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Post by Wee Jock on Jan 9, 2012 1:07:56 GMT 1
Please pass this info on to as many people as you know, as this is one of the simplest scams going, a lot of old folk will fall for it.
Copied from an ex army friend on facebook
Received a phone call from BT, informing me that he was disconnecting me because of an unpaid bill.. He demanded payment immediately of £31.00 or it would be £ 118.00 to re-connect at a later date.
The guy wasn't even fazed when I told him I was with Virgin Media, allegedly VM have to pay BT a percentage for line rental! I asked... the g......uy's name - he gave me the very 'English' John Peacock with a very 'African' accent - & phone number -0800 0800 152. Obviously the fellow realized I didn't believe his story, so offered to demonstrate that he was from BT. I asked how & he told me to hang up & try phoning someone - he would dis-connect my phone to prevent this. AND HE DID !! My phone was dead - no engaged tone, nothing - until he phoned me again.
Very pleased with himself, he asked if that was enough proof that he was with BT. I asked how the payment was to be made & he said credit card, there & then. I said that I didn't know how he'd done it, but I had absolutely no intention of paying him, I didn't believe his name or that he worked for BT.
He hung up. I dialed 1471 -number withheld I phoned his fictitious 0800 number - not recognized. So I phoned the police to let them know. I wasn't the first! It's only just started apparently, but it is escalating. Their advice was to let as many people as possible know of this scam. The fact that the phone does go off would probably convince some people it's real, so please make as many friends & family aware of this.
How is it done? This is good but not that clever. He gave the wrong number - it should have been 0800 800 152 which takes you through to BT Business. The cutting off of the line is very simple, he stays on the line with the mute button on and you can't dial out - but he can hear you trying. (This is because the person who initiates a call is the one to terminate it). When you stop trying he cuts off and immediately calls back. You could almost be convinced!
The sad thing is that it is so simple that it will certainly fool many. By the way this is not about getting the cash as this would not get past merchant services - it is all about getting the credit card details which include the security number, to be used for larger purchases.
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Post by myfindhorn on Jan 11, 2012 17:52:29 GMT 1
OK passed on to all my family and pals, thanks Jock.
I did,nt know whether to put this in jokes or scams,
Phoned the crematorium today to inquire how I went about scattering my aunts ashes on the garden of remembrance ( she donated her body to medical science ).
I was told that I should phone , make a appointment and, the ashes would be scattered on the same garden her late husbands ashes are and, the fee would be 19 pounds 50 pence.................now what would you put that under ?.
Once again held to ransom.
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Post by linda wallace on Jan 11, 2012 19:01:49 GMT 1
when my aunt died in australia...she wasnt very nice....my uncle brought her here to scatter the ashes....unfortunatly for some reason he forgot and ended up taking her back to australia....
she came in handy........
he had pot holes in his driveway at his beach house so he filled them up with her ashes....
it was the first time she had ever done anything good
this isnt a joke ;D
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Post by tiddles on Jan 11, 2012 19:31:02 GMT 1
Quite frankly horn I would simply go up at dinner time and scatter them. Scamming bastards. Or have a wee word with one of the cremmie men (quite nice guys actually) and they'll see to it for you. Why should your Aunt's selfless act be milked by this larcenous council.
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Post by tiddles on Jan 11, 2012 19:36:22 GMT 1
Thanks Jock, I have passed this on. One tip I always offer is when you get a call and an 0845 or similar non-geo number comes up, answer the phone by saying, "Strathclyde Police". The sound of them disconnecting will deafen you and you'll be struck of their list. The worst culprits are a bunch of scum who operate out of Dalgety Bay. They have loads of big name clients.
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Post by linda wallace on Jan 11, 2012 19:46:36 GMT 1
i hate those cold callers....we got one this morning and pat ended up asking for the manager.....that is a good idea about using the police on the phone...need to remember that one thanks for that.
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Post by tiddles on Jan 11, 2012 19:48:45 GMT 1
It puts the shits up them and if they persist, speak very gruffly to them as though they have interrupted an investigation.
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Post by linda wallace on Jan 11, 2012 20:21:12 GMT 1
i remember we got one of those cold calls saying we got a free mobile phone....well jock took the phone and started screaming down the phone that we had won free mobile with free calls....the guy kept saying no...a free mobile....yea with free calls.........no a free mobile and you have to pay for your calls........its not free then.........yes it is........no its not........yes....so i get free calls.....this went on for ages and the more the guy kept saying no, the more jock was getting louder as if he was excited...eventually the guy got so fed up that he hung the phone up and never phoned back...jock really enjoyed that one
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Post by tiddles on Jan 11, 2012 20:34:37 GMT 1
We have two lines and for a while on the private, practice line I kept getting this Asian guy coming on and asking for someone with a different surname. When I explained that I wasn't this person and that the line was a secure one and no one should be calling he would go on to try and sell me kitchens etc.. I finally had enough of this and one day when one of them called me up again I said, "oh hello (cooingly), you have a nice voice, it makes me feel all warm. What are you wearing, are your pants tight? At this, the clown on the other end got quite alarmed and to top it off I said, "I wonder, would you like to give me your number so that we can chat, I think we have made a connection?". No more calls!!!! Of course, I could have done it to the wrong guy but there ya go....The Frauschen reckons I'm losing the plot  |
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Post by linda wallace on Jan 11, 2012 20:42:49 GMT 1
i think the only laugh i got wasnt from a cold caller but from micheal our doctor....he had to phone us about something he wanted done photograph wise and here was me answering "hi honey"...it was the way i said it sort of struck micheal dumb for a few moments.....
when i have ever had to phone the police for some strange reason i always end up saying "love you"....
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Post by myfindhorn on Jan 11, 2012 20:53:19 GMT 1
Linda if I dared to put aunty in a pot hole I swear either she or my conscience would haunt me.
Tiddles you are right , I should just drop her ashes but, if ever her family decide to look up her final resting place, she will be in the books and I guess that is the reason for the money.
I shall send a email to the council complaining and asking for the reason behind the money, after all is it not the towns cemetery.
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Post by linda wallace on Jan 11, 2012 21:07:44 GMT 1
if you know were her late husband's ashes were could you not just go and scatter them yourself without having to pay a silly cost for someone to come out and do it.....my friend got her husband scattered so i went with her and what surprised me was that it was a man that did it with a square board with mesh and he poured the ashes onto it and once lifted the ashes were in a perfect square....i think you can get your aunty put on the book of rememberence without them having to scatter but it would probably cost....
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Post by samfregreenock on Jan 11, 2012 21:36:20 GMT 1
Years ago a pal stayed 2 flights up in Ashbourne gate/gardens, he was fed up getting cold calls so he arranged a design call for a conservatory, funnily the sales guy never visited
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Post by tiddles on Jan 11, 2012 21:38:24 GMT 1
LOL
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Post by linda wallace on Jan 11, 2012 21:46:47 GMT 1
i usually tell them i live at number 1 south street
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Post by cloakedandhidden on Jan 15, 2012 17:13:00 GMT 1
Cold calls are exactly why Mrs. Cloaked and myself got rid of the landline and got contract mobiles. Free to call each other, and the only people that used our landline were people wanting money (usually only the phone company, actually), and cold-callers. And here is the best answer to any cold-caller. I just wouldn't have the guts to impersonate a police officer. www.youtube.com/watch?v=s898wpcgcJM |
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Post by linda wallace on Jan 15, 2012 17:38:15 GMT 1
the next time we all get cold callings try that.........i know that i am ;D
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Post by tiddles on Jan 15, 2012 17:42:13 GMT 1
Cloakie I LOVED that! I have actually spoken to cold callers and every time they asked me a question I would say, "Penguin". They usually hang up and some get angry but it can be great fun! Having said that, I feel sorry for these poor boys and girls who are stuck with what is basically a shit, non-job. This is what we have come to, from massive ships to massive shit. Re: The Police officer impersonation....I don't give a shit, the ones we have at the moment are bloody imposters anyway |
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Post by linda wallace on Jan 15, 2012 17:45:52 GMT 1
i have to admit when we get cold callers and pat goes on the phone i cringe....he really gives them a hard time and keeps asking how they got our number....when i get them i cant be nasty to them as i always think, well this could be me.....but they do get annoying.......at one time we were getting them before 9am and as late as 11pm....
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Post by tiddles on Jan 15, 2012 17:47:54 GMT 1
Funny thing is, we don't get them on our main, private line. I have called BT but you might as well tie a trumpet to your legs. Don't try that at home kiddies, ask mummy and daddy first.
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Post by linda wallace on Jan 15, 2012 17:53:08 GMT 1
if i have to sign up for anything i use my mobile number and always have to try and stop cold callers but from what i have heard, your insurance company ect sell your numbers on....
i remember my mum got a cold calling letter as i call it telling her that she had one something big so i got on the phone and really went through them...she was expected to go to glasgow to pick her prize up on a certain date....
well i was on the phone for hours tracing were this came from and i eventually found out....it was her insurance that sold her number on....so i went through them as well.......it turned out that if she went to glasgow she would have got a pen....thankfully my mum wasnt as daft but other's might have fell for it
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Post by tiddles on Jan 15, 2012 17:57:00 GMT 1
You'd be VERY surprised at the number of seemingly decent organisations and companies sell your info to, 'data miners'. It ranges from the obvious ones like supermarkets to pharmacies, councils and schools. Bliar and Brown emasculated the Data Protection Investigation Unit so that their chums could make a few bob.
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Post by linda wallace on Jan 15, 2012 18:18:25 GMT 1
i never thought of that, those are companies you trust but from now on it will be my mobile number
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