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Original poster

Possible scam phone call

14 replies

HopeGarden · 05/10/2018 14:05

Just had a call from someone claiming to be from BT.

Apparently my internet has been hacked, criminals have been doing illegal stuff with my internet, the police cyber crimes unit has been in touch with BT and they were calling on behalf of BT to secure my internet for me.

I thought this all sounded like a scam, told him so and hung up.

This does sound like a scam, right? No need to call BT and apologise for hanging up on their call centre people?

Aside from anything else, surely if the man on the phone was being truthful and cyber crimes worthy of police investigation were going on, surely the police would have been knocking at the door before BT rang to secure my internet?

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 05/10/2018 14:07

I wojldntwouldnt say that’s a scam, yes. “Calling on behalf of BT” rather than actually being BT.

SoupDragon · 05/10/2018 14:07

Would say.

Autocorrect is having a bad day.

amicissimma · 05/10/2018 14:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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Fightthebear · 05/10/2018 14:12

A classic scam!

If you’re in any doubt call BT on their official number and check.

Lindy2 · 05/10/2018 14:12

It's 100% a scam.
I run a neighbourhood watch group and we have been warned about this. Hanging up was exactly the right thing to do.

Peacon · 05/10/2018 14:13

I have had this phone call every day now for a week, even a had a message telling me my internet would be switched off within 24 hours. It’s a
Scam. I still answer the phone as I have the time and like messing with them, they always hang up.

foxyknoxy30 · 05/10/2018 14:13

Work in fraud bt and hmrc are the biggest scams just now going around

SpeckleDust · 05/10/2018 14:18

I’ve just had similar (but not as dramatic) from someone claiming to be from Talk Talk about our router bring faulty.

I said ‘bullshit’ before they’d got through their second sentence but they were very persistent. I asked huom for his name and Dept and said I’d call back through the Talk Talk number on my bill. He tried to give me his number to call back on so I just put the phone down.

It was a few minutes later that I realised we’re not even with Talk Talk for our internet Grin

I’d love to have a better response for the scam-callers.

Lindy2 · 05/10/2018 14:19

A statement issued by our local police last month.

"Please be on your guard - we are investigating after a man lost more than £200,000 from his online bank accounts after falling victim to an internet hub scam.The victim received a phone call from BT advising him that his internet hub had been hacked and that the caller needed to access it remotely to resolve the problem. The caller even provided the victim's unique BT customer number. The caller rang back several times and managed to steal £220,000 from four separate online bank accounts belonging to the victim."

LIZS · 05/10/2018 14:21

We get variants of this at least once a week.

Tequilamockinbird · 05/10/2018 14:24

I work for BT.

It's a scam.

FluffyPersian · 05/10/2018 14:26

I work in IT Security and we get calls to our landline on a weekly basis with people claiming to be from Microsoft and BT.... I figure if I've got 5 minutes to spare, then I'd rather they talk to me than phone the next person on the list who happens to be elderly and vulnerable.

So, tend to go along with it... 'Oh gosh! no! Really? I was wondering why the internet was getting so slow! That's terrible? WHATEVER SHALL I DO?'

They tell you to go to a website (don't), and typically want you to download various (malicious) files or give them your IP address so they can remotely connect to your machine and they can install malware on your computer.

So, they say 'Got to this address' 'Of course, hang on.. just getting back to the computer... (take 2 minutes as I live in such a big house) and then I say 'Hang on.. I need to turn it on... now, where's the power cable (take another 2 minutes to 'turn it on')... right, now what do you want? 'That website address, OK... Hrm, it's not working, it's saying it's unavailable'

Get them to repeat it a few times and exclaim 'Oh God! It must be the hackers! I have no internet connection!'

etc etc etc...

If they want your IP address, have a fake one to hand (192.123.456.7) and then claim 'But I didn't set it up, I don't know what I'm doing'

My best was keeping someone on the phone for 35 minutes Smile

In case of doubt:

  1. Microsoft would NEVER phone up and tell you your computer has a virus
  2. BT would NEVER phone up and tell you your computer has a virus
  3. NEVER give any details your computer over the phone
  4. NEVER go to a random website if a stranger tells you to on the phone
Buxtonstill · 05/10/2018 16:05

My Mum (80) doesn't even have a smartphone, let alone a router. They rang her up and tried this one, and she was a bit bored so strung them along for 5-10 minutes. When she told him she didn't even have a pc, when he wanted a credit card number to help him fix her PC he got very exasperated and shouted down the phone, in a Nigerian accent 'Give me the money, I am your father' WTF? Totally random thing to say. Had probably been watching Eastenders to improve his English!

shoeshoesshoes · 19/04/2019 12:54

I got a phone call yesterday. Asian man claiming to be from BT Open reach. Told me I had had slow internet speed for the last few days. Ok I said. He asked me if I had my computer switched on. Told him no. Could I go to my computer and switch it on. Ok I said. I keep a referee type whistle on a lanyard in my jeans pocket. So I took it out and BLEW!!!!

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