This topic

Scam caller?

SteveEA2017 — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 13:07:45 GMT

Received a call via my BT landline this morning from a lady claiming to be from BT. Unfortunately the quality of the line was poor and she had a strong Indian accent. From what I could make out, she claimed that someone with a different IP address to my own was piggybacking on my broadband. I explained that I'd not experienced any problems and by way of me trying to verify that she was genuine, I asked her to tell me my name. She was unable to do so and terminated the call.

A couple of minutes later, I received an email from btcomms@info.bt.com with what appeared to be a genuine BT background supplying me with a PIN number. I have no idea what the PIN number is supposed to be used for but as the email was sent to my BT inbox a short time after the call I'm now confused about whether the caller was genuine or not. If so, then surely she would have had access to my BT account and would have been able to provide my name?

After a 1471 check, her phone number is shown as 0175 222 7783. This doesn't appear to be a BT phone number and I'm not about to ring it, in case I end up connected to some premium rate phone line and being billed extortionately. As far as someone piggybacking on my broadband, this may be linked to my VPN which is provided by my internet security app.

Anyone had anything similar and can advise?

Re: Scam caller?

iniltous — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 14:19:12 GMT

Scam , the 01752 is ( on the face if it ) a Plymouth number , so not a premium rate number , so the scam isn’t to get you to call a premium rate number , it’s almost certainly a ‘spoofed’ number anyway, and will have no connection to the Plymouth area, but the subject is typical scam territory, ask you to download something like Anydesk ,because your PC or whatever is compromised, so to get rid of the unauthorised software ( or whatever ) they need to ‘check’ , once they persuade you to do this then they can do whatever they like on your machine , look for financial application etc , install snooping software etc.

Re: Scam caller?

gg30340 — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 14:33:08 GMT

Have a look at this rather long thread and in particular messages 120 which gives good account of the scam.

Re: Scams: Information about scams currently circ... - Page 13 - BT Community

Re: Scam caller?

SteveEA2017 — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:31:29 GMT

Thanks, I've read message 120 and understand from it that somehow this individual has been able to use my landline number to obtain my email address? and therefore has managed to send the email with the PIN number.

Based on this, I've forwarded the email to abuse@bt.com (for all the good that will do) as well as taking a number of steps in regard to my BT email account and landline.

Regards

Re: Scam caller?

SteveEA2017 — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 11:26:59 GMT

Thanks

Re: Scam caller?

SteveEA2017 — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 11:05:21 GMT

These individuals are still at it. Received a couple more calls from them recently - the display number is shown as 01935452924 but when using the 14258 call barring service, again it's from 01752227783. When ringing back, the first is 'unavailable' and the second 'does not accept incoming calls'. Not sure if I'm being targeted specifically or whether they're trying it on elsewhere.

Re: Scam caller?

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 11:11:57 GMT

Just get a call blocking phone like the BT4600, then you will have peace and quiet.

Re: Scam caller?

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 11:18:13 GMT

@SteveEA2017

"These individuals" are working out of huge call centres that are constantly auto-dialling using spoofed telephone numbers that likely don't exist. Often using the same area code as you in an attempt to make you think it's someone local.

As @Keith_Beddoe says, the only solution is call blocking technology.

Re: Scam caller?

SteveEA2017 — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 11:23:46 GMT

Thanks, I've got something similar and I've used the call barring service in an attempt to block the caller. Unfortunately, it seems that when the display number is different from the actual number, then the call is allowed through.

Re: Scam caller?

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 11:54:32 GMT

@SteveEA2017

Blocking the number will not work.

You have to do it the other way around, only allow numbers that you want to receive, i.e. a "whitelist"

BT Call Guardian on the BT4600 does that.

This only allows selected number to get straight through, all others have to announce themselves first, scammers never do that as they use automatic call software.

https://www.bt.com/help/user-guides/phones/landline-phones/cordless-phones-with-answer-machine/bt4600

The BT4600 phone will block all scam caller and only allow numbers through that are stored in the phone`s directory. Other callers will be asked to announce themselves first, or can be just sent to answerphone

Re: Scam caller?

WSH — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 11:55:33 GMT

Personally, I leave it to my answer phone to answer it. If it sounds like something legit. I can pick up and interrupt but I've found that 99% of the time they don't even try and leave a message, they just hang up. Anybody legimate would, of course, leave a message. The exception seems to be the computer generated scam messages...& they are usually transparent enough but also fairly rare.

Re: Scam caller?

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 11:58:19 GMT

The BT phones intercept calls with a prompt for the caller to announce themselves. Only once they’ve done this will unknown callers be put through, where you still have the option to send them to voicemail. Because the scam calls are auto-dialled, they’ll almost never do this as they know it’s a dead end.

Simply blocking a non-existent number that constantly changes is pointless.

Re: Scam caller?

SteveEA2017 — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:37:53 GMT

Thanks to everyone who's replied here. It does seem that technology has moved on since I last updated my landline phone. I have BT's 'Choose To Refuse' service which provides me with the option to bar nuisance numbers but this seems to be out of date now. The BT 4600 does seem to be more capable of blocking nuisance numbers so I'll be making arrangements to update. Is it necessary for me to retain the Choose To Refuse service to allow the BT 4600 to operate correctly or should I opt out of it?

Re: Scam caller?

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:47:50 GMT

@SteveEA2017

You do not need the Choose To Refuse service, and in fact, I do not think its sold any more.

All the phone needs is a working caller display service, which you already have if you can see the number called.

You will need to add the phone numbers that you always want to receive calls from, into the BT4600 phone directory, and enable BT Call Guardian on the phone.

The preferred option is "announce", for all other calls. You can always add any new person that has to announce themselves, to the phone directory.

Re: Scam caller?

SteveEA2017 — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 15:56:20 GMT

Just checked and it's still in my package at £0.00 per month. Seems like something ineffective but likely to tie you to BT instead of another provider. Have ordered a BT 4600 in the hope it will be more effective than my current landline.

I'm hoping someone will invent a phone which sends a powerful electric shock through to any scam caller. One day.

Cheers.