Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone is keeping safe and on the lookout for scams. I have another example to share with you all of a, particularly nasty scam.
Consumers are being cold-called by individuals impersonating employees of legitimate mobile network operators and suppliers.
Victims are offered early handset upgrades, or new contracts, at significant discounts. Once customers have been convinced that the deals are genuine and agree to proceed, suspects then ask for their online mobile account credentials, including log-ins, address and bank account details.
Suspects then place orders with genuine companies on behalf of victims, however, select a different handset to that requested and have it shipped to the customer’s address.
Upon receipt, suspects assure victims that this has been an error and instruct them to ‘return’ the handset to a different address not affiliated with the mobile company. These addresses are usually residential. Upon intercepting the ‘returned’ handsets, the suspects cease contact and victims find themselves stuck with no phone and liable for the entirety of a new contract taken out in their name.
The advice given by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau is:
- If you receive a cold call about mobile upgrades and contracts and you are unsure that the person calling you is an official representative of the company they claim to be from, hang up and do not reveal any personal information.
- Only contact your mobile network provider on a number you know to be correct, an examples would be 150 for BT. If you are unsure of the number, visit the company website's contact page
- If you receive a device that you did not order or expect, contact the genuine sender immediately. The details for this will be within the parcel.
- NEVER post a device directly to a given address. All genuine Mobile Network Operators would send out a jiffy bag for you to return without you incurring additional cost.
Stay safe and please share this example with your friends and family.
Cheers
Sean
