Scam Alert

[Johnb]

Had a phone call about an hour go which cut out the moment I accepted the call. Silence, no dial tone or any other sound.

(Thought little of it - my wife always tell me the caller will ring back or leave a message if genuine!)

Received a text a few mins ago from same number: +44 331 630 1945. I've added a pic of the text to this post.

This the first time I've encountered this type of scam and thought it might be useful to flag up for forum members.

 

[woodsieboy]

We have had the same supposedly from 02 , it was particularly annoying as at the time we were having problems with 02 and thought they were trying to fix the phone,eventually changed to 3 and so far no more iffy calls.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Getting ever more devious aren't they! If you call that number you probably get a whacking great charge added to your bill.
Interestingly yesterday, when on a WhatsApp phone call with my son in law who is in the Falklands, I had three different phone call alerts come up from three different numbers. I dismissed all three and have had no subsequent voicemail notifications or follow up calls from any of them
My phone rings about once a fortnight normally.

 

[Hutch]

I had a text msg about a month ago, from an unknown what's app number, stating" I have changed my phone tariff , dad, can you call me. On Normal phone line"
I sent back Who is this?
Reply was, your son.
I sent back which one? And what is our dog called.
I didn't get any more texts,
I sent the number to SCAM. ( 7266)

 

[ProfJohnL]

The same number has been reported many times on "Who Called Me" and most reported it from a scam about eth Housing Disrepair Team.

So very much a scam number.

 

[Raywood]

There are a number of scam call blockers, if you google this and having tried them they do seem to work well.
My sister did fall for the scam Hutch referred to. Her call did say son, so she said which one and got "your favourite one". She does have two sons, but knew where one was and assumed it was the other who might find the answer funny. He also lives 300 miles away.
She tried to ring his mobile and got no reply and did then send some money, only to find her son had not replied because he was on a plane to Italy. This was a business trip and he flies there regularly and which he had not mentioned.
The idea of the dogs name is good although just asking the son his name should sort it.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I was scammed a few years ago when I got email message claiming to be from our local priest (whom we knew well) claiming he'd gone abroad (which he did quite regularly) and had been mugged, loosing his passport phone and cards and travel tickets. He claimed he needed £1800 to cover his hotel and travel costs.

I was initially sceptical and checked the email address which looked right, and I asked him to confirm the name of my eldest daughter, which came back correctly. so I tried to send what was asked for However the bank prevented from sending more than £400. - thank heavens.

He emailed came back asking for me to do the same again, There was just a hint of something suspicious in the way the request was made so I sought more proof of who was asking. I had worked with him as A Governor at two local schools where we had appointed several new members of staff over the previous year. One candidate whom we didn't appoint had a very notable storey, so I asked for the name of the failed candidate. The scammer couldn't answer so I then realised it was a scam.

I do not use Facebook or other social media becasue I value my privacy, but I can't stop others from mentioning names and places and events, so I guess the scammers got my family relationships from other peoples facebook postings.

Take care out there as you cannot be certain your not already compromised by others.