaired
I use the Telephone Preference Service to block my number from spammers, but at the moment I'm having a problem as I recently moved and changed number. Despite registering it and my mobile, I still get calls on the landline. Nowadays there is a large fine for continually calling a registered phone, and I think I'm getting it through their thick skulls! They Are Learning! Only had one this week! (now there will be loads!)
If a call gets through I check it against Who Called Me? which is a free online service, where you can check the number that called against lists of others who have been called, and you can get the geographic location for landlines. I find many of my spam calls come from Manchester area or Tyneside right now.
π
!!! MIND OUT FOR SCAMS !!!
ο COVID-19 vaccination scam alert
The vaccines are only available from the NHS and
the NHS will contact you when it is your turn. The
NHS will: β’ NEVER ask you to press a button on
your keypad or send a text asking you to confirm
you want the vaccine. β’ NEVER ask for payment for
the vaccine or for your bank details.
ο HMRC, Banks, insurance & other scams
Some people are receiving fraudulent calls and
text messages. Donβt press any numbers on
keypads Donβt send any text messages Donβt
give any personal or financial information. Donβt
click on links or attachments in unexpected texts,
emails or instant messages. Do challenge every
request for your personal details.
It doesnβt matter what they say or what they
seem to know about you, donβt respond to
unexpected phone calls. Hang up, take five then
verify their claims via a trusted method (such as
the usual website or official phone number). Any
reputable organisation would rather you check
Midori,
Many (no. most) of the spam calls originate outside the UK so they are not bound by the TPS registration. They use internet routing so their call appears to come from a UK number. Being outside the jurisdiction, there is nothing the law enforcement bodies, OFCOM or BT can do prosecute them.
Thank you, that is interesting.
We were sent an HMRC scam from the far East They said they were from HMRC,ringing from a London court .Very very clever scam as HMRC number appeared correct as did court number.I rarely answer the main line or my mobile phone now.....unless I am expecting a call.
Stay safe and well.
That's a great tip.Thank you.
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