Much more sophisticated scam call than usual
Discussion
Experienced the most plausible scam call I've had by far today. Number withheld, which put me slightly on my guard but I was expecting a call from a firm so I picked up.
Very nice young lady, with a UK voice and speaking all proper. 'Good afternoon Mr Newcy Newc, this is Barclays Fraud detection, couple of suspicious transactions on your account ending 1234, can I confirm if you recognise them'.
Went through some payment attempts to Argos and Vodafone. It was the exact structure that Barclays follow when they call you. I confirmed the payments were false. She interacted with me on the call; it was not an AI.
She said the payments would be cancelled and the card was locked, and so to release the card could I go through the security check and confirm my dob. So I said no problem, give me a reference number and I will call you back, at which point she hung up. I checked later and of course there were no payment attempts on my account.
So they had my full name, at least part of my bank account, bank name, and mobile number. Here's the kicker - I have a 'private' mobile number, and a throwaway number. The private number is only used for important accounts, and there are maybe 5 or 6 places that would have the link between that number and my name and my bank details.
So I assume there's been an inside leak at one of the big firms, you couldn't put that data together at random.
Be careful out there.
Very nice young lady, with a UK voice and speaking all proper. 'Good afternoon Mr Newcy Newc, this is Barclays Fraud detection, couple of suspicious transactions on your account ending 1234, can I confirm if you recognise them'.
Went through some payment attempts to Argos and Vodafone. It was the exact structure that Barclays follow when they call you. I confirmed the payments were false. She interacted with me on the call; it was not an AI.
She said the payments would be cancelled and the card was locked, and so to release the card could I go through the security check and confirm my dob. So I said no problem, give me a reference number and I will call you back, at which point she hung up. I checked later and of course there were no payment attempts on my account.
So they had my full name, at least part of my bank account, bank name, and mobile number. Here's the kicker - I have a 'private' mobile number, and a throwaway number. The private number is only used for important accounts, and there are maybe 5 or 6 places that would have the link between that number and my name and my bank details.
So I assume there's been an inside leak at one of the big firms, you couldn't put that data together at random.
Be careful out there.
I was going to say I simply don't answer the phone if I don't recognise the number (I wonder how many scammers i've avoided this way) though I have sometimes picked up if I were expecting a call.
The one I don't get is, how do they know (because they do sometimes) when the optimum time is to contact you to appear genuine? I once received a text telling me I'd paid too much car tax and I could claim a refund via the link provided... within two hours of taxing my car! I also just received a text asking me to complete some missing information on my TV licence account... a couple of days after my TV licence auto renewal!
The one I don't get is, how do they know (because they do sometimes) when the optimum time is to contact you to appear genuine? I once received a text telling me I'd paid too much car tax and I could claim a refund via the link provided... within two hours of taxing my car! I also just received a text asking me to complete some missing information on my TV licence account... a couple of days after my TV licence auto renewal!
MitchT said:
The one I don't get is, how do they know (because they do sometimes) when the optimum time is to contact you to appear genuine? I once received a text telling me I'd paid too much car tax and I could claim a refund via the link provided... within two hours of taxing my car! I also just received a text asking me to complete some missing information on my TV licence account... a couple of days after my TV licence auto renewal!
They don’t, that’s why it’s called phishing and why it can be so successful when one of the targets land.Many, many thousand of the same emails are sent, most are received and seem irrelevant and are obviously a scam as the info doesn’t match. However just a few will hit perfectly with the information and transactions lining up.
Ham_and_Jam said:
MitchT said:
The one I don't get is, how do they know (because they do sometimes) when the optimum time is to contact you to appear genuine? I once received a text telling me I'd paid too much car tax and I could claim a refund via the link provided... within two hours of taxing my car! I also just received a text asking me to complete some missing information on my TV licence account... a couple of days after my TV licence auto renewal!
They don’t, that’s why it’s called phishing and why it can be so successful when one of the targets land.Many, many thousand of the same emails are sent, most are received and seem irrelevant and are obviously a scam as the info doesn’t match. However just a few will hit perfectly with the information and transactions lining up.
Assume they send 10k emails about paying too much when renewing the TV licence. Statistically, 27 people would have renewed their licence that day - and at least 100 would have done it close enough to think it might be genuine.
Newc said:
Experienced the most plausible scam call I've had by far today. Number withheld, which put me slightly on my guard but I was expecting a call from a firm so I picked up.
Very nice young lady, with a UK voice and speaking all proper. 'Good afternoon Mr Newcy Newc, this is Barclays Fraud detection, couple of suspicious transactions on your account ending 1234, can I confirm if you recognise them'.
Went through some payment attempts to Argos and Vodafone. It was the exact structure that Barclays follow when they call you. I confirmed the payments were false. She interacted with me on the call; it was not an AI.
She said the payments would be cancelled and the card was locked, and so to release the card could I go through the security check and confirm my dob. So I said no problem, give me a reference number and I will call you back, at which point she hung up. I checked later and of course there were no payment attempts on my account.
So they had my full name, at least part of my bank account, bank name, and mobile number. Here's the kicker - I have a 'private' mobile number, and a throwaway number. The private number is only used for important accounts, and there are maybe 5 or 6 places that would have the link between that number and my name and my bank details.
So I assume there's been an inside leak at one of the big firms, you couldn't put that data together at random.
Be careful out there.
Um, perhaps I'm being dim but where is the scam? Or is it that you volunteered all your personal and security info to some girl saying she was from Barclays asking if you'd bought some crap from Vodafone and Argos recently?Very nice young lady, with a UK voice and speaking all proper. 'Good afternoon Mr Newcy Newc, this is Barclays Fraud detection, couple of suspicious transactions on your account ending 1234, can I confirm if you recognise them'.
Went through some payment attempts to Argos and Vodafone. It was the exact structure that Barclays follow when they call you. I confirmed the payments were false. She interacted with me on the call; it was not an AI.
She said the payments would be cancelled and the card was locked, and so to release the card could I go through the security check and confirm my dob. So I said no problem, give me a reference number and I will call you back, at which point she hung up. I checked later and of course there were no payment attempts on my account.
So they had my full name, at least part of my bank account, bank name, and mobile number. Here's the kicker - I have a 'private' mobile number, and a throwaway number. The private number is only used for important accounts, and there are maybe 5 or 6 places that would have the link between that number and my name and my bank details.
So I assume there's been an inside leak at one of the big firms, you couldn't put that data together at random.
Be careful out there.
Tisy said:
Um, perhaps I'm being dim but where is the scam? Or is it that you volunteered all your personal and security info to some girl saying she was from Barclays asking if you'd bought some crap from Vodafone and Argos recently?
The OP could ring Barclays and ask if they had indeed called him?Or, if a new card arrives shortly, then it was indeed Barclays.
Withholding the phone number is the thing however, because when my babk rings, it shows their name and number.
the scam is maybe they know enough to get you to give them more. Wonder what would happen if you gave them a DOB (made up) and see where the call goes?
Tisy said:
Newc said:
Experienced the most plausible scam call I've had by far today. Number withheld, which put me slightly on my guard but I was expecting a call from a firm so I picked up.
Very nice young lady, with a UK voice and speaking all proper. 'Good afternoon Mr Newcy Newc, this is Barclays Fraud detection, couple of suspicious transactions on your account ending 1234, can I confirm if you recognise them'.
Went through some payment attempts to Argos and Vodafone. It was the exact structure that Barclays follow when they call you. I confirmed the payments were false. She interacted with me on the call; it was not an AI.
She said the payments would be cancelled and the card was locked, and so to release the card could I go through the security check and confirm my dob. So I said no problem, give me a reference number and I will call you back, at which point she hung up. I checked later and of course there were no payment attempts on my account.
So they had my full name, at least part of my bank account, bank name, and mobile number. Here's the kicker - I have a 'private' mobile number, and a throwaway number. The private number is only used for important accounts, and there are maybe 5 or 6 places that would have the link between that number and my name and my bank details.
So I assume there's been an inside leak at one of the big firms, you couldn't put that data together at random.
Be careful out there.
Um, perhaps I'm being dim but where is the scam? Or is it that you volunteered all your personal and security info to some girl saying she was from Barclays asking if you'd bought some crap from Vodafone and Argos recently?Very nice young lady, with a UK voice and speaking all proper. 'Good afternoon Mr Newcy Newc, this is Barclays Fraud detection, couple of suspicious transactions on your account ending 1234, can I confirm if you recognise them'.
Went through some payment attempts to Argos and Vodafone. It was the exact structure that Barclays follow when they call you. I confirmed the payments were false. She interacted with me on the call; it was not an AI.
She said the payments would be cancelled and the card was locked, and so to release the card could I go through the security check and confirm my dob. So I said no problem, give me a reference number and I will call you back, at which point she hung up. I checked later and of course there were no payment attempts on my account.
So they had my full name, at least part of my bank account, bank name, and mobile number. Here's the kicker - I have a 'private' mobile number, and a throwaway number. The private number is only used for important accounts, and there are maybe 5 or 6 places that would have the link between that number and my name and my bank details.
So I assume there's been an inside leak at one of the big firms, you couldn't put that data together at random.
Be careful out there.
snuffy said:
The OP could ring Barclays and ask if they had indeed called him?
Or, if a new card arrives shortly, then it was indeed Barclays.
Withholding the phone number is the thing however, because when my babk rings, it shows their name and number.
Assuming he's not one of the 3 people in the entire country without a mobile phone, banks always send a text first asking you to call them. I've never had any of the 3 banks I have accounts with ring to confirm personal details and ask about transactions. The odd times it has happened have been from people who aren't the bank. If you volunteer all your personal and security info over the phone to someone saying they are from Barclays, then regardless of how convincing they may sound, you've only got yourself blame when your account gets emptied. Unfortunately it's people like this that is reason why every transaction over £100 gets blocked and flagged for "security reasons" these days, involving half of the day on the phone answering patronising questions about whether you've got an armed robber stood next to you with a gun to your head as you're trying to pay this month's gas bill.Or, if a new card arrives shortly, then it was indeed Barclays.
Withholding the phone number is the thing however, because when my babk rings, it shows their name and number.
Tisy said:
Um, perhaps I'm being dim but where is the scam? Or is it that you volunteered all your personal and security info to some girl saying she was from Barclays asking if you'd bought some crap from Vodafone and Argos recently?
The scam would have been to do that, yes.The point was that this was not the usual recorded random dialler with 'HMRC will arrest you please press 2'.
It was someone calling who already had a set of facts about me which are hard to put together because I deliberately restrict who gets them.
Tisy said:
Assuming he's not one of the 3 people in the entire country without a mobile phone, banks always send a text first asking you to call them. I've never had any of the 3 banks I have accounts with ring to confirm personal details and ask about transactions. The odd times it has happened have been from people who aren't the bank.
Some banks may, but certainly not all of them.In fact if they are following best security practices they shouldn’t send you a text to warn they’re going to call, because that is so incredibly easy to fake and adds another layer of legitimacy to a follow-up scam call.
The human voice / some details of the bank part of the call is more sophisticated and worrying but nevertheless remains a phishing call.
The suggestion that the account / card is frozen is usually the bit that cons people into panicking.
Sometimes the call gives the number to call back on.
Obviously never do this.
The bank won’t call you to discuss in the first place though !
Put the phone down and treat as you would the usual electronic call scam.
The suggestion that the account / card is frozen is usually the bit that cons people into panicking.
Sometimes the call gives the number to call back on.
Obviously never do this.
The bank won’t call you to discuss in the first place though !
Put the phone down and treat as you would the usual electronic call scam.
Calling back is always the smart move. YOU get to look up the number they are supposed to be at.
I had a scam attempt via Autotrader and it was quite slick - called me to say I'd been debited twice for my ad (which I had taken out the day before) and they needed to credit one back. They asked for my card details and at that point I knew something was amiss, as I was expecting to just confirm , "yes, it was the card ending in 3535" - or there abouts, but they asked me for the long card number. I asked for a reference and I'd call back. They hung up.
I had a scam attempt via Autotrader and it was quite slick - called me to say I'd been debited twice for my ad (which I had taken out the day before) and they needed to credit one back. They asked for my card details and at that point I knew something was amiss, as I was expecting to just confirm , "yes, it was the card ending in 3535" - or there abouts, but they asked me for the long card number. I asked for a reference and I'd call back. They hung up.
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