Scams and suchlike.

[Jcloughie]

I have just had a couple of issues which others should be aware of, so this may help.

At the beginning of March I looked for a replacement waste disposal unit. After finding the one I wanted, I searched for the best price. I found a company supposedly in Kingston upon Hull and place my order using Mastercard.

I received no confirmation or receipt for my order. My Tesco Bank Mastercard account showed a shoe shop in Milan!

A little after this I started getting Chinese looking emails regarding ‘my order’. They looked like a scam, but I wondered if my waste disposal was being dispatched from there. I could get no answers regarding either.

I called Mastercard who said I would need to wait until 30 days to make a chargeback application. I did this today.

The Tesco Mastercard helpline thought there would be no problem with my claim. They also seemed to recognise the scam.

With regards to my parcel from China. Not the waste disposal unit, but a cheap pair of earrings. This appears to be a ‘brushing scam’. It is used somehow to allow sellers to add false review on platforms like Amazon. I use three such platforms so I have changed my passwords in them all.

Does this mean that Mastercard, and maybe PayPal and Visa, have little or no checks on the companies they allow to make payments through them?

Lastly, the kitchen tap company in KuH who do not answer my communications. On further research, I discovered that their delivery and returns policy does not permit the return of worn shoes!

John

 

[Woodentop]

You clearly made one mistake. When you are looking at their mail/order address hover your mouse over the hyperlink and see if the address shown in the bottom left corner of the screen is the same as that of the organisation you are trying to use. So many people either don't know or don't bother to do this simple check.
Likewise on incoming mail the source address (the blue hyperlink usually) should be the same as that on the header of the mail. If it isn't - delete it.
I got one last week. I am a VM user and a mail came in from them to say that my VM bill is ready. Everything looked as though it could be right, but it wasn't. VM always advise me of such on the master mail address, NEVER one of our subsidiary addresses. This mail was not only sent to a subsidiary address, but the source was from a TalkTalk account!

 

[audiorob]

The breakdown insurance scams are also resurfacing - Calling to say the insurance on your sky dish/washing machine/tv etc is about to expire - my response 'that's a blatant lie as I never buy extended warranty insurance' and sometimes I am a little less polite. I an am also constantly called by 'my local energy adviser' ( strange how he changes name and is sometimes Luke and has even been Maggie!) and worse still it is a recorded message so I cant even waste his time like he wastes mine! Or 'Bank security' regarding overseas transactions/high cost purchase - when asked WHICH bank they quickly lose interest!

 

[Jcloughie]

You clearly made one mistake. When you are looking at their mail/order address hover your mouse over the hyperlink and see if the address shown in the bottom left corner of the screen is the same as that of the organisation you are trying to use. So many people either don't know or don't bother to do this simple check.
Likewise on incoming mail the source address (the blue hyperlink usually) should be the same as that on the header of the mail. If it isn't - delete it.
I got one last week. I am a VM user and a mail came in from them to say that my VM bill is ready. Everything looked as though it could be right, but it wasn't. VM always advise me of such on the master mail address, NEVER one of our subsidiary addresses. This mail was not only sent to a subsidiary address, but the source was from a TalkTalk account!

Cannot see how I could have done the first part on an iPad, I think hyperlinks operate a little differently.

I just tried hovering on the order link on the suspect site, it just returns the company name.

No emails were involved in the purchase of the waste disposal. They did not write or reply to me.

On reflection, there are a few suspect things about the sales site. But I admit I did not look as deeply as I should. But I think I had a false sense of security as it had been accepted as genuine by Mastercard.

With the unsolicited earring order, Hovering on the source address simply gives a persons name. But I can click on reply which shows me this very useful email address.



I think that trick is only useful if the email try’s to make you believe it is from someone you know or trust.


John

 

[otherclive]

Cannot see how I could have done the first part on an iPad, I think hyperlinks operate a little differently.

I just tried hovering on the order link on the suspect site, it just returns the company name.

No emails were involved in the purchase of the waste disposal. They did not write or reply to me.

On reflection, there are a few suspect things about the sales site. But I admit I did not look as deeply as I should. But I think I had a false sense of security as it had been accepted as genuine by Mastercard.

With the unsolicited earring order, Hovering on the source address simply gives a persons name. But I can click on reply which shows me this very useful email address.

View attachment 6431

I think that trick is only useful if the email try’s to make you believe it is from someone you know or trust.


John

I too tried Woodentop’s advice on my IPad. I get the source address to light up in blue and identify itself. I do this check at times if I have doubts on the source. But there is nothing at the bottom of the email to compare. I’m using IOS and my three email accounts from different providers are all managed via the Apple mail app.

 

[Slowtow]

@Jcloughie

It is my opinion that the kitchen supply company in KuH are being most unreasonable. What size and colour were the shoes anyway? The only reason I ask, its the wifes birthday coming up soon. Better luck next time chap. ST.

 

[Jcloughie]

Returning to this topic with an update.

First the earring scam. I have the cheap earrings, just waiting for a granddaughter to come to see if she wants them. I have updated already strong passwords on 3 shopping websites. I cannot think what else I could do.

There has been no hint of an attack on any account.

Grandaughter likes the earrings.

Regarding the purchase of the waste disposer. I made a claim for chargeback via the Tesco website. All smooth and easy to do. Full refund has been made.

Why then do you think the trader still appears to be operating online and still using Mastercard and others for payment?. Seems to me that card operators are content to refund customers, but to take no action against these bogus companies.

If so, Mastercard and Tesco are complicit.

John