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Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

AndreaLechner — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 12:39:13 GMT

Last week I answered a call on the BT landline. It was from someone claiming to be from Open Reach (BT) calling about my router problems, being hacked (yawn, I thought, not that old chestnut again). Anyway, after 5-10 minutes I got bored with the idiocy of the caller, clearly a fraudster as wanted access to my laptop to fix the hack. I told him I knew this was fraudulent and to never call my number again. Since then telephone terror. I receive calls from Indian numbers numerous times a day. As soon as I block a number, they dial through with a slightly different number. I called BT yesterday who said they'd block calls that are computer generated and at 7:57am this morning, I had the first call. As I still work from home, I do not have the time or energy to answer the fraudulent calls (they now hang up as soon as I answer anyway). I have now blocked all calls via 1572. The problem is that my partner is expecting important calls regarding surgery and for some reason, how ever many times we tell the hospital to ring the mobile, they still ring the landline. We are petrified to miss an important call re surgery, but I cannot sit here with the telephone shrilling every 30 minutes. Please BT, do something.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

GeoffSmith — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 12:50:25 GMT

@AndreaLechnerwrote:
Last week I answered a call on the BT landline. It was from someone claiming to be from Open Reach (BT) calling about my router problems, being hacked (yawn, I thought, not that old chestnut again). Anyway, after 5-10 minutes I got bored with the idiocy of the caller, clearly a fraudster as wanted access to my laptop to fix the hack. I told him I knew this was fraudulent and to never call my number again. Since then telephone terror. I receive calls from Indian numbers numerous times a day. As soon as I block a number, they dial through with a slightly different number. I called BT yesterday who said they'd block calls that are computer generated and at 7:57am this morning, I had the first call. As I still work from home, I do not have the time or energy to answer the fraudulent calls (they now hang up as soon as I answer anyway). I have now blocked all calls via 1572. The problem is that my partner is expecting important calls regarding surgery and for some reason, how ever many times we tell the hospital to ring the mobile, they still ring the landline. We are petrified to miss an important call re surgery, but I cannot sit here with the telephone shrilling every 30 minutes. Please BT, do something.

I raised the problem of these (apparently spoofed) +91 calls not being treated as International calls, which should be junked, but have had no response.

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Unwanted-International-calls/m-p/2178714#M78277

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

nigelparker349 — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 12:56:13 GMT

I get frequent scam calls to my landline and almost daily scam emails purporting to come from BT. I have sent two emails to senior BT managers asking what they are doing to address this, or if as I suspect, they are powerless to stop it then to admit the fact publicly that they can do nothing to protect their customers. I have had no response.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 13:06:48 GMT

@AndreaLechner

A better option is to use a phone with BT Call Guardian, like the BT4600, instead of using BT Call protect.

That will block 100% of scam calls, while still allowing calls that you want to receive.

New callers that are not in the phone`s directory, have to announce themselves first. Scam callers never do that.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

AndreaLechner — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 13:49:24 GMT

I really don't want to pay for something else especially not as this is effectively harassment and fraud and there should be a responsibility for the provider to do more.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

GeoffSmith — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 14:28:37 GMT

@AndreaLechnerwrote:
I really don't want to pay for something else especially not as this is effectively harassment and fraud and there should be a responsibility for the provider to do more.

Too right!

When one's Call Protect settings say no International calls BT should not allow any such calls through whether they are from actual numbers or spoofed.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

licquorice — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 15:11:33 GMT

Do you seriously think that if it were simple to implement a block on spoofed calls, BT and all the other telcos wouldn't have done something by now.

It is a worldwide problem and extremely difficult to deal with.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

AndreaLechner — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 15:39:16 GMT

Why so defensive of BT?! Actually, I don't think BT and other telecoms providers do enough to protect paying customers from scams and fraudsters. These are global corporations which make a lot of money for their shareholders and it is high time that they put more of this money (the money we pay them) into developing systems that protect their customers better from what is effectively harassment and unlawful activity. Is there a simple answer, probably not; that doesn't mean they shouldn't try better and harder.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

AndreaLechner — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 15:45:20 GMT

Actually, just looking back to the previous message and it is apparently easy to block these calls by purchasing BT4200. Hence it is perfectly possible to block all the harassment and fraudulent calls. BT simply insist that the customer who is already paying an arm and a leg pay an additional body part for the better and additional protection.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

nigelparker349 — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 15:45:58 GMT

I take the point about how difficult it is to stop scammers. I just wish that BT would be upfront and address the problem candidly. BT invite us to send examples of phishing emails to them but I don't see that there is any point in doing so. It would make me feel better if they said "We're sorry that you receive hundreds of scam emails and calls. There is not much we can do about it. We'll keep trying."

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

licquorice — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 15:59:28 GMT

@AndreaLechner wrote:
Why so defensive of BT?!

I'm not defensive of BT, just a realist.

If it were easy for a telco to stop scammers, one of them would have done it by now and totally cleared up the market with it as a unique selling point.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 16:05:49 GMT

@AndreaLechner wrote:

Actually, just looking back to the previous message and it is apparently easy to block these calls by purchasing BT4200. Hence it is perfectly possible to block all the harassment and fraudulent calls. BT simply insist that the customer who is already paying an arm and a leg pay an additional body part for the better and additional protection.

All the BT4600 does is to implement a "whitelist" of calls you want to receive without them being intercepted. All other callers, including withheld numbers, have to say who they are before they can get through.

Your phone will ring and displays "Announce". You then listed to who they say they are, and can then decide whether to speak to them.

Its not possible for any phone provider to block calls which have spoofed numbers, as they would still have a valid CLI (Calling Line Identity), even though it may not be real.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

GeoffSmith — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 16:49:12 GMT

@licquoricewrote:
Do you seriously think that if it were simple to implement a block on spoofed calls, BT and all the other telcos wouldn't have done something by now.
It is a worldwide problem and extremely difficult to deal with.

Assuming that was aimed at me, then no I do not expect BT to block all spoofed calls.

When, in Call Protect, I choose not to receive calls from International numbers I do NOT expect to receive daily nuisance calls from +91 numbers, spoofed or real. If BT can't stop +91 numbers from getting through then their Call Protect system is not working.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

gg30340 — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 16:53:04 GMT

Scam calls are computer generated auto dialled call and are made in their millions per day. Generally speaking scam calls start off with nobody at the other end until the person receiving the call either speaks or holds on long enough for the automatically dialled call being transferred to a live scammer.

It is during this period of silence that people should just hang up.

If the person called just hangs up immediately rather than engaging with the scammer it is more often than not enough to stop anymore such calls.

If the receiver does not hang up , depending on the response the scammer gets dictates what happens there after.

If the person called engages with the scammer the scammer then knows that they have a) a live recipient and b) a person possibly ripe for being scammed.

This will result in the person called phone number being marked as such. The result is then even more calls from a multitude of scammers.

The best advice is if you receive a call that on you answering with "Hello" or what ever greeting you use is met initially with silence it means that you are receiving an auto dialled call and you should just hang up at that point.

If it is a genuine call of any importance the caller will no doubt call you back within a minute or so. Auto dialled scammer calls do not call back.

Just to give an idea of how difficult it is to block such calls, the USA recorded 4.4 billion autocalls in one month alone so you can imagine how many are made world wide in a year!

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

GeoffSmith — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 16:58:49 GMT

Well that's three "Distinguished Sages" who miss the point!

"No International calls" means just that. Turning all +91 calls, spoofed or real, to junk is what the customer expects and BT is failing to do so.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

NigelB72 — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 17:06:15 GMT

@GE the calls aren't originating from +91 country code, they're being made through data connections which is why their country of origin isn't being picked up. Technically they're coming via a VoIP connection but without SIP authentication. Effectively, they just plug a microphone into a computer and use free telephony software...

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

licquorice — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 17:10:19 GMT

@GeoffSmith wrote:

Well that's three "Distinguished Sages" who miss the point!

"No International calls" means just that. Turning all +91 calls, spoofed or real, to junk is what the customer expects and BT is failing to do so.

Its you missing the point, it wasn't an International call, ergo it wasn't blocked. It was a spoofed call.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

gg30340 — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 17:18:24 GMT

@GeoffSmith wrote:

Well that's three "Distinguished Sages" who miss the point!

"No International calls" means just that. Turning all +91 calls, spoofed or real, to junk is what the customer expects and BT is failing to do so.

I have not missed the point. I never even tried to answer your point about international calls but if I was I would point out that they are NOT international calls. They are computer generated calls that purport to be international.

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

GeoffSmith — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 17:18:14 GMT

@licquoricewrote:
@GeoffSmithwrote:
Well that's three "Distinguished Sages" who miss the point!
"No International calls" means just that. Turning all +91 calls, spoofed or real, to junk is what the customer expects and BT is failing to do so.
Its you missing the point, it wasn't an International call, ergo it wasn't blocked. It was a spoofed call.

If a customer has set Call Protect to "No International calls" then it's perfectly clear that they don't want any calls purporting to be International, whether real or not.

Are you seriously saying that BT cannot turn all +91 numbered calls, wherever they originate, to junk?

Re: Call Protect and Fraudulent Computer Generated Calls from Indian numbers

gg30340 — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 17:21:49 GMT

@GeoffSmith wrote:

@licquoricewrote:

@GeoffSmithwrote:

Well that's three "Distinguished Sages" who miss the point!

"No International calls" means just that. Turning all +91 calls, spoofed or real, to junk is what the customer expects and BT is failing to do so.

Its you missing the point, it wasn't an International call, ergo it wasn't blocked. It was a spoofed call.

If a customer has set Call Protect to "No International calls" then it's perfectly clear that they don't want any calls purporting to be International, whether real or not.

Are you seriously saying that BT cannot turn all +91 numbered calls, wherever they originate, to junk?

You would appear to have a problem understanding that the number that the call purports to be from has been spoofed and is not a genuine number. I suggest that you read up on spoofed numbers and how computer generated calls differ from genuine calls.