PENSION FRAUD!!

spencer999

I mentioned this a while back but it's just happened to a friend & it reminded me.
PENSION FRAUD!
I was approaching the age of 55 and I had savings in a fund that started 30 years previously. It was a decent figure but less than £100,000 which I could access on or after my birthday.
 In the months or weeks leading up this I had several calls **every single day** telling me to move the money to a more profitable fund.  Some calls were threatening, some predicting riches, some were bamboozling, some would introduce themselves as "National Pension Service" or a variation on that, some would have female callers who sounded like a reassuring schoolteacher.... none of them got further than a few seconds before they got **click** but it made me physically sick to think of people having their life savings stolen - and how my contact details and financial information had been leaked to so many snakes!
The moral of the tale is watch out for anyone vulnerable who's got a few quid that other people want to take away!
End of message 😎 

LHW99

Hopefully knowing that unsolicited calls about pensions (particularly, but any financial transaction in reality) should be treated in the same way - put the phone down.

Even if it's a call from your bank where you think you know the cause - be polite, find out the name and department of the person - and put the phone down. Phone them back (separate phone or after 30 mins or so) on the number on your bank card. If they are genuine they won't mind.

Albermarle

spencer999 said:

I mentioned this a while back but it's just happened to a friend & it reminded me.
PENSION FRAUD!
I was approaching the age of 55 and I had savings in a fund that started 30 years previously. It was a decent figure but less than £100,000 which I could access on or after my birthday.
 In the months or weeks leading up this I had several calls **every single day** telling me to move the money to a more profitable fund.  Some calls were threatening, some predicting riches, some were bamboozling, some would introduce themselves as "National Pension Service" or a variation on that, some would have female callers who sounded like a reassuring schoolteacher.... none of them got further than a few seconds before they got **click** but it made me physically sick to think of people having their life savings stolen - and how my contact details and financial information had been leaked to so many snakes!
The moral of the tale is watch out for anyone vulnerable who's got a few quid that other people want to take away!
End of message 😎 

These 'people' have no morals at all .

I have 4 pensions, previously 5, and not one has ever called me out of the blue, or never at all in a couple of cases.

Pat38493

spencer999 said:

I mentioned this a while back but it's just happened to a friend & it reminded me.
PENSION FRAUD!
I was approaching the age of 55 and I had savings in a fund that started 30 years previously. It was a decent figure but less than £100,000 which I could access on or after my birthday.
 In the months or weeks leading up this I had several calls **every single day** telling me to move the money to a more profitable fund.  Some calls were threatening, some predicting riches, some were bamboozling, some would introduce themselves as "National Pension Service" or a variation on that, some would have female callers who sounded like a reassuring schoolteacher.... none of them got further than a few seconds before they got **click** but it made me physically sick to think of people having their life savings stolen - and how my contact details and financial information had been leaked to so many snakes!
The moral of the tale is watch out for anyone vulnerable who's got a few quid that other people want to take away!
End of message 😎 

I suspect that as soon as you answer the phone and speak to them at all, even if it's to politely tell them where to go and put the phone down, you are then logged as "someone who answers phone and speaks" and so they assume you might be susceptible to one or other phishing approach - the best thing is to not speak at all, or even better don't answer the phont if you don't know the number that's calling - if it's important they will leave a message or contact you back in a different way.

Albermarle

Pat38493 said:

spencer999 said:

I mentioned this a while back but it's just happened to a friend & it reminded me.
PENSION FRAUD!
I was approaching the age of 55 and I had savings in a fund that started 30 years previously. It was a decent figure but less than £100,000 which I could access on or after my birthday.
 In the months or weeks leading up this I had several calls **every single day** telling me to move the money to a more profitable fund.  Some calls were threatening, some predicting riches, some were bamboozling, some would introduce themselves as "National Pension Service" or a variation on that, some would have female callers who sounded like a reassuring schoolteacher.... none of them got further than a few seconds before they got **click** but it made me physically sick to think of people having their life savings stolen - and how my contact details and financial information had been leaked to so many snakes!
The moral of the tale is watch out for anyone vulnerable who's got a few quid that other people want to take away!
End of message 😎 

I suspect that as soon as you answer the phone and speak to them at all, even if it's to politely tell them where to go and put the phone down, you are then logged as "someone who answers phone and speaks" and so they assume you might be susceptible to one or other phishing approach - the best thing is to not speak at all, or even better don't answer the phont if you don't know the number that's calling - if it's important they will leave a message or contact you back in a different way.

You have to be a bit careful with this approach, in case you blank out a real caller like a GP's mobile calling you about test results as I did once !

Chickereeeee

I had zero calls when in  a similar position...

Grumpy_chap

spencer999 said:

 how my contact details and financial information had been leaked 

How do you know your contact details and financial information had been leaked?

These people have simply purchased a list of names, numbers, ages (which is all fairly easily obtained from public domain) and then called you up and tailored their offer to what they do know - your age - on the assumption that you have some kind of pension and may be thinking of drawing it down.

BikingBud

Same as the call i got from Microsoft yesterday telling me my computers have viruses!

jaypers

If everyone was of the mindset that absolutely any and all unsolicited calls, texts and emails are a scam from people who want to steal from you this type of crime would pretty much vanish. It’s the way we all have to think. Sadly, far too few do and many people are being fooled every day. 

Silvertabby

jaypers said:

If everyone was of the mindset that absolutely any and all unsolicited calls, texts and emails are a scam from people who want to steal from you this type of crime would pretty much vanish. It’s the way we all have to think. Sadly, far too few do and many people are being fooled every day. 

My standard response to all unsolicited phone calls is to say 'bollx' and hang up.  Apologies again to Vodaphone and British Gas.... but at least I've never been scammed!  

barnstar2077

Better to keep them on the line and not scamming someone else!

I haven't had many scam calls, but if you say you need to go into another room as it's too loud in here so give me a minute, or there's someone at the door etc, they will hang on just in case for ages.  Some don't even have the ability to hang up the phone themselves and will become quite desperate.