Watch out!

[Nora]

I had a call not long back and it was a chap who knew I had a sky box and wanted to know if I wanted to take out insurance on it in case of any faults, he then started to say well I can't say your card details on the phone but are the last numbers ...... Well I wouldn't know as I hadn't got my card but just said no and put the phone down after he got all stroppy. But it would be worrying if he rang someone vulnerable and just got their card to check with him. It's awful how scumbags like these are thinking up different ways to get your info. Hope this helps.

 

[donna255]

The Sky one is very well known. Different companies phone up saying they are Sky when they are not, just a company wanting to sell you insurance for your box.

 

[Frazzled]

Cold calling makes my blood boil, whoever it is. They don't get the chance to say much with me before the phone goes down and I only answer if it says "private caller" Having caller id on your phone is very useful in helping you to ignore 0845, 0800 etc.

 

[Nora]

Apparently the BT one is back again where a caller pretends to be for, BT and wants payment upfront to stop you getting cut off, they then proceed to disconnect you just to confirm they are from BT but all they are doing is pressing the mute button and can hear you trying you trying to dial the number they give you. Then when you put the phone down they ring you straight back! Again this is working on the vulnerable!

 

[sublime]

I'm fast coming to the opinion that it doesn't matter how careful you are, they'll get you somehow.

I'm so, so careful with my cards and bank account details. I got my last credit card statement on Friday and nearly fainted on the spot.
Some toerag had made merry with my credit card [aaaagh!!!!] and had racked up £2000 of bills.

When I rang to put an immediate stop on my card, I was a bit taken aback, to be honest. Visa just seems to accept card fraud as being, well, a normal part of everyday life.

 

[Nora]

I'm fast coming to the opinion that it doesn't matter how careful you are, they'll get you somehow.

I'm so, so careful with my cards and bank account details. I got my last credit card statement on Friday and nearly fainted on the spot.
Some toerag had made merry with my credit card [aaaagh!!!!] and had racked up £2000 of bills.

When I rang to put an immediate stop on my card, I was a bit taken aback, to be honest. Visa just seems to accept card fraud as being, well, a normal part of everyday life.

Sorry to hear about that Sublime, the same thing happened to my friends daughter who was in hospital with her baby son who was really poorly, they took the same amount and the bank were supposed to stop the card but another £500 went out after that! So much for having confidence with our banks! :mysmilie_476:

 

[sublime]

Sorry to hear about that Sublime, the same thing happened to my friends daughter who was in hospital with her baby son who was really poorly, they took the same amount and the bank were supposed to stop the card but another £500 went out after that! So much for having confidence with our banks! :mysmilie_476:

Thank you, Nora. It's a heart-stopping moment when realisation dawns, and when someone's got added stress, like a poorly baby, it can just feel like too much to cope with, I'm sure.
Luckily, it was fairly easy to sort out - but I'd much prefer it if anti-fraud measures were much more stringent.

 

[stratobuddy]

I had about £3000 taken from my bank account (it didn't have nearly that much in there).

It was a scam using my bank card reader to log onto on-line banking, which is supposed to PREVENT fraud, but was used to cause fraud.

I got my money back, but it was very worrying.

And it was very difficult to find a telephone number to report this fraud too.

 

[YORKO]

The Sky one is very well known. Different companies phone up saying they are Sky when they are not, just a company wanting to sell you insurance for your box.

I got one of these not long ago and when I said that due to the amount I was paying Sky for my package I couldnt afford to insure it. Their answer was to suggest that I cancel my movie subscription and use that to pay the insurance.

Boy were Sky pissed off when I reported that to them

 

[IceT]

I just saw this shared as someone's FB status. It may be true, but obviously can't be certain. Just in case you ever come across something like this:
Warning..!!!!

Recently we parked in a public car park. As we drove away I noticed a sticker on the rear window of the car. When I took it off after I got home, it was a receipt for petrol. Luckily my friend told me not to stop as it could be someone waiting for me to get out of the car. Then we received this email yesterday.

WARNING FROM POLICE
THIS APPLIES TO BOTH WOMEN AND MEN

BEWARE OF PAPER ON THE BACK WINDOW OF YOUR VEHICLE -- A NEW WAY TO DO CAR-JACKINGS (NOT A JOKE)!

Heads up everyone! Please, keep this circulating... You walk across the car park, unlock your car and get inside. You start the engine put it into reverse.

When you look into the rearview mirror to back out of your space, you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So, you stop and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view.

When you reach the back of your car, that is when the car-jackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off.

They practically run you over as they speed off in your car.

And guess what, ladies? I bet your purse is still in the car.

So now the car-jacker has your car, your home address, your money, and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are now compromised!

BEWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED.

If you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, lock your doors and just drive away!!

Remove the paper later. And be thankful that youread this e-mail.. I hope you will forward this to friends and family, especially to women.

A purse contains all kinds of personal information and identification documents, and you certainly do NOT want this to fall into the wrong hands.

Please tell your friends

 

[sublime]

It sounds all too real, IceT. Not complicated, it doesn't take a genius to think it up, and all you need is some paper and a criminal nature.

Sheesh.

By the way, can I pass on another scam, mostly happening in holiday destinations?

I'm not best buddies, or anything, but I do actually know the person this happened to - he's a retired headteacher - and it's absolutely not a scare story.

A couple of years ago, he and his wife flew out to Majorca, and picked up their hire car at the airport to drive to their hotel.
As they turned on to a main road, a car pulled alongside, with two guys gesturing urgently to something at the back of the hire car.
So, the Brits pulled into the next lay by, and the Spanish [other nationality?] men pulled up just in front of them. They got out of their car, so did the British couple, and they all walked to the back of the hire car to take a look.

The first guy suddenly jumped into the hire car and drove off, his accomplice ran for their car and followed.

This left the Brits stranded in a lay by with no car, no cases, no money, no passports ...

A really horrible experience that left them badly shaken for ages, and of course their holiday was effectively cancelled after that.

 

[Diamond Diva]

I've heard of something similar happening in America, apparently the hire cars are easily identified by their number plates and are targeted by car jackers