Can this be stopped?
Discussion
I know this has been mentioned before on the forum, and I apologise in advance, but I am increasingly concerned that the perps are doing this with impunity.
For the second time we have had calls from 02031291891 who then put the phone down when they realise that this is a company.
My PA had a call at home over the weekend with the same number, and it was the 'You have a virus on your computer' scam!
They are playing the numbers game, and targeting the vulnerable, gullible and the elderly (my mum -91 years old -got one of these and only stopped when she could not follow the instructions given over the phone - )
I don't understand why this has not been stopped by now?
Don't the police/ authorities have the wherewithal to trace the numbers being used, and stop the targets being scammed?
It's obviously very lucrative for them...
For the second time we have had calls from 02031291891 who then put the phone down when they realise that this is a company.
My PA had a call at home over the weekend with the same number, and it was the 'You have a virus on your computer' scam!
They are playing the numbers game, and targeting the vulnerable, gullible and the elderly (my mum -91 years old -got one of these and only stopped when she could not follow the instructions given over the phone - )
I don't understand why this has not been stopped by now?
Don't the police/ authorities have the wherewithal to trace the numbers being used, and stop the targets being scammed?
It's obviously very lucrative for them...
The caller has a british accent, but I am aware that this does not indicate that they reside in the uk, however...
...at the very least, can BT not be instructed to nullify/ block all UK (apparently) based numbers reported as associated with such scams, thus frustrating the perps?
This is becoming rife at the moment, and at best it is a nuisance, at worst it can destroy lives, not just in relation to personal financial loss. The affect on the welbeing of those elderly who are successfully targeted can be catastrophic - as I have witnessed!
...at the very least, can BT not be instructed to nullify/ block all UK (apparently) based numbers reported as associated with such scams, thus frustrating the perps?
This is becoming rife at the moment, and at best it is a nuisance, at worst it can destroy lives, not just in relation to personal financial loss. The affect on the welbeing of those elderly who are successfully targeted can be catastrophic - as I have witnessed!
marshalla said:
It only takes a few minutes to setup a new outbound VOIP number. Virtually unstoppable as a result - as fast as they're blocked, they can open up another line.
Education is the only real answer - people, unfortunately, need to learn to be far less trusting.
I agree.....IF you were talking about those with awareness of such things, i.e. the active young to middle aged users Education is the only real answer - people, unfortunately, need to learn to be far less trusting.
The problem gets MUCH bigger when you start to realise that there is a very large number of 'older' people out there who have 'adopted' computers very late in life to be able to keep in touch with family (even more so if they have lost a partner) and to manage their affairs like bank and shopping... and I can go on....
Your circle of friends and family shrink as you get older... to the point that you sometimes find yourself totally isolated and alone, so there is a new breed of computer user (in its most basic form) out there, trying to hang on to, and manage their lives through this medium...
..and the scammers know this...
It is a massive shame if this cannot be shut down... and perhaps a greater one when those with the power don't seem too interested in at the very least, promoting a public awareness campaign.
3Dee said:
and perhaps a greater one when those with the power don't seem too interested in at the very least, promoting a public awareness campaign.
This UK government backed campaign has been running for years : https://www.getsafeonline.org/marshalla said:
This UK government backed campaign has been running for years : https://www.getsafeonline.org/
TBH mate, if this is all the powers can get up to, we are in serious trouble! I may have a sheltered life but didn't even know the site existed... and worse... when I opened it, the first thing popped up was an invite to a survey... NOT a very good start!
I can see many might not bother to read... it is hardly user-friendly to the target audience who would best benefit from this...
Why not a full-blown newspaper/TV media campaign? or even a leaflet drop?
Way more effective! ...Oh sorry! That takes money... whatever am I thinking!
The BT one is apparently very popular at the moment - someone rings up and says they're from BT and the 'phone is about to be cut off due to a shartfall in the payment. Old people panic at the thought of their 'phone being cut off and reel off their card details.
My FIL seems to get the "have you been involved in an accident" calls a lot. He's forever having bumps, so they seem genuine to him. Usually takes about 20mins for the callers to get that the accidents were his fault, so of no interest to them!
A computer thing, which to my mind is just as much of a scam, is Adobe updates adding McAfee AV by default, and not very obviously. He downloaded that, then a year later gets a bill for £40ish which he paid as he'd got used to seeing McAfee and didn't realise he already had the perfectly adequate and free MSE.
My FIL seems to get the "have you been involved in an accident" calls a lot. He's forever having bumps, so they seem genuine to him. Usually takes about 20mins for the callers to get that the accidents were his fault, so of no interest to them!
A computer thing, which to my mind is just as much of a scam, is Adobe updates adding McAfee AV by default, and not very obviously. He downloaded that, then a year later gets a bill for £40ish which he paid as he'd got used to seeing McAfee and didn't realise he already had the perfectly adequate and free MSE.
Pothole said:
hat is it you want, exactly?
True concern about what is going on and the apparent ineffective nature of any action against the perps of such activities.Many of us will eventually personally experience or witness the fallout from such scams, if we get old enough, so is it not right that we talk about and expose such things?
3Dee said:
Pothole said:
hat is it you want, exactly?
True concern about what is going on and the apparent ineffective nature of any action against the perps of such activities.Many of us will eventually personally experience or witness the fallout from such scams, if we get old enough, so is it not right that we talk about and expose such things?
If you have genuine concern, start a movement. Why is it government's job?
I had one if these calls at work. Kept them on the phone for a good 20 mins whilst he tried to get me to do things. Just pretended it was quite going as planned.
Got bored and told him he had called government office and he hung up rather fast.
These kind of people are scum, know a couple of elderly people that have nearly been caught out
Got bored and told him he had called government office and he hung up rather fast.
These kind of people are scum, know a couple of elderly people that have nearly been caught out
Well even when you identify it's a scam and they are in the UK it can be difficult.
This old bloke in Cambridgeshire got hooked into the you've won this lottery scam, just send us this money to secure the funds,/ taxes / exchange costs.
He let them have not just thousands but tens of thousands.
Friends neighbours couldn't solve it. Even police involvement couldn't stop all the banks continuing to pay out his money. I believe the Co-op were the most unhelpful of a bad bunch. Data protection rules ossifer.
This old bloke in Cambridgeshire got hooked into the you've won this lottery scam, just send us this money to secure the funds,/ taxes / exchange costs.
He let them have not just thousands but tens of thousands.
Friends neighbours couldn't solve it. Even police involvement couldn't stop all the banks continuing to pay out his money. I believe the Co-op were the most unhelpful of a bad bunch. Data protection rules ossifer.
Tje has the right idea, as computer literate people, we need to waste as much time of these scammers as possible. They only scam because it's easy money. Make it difficult, and an honest day's work will look like the more tempting option to them. My grandparents have all been taught to say that their grandson handles their computer.
Seemed timely considering this thread. Not far flung perps either:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27130721
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27130721
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