Help - dodgy financial based texts

danih

I have been recieving some v dodgy texts.

One yesterday -
"Order Confirmation. Thanks for placing an order of £127.49. Go to https://www.!!!!!!!/1KYBinF to manage your order." From a mobile number. Tried to ring it but comes up as an invalid number.

One today, no mobile number, apparently from HSBC
"Did you attempt a transfer of £950 - 19/06/2015? Please contact us on 03330124159 to verify this transaction. Please have your user ID and Secure Key to hand" I did ring out of curiousity - puts you through to "HSBC fraud line" - hold for an operator, or press 1 to leave a voice message (obviously didn't). Then I caught on they are probably charging an obscene amount of money just to hear that message, so hung up within the first minute.

I have no bills or purchases relating to either amount of money. I have never had a HSBC account.

I did recieve a few texts, apparently from Gumtree, a couple of months ago, asking me to confirm my bank details. I didn't respond - never had provided bank details, not sure you can even do that with Gumtree? Gumtree briefly suspended my account in case of fraud.

I have had a few adds on Gumtree, showing my mobile number, which I think has led to me being a target for fraudsters.

My bank account is fine - just checked again on-line, and neither of the above amounts have been removed.

What do I do to protect myself? I would like to avoid changing my mobile number.

enfield_freddy

scam


http://uk.whocalledme.com/PhoneNumber/03330124159

Futuristic

Your number has been exposed or shared by someone or perhaps a company you bought something from online and was hacked. Or it just could be them texting any possible number at random.

Depending on your phone, some phones now have features to block numbers.

InsideInsurance

danih wrote: »

Please contact us on 03330124159 to verify this transaction. Please have your user ID and Secure Key to hand" I did ring out of curiousity - puts you through to "HSBC fraud line" - hold for an operator, or press 1 to leave a voice message (obviously didn't). Then I caught on they are probably charging an obscene amount of money just to hear that message, so hung up within the first minute.

03 is a geographic pre-fix and so it wont charge you obscene amounts. Depending on if you are calling from a mobile or landline its 08, 07 and 00 numbers to be worried about for calling and any number without a + or 0 for texting.

There is nothing you can do other than ensuring you never click on links or call numbers etc as that then validates to them that they've (a) got a live number and (b) the person with the number is possibly susceptible to these things.

If your phone can then block numbers then you can stop each one you get but given they can make it appear that they are calling/ sending from any number at all then they can circumvent it by using a different number each time.