[Technology] Very clever O2 scam

[nicko31]

Usually with these I try and keep them on the phone as long as possible, then eventually drop the call...

 

[A1X]

They've tried it twice today with me and I'm not even on O2

 

[Triggaaar]

Brain freeze, landline you pedantic sod, this is @Triggaaar territory

I don't know what you're talking about

 

[Weststander]

I took a call from a faux UK landline (Bodmin 01208 247481 ) this afternoon, a bloke with a strong Indian Subcontinent accent claiming he was from O2, wanting me to follow his two texts process.

In a silly mood, I toyed with him. Stating my only complaint was that I wish I could pay them far more. I told him that he'd called at a very opportune time as my savings are vast and want to share that with them. We moved on to the bit where he wanted the first code texted to me, which I revealed as FBI999. Bored by then as he wouldn't stop talking over me from a script, I hung up.

Then an hour later a call from +44 333 339 1507, a prerecorded statement from "The Housing Repair Team".

Connected? I don't care if I've now been added to mugs list, I've done this before. But I never open emails or texts.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I've had 2 the last 2 days and I LOVE them. I've kept them on the phone for 25mins and 15mins respectively. 25mins man told me to f*** off and 15mins lady was flummoxed when I said the one time code she was sending me said "y r u scamming me"

I like to think that if I get marked down as a time waster I might fall off the list. If not then it's a bit of sport each day

25 minute man also enjoyed a game of "let's try to guess each others name" as he said he wouldn't say my name until I clicked on the link. That was at least 4 minutes

 

[Weststander]

I've had 2 the last 2 days and I LOVE them. I've kept them on the phone for 25mins and 15mins respectively. 25mins man told me to f*** off and 15mins lady was flummoxed when I said the one time code she was sending me said "y r u scamming me"

I like to think that if I get marked down as a time waster I might fall off the list. If not then it's a bit of sport each day

25 minute man also enjoyed a game of "let's try to guess each others name" as he said he wouldn't say my name until I clicked on the link. That was at least 4 minutes

I also said that I wanted to handover all my bank logon details and passwords to "speed up their fantastic help today". Perplexed, he just raised his voice a few decibels to talk over me with their script.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

BUT SIR. HOW COULD I POSSIBLY HAVE YOUR NUMBER IF I WASN'T FROM O2??!

"yeah, good point mate."

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Another 10 min call. I let the 5 year old take over and talk about unicorns for a bit

 

[Comrade Sam]

I have received at least 10 calls from India claiming to be from EE on many different numbers. The first one was when I was decorating, so I put him on speaker phone. I had a fantastic hour pretending to have no idea how anything works (basically being my Dad) I asked how I'd attach an app to my phone? Where would I bolt something on and how would I get a transfer to stick? When I said I have no idea who my phone is with and how much I pay a month, he said I was with EE and my current plan was £20 a month. Every time he asked questions I said it should be on his system. He lost his temper big time on three occasions. In the end I told him I had to go, but could he call me at the same time tomorrow. He did, then I told him how disappointed I was and that I felt he was my friend, yet he chose to lie to me. I was with Plusnet for £5 a month. I told him he should take a good hard look at himself in the mirror and try to remember how he was as an innocent child before he had become so accustomed with lying. Then I said if he wanted to call me anytime to discuss how he could live a clean life, free from deception that he could call anytime. I then blocked his number, but his colleagues keep persisting.

 

[Weststander]

Another 10 min call. I let the 5 year old take over and talk about unicorns for a bit

 

[Sheebo]

Someone tried this on me a while ago too.

O2 send two text messages - the first is warning you about scams and not to reveal the code to anyone, staff wouldn't ask for it. The second text with the code arrives a few seconds after the first.
By chance I had to access my account yesterday - see screenshot below for the two separate texts.

Did you get 2 x text messages?

View attachment 162038

Can you put the one without the blue on here please?

 

[WATFORD zero]

If I have time, it's free entertainment. If I don't have time I find a 'I F*** YOUR MAMA UP THE ARSE !' followed by a burst of maniacal laughter and slamming the phone down quite amusing, if not as entertaining. Always ask who it is phoning first, I nearly did it to the NHS blood donation service

I got that particular line from a scammer's supervisor's manager one day when I was up for a bit of a long chat

 

[Weststander]

I was at a friends/clients a few years ago, everyone else was absent as I think it was lunchtime.

I took a call on their landline from someone who said they represented (it was something like) The Royal Bank of Abuja Inc, apparently they were issuing a further tranche of commercial lending, planning to lend to the UK property sector at up to £10m per client, was this something I was interested in?

“Yes, very much so, but are you able to stretch it to £20m?”

“Please hold on sir, I’ll check with our Director of Credit”. The phone went temporarily silent as the muppet made paper clip chains for a minute.

Then the wonderful news, a loan of £20m had been sanctioned.

I asked that he called back the next day to speak to our MD. I concocted a long name that was a mix of real first and last names in the office.

Sure enough he did call. I wasn’t there, the cocktail of their names caused much hilarity I was told. Before he was sent packing.

 

[Weststander]

——

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

If I have time, it's free entertainment. If I don't have time I find a 'I F*** YOUR MAMA UP THE ARSE !' followed by a burst of maniacal laughter and slamming the phone down quite amusing, if not as entertaining. Always ask who it is phoning first, I nearly did it to the NHS blood donation service

I got that particular line from a scammer's supervisor's manager one day when I was up for a bit of a long chat

No wonder they need our money so much with that many layers of management.

 

[Quinney]

Same lady rang me 4 times on Friday (at least sounded like the same lady), with the same scam. Very persistent and rang me back when I said I couldn’t hear as I was driving and a poor reception area. The 4 calls came from 3 different numbers and showed up as coming from Bodmin, Manchester and London twice.

 

[Justice]

I’m thinking of leaving 02 the service seems utter shite these days and every scammer under the sun has your number.

 

[Quinney]

I’m thinking of leaving 02 the service seems utter shite these days and every scammer under the sun has your number.

I found out later when I told my wife about it that I’m not even with O2.

 

[Wardy's twin]

It’s much worse than this.

If somebody gets access to your phone number they can sim swap (essentially switching your phone number to another SIM card), which makes things like accessing bank accounts, financial information etc much easier.

My dad had thousands stolen from his bank account by a sim swap scam. If your phone service disappears for seemingly no reason (it will say no service or similar) and doesn’t come back after a phone restart, contact your bank & phone company immediately to inform them you think you’ve been sim swapped. Your phone company can inform you if there is a different problem (signal tower down for example), and your bank can temporarily block any outgoing payments.

They must have to do a bit more than that surely?

 

[Springal]

They must have to do a bit more than that surely?

Nope! It’s why 2FA using SMS / mobile numbers is a terrible idea. Why quite so many financial institutions are moving to it I have no idea