Dodgy call from 01733 507842 - claiming to Bank of Scotland

Steve_xx

[Deleted User] wrote:

I'm not saying the call is legit but it would make sense to have a call from an 01733 number.

I refer you to the first paragraph of my post #10.

gunsandbanjos

[Deleted User] wrote:

Nothing weird about it, it is definitely the Peterborough area code. I've lived here all my life.

HBOS do (or definitely did) have an office in Worldwide House in Peterborough (along with Churchill insurance and Admiral ins). I worked within sight of the monstrosity for a few years.

I'm not saying the call is legit but it would make sense to have a call from an 01733 number.

I mean weird as in it can be used by lots of areas and isn't specific to one as is normal.

matty17r

Steve_xx wrote: »

You shouldn't be giving that much credence to ANY phone number that is presented on your telephone. Telephone numbers can be spoofed and it is possible for fraudsters to present their calling line identity as appearing to be a legitimate bank telephone number.


Certainly, no bank will ever ask you to divulge details of your security arrangements over the phone and if they do then you should immediately be suspicious. You should hang up, and then call your bank, preferably from another phone than the one you received the suspect call on. If you don't have another phone, ie a mobile, then use your phone to call a Freefone number, any Freephone number so long as you know the name of the company you are expecting to answer, so that you know that the fraudsters have been disconnected from your phone line. Sometimes fraudsters can hold your line open while you think you are calling your bank, when in fact it is the fraudsters who will answer you. It will not be beyond the scope of fraudster to play a recording of the dial tone so that you think your line has been cleared! Hence my advice to you phone a freefone number before you call your legitimate bank.

Thank you for this very informative post. Never knew any of this - the more you read the more you learn.

pmduk

xHannahx wrote: »

Lloyds mailings has a BN postcode for the return address on the envelope.

Lloyds TSB Mailings generally had a BX postcode which is a postal area unique to them. They have have inherited an office from TSB in Brighton which would have had a postcode of BN and a phone area code of 01273.

I'm not sure how things have changed since the separation of the companies.

scones

gunsandbanjos wrote: »

01733 is a weird area code, I think it is generic and isn't area specific?

Nothing particularly unusual about 01733 in this respect. Numbers from any area code can end up being used anywhere in the UK these days, for all sorts of reasons. For example, every Travelodge has an 020 London number instead of one from the relevant local area code and every Nationwide branch has an 01793 Swindon number.

(I wrote the original text on the page about the 01733 area code linked to by Gers. I'll be making an edit to clarify that it's a general phenomenon rather than anything peculiar to Peterborough 01733 numbers.)