Spam Phone Calls

Tangible

I'll add the link to the Barclays Bank page detailing their fraud reporting numbers

http://www.barclays.co.uk/Helpsupport/Contactusaboutfraud/P1242560037908

... and yes, you're correct that the number isn't verified by the Barclaycard site which seems a little clunky to me as, after all, if you ask them for a credit card, you won't get offered a Lloyds one and the separation only causes confusion (if only me).

The bottom line is whether the phone number quoted by the OP is fake - and it is fake, and purely for the purpose of phishing your card details, or enough details that would enable them to unblock your pin, and then it really would be 'open sesame' to your money.

Simply - independently verify any telephone number supplied to you by visiting your banks website. That small step might save you an awful lot of money and, if the number turns out to have been fake and the message to you contained personal details like your card number, then it would probably be a good idea to get a new card.

It has been suggested that someone might have got hold of card details from a retailer, which sounds plausible.

Independently verify any bank telephone number before giving out any personal details.

The attempts to validate the phishing number on other sites have been impressive to read, so this must be quite a large scale organised scam. One poster even mentioned the name of a USA company suggesting that they were operating on behalf of Barclays in the area of fraud prevention, clearly not understanding the relevance of UK Data Protection legislation which would bar such voluntary data sharing.

I'm a little surprised that this phone number has been functioning so long without it being closed down.

A quote from another site

I went to Barclays to ask and the Lady there got through to fraud prevention,apparantly someone had been trying to use my card details but without success

If they can get personal details from you, their future attempts won't be unsuccessful. Verify any number you're offered before giving any details.

It's no coincidence that the calls are associated with fraudulent account activity.

Tangible

The telephone number, among many others, appears in another thread here

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3081002

wantmemoney wrote: »

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/08453510124

08453510043 08453510054 08453510156 08453510194 08453510195 08453510196 08453511556 08453512226 08453512255 08453512259 08453512261 08453512262 08453512267 08453512268 08453512269 08453512270 08453512271 08453512272 08453512274 08453512275 08453512276 08453512278 08453512279 08453512280 08453512281 08453512282 08453512285 08453512287 08453512288 08453512290 08453512291 08453512295 08453512299

the above numbers (Colt Technology Services) are being used to 'warn' various bank customers of problems with accounts.

the same tactics has bunglejemson identified are being used.

these are criminals using the Ofcom 'Regulated' Network and numbers to target the public.
The Networks and number 're-sellers' are profiting from this activity and the public picks up the costs (annoyance, unnecessary phone charges and risk of loss due to identity theft and fraud).

NinjaTune

You know, this issue of the phone number is really bugging me.

If it's not an official Barclays line (albeit an automated one) then there is a real concern about insider information. Surely these things can't simply be coincidence - call from a scam number at the same time your card is blocked?

I'm calling Barclays Fraud Dept tomorrow re: unauthorised transactions so I will see if they can throw any light on the situation. If it IS their automated call number then they need to make this clear on their website to avoid confusion.

For what it's worth I've received automated calls from Barclays for the last couple of years regarding unusual activity on my account. The recorded message does not ask for confidential information and after confirming recent transactions a temporary block on my card has been removed. I cannot, however, confirm the number these previous calls came from *shrugs*

Tangible

I think this is the new wrinkle NinjaTune, though I must confess that it's only a potential theory for what's going on.

It's possible that the fraudsters are purposely causing the card to be blocked by putting through online transactions with incorrect security codes. Then they follow up with the SMS messages to attempt to gain the info they need - the security code - or the info they need to enable them to ring Barclays and pretend to be you. That's why it's creating confusion that it must be valid, but the people contacting you are the fraudsters who caused your card to be blocked.

The outrageous thing is that neither Barclays nor OFTEL appear to have done anything to shut down the number, though it's been operating for over 3 years. To make matters worse, presumably someone's getting copy card details from a retailer to start off the scam.

A little pro-active fraud work would save Barclays and their customers a lot of work and hassle.

NinjaTune

Yes I must admit that thought occurred to me too, i.e. pre-empting the (hopefully) inevitable call from the genuine fraud dept when the scammers have tried to make a large transaction which has been rejected.

I'm enrolled on the 'Verified by Visa' additional security programme which requires a password to enable certain transactions. Unfortunately it's a bit glitchy sometimes and has a few times prevented me from purchasing things *grr* but hopefully it has also prevented any large sums being withdrawn.

Oh, and the "scammer" has been revealed as my 14 year old son who has been downloading apps/games from iTunes which have been (unwittingly) charged to my account.

Long story but basically he got some iTunes vouchers for Christmas and mislaid them so asked me if I'd use my card to download some apps from him. I assumed the details I entered were for a one-off transaction, not realising the details would be held in limbo for future use. The mislaid vouchers were then found and credited to his account; he has just kept downloading stuff assuming that his credit was still paying for it. Alas, the credit had run out and the account then reverted to using my card details.

Oh thank gawd I discovered this before reporting them as fraudulent and trying to claim a refund!

So, in essence, there appears to have been no fraud on this occasion but obviously I will be speaking to the bank tomorrow to clarify this plus the circumstances in which the police found my bank details.

Anyone want to adopt a 14 year old boy with no idea of budgeting skills?

NinjaTune

oh god, better make it clear that it wasn't my teenage son who was arrested by the police as part of the scam.

When I said he was the scammer I meant the transactions were made by him (sort of) legitimately on my account

*blush*

sarahabb

Hi all

Just to say I had 2 calls and a text from this number this morning. I hung up on the caller and called Barclays. (Debit card not Barclaycard) It was a genuine call. I had tried to make a £2.50 donation to Samaritans Purse last night and that had triggered the Fraud Prevention team to investigate.

Always worth giving your bank a call just to verify.

cheekyymonkey

Just to add to NinjaTune's comments. It IS a Barclays Bank Fraud number.
I can confirm. I travel the world a lot and am used to them calling me to check on recent transactions (especially big ones online or on foreign websites) They often call from different numbers, never withheld however, but they aren't on their website, apparently it's an outsourced service so. Pretty rubbish that they can't centralise it to one number, I agree, but the fact is, you don't give out any details when they call you. All they ask you to confirm are two numbers from your telephone banking code. That's it. You are giving nothing away so why the worry?! If these scammers already have your mobile number and also your bank account details, expiry etc. etc. then you're already stuffed so... why would they call?? To gloat?!
There's far too much scaremongering around these kinds of numbers on this and other sites like whocallsme. If in doubt, just call your bank on the number on your card and ask why you were called.
Twopenneth well and truly chucked in.

TimBear

I had the same issue with a call from Santander - call from an automated message saying it was fraud detection etc. I didn't continue the call but logged straight onto online banking and found a large payment had been made which I hadn't authorised.

Called Santander then on the number on my statements and they said they weren't aware of the number and that wasn't them? I thought it odd that I had had a fraudulent transaction (which, by the by, Santander handled amazingly well and quickly which I was surprised about!) when they called.

A few months later I accidentally requested £600 instead of £300 from a cash machine which obviously was denied because of my daily limit, and I again had that call saying there was suspected fraud. It was slightly different though in that the message asked me to confirm whether I had tried to make a payment of £600 to ensure they were aware it was me and not to block my card.

So although Santander say they didn't know about it in my case the calls were genuine!

GSXR6

This is actually a genuine phone number for barclays, If you are not sure about whether you should ring the 0845 number etc, just ring their 01604 230230 number to see why they were calling.