I just got a phone call from a woman with a foreign accent who asked me if I was receiving unwanted phone calls. I said yes, because I've been much pestered in the last couple of months by a recorded message trying to sell me double glazing.

She said fine, she would see that from tomorrow I wouldn't receive any more of those. She asked me to confirm my address, which I did (there's surely no harm in confirming something that someone already knows) and whether I pay BT by direct debit (which I do and didn't see any reason to keep it secret).

Then she asked from what bank I paid and I smelled a very dead and stinking rat! I said I didn't give that sort of information to unsolicited callers and she didn't even try to argue with me, just hung up at once.

First time I've come across that one!

when they call me from my bank/whatever they ask me to identify myself. I asked if she could identify herself, but she was not able to say anything but I can go into the office and check the call later, if I want. Otherwise I need to believe her...

I do not accept such calls at all. I politely but firmly tell them that, since I am unable to verify their identity, I will either call them at the public number or take up the issue the next business day at a branch office.

I also do not open e-mails that claim to come from a business. I don't click on links in e-mails.

It still amazes me that businesses do not use digital signing on their messages, and that the international e-mail routing systems do not possess any controls that would check those signatures and destroy or quarantine messages that do not bear them. Although we possess strong and reliable means to do this, no one does. Yet.

We rely world-wide on e-mail. But we have done absolutely nothing ... that we very trivially could do, to make it reliable.

Hi Hazel...

Good "call."

The first "rat" was when she said that starting tomorrow, you would no longer receive any more calls. Not even a government can control them entirely. This is, in part, because these folks can spoof or create fake numbers (that show up on the caller ID.) Here in the United States, we have a government program called the "National Do Not Call Registry," which, in my opinion, is only (partially) effective if the offender is based in the United States. I have no idea if the FTC spends any time trying to track down outfits that try to conceal themselves using fake numbers.

Regards...

Sure, but I must insist on "flipping the script" on their own by asking them to confirm my address. Not the other way around.
I never offer anything either. Much like the Police, I only answer the Q being asked. And sometimes not even then.
You have to remember, identity theft these days, someone's "profile" may only be missing one vital piece of info they don't currently have.
Don't surrender anything!

I'd ask something inconsequential and possibly/likely public and if you're induced, try
for something I need...what bank (seriously shred vital documents, yes, even Bank Statements).

Really, that's the line in the sand?
She already has
1.) Your address.
2.) You're a BT customer
3.) You pay by Credit Card
3.) Your phone Number


All that's missing is <anything they don't currently have>.

"unwanted phone calls" about "unwanted phone calls" is the tell.

It it keeps up, blast a Police whistle in your phone's mouthpiece.
They won't call back.

Hi all...

I would not recommend this as the phone operator's hearing could be damaged. Also, in some cases, it could result in a lawsuit.

Regards...

:d :d :d

I dont do business over the phone. I especially don't answer personal questions over the phone.

If they need something I can either come in to the office, or they can send me physical business correspondence from their office. I've had no resistance from any company or government department using this strategy and I never intend on doing otherwise.

I've trained my older parents the same way. Answer NOTHING over the phone. Request an in person meeting on premises, or correspondence through the post office.

About a year ago I was in a hotel and received a phone call. They said they were the front desk, their system just crashed, and they wanted to confirm some of my details because they had been lost. They started off just wanting something simple, but I said that I'd prefer to just walk to the front desk and handle it in person. When I got there, they said they had made no such phone call and their systems were fine. Somehow somebody had found a way to directly dial the phones in the rooms without going through the front desk first, and were scamming the occupants.

My default position any more is that, if they call me, they are not to be trusted until and unless they identify themselves satisfactorily. If they do that, I might consider calling them back, but I'm more likely to say, "Send me a letter in the post and I'll think about it."

We've just stopped answering the landline phone, particularly before 7.00pm. We can dial 1471 and if it's a number we know we can ring back. We often see what appear to be local exchange numbers without a correct phone no (you can tell by the first couple of digits of the phone no without the exchange no).

I've just been listening to the BBC Money Programme. They described a scam which is going the rounds now which may be related to what happened to me. Victims get a call seemingly, from BT, which requires them to make some kind of one-off payment. I couldn't fully understand what followed because I don't do any kind of online banking and I don't have a smartphone, but the scam involves at some point entering a security code which comes to your phone into your computer. Once you have done so, apparently they can empty your account.

The poor woman this happened to banked with Santander and they should have picked up the abnormal activity on her account but didn't, and now she has lost a few tens of thousands of pounds and they are refusing to pay her back. If anyone reading this banks with Santander, you'd better switch now because they are obviously pants at security.

My ears pricked up when they said the initial call came from "BT". My caller didn't say she worked for BT but she certainly implied it.

btw: I have posted this in the wrong forum again. It really belongs in General. I'm always getting these two general fora confused.

the irony in that alone!

Hi,

Really serious about this because that same operator is soliciting information for future damage to the receiver. And your worried about damaging that persons hearing. I would like someone that does this sort to take me to court for such violation. I think the court would clearly find that person to be at fault with proper evidence. Heck the dB level would be limited by the phone system with the signal limitations. They would here the shrill but unless amplification is used on their side then no different than using ear buds with a high volume for a short time verses long term.

I am not concerned about their well being let alone their health. They are attempting to scam someone and deserve anything they get to stymie the scam.

Get real!

I am very aggressive when it comes to callers soliciting from me. I will just play dumb for a while to just extend the call. Then turn the whole thing back on the caller.

I'm inclined to agree with you but the courts might not! If you look at the link Ardvark posted, you will see that the lady concerned was fined a large sum of money for what she did.