BT telephone call scam..

stompin-sarah

this has happened to someone i know and she emailed me the details...


I received a call from a 'representative' of BT,informing me that he was dis-connecting me because of an unpaid bill. He demanded payment immediately of £31.00 , or it would be £ 118.00 to re-connect at a later date.

The guy wasn't even fazed when I told him I was with Virgin Media, allegedly VM have to pay BT a percentage for line rental!

I asked the guy's name - the very 'English' John Peacock with a very 'African' accent - & phone number - 0800 0800 152.

Obviously the fella realized I wasn't believing his story, so offered to demonstrate that he was from BT. I asked how & he told me to hang up & try phoning someone - he would dis-connect my phone to prevent this.

AND HE DID !! My phone was dead - no engaged tone, nothing - until he phoned me again.

Very pleased with himself, he asked if that was enough proof that he was with BT. I asked how the payment was to be made & he said credit card, there & then.

I said that I didn't know how he'd done it, but I had absolutely no intention of paying him , I didn't believe his name or that he worked for BT.

He hung up.

Did 1471 & phoned his fictitious 0800 number - not recognised.

I phoned the police to let them know , I wasn't the first! It's only just started apparently but it is escalating.

Their advice was to let as many people know by word of mouth of this scam. The fact that the phone does go off would probably convince some people it's real, so please let as many friends & family aware of this.

This is good but not that clever. He gave the wrong number - it should have been 0800 800152 which takes you through to BT Business.

The cutting off of the line is very simple , he stays on the line with the mute button on and you can't dial out - but he can hear you trying (This is because the person who initiates a call is the one to terminate it).

When you stop trying he cuts off and immediately calls back.. You could almost be convinced! The sad
thing is that it is so simple that it will certainly fool the elderly and vulnerable.

Please pass this own to friends and family and be on your guard.

Paulos77

This was on Derren Browns blog yesterday, so not sure if its a true scam or not. Still though if it is true I can see people falling for it. Not me though

Also you say this happened to someone you know and she emailed you the details. Its worded exactly to the word that Derren Brown posted on his blog, heh

tsimehC

Maybe the email circulating is a lie in itself.

marydot

This a scam I heard this on LBC radio a few months ago

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8263637.stm

Do warn others as this has been happening to people for months.

hollydays

They do it by holding down the mute button,he is therefore still on the line,has not terminated the call,but can hear YOU trying to dial out.He then disconnects the call when you have finished,and calls you back.

BFG_2

A man phoned me and said if i didn't give him money down the line he would steal my soul and kill and eat my children.

I didn't believe him, and next thing I know my kids were all being sucked down the telephone wire; i lost the smallest two, but saved the biggest one.

Another bloke rang and asked me to press '1' on my phone and I did. This meant I was re-connected to a special rate thingie that charged me £2500 per second. I lost my house, job, wife and everything...all because I pressed [EMAIL="'1'...DON@T"]'1' ...DON'T[/EMAIL] DO IT.

Please pass to everyone you know [and even people you don't know] and help to generate billions of false warnings on the t'internet.

stompin-sarah

http://www.snopes.com/fraud/telephone/btscam.asp

check that if you think its not a scam

BFG_2

I wasn't necessarily implying that it wasn't a genuine scam.

But lets face it....how gullible do you have to be to pay money to someone over the phone threatening to cut you off [by voodoo almost]??

Fraud-aware 101 states...

If in doubt, never give money to anyone. Hang up and call the proper number from your bill...problem avoided.

Hadrian

BFG wrote: »

I wasn't necessarily implying that it wasn't a genuine scam.

But lets face it....how gullible do you have to be to pay money to someone over the phone threatening to cut you off [by voodoo almost]??

Fraud-aware 101 states...

If in doubt, never give money to anyone. Hang up and call the proper number from your bill...problem avoided.

You had a busy day on the 9th (Oct 2009) No work to go to?

spark_deals

I would request them to ask for the monies in writing. End of,.