This topic

MyBT - BT account hacked?

johnaclark — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 13:15:32 GMT

Long phone-call this morning from someone claiming to be from BT - all the usual signs of a scam, but they knew my name, postcode, sent me emails and text messages with a pin number as from btcomms@info.bt.com - and they knew my BT account number! Claimed my email (an outlook.com address) was 'compromised' and other people could use/read messages - got as far as anydesk and running wc3 validator to prove there were 'errors' (though he couldn't explain what the errors meant). Tried putting the phone down twice and they rang back. When he asked me to log in to online banking to see if there were any unexplained withdrawals - I said I wouldn't do so while he was sitting there and put the phone down again. The phone rang twice more but I let it ring. (Which presumably means they hadn't got everything they wanted to know.) They eventually gave up.

What details have I already given out?

And now when I try to log in to My BT it takes me to what looks like my home page, and has my 'details', but doesn't show my account number (just 'Account1'), has an out-of-date second email address, doesn't list the 'products' I have (broadband, landline) and won't let me check my bills. Allowed me to change my password, but still takes me to the same wrong home page.

Not sure how to contact BT!

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

johnaclark — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 13:30:31 GMT

PS - just tried 'Forgotten login details' - it doesn't recognise either of my email addresses or my landline phone number (claims the landline number doesn't exist - though it certainly still working!)

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

licquorice — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 13:43:41 GMT

Call customer services
0330 1234 150

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

johnaclark — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 13:54:37 GMT

PS Update - Managed to log in to My BT on my tablet - took me to my proper home page with my account number, my bills, my products etc - so it's my laptop keeps diverting me to the fake site!

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

gg30340 — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 14:34:16 GMT

You could have malware on your laptop. You need to run a scan for malware.

You can down load and run the free adwcleaner from Malwarebytes which will scan and locate any malware on your laptop.

EDIT: You should also clear your web browsers history and cookies then restart the web browser after doing that.

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

johnaclark — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 15:05:43 GMT

Thanks, Malwarebytes reports clear. Discovered I could log in to My BT properly in Chrome, it was only Edge that diverted me to the fake site. Deleted all bt relevant passwords in Edge's 'wallet' (including one I didn't recognise and certainly hadn't created!), and found I could now log in with my new password to the genuine site, with all my bills, products etc. Changed password again anyway! My concern is that they knew my BT account number which even BT blank out most of in emails.

The other worry is the usual advice 'just hang up' - in this case they just kept phoning back!

(Does BT use Indian call-centres?)

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

licquorice — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 15:10:26 GMT

@johnaclark wrote:

(Does BT use Indian call-centres?)

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

gg30340 — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 15:10:56 GMT

BT no longer use Indian call centres.

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

johnaclark — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 15:22:27 GMT

I wish I'd known that!

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

gg30340 — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 15:31:15 GMT

Did you give the scammer access to your computer or download anything that the scammer gave you a link to?

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

johnaclark — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 16:24:30 GMT

Much against my better judgement - anydesk -

when he asked me to login to online banking is when I gave up, put the phone down and let it ring when he phoned back

But I use Barclays PIN-sentry for banking, so there's no pin number stored on the computer?

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

gg30340 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 12:17:21 GMT

I hope you have uninstalled "anydesk" or what ever it was that you allowed the hackers to use.

I would suggest that you use a different computer to change all your passwords on all your accounts/services that use passwords and after you have done that you start your computer up in safe mode, you can search the Internet how to do that depending on what operating system you have, and once it starts in safe mode carry out a full antivirus scan and malware scan again.

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

johnaclark — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 12:34:35 GMT

Thanks for all the advice - I've been busy locking the stable door and cursing myself for falling for it - it's my curiosity that leads me sometimes to go along with a scam to find out how it works, and spot the hook before it bites.

However, the original reason I posted it here was because it wasn't a random attack - it was targeted at me as a BT customer (I've talked to someone at BT - at least I hope it was BT! - about this).

They already knew when they phoned me on my landline:

my name

my landline number

my address (at least postcode)

my btinternet.com email address - they sent me a very realistic BT email with a 'BT ID PIN' to confirm

my mobile number - a typical 'Hello, BT here' text with the same BT ID PIN

and, clincher, my BT account number (I have a separate note of it and I asked them to recite it for me to confirm)

And in spite of all the warning bells, that's what persuaded me it was BT who were phoning.

My concern for the BT Community is how they acquired this information and whether other BT customers are in danger of receiving similar approaches.

My only cause for optimism is that after I'd eventually had enough ('please log in to online banking to see if there are any suspicious withdrawals'), hung up the phone and turned the laptop off, they tried ringing back several times - I finally let it ring out - which suggests they hadn't actually got everything they expected!

Although Malwarebytes reports it's clear, I'm still concerned that they might have downloaded something malicious and set boobytraps. And in the longer term, that they've harvested personal information from my hard disk to sell on for identity theft. There's everything from childhood photographs to my Will! Presumably I won't know until I start getting final demands for someone else's debts!

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

Les-Gibson — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 14:38:42 GMT

No genuine callers will ask you to install any software on any of your devices so don't do it.

BT used to use 3rd party Indian contractors many, many moons ago and it's my (unproven) theory that some lowlife has somehow obtained some data which should have been securely destroyed.

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

Jane2018 — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 14:55:55 GMT

Anydesk means l your files.your computer so might have copied all your files. So check if there is anything on there that might be like a password or confidential financial information.

I get called from India almost every day - I had another one today - always saying something ilke they are BT or Amazon or even the information commissioner - or Microsoft. Today they said they were bank security. I just hang up.

However in your case it is interesting they had all your BT details including account number so they must have obtained that from somewhere eg a criminal at BT in England.

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

iniltous — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 15:41:34 GMT

Most BT ID ‘s are the users email address ,and likely to be @btinternet.com , clicking the ‘forgotten login details’ link , generates a text/email to the phone/email address the BT customer entered when they set up their BT access in the first place , so the scammer doesn’t necessarily know anything other than your email address ( the poster that accused a BT employee has absolutely no evidence of such a wild malicious accusation ) ,

The scammer state that if they can text you or email you they must be from BT , when in truth all they have done is put your email address in as the BT ID and clicked the forgotten login details link , the text etc. is genuinely from BT sent to your recorded details, obviously anyone can get to this from BT.com, and tell you they sent the text or email , when in truth, they simply initiated the ’ forgot login details’ process

There are many ways your ( landline ) phone number and name could become known to the scammer , leaked or sold from anyone or anywhere, and you know you were reckless in the extreme to download anything at the behest of anyone , especially someone making a unsolicited call ….did you handover control of your PC , or simply installed Anydesk ?

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

Les-Gibson — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 15:42:40 GMT

@iniltouswrote:
Most BT ID ‘s are the users email address ,and likely to be @btinternet.com , clicking the ‘forgotten login details’ link , generates a text/email to the phone/email address the BT customer entered when they set up their BT access in the first place , so the scammer doesn’t necessarily know anything other than your email address ( the poster that accused a BT employee has absolutely no evidence of such a wild malicious accusation ) ,
The scammer state that if they can text you or email you they must be from BT , when in truth all they have done is put your email address in as the BT ID and clicked the forgotten login details link , the text etc. is genuinely from BT sent to your recorded details, obviously anyone can get to this from BT.com, and tell you they sent the text or email , when in truth, they simply initiated the ’ forgot login details’ process

There are many ways your ( landline ) phone number and name could become known to the scammer ( leaked or sold from anyone or anywhere, and as a TBH , you know you were reckless in the extreme to download anything at the behest of anyone , especially someone making a unsolicited call ….did you handover control of your PC , or simply installed Anydesk ?

Who said that?

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

johnaclark — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 15:46:09 GMT

Thank you for the explanation - does this also give the BT Account number?

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

johnaclark — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 15:49:47 GMT

Well they've obviously done something - I'm locked out of Facebook, I think they've changed my password!

Re: MyBT - BT account hacked?

DanielS — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 16:36:46 GMT

Hi @johnaclark,

Being locked out of Facebook is linked to a wider fault that they're experiencing.

I just tried mine again and got back in after being locked out too.

It's worth giving it a try again.

Thanks,

DanielS