Scammers

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harrym1byt
Posts: 140
Joined: Sun 22 Mar, 2015 10:07 pm

Re: Scammers

Post by harrym1byt »

Talktalk let their customer database become hacked into and many customers had various amounts of their details taken. I was a TT customer and ever since we have been flooded with scam callers, up to 10 a day. I left TT almost a year ago, but the calls obviously continued. Such was the distress and frustration they caused, that I had to buy a new set of phones, with a built in caller filter. A set of BT 8500's. I have these set to block all calls which are not in its white list, or give the caller a chance to get through by stating their name and pressing #, the phone then ring and I can decide whether or not to accept the call. Not one single scam or spam caller has got through since installing the phones - peace at last. The phone just records the number which rang, but the phones make no noise at all.

TT had a free caller filter, where you could set it to reject certain numbers, but it was useless. You had to program the individual numbers you wanted blocked, in. Problem was, these people spoof their numbers, so they would change them daily. Some callers would even spoof an STD code the same as your own, so as to appear to be a local to you number.

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tilly
Posts: 2209
Joined: Mon 11 Jan, 2010 2:32 pm

Re: Scammers

Post by tilly »

I have a BT phone that does the same it might be the same has yours but without digging the box out i dont know. It says powered by true phone on the answer phone receiver I have had no problems since i got it money well spent. :)
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.

harrym1byt
Posts: 140
Joined: Sun 22 Mar, 2015 10:07 pm

Re: Scammers

Post by harrym1byt »

tilly wrote:I have a BT phone that does the same it might be the same has yours but without digging the box out i dont know. It says powered by true phone on the answer phone receiver I have had no problems since i got it money well spent. :)
I think you meant 'Truecall'. I had previously looked at the separate call filter units, but didn't want yet another unit plugged in. Yes, money well spent. I bought my set of four on ebay, from a customer returns dealer - I paid around £60 for the set. My only complaint is they don't make it easy to redial the last number dialled.

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tilly
Posts: 2209
Joined: Mon 11 Jan, 2010 2:32 pm

Re: Scammers

Post by tilly »

Hi harrym1byt your right Truecall it is your also right about last number recall.
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Scammers

Post by volvojack »

Not exactly a Scam more of a sharp practice.
We have a package from Sky which includes all T.V. sport, films and just about everything else including broadband, free phone calls after 7pm. and weekends.etc.
We have been paying £71 per month for the last 12 months and now it is due for renewal they have wacked it up to £101 without any warning. My Missus rang them and said we wished to cancel the whole thing and after being passed around to various operators who were trying to get her to accept some part of their so called services.
She insisted on cancellation and finally we have got the same deal for £63 monthly which includes the New Premier League footbal channel which is due to come into force as Pay Per View whereas we get it all in at the moment.
If anyone is receiving Sky at the moment do take care and have a look at you account. Just one more thing they do say Freephone on some of their numbers but they can cost 11p. per minute.
The genuine Sky phone number is 0800 1512747.

Apologies for being a Windbag but it might save some one a few quid.

harrym1byt
Posts: 140
Joined: Sun 22 Mar, 2015 10:07 pm

Re: Scammers

Post by harrym1byt »

volvojack wrote:Not exactly a Scam more of a sharp practice.
We have a package from Sky which includes all T.V. sport, films and just about everything else including broadband, free phone calls after 7pm. and weekends.etc.
We have been paying £71 per month for the last 12 months and now it is due for renewal they have wacked it up to £101 without any warning. My Missus rang them and said we wished to cancel the whole thing and after being passed around to various operators who were trying to get her to accept some part of their so called services.
Apologies for being a Windbag but it might save some one a few quid.
They all try it on, whether it be Sky, utilities, or insurance companies, these days. They rely on people to just being loyal and renewing without argument and many do. Every annual renewal, for everything, I shop around and re-evaluate the costs.

I am presently on broadband, including line rental and free 24/7 calls to landlines and mobiles (up to 2000mins) for £27 per month, but no TV.

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Scammers

Post by volvojack »

Possibly the crudest form of attempted scams are the ones that arrive through the post to your address from a so called Nigerian Royalty (?) saying he has millions of Dollars tied up the U.S,A. and can only get access if he submits a U.K. Bank Account. He is willing to share this fortune with me, all i have to do is let him have all my Bank details.
My Pal Gary, ex. Steward of South Leeds Consrvative Club has had one of these letters sent to him and luckily an identical one has arrived in the post at a house he owns and rents to a friend.
So he is going to be extremely Rich over the next few months,

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Scammers

Post by volvojack »

There is a Co. "Nigel Talbot U.K" that offered a variety of goods for sale at favourable prices
Though they are registered in China they do not give impression in their adverts on their Website.. I go on a site "Toff" and a number of the member and folks they know have ordered items from this firm, been promised delivery in near future, then being told it is coming from china and thats the reason for the delay. When the parcel arrives instead of for instance an electric kettle that had been ordered a pair of sunglasses is delivered and in one case when she opened a delivery it was just an envelope with a sheet of plastic inside.The sunglasses has been mentioned by more than one member.
Lastly one chap in Australia ordered a special lamp and other items,, paid in U.S. dollars what arrived was a wristwatch. When complaing to this firm concerning the delay in delivery they say they will not refund as the item (junk or not) as it has been dispatched
On their Website there is no mention of the China connection.
Last edited by volvojack on Sat 06 Feb, 2021 4:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Scammers

Post by volvojack »

Other Scam seem to be letter arriving purprting to be from Amazon demand a payment for goods that have dever been ordered.

Also letters with headings very similar to B.T and also Gas Companys demanding payment for sending out abill which was wrongly estimated. all these letters are headed very similar to the relevant Co.s and go on to say that if the payment is paid promptly there will be no surcharge. I imagine that some elderly folks, maybe living alone could be taken in by these.
As for duff phone calls maybe someone else can take that up as we block them nearly every other day

harrym1byt
Posts: 140
Joined: Sun 22 Mar, 2015 10:07 pm

Re: Scammers

Post by harrym1byt »

I have never received an actual letter through the post scam, but used to be inundated with scam emails before I moved from Tiscali, to Plusnet as my ISP. Tiscali (Talktalk) had their server hacked and customer details were released in the wild, that resulted in hundreds of scam emails and scam phone calls. It ended when I moved to Plusnet and began blocking all phone calls not from known callers.

I'm pretty sure the scammers have a whitelist, where calls will be answered and you go on a blacklist if they never get through, for since installing the blocker - the number of such calls rapidly declined from 10 per day, to the 1 every few months we have now.

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