What is this scam?

Be_Happy

Had one of many calls from overseas call centres yesterday. However the guy calling must have pressed the wrong button and cut off the call.

It was obviously going to be some kind of scam, but I'm curious as to what the punch line was going to be.

Caller asked for me by name - said he was phoning from my electricity supplier and could see from my account that I always paid my bills promptly so they were going to reward me for being a good customer by sending me a device which I would just plug in and would save 40% of my electricity bills. Was I interested? Line went dead at this point.

Was I going to be asked to pay an extortionate price for what sounds like a power monitor? Were they going to get my bank details when I was asked for 'postage'? Was it a genuine call from EDF?

Has anyone had a similar call and what were they after? (I realise, with hindsight, I could probably have cut the call short by asking which electricity company was calling, as this was never mentioned.)

vax2002

No private company is going to tell you how to pay them less money, so that only leaves a scammer with his perpetual motion machine

Premier_2

Be_Happy wrote: »

Had one of many calls from overseas call centres yesterday. However the guy calling must have pressed the wrong button and cut off the call.

It was obviously going to be some kind of scam, but I'm curious as to what the punch line was going to be.

Caller asked for me by name - said he was phoning from my electricity supplier and could see from my account that I always paid my bills promptly so they were going to reward me for being a good customer by sending me a device which I would just plug in and would save 40% of my electricity bills. Was I interested? Line went dead at this point.

Was I going to be asked to pay an extortionate price for what sounds like a power monitor? Were they going to get my bank details when I was asked for 'postage'? Was it a genuine call from EDF?

Has anyone had a similar call and what were they after? (I realise, with hindsight, I could probably have cut the call short by asking which electricity company was calling, as this was never mentioned.)

You have to ask yourself why any company would employ someone at cost to call you at additional cost to explain they are going to send you something for free.

When the electric companies were sending out free energy saving lightbulbs they didn't call people first to gain their express permission to do so.

I always treat these type of calls in the same way (assuming I'm not in a hurry and have the time to 'play' them) and simply say: "yes, please send me my free item "

Then, in the very unlikely event they are genuine, they will post you it (remember you don't need to give any information as they have your name & address if they are genuine and that's all they need to send to a free product).
Usually my response often stumps them initially as they wonder how they can get back to their 'script' ... :cool:

Be_Happy

Thanks for input. Yes, I know it is a scam. I was simply wondering what the scam was eg an overpriced power monitor or collecting bank details.

Just wondered if anyone else had the same call and how it had ended.

I have several vulnerable elderly relatives and I keep them informed of any scams going round.

bluebird

I have been getting unwanted calls first i said sorry wrong number, second time round i ask if they have made an appointment to speak to ***** third time i say please wait your call is important to us then i leave the phone for 30 minutes, don't know why but they always hang up..

daybreaker123

its a scam

ic

There are some plug in devices that are supposed to smooth our your power and magically save you money. They're utter crap and literally contain nothing more than the circuitry to make a green light turn on. They do the rounds every once in a while.

Yolina

bluebird wrote: »

I have been getting unwanted calls first i said sorry wrong number, second time round i ask if they have made an appointment to speak to ***** third time i say please wait your call is important to us then i leave the phone for 30 minutes, don't know why but they always hang up..

The very few times I get unsolicited marketing calls, I just tell them than I'm not interested, that my number is registered with the TPS and could they please take it off their dialer - seems to do the trick quite well...

Terrylw1

Is there a new season of phonejacker coming up?

Mr_Ted

Yolina wrote: »

The very few times I get unsolicited marketing calls, I just tell them than I'm not interested, that my number is registered with the TPS and could they please take it off their dialer - seems to do the trick quite well...

That doesnt always work as I found out recently when i told one I was TPS registered, which I am for what it's worth, after which he became racially abusive calling me a British Mo FO to which he got an apt response, and after which he called me every 15 minutes for the rest of the day and each time a different number was used!
Not that that worried me as I have an answer phone and i just took down the number everytime, and hopefully although I doubt it it cost them money to be a pain in the A***!
What worries me is these scammer seem to be able to call and use different numbers at random, how, and why is it allowed without anyone in authority doing something to stop it?
Most of the numbers as only 6 figures and start 00 so I note them, check them on the PC and add my comments to what I find.
I have reported this last issue to the TPS and gave them all the numbers i had logged and it seem things have stopped, for the time being, but for how long?

If I should get anymore then a high pitched whistle is what they will get!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pincher

Have you tried reporting the numbers on:

http://whocallsme.com/


I wonder whether there is a feature that allows you to block the numbers you set up by logging into bt.com or equivalent.

In fact, it's worth extra money to respond with your selection of "ring tones".

E.g.

To boy friend's number: "I hate you so much right now"
To cold caller: "loud shriek"
To silent calls, just don't hang up, so they lose money.

BT can even create packages where they block from a known list of offenders, so you don't even have to edit the list yourself.
In fact, the only reason I can think of that it is not already implemented is BT will lose revenue from cold callers.