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Original poster

I'm pretty sure I have been scammed by Talktalk. Please help!

47 replies

chuffinalong · 15/12/2017 17:09

Hi, I had a notice while using my laptop recently that said it was infected and my details were compromised etc, so I turned it off and re started it. It then worked fine but was running slowly. I then received a call from Talktalk a few days later, so I wasn't surprised when they said that my account had been compromised. They told me what to press and showed me a page that listed all the errors. There were about 1800. He guided me through what to do, and then he was controlling my laptop for me. He said that this is a problem many customers have had and I will need to looses my internet access for 48 hours, in the mean time, someone will come and fit a new router. He said this will happen tomorrow. He said that I would receive £200 compensation. He asked if I had internet banking, which I don't, or paypal. He then controlled my laptop to set me up a paypal account. He told me that he'd accidently put 2000 in instead of 200, and that he'd loose his job if I didn't pay the extra back to him ASAP. He told me to go to my local Sainsbury's. I told him I wouldn't be doing that and hung up as I realised it must have been a scam. I've looked on paypal since and the balance is zero. I have closed that account and cancelled my credit card. I am just worried that they have access to my computer. Can they access it at any time and see all my personal info? When I get my new card, will they be able to access that info through my laptop?
I really want to leave Talktalk and go with another company. What do you recommend? Is there anything else I should do?
Thank you.

OP posts:

gunsandbanjos · 15/12/2017 17:48

OK, glad you don’t have internet banking. You need to contact PayPal as your account is compromised, they can still do some damage as they will have access.

I’ll reiterate, this is nothing to do with talk talk, they will have no knowledge of this call and won’t help you.

Original poster

chuffinalong · 15/12/2017 17:48

I have cancelled my paypal and my credit card. Both know about what's happened.

Thank you Brokenbattle I do feel a burk.

OP posts:

Bombardier25966 · 15/12/2017 17:50

Have you attached a bank account/ debit card to your new PayPal account?

Is there somebody that can help you with this? Having seen a relative scammed like this, I understand how convincing they can be. All those people you could hear in the call centre, they were scamming other people.

gunsandbanjos · 15/12/2017 17:51

These people can be very convincing, I’ve seen some really dreadful cases. They have no conscience.

hevonbu · 15/12/2017 17:51

Had it been me, I'd be trying to run Housecall now. www.trendmicro.com/en_us/forHome/products/housecall.html

You might need to sew a professional repair shop to cleanse your computer. This exactly happened to my elderly neighbour.

Original poster

chuffinalong · 15/12/2017 17:53

Yes, I did add my credit card to the Paypal, but I have now cancelled that card as well. It's scary isn't it?

Thanks everyone for letting me know what to do in future. I'll be more prepared if it happens again.

OP posts:

hevonbu · 15/12/2017 17:58

These things are happening all the time all over the world. Don't feel bad about being gullible, these people are so good because that's how they earn their livelihood.

Original poster

chuffinalong · 15/12/2017 18:10

hevonbu- Thank you I have run housecall and it says I have no high or low risks. Hmm, not what the scammers said. I'm wondering why I got that message recently that my computer had been infected? That was weeks before the scammers called.

OP posts:

SnowGlitter · 15/12/2017 18:32

I'm wondering why I got that message recently that my computer had been infected? That was weeks before the scammers called.

Did you click on anything when you had the last message?

I get these all the times. Pop ups are ALWAYS scams.

As are the emails telling you you have a tax rebate from HMRC waiting for you; and emails that there has been suspicious activity on your PayPal account; and the email confirming your purchase from Amazon that you didn't make...

If you clicked on anything when you got that pop up then your details will have gone onto a chump list and they know you're gullible enough to fall for it.

If you ever get an email, check who it was from. If it was from [email protected] or similar. It's NOT legit!

Oh and of course it's not what the scammers said. The scammers tell lies...

LIZS · 15/12/2017 18:39

Report it too. It sounds like a money laundering scam. Talktalk would be interested in criminals exploiting their company name.

Original poster

chuffinalong · 15/12/2017 19:29

Thank you both. I only clicked on the x button to try to close the tab but it wouldn't close and kept talking. I shut the laptop down in the end.

OP posts:

SnowGlitter · 15/12/2017 20:49

Install a pop up blocker.

It's amazing how few viruses I've caught since blocking all pop ups

Darcychu · 15/12/2017 20:51

Yes its a known scam.

cdtaylornats · 15/12/2017 22:03

Malwarebytes is an anti-virus.

Try to delete the PayPal account. You'll probably find the password has been changed and might well find the account is being used for illicit purposes. Did you attach any sort of account to paypal? if you did tell the bank to block it.

fastfrank · 16/12/2017 06:13

A lesson for the future - talk talk only provide you with internet. Like how BT provide you with a phone line to use. They do not control your pc, they have nothing to do with it, it would be impossible for them to know if you have a virus. You've granted scammers total access to your PC, they now have all of your personal information which they would have seen when you typed it in to PayPal. Keep an eye on your credit file.

For anyone else reading this - if you get an unsolicited phone call asking for personal information OF ANY KIND, it is probably bollocks. If you are suspicious, call back the company they are claiming to be by finding their phone number from a legitimate source (e.g on the back of your debit card if it's your bank). If they called your landline, phone from a mobile because another well known scam is that they can stay on the line while you think you're dialling another number, but really you're still on the phone to the scammers.

gunsandbanjos · 16/12/2017 09:24

It's not a money laundering scam, it's simple deception to steal money.

Talktalk won't be even slightly interested that scammers are using their name, its been going on for years.

This is why banks and others in the industry have been running the take five campaign.

hevonbu · 16/12/2017 10:09

Do you have an updated antivirus program installed? (Like TrendMicro whose product Housecall you've tried?)

hevonbu · 16/12/2017 10:12

Fastfrank is unfortunately right about the various scamming techniques used. I live in a non-English speaking country which is an advantage as it means that I may safely assume anybody unknown calling me up in English to be an illegitimate caller...

IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 16/12/2017 13:55

Be careful of texts too. I just had one from 'Paypal' saying they've suspended/frozen my account because of too many incorrect log in attempts. With a helpfully provided link to unlock or reset password.
Thing is, I've never used paypal. They just rely on you panicking and clicking the links or doing what they say.

TammySwansonTwo · 16/12/2017 15:03

Make sure you change all your passwords to everything to be safe - who knows what they've managed to access on your computer.

I once had a call from a guy saying he was from "windows".... not even Microsoft! It was amusing since we only have macs. I like to waste their time and wind them up.

SealSong · 16/12/2017 17:36

OP have you checked your bank balance since this? You need to ASAP. If any monies have gone out that you can't account for, ring your bank urgently.

lougle · 17/12/2017 21:26

It's definitely a scam. They have some information. For instance, they always call me and tell me that they are from BT, because that's my provider. However, they don't know I have caller ID, so when my phone tells me I'm receiving an international call, and they say they are calling from London, it doesn't instill confidence.

I always play along, but eventually, they realise I know too much about computers and I'm not actually bringing up the event log, etc. When I start asking why they haven't asked me any security questions, because BT always want to check my identity before they help me usually, they put the phone down and move on.

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