Strange Starling Bank scam...that I fell for

confederated

wmb194 said:

I haven’t tried it yet but the recent iOS26 introduced call screening to iPhones.

I tried the iOS implementation of call screening (by setting the iPhone to the USA where it has been available for some time) but for some reason genuine callers were thrown by it and hung up. They don’t do that with Google’s call screening and I have never missed a wanted call on my Pixel 10 Pro, and have never needed to interact with a scammer or cold-caller when I let Google screen the call. Google is pretty excellent at rejecting calls from known spammers too. Since moving to the Pixel unwanted calls have almost disappeared.

Sea_Shell

The_Green_Hornet said:

Sea_Shell said:

confederated said:

I have a Google Pixel so when I receive a call from an unknown number I press the ‘screen call’ button and Google answers the call and asks who the caller is and what do they want. The caller’s response comes up on screen and I can intercept if it’s a call I want. If it’s a scammer they ALWAYS disconnect. For the past year I have never had to speak to a scammer or cold-caller.

Which model?

Does the 8a have this feature and does it need enabling?

I haven't had any calls from unknown numbers since I've had my new phone, so haven't seen this button.

Screen your calls before you answer them - Phone app Help

It says on my phone that this service MAY incur a charge!

How and what might this charge be?

flaneurs_lobster

Sea_Shell said:

The_Green_Hornet said:

Sea_Shell said:

confederated said:

I have a Google Pixel so when I receive a call from an unknown number I press the ‘screen call’ button and Google answers the call and asks who the caller is and what do they want. The caller’s response comes up on screen and I can intercept if it’s a call I want. If it’s a scammer they ALWAYS disconnect. For the past year I have never had to speak to a scammer or cold-caller.

Which model?

Does the 8a have this feature and does it need enabling?

I haven't had any calls from unknown numbers since I've had my new phone, so haven't seen this button.

Screen your calls before you answer them - Phone app Help

It says on my phone that this service MAY incur a charge!

How and what might this charge be?

Charge from the network.

Can only think that this is true for any call that you answer but only in very specific (exceptional) circumstances, like receiving a call when roaming. Paying for incoming calls is/was a feature in some US PAYG plans.

Think they are just covering their bottoms, there COULD be a charge if Google answers the call vs, not answering the call.

Sea_Shell

flaneurs_lobster said:

Sea_Shell said:

The_Green_Hornet said:

Sea_Shell said:

confederated said:

I have a Google Pixel so when I receive a call from an unknown number I press the ‘screen call’ button and Google answers the call and asks who the caller is and what do they want. The caller’s response comes up on screen and I can intercept if it’s a call I want. If it’s a scammer they ALWAYS disconnect. For the past year I have never had to speak to a scammer or cold-caller.

Which model?

Does the 8a have this feature and does it need enabling?

I haven't had any calls from unknown numbers since I've had my new phone, so haven't seen this button.

Screen your calls before you answer them - Phone app Help

It says on my phone that this service MAY incur a charge!

How and what might this charge be?

Charge from the network.

Can only think that this is true for any call that you answer but only in very specific (exceptional) circumstances, like receiving a call when roaming. Paying for incoming calls is/was a feature in some US PAYG plans.

Think they are just covering their bottoms, there COULD be a charge if Google answers the call vs, not answering the call.

Thanks.   Have to investigate ASDA mobile then 😉

confederated

I have never been charged for an incoming call, no matter who or which service answers it. It simply isn’t a thing.

Slinky

confederated said:

I have never been charged for an incoming call, no matter who or which service answers it. It simply isn’t a thing.

It did used to be a thing years ago - 2020 I was charged for receiving calls in Turkey from a UK number, but the world of telephony was a very different place then.

PRAISETHESUN

confederated said:

I have never been charged for an incoming call, no matter who or which service answers it. It simply isn’t a thing.

Yea, I've only ever been charged for receiving calls whilst roaming. Never known it for domestic calls

harz99

As far as receiving an unsolicited call about your accounts from a bank or other financial institution is concerned, they just don't make them...it is far easier and safer for a bank or building society to simply put a temporary block on all your accounts and wait for you to contact them about it, and/or write an old school letter asking you to contact them, which is what Tesco used to do.

It's happened to me a few times with a variety of accounts, and yes it's a pain in the rectum, but ultimately secures my accounts from being scammed.

Section62

harz99 said:

As far as receiving an unsolicited call about your accounts from a bank or other financial institution is concerned, they just don't make them...

Not true.

I've had unsolicited calls from banks relating to transactions and account openings/closures.

My brother also had a call out of the blue when he made a series of transactions outside his normal pattern and the caller wanted him to confirm they were genuine within a couple of hours otherwise they would be cancelled.  Classic scammer behaviour (putting pressure on with a deadline), but a genuine call from one of the big banks.

Eco_Miser

harz99 said:

As far as receiving an unsolicited call about your accounts from a bank or other financial institution is concerned, they just don't make them..

They do.

I once received a call from the Fraud department of Yorkshire Bank (yes, quite a while ago), before I'd even finished entering the authorisation code for the transaction they were querying - very on the ball.

On another occasion I received a call about a payment I'd made to a builder. I suspect it went to a personal account, raising their suspicions.

OK. Strictly, they were about transactions, not accounts, but they show that banks make unsolicited calls.