Be aware of a bank scam caller

It has got to the stage where you can't trust anyone who calls anymore. I got a foreign-sounding woman on the phone today who said she was ringing about my internet connection, that's as far as she got, I put the phone down on her mid-sentance. If my OH had answered she'd have got much worse, unsolicited callers get short shrift in our house.

I had a strange call today about Sky TV. I am a customer, but I was certainly not interested in a brand new Smart TV exclusive to Sky customers with a Sky box built in. She wanted my bank details so I said goodbye and switched my phone off.

I had one once the chap asked to speak to the 'head of the household' I told him the head of the household was sitting in front of the fire washing his @rse had to repeat it several times in the end I said you want the head of the household that's the CAT and he is sitting in front of the fire washing his @rse.

I'm thoroughly sick of these scam callers. It must be worth their while - and the expense of calling - to trick the vulnerable, elderly, confused etc. Recently, I just ask them to hang on while I answer the door, then leave them hanging.

If I'm feeling bored, I usually let them waffle on a bit by playing the dumb old lady then blast their ear drums with my trusty Acme Thunderer whistle.
I get some satisfaction from that...

Chakotay

I had one once the chap asked to speak to the 'head of the household' I told him the head of the household was sitting in front of the fire washing his @rse had to repeat it several times in the end I said you want the head of the household that's the CAT and he is sitting in front of the fire washing his @rse.

Oh I love this, will use it next time! I usually find putting on my best cockney accent and saying "sorry love I'm the cleaner" sees them off too!

I got an email from someone who I have known for years but haven’t met up with for about 3 years. She said could she ask me a favour. I replied yes. I then got a reply saying her credit card wasn’t working and could I send an Amazon gift card that day to a friend whose birthday it was and that she had cancer. 🤔

I realised it was a scam and deleted the message immediately. I don’t have this acquaintance’s phone number and don’t want to use her email in case it has been taken over. I hope to see her in the street one day to explain.

NanKate what you received was an old scam resurrected. It used to be done by email, they have obviously moved on.

We do get the occasional scam call, but what the scams are I have no idea. If we get a call from a number we do not recognise. I pick the phone up and say nothing for about 5 seconds. If it is a pre-recorded scam call, it is triggered by you speaking and if there is nor response you can hear it click off after 5 seconds.

If it is a real person, they will speak - and if it is a genuine call, I apologise for the slow response. If it is clearly a spam call - and that is usually obvious from the opening remarks. I just put the phone down without speaking.

She has probably been hacked, NanKate. I had similar a year ago.

Yes, they've started again. I've had two calls this week on my house phone from a very serious sounding lady telling me that my bank account has been compromised and to push button 2 for help. Dratted idiots.

Well ! I am being arrested for Tax Fraud if I don't press a certain number on my mobile.

I hope you will all come and visit me whilst I am behind bars (don't forget the cake with the file in)

bikergran is it the yellow cake 🍰 that keeps popping up?

I hardly ever seem to get any of these - a shame in a way since I’d quite enjoy a very tart response. Or even a very rude one.

I used to get the unpaid tax one quite a lot - I was about to be arrested, etc. But it was always a recording so I didn’t even have the satisfaction of telling them to go and boil their heads, or fornicate with the rough end of a pineapple.

fiorentina51

If I'm feeling bored, I usually let them waffle on a bit by playing the dumb old lady then blast their ear drums with my trusty Acme Thunderer whistle.
I get some satisfaction from that...

Think that is horrible. That could damage the other persons ear drums seriously. Most of these scam callers are just people doing a horrible job, rarely them who get any of the scammed money.

No need for anybody to do anything other than put the phone down. Just because you may not like the job someone is doing is no reason to phyusically assault them. It is the same as deliberately trying to knock someone down with your car, because they may be driving in a way you do not like.

Granmarderby10 yes lol thats the one (but think we need a bigger cake)

If you have a sky phoneline they supply a filter called sky shield so any new callers have to announce themselves, we now only seen to get genuine callers. At first the phone would ring but the caller would end the call but that soon stopped.

Thank you. Always really appreciate these warnings. Thought I was foolproof until I slipped up with such ease. Happily Fanny alerted me and I acted immediately.

I usually tell them to rearrange a well know phrase or saying - one I couldn't possible repeat here.

Chakotay

I had one once the chap asked to speak to the 'head of the household' I told him the head of the household was sitting in front of the fire washing his @rse had to repeat it several times in the end I said you want the head of the household that's the CAT and he is sitting in front of the fire washing his @rse.

😂😂

Out for the day yesterday and knew a parcel from Amazon was due. On the way home hubby received a text to say unable to deliver parcel, please phone this number. I said wait till we get home could be a scam. Sure enough said parcel was around the back by the gate.

We have BT call guardian which screens all calls apart from those on our memory or ones we have agreed they can get through . Other calls the person has to give their name and we can accept or not . This excludes all prerecorded call and I have only once had a call that came through as my bank's fraud department . It sounded very genuine but when I asked him how I could verify the call he waffled a bit . I then said OK thats fine I will call you . At that he put the phone down . That is one call in many years that slipped through. I must admit I miss leading the callers on a bit just to get my own back at them. I had the " help me " text the other day from a friend . I knew right away it was not really her and phoned her to warn her. One other person was foolish enough to reply to the e-mail and found out what money they were looking for . I am sure this lady's computer will now be under threat from the same people .

For some reason people keep ringing me about my 'Amazon account' which I cancelled 4 years ago after learning how badly they treat their staff....and because they had been taking money off me for a 'Prime account' I hadn't authorised..... I just hang up on them mid sentence. We do get "bank calls" too who get the same treatment. Thanks, Floradora9. I'll investigate the BT call guardian.

another thumbs up for BT call guardian.
it's built into the handset.
i bought mine in robert dyas.
no problems since.