Faker’s Corner & Phone Scams

In the last week I have received four scam phone calls on my landline - all with fake CLI’s.

A pre-recorded message tells me I have a problem with my Broadband/ISP and my IP address has been detected as conducting fraudulent activity and thereby I will be disconnected.imminently.

It is of course fake - they never mention the name of my ISP provider and I decline to press the response button to get to speak to a technician whom they say will solve all my problems.

I have additionally noticed a handful of junk-emails in my spam folder saying pretty much the same thing. I have no real certainty the two activities are linked.

However there is nothing wrong - there cannot be anything wrong and the attempts are probably aimed at getting me to handover control of my computer and/or network to the so called technician.

Please do not fall into this trap and contact these people or engage with them at any level. They can sound very persuasive.

Their activities are criminal and their real objective is get access to your data and defraud you of your money.

A new type of scam call emerging this week - again with fake CLI’s.

The caller presents themselves as calling from the Telephone Preference Service (TPS).

It starts innocuously seeking confirmation of basic questions such as that my membership of TPS is still current and that my provider is BT…

It then moves by the third question seeking confirmation that my BT bills are paid by direct debit. The questions are loaded and expressed in steps eg - your debit card expires in 2018 - Yes or No.

I halted the call then.

The caller becomes strident about my unwillingness to answer further questions.

Obviously seeking more bank details and how my bills are paid - and for the unwary, the fact that you are confirming their statements may lull you into a false sense of security and that you are not providing new information.

I regret even answering the first two questions.

Be very alert - they can be very persuasive.