Phone scam

[wotan]

Beware if you receive a txt message along these lines...

Following your recent accident, you could be eligible for a further pay out of up to £5,OOO.
Phone this number (they give you a number to ring)

wich I suspect is then diverted to a premium rate number automatically, costing you several pounds, or worse.
Do not fall for it.

Wotan

 

[ColJack]

given that only a greedy b'tard is going to phone a number offering cash for an accident that never happened, they'll get what they deserve..

how stupid do you have to be to think.. "oh right, an extra 5000, it must have been a good accident, I can't even remember it, must have amnesia.."

 

[wotan]

But the possibility is there that someone may have had an accident, in wich case human nature being as it is, some people may be that greedy.

I am only passing on a message I received, to warn others...it could have been a one off hoax, who knows?

Wotan

 

[ColJack]

true and I never thought of it from that perspective.. but even then you'd know the name andnumber of your solicitor / claims person wouldn't you?

 

[conny]

you could be eligible for a further pay out

With some of the wild claims made by these ambulance chasers some poor soul who thinks his pay-out wasn't what he expected may still ring up.
By the time you've listened to the intro you will have been ripped off by a pretty penny.

 

[Richard C]

The re-direct scams come in various guises & some can be very plausible. The can appear as both text or pre-recorded messages to either mobile or your home phone; some will only involve you pressing a single digit on your phone keypad & they’ve got you. Best advice is to NEVER ring any of these numbers or follow pre-recorded instructions when you pick up the phone, if they need to contact you for anything legitimate they will.

 

[sooey]

This is all good advice of course, and thanks to wotan for the heads up.
But how can these people get away with these frauds,? Everything is traceable these days so why don't the powers that be do something about.

 

[wotan]

This is all good advice of course, and thanks to wotan for the heads up.
But how can these people get away with these frauds,? Everything is traceable these days so why don't the powers that be do something about.

I suppose the loophole is that you are only invited to ring the number, then having done so, it's automatically diverted to a high rate premium number.

Wotan

 

[conny]

Usually these calls originate from outside the UK so ISTS, or whatever they are called, have no jurisdiction or control. They are normally based somewhere like the Bahamas which is were you will be diverted to so costing a packet.

 

[Space cat]

Wherever the call comes from, it is BT - or someone like them - who will take your money then hand it over to criminals without batting an eyelid. The call providers could easily put the scammers out of business. All they have to do is abolish premium rate numbers.