Suspicious phone calls

JamoLew

MalMonroe said:

cannugec5 said:

MACKEM99 said:

We never answer the phone and let it go onto answerphone.  If it is important or someone we know they will leave a message and we call them back.  We also do this if we are near the phone when it rings.

The problem there is that some bodies - some departments of the NHS included are not permitted to leave answerphone messages, in case the message is received by the ‘wrong’ person, or cannot be verified as being received by anyone at all. 

Hence they will not leave a message saying they were trying to contact you for a Covid vaccination. They will move on to the next name on the list, if you don’t pick up. 

No that is not true. I don't answer my phone and my GP surgery DID leave a message asking me to contact them to arrange my vaccination. They do not 'move on to the next name' at all. Everyone is entitled to have the vaccination and GPs will try again, or they will leave a message. That's just a bit of scaremongering without any foundation.

Kind of true - although it's exceedingly difficult to achieve this and maintain patient confidentiality

Caldicot Guardians  recommend that we don't leave answerphone messages at our place

pbartlett

Phone scammers: 'Give me £1,000 to stop calling you' - BBC News

GaleSF63

Our surgery used to withhold numbers but changed it and now use their contact number because they found that so many people were ignoring the withheld calls. 

MACKEM99

cannugec5 said:

MACKEM99 said:

We never answer the phone and let it go onto answerphone.  If it is important or someone we know they will leave a message and we call them back.  We also do this if we are near the phone when it rings.

The problem there is that some bodies - some departments of the NHS included are not permitted to leave answerphone messages, in case the message is received by the ‘wrong’ person, or cannot be verified as being received by anyone at all. 

Hence they will not leave a message saying they were trying to contact you for a Covid vaccination. They will move on to the next name on the list, if you don’t pick up. 

Had 1st jab 2 weeks ago both me and her indoors next one booked for May.

MACKEM99

GP contacts us by text.

pbartlett

in some ways, number withheld calls are the safest to answer - no self-respecting scammer would call you with 'number withheld' they would display a made-up number instead!

dinglebert

MACKEM99 said:

GP contacts us by text.

which is fine as mobile phones are seen as personal.  Landland phones are seen as shared.  If someone in the house has not made partner aware of hospital appointment leaving a message would be difficult.

Mrs_Ryan

Hasbeen said: but 

Mrs_Ryan said:

Scam. You did the right thing. 

However just as an aside- I feel like a stuck record when people say HMRC don’t phone/text/email people, they only send letters. This is not true!!! 

Please elaborate to help others with communications from HMRC?

HMRC do call people in certain circumstances. Usually if they owe money. 

They also send texts and emails if you are signed up to their online account, to usually alert to certain things- for example confirmation of payment or submission of an online return. They can also send emails on confirmation of payment by phone.