To ask how scammer knew my first name

[DonnaWinter]

I get a lot of these calls from spoof numbers (usually a UK city but when you call it back it doesn’t connect). They usually claim to be from O2 and it’s nearly always someone with a South Asian accent.

Iv never had an 02 account so always know it’s a scam right away. I answered one on Friday and the guy said “Hello Donna, it’s 02”. I was a bit rattled and said “how do you know my name?”, he said “because we have ALL your details”. I said “what details?” and he immediately hung up.

I always thought these calls were opportunistic to random numbers, it’s worrying that they had my name. For clarity I have zero social media presence, absolutely none, so it’s not from that. Anyone else had this experience?

If you've ever signed up to anything online that's got dodgy security or nafarious intentions, they sell your data. So yes, a scammer can easily have your name. But they don't actually know it. If someone calls for 'donna' just say you've never heard of her and ask what they want. Don't answer any questions of affirmatively confirm anything that say.

When a website has had its data breached, often all the data is downloaded, so if you had an account for (just for example) for car insurance quotes, you will have given your name email and phone number. If someone manages to steal data from this site, they have all the info.
Alternatively companies sell data on (often hidden in their marketing terms or done sneakily) so you could have bought something online and had it delivered and again, that information is bundled together if its sold on etc.

Do you have WhatsApp and do you class that as social media?

Yes I have WhatsApp but only use it to arrange meeting up with friends, exactly the same as iMessage or texting?

The thing is my real first name is quite unusual.

Why are you so surprised that they know your name? They know your number, so they would know your name too.

Somewhere, your details have sold.

No, in the past the caller definitely didn’t know my name.

So you're assuming that every call is from the same person?

I'd be surprised if it is

No of course I’m not. I’m just concerned that the scammers are upping their game. In the past it was obvious they were phoning random numbers, now they’re a step closer to knowing who they’re talking to.

They have purchased or stolen data from a company you provided the information to. If you've subscribed to a newsletter, etc, basically anywhere you fill in your details leaves you at risk of the details being sold or stolen, getting quotes for broadband, insurance, new windows......

Thanks everyone I’ll step up my security.

There are absolutely loads of scammers who know different bits of information that they've hacked or bought, it's not like there are a couple of them who know the same stuff

Unfortunately, there are absolutely tons of ways a scammed can know your name these days. Previous posters have suggested some (data breaches and companies selling your info), but it could just as easily be one of your friends being hacked, or one of their friends etc.

Also, don't assume you have no social media presence just because you personally don't subscribe. If any of your friends are on Facebook, I would bet my house that someone has mentioned you somewhere on one of their posts, and Facebook will have started building a profile for you as it will have worked out that someone exists.

It is nigh on impossible to avoid these days, so all you can do is make sure of the folowing:

1. Never use the same password for everything (make sure each thing you use has a different password).
2. Don't use obvious stuff (pet names etc.)
3. Use two factor authentication for everything you can (where they send you a text or get you to confirm some other way that it really is you).
4. Change your passwords regularly.
5. Only ever use a credit card for any remote purchase / Internet purchase.
6. Never use public wifi without a VPN (hotels, coffee bars etc).
7. Don't connect any device to your home network if you can't change the admin password from the default.
8. Make sure you change the default admin passwords for any device you connect to your network.

There are loads more, but that should do you for the short term.

Thank you @HappiestSleeping 🙏

Do you have outlook or hotmail, loads of them were hacked a while ago.

No, just gmail.

You can check here.

https://haveibeenpwned.com/

you have probably been subject to a data leak, I have been a couple of times recently, Capita and JD Sports.

Don’t answer numbers you don’t know…

If your registered to vote and didn't check the box saying that you don't want your details to be public then any company can take your full name, address, phone number and email address

I think this is good advice, I don’t know why I persist in answering them 🫤

According to that site I haven’t.

I've heard on a few occasions that WhatsApp is classed as social media but I never understood why. Can someone please explain?

I class WhatsApp as an instant messenger and they date back to early internet such as MSN Messenger, AIM and Skype.

I was. 😅

I never answer the phone if I don't recognise the number. If it's important they will leave a message if not then it's probably spam or marketing.