[Finance] ******** The Scam Thread *********

[BrightonCottager]

I've checked the emails I got and then googled the names and it is a scam, so I'm going to contact my credit card company. Thanks for the heads up.

About 8 years ago I ordered some New Balance trainers online from NB, found from the usual google search engine. Website pages looked absolutely legit.

A few hours later I had a hunch that it was a fraud. It was. They’d created a domain with an additional “uk”, www.newbalanceuk.co.uk. I called my credit card company who repaid the >£100 within a few days. I also contacted New Balance who were very interested, they had a special department dealing with all sorts of online imposters, said they were going to shut it down with speed.

The scammers were based in China.

 

[Dun Lurkin]

Received a call yesterday purporting to be from Virgin to tell me my broadband had a fault. (A fairly common scam). Played along for a while as I had time on my hands, but when phone went dead briefly, I hung up. They quickly rang back to find out why I had terminated the call. Thing was the second call came from a completely different number, although it was the same woman. Kept Asking her why she was ringing from a different number, so that eventually she terminated the call. I checked the two STD codes she had rung from. First was a Basingstoke number, second from Manchester! She was obviously a very quick mover, although from her accent was probably in India anyway..

 

[Denis]

I received the ‘Hi Mum, phone damaged’ scam, this morning. I replied “Is that you Emma?” I let the conversation continue until he sent me the bank details to send £1,400.
. I then sent the following text : “Hi Jack, (that was whose bank account details I was sent), 3 things, 1, I haven’t got any children, 2, I work for the Police anti-fraud department and finally 3, I’m not that stupid! I’ve passed on your details, you naughty scammer ”.
I was tempted to drag it on longer, but I had other things to do.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

It wasn’t a scam but I was accused of being in a car accident in Seaford when the “Beast from the East “ storm arose 7/8 years ago. It wasn’t me as I proved to the police I was elsewhere 50 miles away that afternoon. I still however get insurance calls now. The last one I received two months ago asked if I was injured. I replied, yes, quite badly, in fact it killed me. That was the start of an interesting conversation!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

There seem to be a few parking related scams. The advice used to be to avoid the issue Mrs H had was to use the QR code by the machine but there have been a few instances where the original QR code has either been replaced or has another one stuck by the machine which directs people to a scam site.

It is frustrating as many councils are now going down the app/phone pay option rather than allow a simple card payment which makes people more vulnerable to scammers

Apparently the way round the QR code parking scam would be for councils to display the code on the screen of the parking machines as you pay, rather than some dodgy sticker that anyone can deface. Except not many do. The machines that could do this are not cheap so it needs a significant investment which may can't afford.

 

[Weststander]

Received an email from 'Amazon', looks pukka, requiring:

Your Amazon account has been put on hold, therefore any pending order, and subscriptions will be temporary on hold. We took this action, because the billing information you provided did not match with the information of the card issuer data. which is Violating our Terms of Service. Please update your information as soon as possible so you can continue using your card with Amazon.

Update your information

In order to maintain the safety of your account, your account will be on hold until you fulfill the required forms. To see more details, visit our self-service portal. Sincerely, Amazon.com

It's an attempted scam. Their senders email address is very long and purportedly from a random African nation.

 

[Justice]

Received an email from 'Amazon', looks pukka, requiring:

Your Amazon account has been put on hold, therefore any pending order, and subscriptions will be temporary on hold. We took this action, because the billing information you provided did not match with the information of the card issuer data. which is Violating our Terms of Service. Please update your information as soon as possible so you can continue using your card with Amazon.

Update your information

In order to maintain the safety of your account, your account will be on hold until you fulfill the required forms. To see more details, visit our self-service portal. Sincerely, Amazon.com

It's an attempted scam. Their senders email address is very long and purportedly from a random African nation.

Received an email from 'Amazon', looks pukka, requiring:

Your Amazon account has been put on hold, therefore any pending order, and subscriptions will be temporary on hold. We took this action, because the billing information you provided did not match with the information of the card issuer data. which is Violating our Terms of Service. Please update your information as soon as possible so you can continue using your card with Amazon.

Update your information

In order to maintain the safety of your account, your account will be on hold until you fulfill the required forms. To see more details, visit our self-service portal. Sincerely, Amazon.com

It's an attempted scam. Their senders email address is very long and purportedly from a random African nation.

Listing to a radio phone in about this type of scam it’s normally busy career driven people that fall for it.
They want things solved as quick as possible to get on with their work/life I guess.
One woman gave all he bank details cards log in away on a phone call to work as she said I needed the card to work. By the time she arrived at work he bank account was empty.

 

[Weststander]

Listing to a radio phone in about this type of scam it’s normally busy career driven people that fall for it.
They want things solved as quick as possible to get on with their work/life I guess.
One woman gave all he bank details cards log in away on a phone call to work as she said I needed the card to work. By the time she arrived at work he bank account was empty.

That's right, in haste dealing with all the new emails in an inbox.

 

[A mex eyecan]

Not sure if this is a scam or not.
I very very infrequently use Whatsapp and have never subscribed or followed anyone. I only use it for a few family and friends. In fact I’m pretty clueless at any sort of chat group etc.

This morning i get a message from a ‘William Smith Study Group’ saying that YK added me to the group. Then says Added by non-contact. Then lists that this YK added over 25 others, then 39 others, then 44 others then 37 others. All then saying tap to see all and starts to display several telephone numbers +44 etc etc.

I don’t have a clue who WSSG or YK are.

It invites me to Click to ‘exit group’ or ‘group info’ or ‘see safety tools’


I reticent to click any of them but certainly don’t want to be in anyone’s ’group’ let alone anyone I don’t know. Also concerned as to how they’ve got my details.

Any help?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Not sure if this is a scam or not.
I very very infrequently use Whatsapp and have never subscribed or followed anyone. I only use it for a few family and friends. In fact I’m pretty clueless at any sort of chat group etc.

This morning i get a message from a ‘William Smith Study Group’ saying that YK added me to the group. Then says Added by non-contact. Then lists that this YK added over 25 others, then 39 others, then 44 others then 37 others. All then saying tap to see all and starts to display several telephone numbers +44 etc etc.

I don’t have a clue who WSSG or YK are.

It invites me to Click to ‘exit group’ or ‘group info’ or ‘see safety tools’


I reticent to click any of them but certainly don’t want to be in anyone’s ’group’ let alone anyone I don’t know. Also concerned as to how they’ve got my details.

Any help?

I get stuff like this every few weeks. Click on the number at the top of the chat. Scroll down to “Report ……” and click on this. You’ll then have the option to block and report…select this. In fact, I’ve just reported one this minute. Here’s what you should see.

 

[studio150]

I get stuff like this every few weeks. Click on the number at the top of the chat. Scroll down to “Report ……” and click on this. You’ll then have the option to block and report…select this. In fact, I’ve just reported one this minute. Here’s what you should see.

Why not also go to Settings, then Privacy, then find Groups, it will tell you who can add you to groups, make sure it shows My Contacts, otherwise anyone can add you to a group. If anyone wants to add you to a group who is not in your contact list they need to invite you, which you can decline.

This will stop the steady flow of these types of things reaching you.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Why not also go to Settings, then Privacy, then find Groups, it will tell you who can add you to groups, make sure it shows My Contacts, otherwise anyone can add you to a group. If anyone wants to add you to a group who is not in your contact list they need to invite you, which you can decline.

This will stop the steady flow of these types of things reaching you.

I never knew this. Thanks!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Why not also go to Settings, then Privacy, then find Groups, it will tell you who can add you to groups, make sure it shows My Contacts, otherwise anyone can add you to a group. If anyone wants to add you to a group who is not in your contact list they need to invite you, which you can decline.

This will stop the steady flow of these types of things reaching you.

Done !

 

[A mex eyecan]

Why not also go to Settings, then Privacy, then find Groups, it will tell you who can add you to groups, make sure it shows My Contacts, otherwise anyone can add you to a group. If anyone wants to add you to a group who is not in your contact list they need to invite you, which you can decline.

This will stop the steady flow of these types of things reaching you.

is that via the whatsapp settings?
Ive an iphone i go into settings, then privacy but i can’t for the life of me find anything for groups

 

[PTC Gull]

It’s in WhatsApp settings. Should be bottom right on the screen.

 

[studio150]

is that via the whatsapp settings?
Ive an iphone i go into settings, then privacy but i can’t for the life of me find anything for groups

Whatsapp

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

is that via the whatsapp settings?
Ive an iphone i go into settings, then privacy but i can’t for the life of me find anything for groups

 

[Weststander]

Another attempted scam by email. A request by 'Spotify' for "Account update needed".

I don't have a Spotify account.

 

[A mex eyecan]

great thanks all.

 

[Weststander]

BBC1 Scam Interceptors, on right now.

Filmed in real time, they’ve recorded telephone scammers trying to wipe out an old and ill victim. Painful viewing. The BBC team are attempting to tell the victim in time.