New scam, please read this!

Knipples · 26-03-2009, 18:09

I had to post due to the seriousness of this, and the fact its happened to a friend of mine.

They rang him last night and said "We're from BT you havent paid your bill for three months and unless you pay us now we are going to disconnect you"
He said that he had paid his bill so they must be mistaken, and that it had to be a scam.

They said, we get lots of people saying this, so in five minutes we will disconnect your line, and then five minutes after that we will reconnect you and then you will know we are genuine.

They did this, and he was unable to use his phone, nor could he ring the phone from his mobile, the line was dead. So when they rang back, he assumed it had to be real and gave them his bank details to pay the bill.

Theyve taken all his money.

I appreciate some will see through this straight away (im not with BT so would know it was fake, but apparently when he spoke to the bank they have mentioned other providers as well) but I just wanted to make people aware of it, so they can spread the word.

divine · 26-03-2009, 18:27

I'm sorry but you'd have to be dense to fall for that still.

One golden rule: If someone phones you, don't give them any sensitive details, make sure you phone them from a known number, or they've organised to phone you in a legitimate way.

BT don't 'prove themselves' to people by playing silly buggers with their phone numbers.

Knipples · 26-03-2009, 18:28

I'd agree, but if they are going to the lengths of disconnecting your phone line you might think they were genuine for a bit at least.

iCraig · 26-03-2009, 18:32

Were they really disconnecting it or just staying on the line their end?

Knipples · 26-03-2009, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by iCraig

Were they really disconnecting it or just staying on the line their end?

He said he tried to ring his home phone with his mobile, and when he did it made the noise you get when a number has been disconnected, i.e. not a busy tone, that continuous tone that just goes on and on until you hang up the phone.

Burble · 26-03-2009, 18:36

I had the same call last night on my home office number. I knew it was a scam so told the guy to get stuffed.

Mark · 26-03-2009, 18:46

My home office number is a VoIP line. If they ring that one they'll be in for a surprise (though I just noticed the batteries in the phone were dead so they wouldn't have got anything

)

LeperousDust · 26-03-2009, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burble

I had the same call last night on my home office number. I knew it was a scam so told the guy to get stuffed.

It's a bit hard to fall for this, surely you'd have recieved a tree's worth of letters before they resort to paying someone to phone you and tell you to pay up?

Fayshun · 26-03-2009, 19:09

That reminds me, I must pay my phone bill...

Briggykins · 26-03-2009, 20:54

I'd probably fall for that. How do they do it?

26-03-2009, 18:09	#1
Knipples nipples lol (o)(o) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Brissle!!! Posts: 4,947	New scam, please read this! I had to post due to the seriousness of this, and the fact its happened to a friend of mine. They rang him last night and said "We're from BT you havent paid your bill for three months and unless you pay us now we are going to disconnect you" He said that he had paid his bill so they must be mistaken, and that it had to be a scam. They said, we get lots of people saying this, so in five minutes we will disconnect your line, and then five minutes after that we will reconnect you and then you will know we are genuine. They did this, and he was unable to use his phone, nor could he ring the phone from his mobile, the line was dead. So when they rang back, he assumed it had to be real and gave them his bank details to pay the bill. Theyve taken all his money. I appreciate some will see through this straight away (im not with BT so would know it was fake, but apparently when he spoke to the bank they have mentioned other providers as well) but I just wanted to make people aware of it, so they can spread the word.

26-03-2009, 18:27	#2
divine Moonshine Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 3,201	I'm sorry but you'd have to be dense to fall for that still. One golden rule: If someone phones you, don't give them any sensitive details, make sure you phone them from a known number, or they've organised to phone you in a legitimate way. BT don't 'prove themselves' to people by playing silly buggers with their phone numbers. __________________

26-03-2009, 18:32	#4
iCraig iCustom User Title Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,250	Were they really disconnecting it or just staying on the line their end? __________________

26-03-2009, 18:46	#7
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	My home office number is a VoIP line. If they ring that one they'll be in for a surprise (though I just noticed the batteries in the phone were dead so they wouldn't have got anything ) Last edited by Mark; 26-03-2009 at 18:54. Reason: Batteries replaced. :)

26-03-2009, 19:09	#9
Fayshun Rocket Fuel Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Adrift in the Orca Posts: 6,845	That reminds me, I must pay my phone bill... __________________ We must move forward not backward, upwards not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling...

26-03-2009, 18:28	#3
Knipples nipples lol (o)(o) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Brissle!!! Posts: 4,947	I'd agree, but if they are going to the lengths of disconnecting your phone line you might think they were genuine for a bit at least.

26-03-2009, 18:36	#6
Burble Rocket Fuel Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 7,826	I had the same call last night on my home office number. I knew it was a scam so told the guy to get stuffed.

26-03-2009, 20:54	#10
Briggykins Vodka Martini Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Exeter Posts: 753	I'd probably fall for that. How do they do it? __________________

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