Company calls to tell me I was in an accident..very worrying

Company calls to tell me I was in an accident..very worrying

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jondude

Original Poster:

2,335 posts

216 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
What concerns me is the call I received knew my name, the car make and reg no AND they had my mobile number, which I only ever give to insurers and the like.

Starts with the chap saying he is calling about the accident. I say 'what accident would that be' and it starts getting scamlike straight there.

'I don't know, just says you were involved in a accident and we have £2000 to send you'.


I asked for full details and how they had a file on me, could get no answer beyond 'oh, if it wasn't you, just forget it'.

I said I'd report this to the police. They hung up. An address I asked for does not seem to exist, but I have a phone number (I think)

Anyone know what I can do? Should I involve the police or insurers as it worried the hell out of me thinking I'd been reported or that there still may be a false claim on some false file.


mmm-five

11,227 posts

283 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
It's a cold sales call from one of the fake whiplash claim companies, who've been sold your data from one of the comparison websites or your insurance company.

I get a couple a week by text, email, phone. Just tell them to FOOK OFF!

I also report the number to my mobile operator who then puts them on their spam/scam database.

jondude

Original Poster:

2,335 posts

216 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
mmm-five said:
It's a cold sales call from one of the fake whiplash claim companies, who've been sold your data from one of the comparison websites or your insurance company.

I get a couple a week by text, email, phone. Just tell them to FOOK OFF!

I also report the number to my mobile operator who then puts them on their spam/scam database.
Thanks mmm-five, I think all you say here is 100% correct as the only people I gave this mobile number to were the insurance comparison sites/my insurers. The DVLA do not have this number on file.

I might still see if there is something I can do......annoys me such private details are handed over but maybe they include this in the 'shall we send you offers from our friends' boxes.

Appreciate the quick response as I admit this scared the life out of me at first.

Devil2575

13,400 posts

187 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
Last time I used an insurance comparison website I got inundated with spam calls and emails.

Edit: And as if to just hammer home that point i've just had another one the second after hitting the submit button biggrin

marshalla

15,902 posts

200 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
The ICO is, allegedly, trying to take some action on calls like that.

More information (and a way to report the scamsters) here : http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_the_public/topic_specifi...

Deva Link

26,934 posts

244 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
marshalla said:
The ICO is, allegedly, trying to take some action on calls like that.
I work from home and some days get half-a-dozen spam calls. I'm regostered with TPS but a lot come from abroad so there's no stopping them.

marshalla

15,902 posts

200 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
Deva Link said:
I work from home and some days get half-a-dozen spam calls. I'm regostered with TPS but a lot come from abroad so there's no stopping them.
Likewise, but the PPI & CLAIM texts seems to have slowed down (none today) since I started reporting them to the ICO.

Dracoro

8,662 posts

244 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
Looks like there's many here who are incabable to (un)ticking these boxes at the bottom of these comparison website forms that stop them selling your data.

Deva Link

26,934 posts

244 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
Dracoro said:
Looks like there's many here who are incabable to (un)ticking these boxes at the bottom of these comparison website forms that stop them selling your data.
Even if you 100% did them all correctly (and some are pretty sneaky) I'm still not convinced that your data would be safe.

marshalla

15,902 posts

200 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
Dracoro said:
Looks like there's many here who are incabable to (un)ticking these boxes at the bottom of these comparison website forms that stop them selling your data.
Never used a comparison website in my life, and I always refuse permission for details to be passed on.


Dracoro

8,662 posts

244 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
Deva Link said:
Dracoro said:
Looks like there's many here who are incabable to (un)ticking these boxes at the bottom of these comparison website forms that stop them selling your data.
Even if you 100% did them all correctly (and some are pretty sneaky) I'm still not convinced that your data would be safe.
Yes but it's even less safe if you don't tick/untick the boxes. I've used them and NEVER had a call or e-mail. Had the odd text over the years, but not many. They're easily ignored/deleted anyway.

Deva Link

26,934 posts

244 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
Dracoro said:
I've used them and NEVER had a call or e-mail.
Yes, but you're great though.

It's, how can I say it, pretty remarkable if you've never had a spam call. Some of the foreign callers use automatic sequential number calling systems, and email spam comes from many sources.

triumphkryten

369 posts

162 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
I still get phone calls and texts about claiming for injury when my Accord was written off 3 years ago - they must have got this information from either Admiral (the insurer at the time) or the CoOp, who I reinsured with when the premium jumped.

I wouldn't mind so much if I had been injured, but as the car was hit parked outside my house, I was in bed, and the other driver admitted liability I don't understand why I am still getting calls.

Next one, I'll claim for tripping over my slippers getting out of bed when I heard the crash.....

Flawless Victory

441 posts

164 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
jondude said:
What concerns me is the call I received knew my name, the car make and reg no AND they had my mobile number, which I only ever give to insurers and the like.
Well there's your problem right there. Never give out your mobile number to anyone and if you have to put a number into a required field on a webpage form, (and I haven't seen many of those), just put in a false number.

streaky

19,311 posts

248 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
Give them the bank details of the recently widowed Mrs Omygosh Ivemoneytosendu.

Streaky

lbc

3,212 posts

216 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
I got same thing today, except it was a text asking me how much do I want to claim for my accident that I have not had.

Perhaps I should have asked for £20 million pounds, as they are so keen on giving away cash, and it would save me having to do the lottery.

Most people should know about these cold calls and texts by now!

jondude

Original Poster:

2,335 posts

216 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
Dracoro said:
Deva Link said:
Dracoro said:
Looks like there's many here who are incabable to (un)ticking these boxes at the bottom of these comparison website forms that stop them selling your data.
Even if you 100% did them all correctly (and some are pretty sneaky) I'm still not convinced that your data would be safe.
Yes but it's even less safe if you don't tick/untick the boxes. I've used them and NEVER had a call or e-mail. Had the odd text over the years, but not many. They're easily ignored/deleted anyway.
I do also very carefully check (or uncheck, as the case may be) those boxes. They have got through to you, too - more than me.This was the first and only message to me in 9 years (and always checking prices at renewal) so I cannot believe I overlooked the boxes/small print.

To be fair, now I know of these scams, I will indeed ignore or delete. When someone calls on a very unused number, knows your name, model, make and car reg number, then tells you they need to talk about your recent road traffic accident......you have to take it seriously (at first).

Anyhow, nice to know more about this and how it works.



jondude

Original Poster:

2,335 posts

216 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
lbc said:
I got same thing today, except it was a text asking me how much do I want to claim for my accident that I have not had.

Perhaps I should have asked for £20 million pounds, as they are so keen on giving away cash, and it would save me having to do the lottery.

Most people should know about these cold calls and texts by now!
Sure do now! In my defence, I work in New Zealand and only visit the UK 2-3 months a year.biggrin

jondude

Original Poster:

2,335 posts

216 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
Flawless Victory said:
jondude said:
What concerns me is the call I received knew my name, the car make and reg no AND they had my mobile number, which I only ever give to insurers and the like.
Well there's your problem right there. Never give out your mobile number to anyone and if you have to put a number into a required field on a webpage form, (and I haven't seen many of those), just put in a false number.
Agree - that's why I use the mobile as I don't want any chance of my family here being contacted. I do also enter a line of 0's on search sites to stop them making follow up calls....but I felt duty bound to tell my insurance company. It's a fair point you make, though.

dingg

3,974 posts

218 months

Friday 27th July 2012
quotequote all
I always tick the box for no contact, use of my details etc etc

and never get any calls - reason being I just change the last couple of digits on my phone numbers - guess someone gets the nuisance calls though

laugh