Help! Scammed?

Miss_mash

Hi, my mother, who is in her 70s, fears she has been scammed for the first time.

I must stress that my mum is not gullible and never answers the door unless she is expecting someone, and doesn’t answer her phone if the caller is unknown. She’s always been vigilant and sensible regarding sales people to the point of being cynical and suspicious, so this is out of character for her.

Yesterday afternoon she was waiting for someone to check her boiler. The appointment had been arranged and she was expecting them. 

After hearing a knock, she answered the door to a man and young woman, and asked if it was regarding the boiler. The man nodded so she let them in. (Mum also claimed she recognised him as the man who checked her boiler last year) He then looked at her gas and electricity meters, asking how much she paid per month. She thought that was odd and asked him when he was checking her boiler. He didn’t give her a straight answer and started talking about a particular energy company and how they could save her money etc and was using a lot of jargon. He said he’d look after her, and the young woman with him was repeating a lot of what he was saying. 

My mum said she felt confused and bombarded with information (she’s also hard of hearing and was very tired due to broken sleep the previous night) and at some point the man had access to her phone! She says she can’t remember if she gave it to him or if he took it (it’s a phone that uses Face ID). I’m assuming he called this energy company on her mobile as she spoke to someone about her tariff. They asked for her bank details for a direct debit which she did NOT give them. She also told them that she’d be paying more per month with them and that she would not be switching. 

When she told them she wasn’t interested she said they left. She has received several phone calls from an unknown number all yesterday afternoon which she has not answered. 

What concerns me is that the man had access to her phone. I know very little about technology and what information can and can’t be accessed in a short period of time, but I need to know if her phone could have been tampered with in some way? Maybe a virus? Could he have her personal information? She’s panicking now and keeps checking her bank account but she didn’t give them her card details. 

Should I contact the energy company to ask them if any of their agents have been canvassing in her area? 

Does she need to contact her bank and tell them what’s happened? 

I’m so worried about this and hope someone can help. 

itsthelittlethings

I would definitely contact her bank.

teaselMay

It might also be worth contacting her energy provider to check that a switch hasn't been initiated to whoever the people were canvassing for

HampshireH

It won't have been her energy company. I would call them let them know what happened and make it clear you want it on account that no transfer has been authorized by her (she will need to verify who you are).

Some well known companies use tactics like this via 3rd person companies. Very poor practice

p00hsticks

Miss_mash said:

After hearing a knock, she answered the door to a man and young woman, and asked if it was regarding the boiler. 

Tell her in future to say something generic like ' can I help you ?' and let them say what they are there for. It may be that they were scammers or  perhaps that they were simply canvassing to change utility suppliers / fit a heat pump etc, and mistakenly thought she knew who they were,  but whichever they were, by asking if they were there about the boiler she inadvertently gave them an in...

Also ask to see their ID if appropriate 

elsien

It sounds like they were the people who go around trying to persuade you to sign up to the utility companies. It is unlikely that they have taken information from her phone to do anything else. 

You need to find out which company they were acting for and make a complaint to them about the underhand tactics. And even if they had her bank account details, that’s nothing that you wouldn’t have found on a cheque years ago anyway.
if they’re phoning her on her mobile then all she needs to do is block the number. 

powerspowers

Sounds like pushy energy company rather than a scam, I’ve had a few recently. If you can find out who it is, complain for what good it will do. And follow previous posters advice of contacting her energy company to say you are not switching. 

Things like this can really knock someone’s confidence, so reassure your mum that it was bad timing that she was expecting someone else and they obviously know what tactics to use to get a sale. We’re all susceptible to tactics like this when distracted, under pressure etc, it’s not about being gullible! 

Miss_mash

Thanks for your responses.  

Hampshire H- I’ve sent this company an email asking them if their representatives were in her area at that time and that they mislead her. 

I’ve told her to contact her provider to let them know what has happened and that she’s staying with them. I hope they don’t think she wants to switch. 

Regarding her bank, she keeps checking it and it seems ok. 

P00sticks-  I told her she should have asked them who they were before she let them in, She’s never done anything like this or ever been taken in, I couldn’t believe it when she told me. She never usually answers her door to anyone, and feels so silly and ashamed. We had a bit of an argument about it but she’s had a lot on her mind recently so I think she was taken off guard. I doubt she’ll ever do it again though! 

Should I factory reset her phone to be safe? I worry he accessed her passwords so I may have to change them for her. 

cannugec5

Is she still waiting for someone to check her boiler or was that actually all part of the ploy? Was there ever a boiler engineer coming out?

elsien

On my phone, you need to input the passcode to access the passwords. Just getting into the phone to make a call, doesn’t let you see them. Perhaps check that. I don’t think you need a factory reset, but if she is worried about password access then she just needs to go into her accounts and change them.

Your mother would’ve noticed if he was spending time rummaging  around on her phone trying to find things, other  than just making a call.
I understand your concern, but I do think you’re overthinking it.

Miss_mash

Cannugec 5 -  The boiler check had been pre arranged and was legit, she was expecting him at that time and he came minutes after the others left. 

Elsien- I always over think and assume the worst! Hope I’m wrong. I’m not sure if her phone is password protected, it’s an iPhone 11, face ID. She’s never around strangers, just friends and family, so I didn’t think she’d need extra protections  for her phone. It’s definitely a one off, no stranger will ever have access to it again. In fact, I’m usually with her if she has any kind of appointments as she’s hard of hearing but I had my own appointment yesterday. I’ve contacted the company and made a complaint.

powerspowers- It has knocked her confidence a bit, she was so upset and can’t believe she let them in. She has had a stressful few months re illness and still struggles to sleep sometimes so I think she was over tired and distracted.