Just got scammed out of almost 1k

[BonneMamanAbricot]

Please be so careful of phone calls from your bank. Always call them back, as caller ID can be faked. My actual bank said they had never seen this scam. They duplicated everything, all the spiels, the robot connecting voice, the hold music.

Second month of being paid after 5 months of no income. Back to nothing again. FFS.

I've received convincing scam calls too. But I've been lucky I spotted them.

No matter how careful you are though, these b@st@rds are relentless.

I'm so sorry @BonneMamanAbricot they seem to pick on people at their most vulnerable time too.

It isn't exactly true that your bank will never, ever call you. It is true they will never, ever ask you for any account details or passwords if they have called you though. Coop fraud called me afew times when I have transferred larger sums overnight. They freeze the transaction and then the fraud department calls in the morning and asks only about the transaction you were making and if you meant to make it. If you did they will either unfreeze the transaction or ask you to log into your account as normal and reconfirm the transaction. They never, ever ask for any security details or account numbers because they do not discuss the account - just the particular transaction.

I'm sorry. I can't believe they get away with what they do. Many victims would have gone into their bank to sort out the problem, but guess what, it was turned into a wine bar years ago. Older members of my family have only suffered from these scams in the last few decades, when they were forced to do so because branches shut (I know it's not all older people, but a lot of victims are).
They don't have email addresses. They don't answer their phones quickly, so contacting them for help is difficult.

What if it was you, or someone you knew who was 'gullible'. It can happen to anyone you just need to be caught at the wrong moment. You could just a easily get scammed scanning a QR code that's dodgy, logging into your bank via a WiFi hotspot with out in a cafe etc. If you are grossly negligent you are not covered.

this happened to me, someone scammed me of £200 or so through pay pal. They sent a code which I needed to say to confirm my identity. I was also rushed and panicked like you. I realised straight away, phoned my bank and stopped my card and paypal account. In my case the bank paid it back and paypal paid my bank back. I am surprised your bank is not doing so.

I think everyone is very sympathetic and it must have been unpleasant and mortifying for you to realize you’d been done. Not to mention the significant financial loss.

Apologies if this got answered in the last ten pages, which I haven’t read: I still don’t understand why the OTP code went to the scammer, not to you. Had the scammer actually logged in to your online/mobile banking to do this, do you think? But how could he get in without your fingerprints/face/password. And why was there only one code and automated call, for several transactions. I think others are still struggling with this and it would help prevent recurrences if this were clearer.

I really hope the bank reimburses you.

You surely wouldn't use a public QR code though, these are well known that they can be fake, especially in car parks

I hope you get your money back this is awful.

A lot of people still use them not knowing, not everyone has the awareness. My parents didn't know until I told them. People rushing to an appointment for example, need to park the car might scan it not even thinking. That's what the scammers rely on, that one lapse in concentration. Did you know the public WiFi at the local cafe etc can be a scammer? No one is perfect and everyone can become a victim.

I don't use public wifi in a cafe, why would I do this.

Just because you don't doesn't mean others don't use public WiFi, or scan QR codes. Stop being so contrary

My bank sends regular emails how to recognise a scam. Plus it says everywhere - bank would never call you! If someone ask you to move money, it's a scam. They will not call! Never! Even through an email they will always send just general information. Everything else comes via post.

People need to stop stating a bank will never call you, banks will sometimes call you. What banks will not do is ask for passwords, OTP, pin numbers or ask you to transfer money. That said, it's still always best to release the call and call the number on the back of your card.

It’s never been answered, I wanted to understand it too as I think it’s important. But if they had access to her OTP either via her phone or app they wouldn’t have needed her once they had her account no and sort code, so it’s confusing.

At the same time, it was giving out those first up that led to the rest so as long as you don’t do that it should be fine.

I once had a txt msg from my bank at 3.45 am querying transactions on my account. In the morning I phoned customer services at Co Op who confirmed the mobile number was from one of their staff in Wales, and they didn’t mind at all that I was checking.

A new messages upthread have answered it, I think. They signed in using my personal details and account details, and then registered their device on my account using the OTP (which I have explained first went to them, not me, and did not come with any explanation or warning from my bank). Once their device was registered they had access to my account, locked me out, and set up multiple payments and transfers without the need for further verification.

I think this is the main thing people were stuck on, myself included. Most people know not to give out a code to anyone, but this scammer did not ask me for a code, he gave me the code and told me to verify it. And because he received the code, he received the security warnings, not me. So we need to be careful - not just of giving codes but receiving them as well.

Yes, exactly.
I always say to them "but you called me so you have these details anyway" and it really annoys them, but too bad.

Yes but it’s never been explained how your OTP went to them, that’s the point. That’s a crucial detail.

If the bank already refused to refund you, maybe you could try and complain through Resolver ? I used that website once and it worked, because it allows to escalate to the ombudsman if they keep refusing, and the whole process is free.

She has been refunded now.

She got her money back about 200 posts ago, you can click on see all to keep up to date

When they accessed my account using the information they already had plus what they asked me for, they registered their device onto my account. They then got the OTP and related security warnings sent to their device. I then got the verification call on my phone, telling me to key in the code.

They could have cloned your SIM card or swapped your SIM.

https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Mobile/How-can-SIM-swap-fraud-be-prevented/td-p/2420920

https://www.natwest.com/fraud-and-security/fraud-guide/sim-swapping-scams.html

@BonneMamanAbricot I am so glad the bank refunded you the money. It sounds like a very complicated and sophisticated scam and I'm not surprised you fell for it. I guess the take-away from this for all of us, as well as you, is if anything like this happens when we are busy and not able to give undivided attention to what is being said, tell them you will phone them back and be ultra careful of what is being asked for/said. It's so easy to do.

The OTP you entered on their phone was them registering the device on your account according to posters here.