Scam Phone calls

[blondie1]

We have had a number of phone calls claiming to be from BT regarding our internet being compromised.  If myself or my husband answer them we put the receiver down immediately.  Unfortunately our teenage daughter answered the phone to one and spoke to them they told her our internet was being used by a Californian address and gave her our IP address and the caller confirmed our address much to my dismay.  She then told them she would try it later, put the phone down and inputted it into her phone which showed a Californian address.  My concern is what can they do with our IP address and will it have any impact with my daughter inputting it into her phone.

[licquorice · Accepted solution]

It is of no use to them at all. If you really want to be absolutely certain, just unplug your hub for half an hour and then plug it back in again that will give you a different IP address. Inputting into the phone to check where it was located will do nothing.

[blondie1]

Hi Licquorice,

Thanks for that it puts my mind at ease now.

[captainkirk]

We had a couple of these phone calls too, both on the same day - the number came up on the phone as a UK number which I checked after the calls - it turned out to be a driving school in the midlands which I presume is no longer operating as the website hadn't been updated for a couple of years.  How do they get the numbers or are they randomly selected?

[pippincp]

Just as spam emails can have a spoofed email address or site IP the same can happen with phone calls.

Simple rule of thumb, never give anyone who rings or emails you any personal info or access to you PC, laptop, tablet or mobile. Also with spam emails NEVER click the unsubscribe link that may be present, if you do you've just confimed it's a working email and will be sold on to other spammers.

If you have the time this spam primer is good advice but will take about 20 mins to read but apply the same logic to calls.

Note for Mods: I know it gives an alternative to buy a kindle book but think as I've advised anyone to read it instead I hope I haven't transgressed the forum T's&C's. There is important advice for those who may not be as aware as the rest of us.

[pippincp]

Update, Randy Cassingham the author of the site has got back in touch with me about doing a primer for telephone calls. He thinks it's a wonderful idea but is travelling ATM but will do it when he gets back home.

I've been in touch with Randy for quite a few years and if anyone is worried about the copyright notice on the spam primer site I do have written permission from him to post the link.

FYI he used to work for NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab for many years.

[Andy_N]

Perhaps Randy can update the site to correct what CC stands for. Also it's USA based, so some things don't actually apply, and may not for telephone.

[Andy_N]

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@captainkirkwrote:

We had a couple of these phone calls too, both on the same day - the number came up on the phone as a UK number which I checked after the calls - it turned out to be a driving school in the midlands which I presume is no longer operating as the website hadn't been updated for a couple of years.  How do they get the numbers or are they randomly selected?

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Some numbers are clearly taken from the Ofcom list of numbers ranges not in use, or have special use. Some are legitimate, which can cause issues for the person who's number it is, some could be random. Though it appears not to have happened as yet, they don't seem to pick proper numbers - in a similar way to email spam where spammers "choose" a business to send their spam "From" to damage their reputation etc.

The scammers don't care, since using VoIP systems they spoof the calling number.

[captainkirk]

Thanks for the replies, I didn't realise you could 'spoof' a phone number!

Tracey

[mags2]

For each of the last 4 days, I have had a phone call from a robot purporting to be from BT alleging that "my network is compromised" and to find out more I should "press button 1" on my phone.  Am I correct in assuming that this is a scam?