Scam caller?

[SteveEA2017]

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?

[iniltous]

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.

[gg30340]

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

[SteveEA2017]

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

[SteveEA2017]

Thanks

[SteveEA2017]

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.

[Keith_Beddoe]

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

[rbz5416]

@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.

[SteveEA2017]

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.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@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/bt460...

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