Latest Scams – How to keep your money safe
- How conscientious are you about the security of your devices?
- Do you have a firewall?
- Anti-virus?
- Are you one of those people that carefully considers what they do online?
In my opinion and experience the most insecure device in your home is….
Your landline telephone.
Backstory
Hacking computers has become increasingly difficult for the average scammer, security is very good these days and devices are harder to hack and gain access to, but the scammers still need to get their fix. So they resort to other methods..
They target the person on the end of the phone, get them to give them access to their computer or just get them to transfer money into their accounts.
Case Study
The scammers are professional confidence tricksters, and this story comes from a real life experience from one of our customers this week who lost in excess of £40,000, and its my passion that I want to raise awareness of this scam because its not new, its been doing the rounds for at least 8 years.
A customer came in today, and I started to say the same thing, your landline is dangerous, he was taken aback, he said “I just hang up on them”. I know it’s a scam. But I regailed the story of what happened earlier in the week.
“Ok” I said..
Phone rings.. you answer..
“Hello this is Detective Constable Andrews from the Metropolitan Police, we have just arrested a suspect in possession of your credit card”.
They ask you to check to ensure you have your card in your possession.
Then they ask you because of what’s happened, you should be alert. And they say don’t believe any call you receive, and ask you to hangup, call 999 and ask to be put through to DC Andrews.
The caller hangs up, calls 999 and sure enough the “switchboard” put you through..
This is not possible and in actual fact an abuse of the 999 call system, but it isn’t on this occasion, its fake, its not a control room and DC Andrews does not exist.. You haven’t called 999.
How is this possible?
Remember when someone calls you landline to landline? And the caller does not hangup the phone? IT KEEPS THE LINE OPEN!!
They play a fake dial tone down the line, get someone else to impersonate a 999 call operator and hey presto your confidence in this officer is falsely increased.
Then from this point on, it’s a game, it’s a game of removing any doubt in your mind. The next step is the “officer” will ask you to call your bank to cancel your cards, they are expecting your call, you now trust him and he says he will call you back.
You hang up the phone line, call the number on the back of your card and speak to lovely person from your bank who has been expecting your call and advises you what to do to freeze your accounts.
They will also know how much you have in your accounts, they have access to your credit reports, they know you how much you have and how to little by little tease your hard earned money from your hands.
On this occasion after numerous phone calls and increasing confidence over a period of weeks, they manage to get you to transfer money into a “safe” account.
Once the transaction has been done, in the banks eyes, you have willingly given your money to a third party, and the litigation then starts of you trying to retrieve it.
The aftermath
Can you imagine how distressing this must be, for you, your family and your self confidence.
Now how is all this possible? What can you do to stop it happening to you?
The single point of failure and the start of the confidence trick is the landline telephone. Why does it keep the line open when the receiver of the call hangs up? What reason could there possibly be to still have a system like this?
If someone knows the answer to this I would be love to be informed.
Does it happen with your mobile?
No when using a mobile, if anyone ends the call it’s ended. Simple.
If this happened in the first place, then none of the fake calls to 999 or the bank would have been possible.
How do I keep safe?
The answer.
Be aware!
Trust no one!
Remember this article!
Consider removing your landline telephone.
Scammers will tend to target the vulnerable, retired and ill informed. They call hundreds of people a day until they get that hook in. If you are too difficult they will not waste their time on you and move on.
If the person is genuine and you tell them you don’t believe them, they will understand. Take their number, verify who they are from another phone by calling the head office or visit your local Police station or bank, if they get pushy, then this is your warning, hang up.
If you need to verify someone’s identity, use your mobile to make a call to a verified number you have gathered from an independent source, such as online or legitimate paperwork. Call the number from this phone, do not use the same phone you were called on.
You would then get through to a real 999 call handler and your actual bank.
And if all else fails, visit your bank. If money gets taken from your account without your intervention, then it will be returned to you. If you transfer money after being tricked then you will have to fight to get it back.
For further advice please visit the following website
If you find yourself in a situation where you think you have been scammed, then please visit our website and book an appointment with the nerd.
