WTF IS THIS ENTITLED MESSAGE FROM FRIEND!!!

Any advice for me on UK pensions? I've never been to Ukraine, but have been to Spain.

It's a good job you did this otherwise you would never have known she was scamming people!!! Unbelievable! I hope they get their money back from the scammy friend. I'd block her.

Kyiv is not affected by war? Are you for real? They are bombed daily/ nightly. Also, a lot of people in Lviv and Kyiv are already internal refugees from areas that are made unliveable, and some moved on to live abroad. Most refugees I know are from the war torn areas.

There are wealthy Ukrainians living abroad now but would you expect people not to flee the war simply because they have money?

They would not be entitled to any UK pensions, as far as I know, unless they paid into it/ unless its part of the benefits package - which would not apply if they are wealthy/ have Spanish papers.

Your friend sounds like an absolute dick!
Firstly, you never give out a number that isn’t your own without the explicit permission of the person who owns the number.
Secondly, your mate doesn’t get to tell you what to do! WTAF is she thinking “you will tell them everything they need to know” She needs to fuck right off with that attitude.

I would be giving my “friend” an absolute bollocking for this. And telling her she needs to contact these people and say she made a mistake and you can’t help them. (Even if in reality you could, that’s not her decision to make!) And I certainly wouldn’t be answering my phone to any unknown numbers

I would be very tempted to answer the phone and say "sorry, wrong number"

And tell your "friend" to fuck off

Dont get involved at all. Most ukranian “refugees” are from Lviv Kiev etc areas not affected by the war,I have EU family members doing business in Ukraine,sometimes 45min drive from the front line, it is not Gaza there. I once couldnt huy Pellegrino water from Tesco,shop assisstant said its due to ukranian war (lack of Italian water??), so asked family member to pop into supermarket near the front line and tell me if they had it- of course and many more,shops are better stocked than shops in the UK, restaurants are open,nightclubs are open,hotels are open,life is usual minus occasional air sirens but russians are targetting military sites only theres very low risk to civilians. The refugees in Europe have had a great chance for something that was impossible for an average ukranian before the military operation, access to EU, UK, Canada etc- their average salary there is 180USD a month, with tight visa requirements before and small incomes like this,its a golden ticket now to move out.

Why are you even asking us? Why did you expect them to be refugees? Why does that change the fact you offered to help them. Just block them and tell them to ask Chat GPT if you don't want to help? Are you an expert in pensions or something? Strange post.

I think your husband is wrong with the word "entitled," but there's nothing wrong with your replying, "I'll try to find the time for them, but in the future please don't give out my number to strangers - and please don't make appointments for me, considering that we're not much in touch so you don't know my schedule."

As a retired pensions professional the one thing I would never have done would be to have given pensions advice in circumstances where I wasn't covered by my employer's indemnity insurance like - for instance - being rung up by random Spanish Ukrainians (or whatever they are).

Decline any knowledge OP and block your "friend".

Edited for typo.

Pretending to be your own mother on an internet forum doesn't seem odd to you?

I studied law at uni so I have quite a few lawyer friends and I’m super protective of their details!

I’ve had two different friends (at different times) tell me they’re going to ask my commercial lawyer friend (who they only know through me) for legal advice.

I told both of them not to as one was wanting family law advice, the other criminal law involving CSA. I just didn’t think it was appropriate to go asking for free advice like that even if it was her speciality.

One of them ignored me and contacted her by facebook anyway which pissed me off, but anyway the point is I’d never just have passed on her number like that.

Are you sure it's not a scam text. Trying to rope you in to handing over info/bank details. Sounds a bit suss to me

I do hope you contacted your 'friend ' and told her in no uncertain terms not to involve you in any more of her scams, then blocked her number.

I would advise the Ukrainians that you have no idea what or why the ex-friend charged them for your services, but it is nothing to do with you. I would also message friend to demand that they refund to these people as you are not providing any kind of service for her to profit from.

I write ‘Mom’, I’m Worcestershire, it’s a thing up here in the West Midlands.

Rest of thread sounds dodgy though 😂

I hope you’ve messaged your friend that you’re horrified she’s scamming innocent people, and not to pull you into her criminal activities?? I’d just message them saying I’m very sorry, but she seems to have scammed you. I didn’t know that she did this at all, and here are all the contact details I have for her to help you track her down or report her. I’d send them email, any addresses, full name, siblings etcs details if I knew them, Facebook…

Is it? It doesn’t seem very odd to me.

I agree. It’s bonkers. Just don’t answer the call. Tell your mate to tell them to google whatever they need to know.

"Please don't give my number out to random people in future." Then block her.

[Random people call] "Sorry, who is this? I'm afraid you have the wrong number." Then block them.

Quicker to read OP’s updates than type all that out.

Are you certain it’s from your friend and her number hasn’t been hacked? I would be very careful and would say no - I wouldn’t be answering the phone to anyone I didn’t know.

If you are pretty sure they are in OK circumstances and not suffering or in danger, I’d answer their call and say ypur friend was mistaken in giving them your number because you can’t help. Goodbye.

Pensions are massively complicated and involve investment advice which is regulated so I would not answer anything and just suggest they see an IFA. I would also be massively annoyed that a FB friend gave your number to strangers.

How strange that they are interested in UK pensions given they live abroad. Sounds very fishy.

She shouldn't be giving your number to anyone.