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Author Topic: Telephone Scam  (Read 7417 times)

FullLeatherJacket

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #25 on: September 19, 2009, 12:01:15 pm »

Having repeatedly requested representatives of BT to desist from cold-calling us, I am now unfailingly rude and aggressive to anyone  claiming to be from BT...........or N-Power......or British Gas...........  <*<

When it comes to giving my credit card or bank details to an unknown person in response to an unsolicited phone call, I rely more on my basic common-sense than some twerp who wants to point out the blindingly obvious as if it were tablets from the mountain. "Thanks, but no thanks".

Works for me  8)
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OMK

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #26 on: September 19, 2009, 12:13:29 pm »

Anodyne or not, the cold truth is that the scam does indeed seem to be alive and kicking. Just this morning I had a call from a female, supposedly from BT, wanting my CC details in order to "redeem an outstanding debt.". To prove her point she did indeed kill my phoneline for a full hour.
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #27 on: September 19, 2009, 12:46:55 pm »

The simple, practical answer is to put the phone down and leave it.  If the called person (you in this case) clears down, the caller has control of the line for a few minutes, after that the call is terminated.  In the elder days, the magic time was "between one and two metering periods" which the caller got charged for.  If the called party lifted the receiver, the timing was re-started, along with the charging.  I don't know what the situation is today, but the principles that the caller pays for whatever time is used, and a call that the equipment can recognise as ineffective will be terminated after a period, should still apply.  Let the scammer pay.
A pity, really, that BT haven't seen fit to have a reporting hotline such that calls of this nature could be reported via a cellphone and traced.  The problem would recede with a speed proportional to the certainty of getting caught.
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OMK

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #28 on: September 19, 2009, 01:17:08 pm »

Thanks for the heads-up on that one, Malcolm.
The thing is, I simply fell for her claim that she was a BT rep. I didn't have any reason to doubt her because she did sound like a bona-fida real deal. Only when "outstanding debt" was mentioned did I  start to think otherwise. By then it was too late - she'd already pulled the plug as soon as she realised I'd smelt a rat.
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dodgy geezer

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #29 on: September 20, 2009, 01:46:09 am »

Anodyne or not, the cold truth is that the scam does indeed seem to be alive and kicking. Just this morning I had a call from a female, supposedly from BT, wanting my CC details in order to "redeem an outstanding debt.". To prove her point she did indeed kill my phoneline for a full hour.

Well, I stand (or sit) somewhat corrected! Mind you, this is the first time I have heard any report of this particular scam which sounds believeable or checkable. PMK - your landline was locked for an hour? That seems a long time - could you have used a mobile to get onto the BT operator and have the calling number traced?  That might give the authorities a bit of evidence.

I am surprised that BT Security aren't following malcomfrary's proposal - I would think it would be fairly easy to catch someone once you had their number if they kept using it, even if it was a mobile.....
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tigertiger

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #30 on: September 20, 2009, 03:10:26 am »

There is also a possiblity that now the 'scam' is out in the public domain, and the facts that the technology will allow this, a new tool has been added to the box of tricks that con artists use.
Life reflecting art in this case.
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OMK

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #31 on: September 20, 2009, 10:26:15 am »

I went to make a call about one hour after the incident but my line was indeed dead. I'm not exactly sure for just how long, but some time later in the afternoon the line was operational again. I just treated the whole thing as a bit of a giggle - especially when the femal Op' got all sniffy when she'd realised I'd sussed her little game. I mean, it's not like I needed the phone for an emergency or suchlike, but a bit of a bummer nonetheless when I realised my Internet connection was also affected.
As for trying to contact BT... Well, you can clean-clear forget any idea of that happening, because by the time you finally get past their automated answering service, and then passed around several hundred numbskulls who have no concept of customer care, is when you finally decide to pull the plug on them altogether and start looking for an alternative - hopefully better - provider.

I just booted my PC, loaded up Mayhem, and saddened to read that Derek Warner has left the group.
There are only two so-called 'administrators' capable of causing such ill-will amongst the mortals. And we all know who they be, right?
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #32 on: September 20, 2009, 10:49:55 am »

Of course, now that the BBC is actively publicising the modus operendi, there will be a small army of entrepreneurs, who, having been given a set of instructions, will be willing to try it in the interests of fun and profit.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #33 on: September 20, 2009, 12:15:38 pm »

Quote
There are only two so-called 'administrators' capable of causing such ill-will amongst the mortals. And we all know who they be, right?

It's never the same two Bogstandard, all the naturally inclined anarchists on here have their own favourites - and those seem to change too, unlike the anarchists..... 8)

Colin
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #34 on: September 20, 2009, 12:51:36 pm »


Never give any details away on a website or phone.

Genuine companies will NEVER ask for financial details as they will have them already and huge warning flash up on
their screens warning them about 'Data protection'.

Always ask for a name, reference NO. and a contact telephone No. - If they can't or won't just hang up.


Quote
...asked the usual security question your date of birth, I told them my brothers birthday and for some reason it matched what was on their computer........ I hung up!!!!!

Excellent trick Mark!
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ajb68

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #35 on: September 20, 2009, 01:04:06 pm »

Good advice there !
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DickyD

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #36 on: September 20, 2009, 01:21:20 pm »

It's never the same two Bogstandard, all the naturally inclined anarchists on here have their own favourites - and those seem to change too, unlike the anarchists..... 8)

Colin
Not Bogstandard Colin, its PMK.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #37 on: September 20, 2009, 02:19:43 pm »

Quite right Richard, but all these anarchist types sound very similar..... :-))

Anyway, I'm still suffering from holiday lag.

Colin
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OMK

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #38 on: September 20, 2009, 04:35:58 pm »

Splashed all over the Net this week is a piece from Jeremy Clarkson in response to those who dumped a pile of manure on his drive. Specifically, a response to the humourless types who can only to resort to name-calling and personal put-downs simply because they otherwise lack the intelligence to fight a reasonable argument.
It truly is sad day for Mayhemkind when these so-called educated types of whom we should be looking up to are, in reality, equally as thick as any manure thrower.

Anna Kist.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #39 on: September 20, 2009, 05:11:20 pm »

Quote
Anna Kist.

You nissed out "Luv" PMK - as in "Luv Anna Kist"

But i won't hold it against you.  ;)
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OMK

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #40 on: September 21, 2009, 08:31:42 pm »

Ah, righty-o.
So neither will I hold it against you that you 'nissed' out a comma after the second quotation mark, and the lower case 'i' in the second line, and failed to correct me for two glowing typos in my previous one.  :kiss:

Just one more Q, though.....
You sound like you're a man in the know, so if not the obvious two admins', then whom? And why? Because DW didn't cause any offence, just as those follow-up replies have already attested.

Just my curious mind working overtime, you understand.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #41 on: September 21, 2009, 08:41:23 pm »

Sorry PMK, been on holiday for a week which explains the typos and general incoherence and I know nuffin anyway...

Might feel better tomorrow.

Colin
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OMK

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #42 on: September 21, 2009, 09:12:27 pm »

Ooh, Colin, Colin, Colin....
Any free-thinking mortal could easily punch a few thousand holes in your logic, for it is perhaps just a tad hypocritical in places, wouldn't you say?
And that comma has somehow found itself omitted from between "Sorry" and "PMK" again, eh?, eh?

We've all been here long enough to know who's good and who ain't. 'Tain't worth the agro of falling out over a few rounds of irksome point scoring... even if you are wrong for jumping on my bones with your pre-conceived opines (as Glynn Guest has already noticed).
Ah well, like you say - 'tis another day tomorrow. You take yourself a well-earnt rest from the rigours of vacation, my man. It sounds like you really need it.

Over to you for the last word.  :-))
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Telephone Scam
« Reply #43 on: September 21, 2009, 09:40:55 pm »

Thanks PMK, I just knew you would understand. That missing comma - I feel really terrible about it. if only it had been an apostrophe... Still, no use crying over spilt milk. I'll try harder next time, full stop at least.

As you say, we've all been here long enough to know who's good and who ain't - trouble is that who's good and who's ain't is dependent on who's asking! All part of life's rich tapestry I suppose. Glynn and I are quite happy to spar together as we respect each other and then retire for a metaphorical pint. he's certainly contributed more to model boating than I ever will.

Colin
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