Scambusters - what's doing the rounds today?

[hellkat]

[hellkat]

The one which I fell heavily for (and have only just finished paying off) - was the one that advertises with something like "Martin Lewis recommends this training" and which ends up with a substantial commitment to a huge rip-off on a trading platform for the extremely stupid (i.e., me).

I got very lucky on several counts that I didn't get in deeper shit than I did (how much deeper than £25k do you want to go? I've heard of people losing over £100k on these scams, I think I got away lightly, if you can call it that(!), thanks to the timely admission of my problem to the Military Type, who kindly coached me about how to get out of it (as best I could) literally days before he returned to live abroad.

I'm still - and always will be - chapped about the stupidity of myself at falling for/losing so much - and I still get phone calls from people trying to re-engage with me about the damn thing. I basically tell them politely that if they don't fuck off and remove my number from their list (pointless request, I know, I know) - that I will call the police : also probably a pointless threat but it makes me feel better.

Because of my total mug-fulness in that little misadventure, I now get a daily call from an 0843 number with a recorded message about thank you for my call, one of their agents will get back to me. Just Fuck Off! ... Nowadays I just tag them with a title like "Twatbag call#1/2/3" etc. and ignore them.

Unexpected "normal" callers get unintentional short shrift as a result.
The other day I fucked off some lady who was trying to get me to do the Lung Health Check (perfectly legit) but she made the mistake of being quite vague in telling me that my GP had requested it.

But because I am so fed up with wanky callers over the last year or so, I fucked her off out of it quite rudely by telling her I worked for a hospital (I declined to mention it was the same hospital as the one she was calling from, as I recognised the telephone/switchboard number ) ... and that if I wanted my lung health checked I would go to a colleague and ask. She tried to get me to listen whilst she read out some disclaimer but I was standing on Piccadilly at Green Park Station with traffic roaring in my ears and didn't have the patience to listen.

I'm not especially addicted to having my phone on me at all times these days, and its quite refreshing to not have to put up with these inane callers.


____________________
Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Polarbear]

Those crypto scams are bad. I was watching one on TV, which I presume was the same as yours HK, where someone invested £200 and somehow it turned into a huge loss that he was liable for. Madness.
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Ste]

That's the pig butchering scam.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_butchering_scam

[Easy-X]

[hellkat]

[Easy-X]

If yesterday was clever tape recordings spliced together I believe today AI is now being deployed.

I had what sounded like a native English female voice at the end of the phone but my spidey senses went off, I can't really say why. I said some random things - something about the weather I think - "sorry, I don't understand." In my experience real people are so hacked off with their call centre jobs they don't mind going off topic just to relieve the monotony.

Anyhoo, it seems we might need something like the Voight-Kampff Test from Blade Runner before entertaining a conversation. Next time I'm suspicious I'm going to try: "before we start, can I ask you: what colour is an elephant?" I'd expect some sort of reaction to that. Not being able to answer or an immediate "grey" and moving swiftly on might be a clue it's an AI

Another tack is asking morally dubious questions like "is it morally acceptable to kill wasps?" the answer to which is more likely based on past experiences (for a human) than hand-wringing (but valid) eco considerations.

Of course, once you determine you are talking to an AI what can you do to fuck with it?
____________________
Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Easy-X]

Today: UK mobile number not in my phonebook, sounds of call centre in background, lady with Far Eastern accent for a change.

"...are you aware of a Blockchain account in your name?"

Yes [lie]

"I am calling to inform you that the account is dormant and will soon be terminated. The account contains 2.38 bit coin worth [whatever] dollars. Do you wish to keep the account open or terminate it?"

Terminate please.

[hangs up]

FFS, where's the fun in that?! I thought she'd at least feign incredulity at the sacrifice of thousands of dollars. I had a whole backstory formulated that I was so rich I didn't need the money and why doesn't she take the Bitcoin...

Anyhoo, Blockchain/Bitcoin scams are nothing new but I suppose the change in tactic follows the Silent Generation dying off and the majority of retirees being Boomers, the greedy old fucks.
____________________
Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[doggone]

Rarely answer landline anymore as it is almost always some kind of sales or scam attempt.
Not sure blocking numbers makes much difference they seem to be able to switch to another.
One reasonably legit broker ( I knew number) and changed power with has been repeatedly ringing trying to change water contract (how does that work can you get your water from Wales or Scotland by some magic).
Anyway they ought to have been thwarted since we have a spring supply and I told them this more than once but they still ring up about it.
I wonder if they get a payment just for getting an answer at all.

[Ste]

[hellkat]

Today I shall mostly be mildly annoyed that I am outside of the time limits for the "claim back the money you got ripped off for" by the new £85k refund policy for suckers born every minute that's just been rolled out as of today.


____________________
Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[hellkat]

Although I have to say, you'd have to be PRETTY FUCKING DUMB* to lose £85K or more
i.e., even dumber than me




*(or just too trusting or not suspicious enough)
____________________
Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Easy-X]

Text and email doing the rounds at the moment: "apply for your share of the winter fuel bill distribution fund, click here..." I haven't but apparently you're asked for bank account details so they can send you the money

Plenty of variations in the wording but the usual fingerprints - slightly odd style of English, bizarre URL that's nothing like "gov.uk". Obviously a reaction to the beneficence of our current government

I'd say the greatest protection is to be a dirt-poor pensioner but even if they can't steal any money a jailbroken bank account could be used for money laundering.
____________________
Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Easy-X]

Another reminder to keep a watchful eye on your older relatives...

Bank accounts locked and cash withdrawn after elderly gave power to law firm partner
____________________
Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[hellkat]

Yes I've decided to listen to that podcast on R4 as it sounded quite interesting.

The one I listened to today was about a woman who just disappeared due to falling ill, and then showed up in a rehabilitation home with no way of getting herself or her money out again.

Fucking EEEK!
____________________
Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Islander]

I had a call purporting to be from my bank the other week. The caller had a Scottish accent and was knowledgeable about procedures, and asked for me by name. The story was that there were a couple of iffy looking transactions from my account in a couple of shops in Manchester. Ok plausible so far...

I quietly logged onto my account while he was talking and nothing unusual to be seen. Hmm. Then he said they'd already reversed those transactions for me. Hmmmmmmmmmm. Unusual.

Next thing he said was he'd cancelled my card and I wouldn't be able to use it for online transactions but it'd work fine in shops and ATMs until the new one arrived. Aye Right.

I played along for a bit longer and he asked me to log into my online banking and increase the transfer limits "so that he'd be able to cancel the transactions and reinstate funds". The transfer limits are there to protect outgoing, not incoming transactions. Again, Aye Right.

Then he asked me to set up a new payee and kindly obliged me with an account name (not a business account), number and sort code. That's the point where I burst out laughing, told him to do one and ended the call.

His next step would have been to ask me to transfer funds to into that private account to "protect" them, the scamming scumbag. My next step was to phone the bank security department, tell them about the scam attempt, and give them the account information he gave me. Hopefully that fucked him up but I doubt it. It won't be in his name and it'll be a throwaway account.

I can see how people fall for this type of scam. Mind you, there are warnings on things like increasing the transfer limits saying that the bank will never ask you to change them and warnings on setting up a new payee (and on the transfer process).

As soon as you challenge them (or in my case, laugh at them) they ramp up the urgency ("if you leave this too long we won't be able to get your money back") which, along with authority, ("I'm a manager in the security department of your bank") is one of the classic tell tales of any social engineering attempt.

[stinkwheel]

Banks don't help themselves by breaking their own rules.

My bank called me to "do an account update" (read sell me a premium account). We got so far into the call then she asked me to do go through some security checks.

She was a little taken aback when I said no, because you called me and I know it's the banks policy to never ask for account or security details if they made the call. She said I was quite right, she shouldn't be asking for security details unless the customer called her. I then said I bet you've been calling people all morning and they just gave you the security details, bit of a worry eh? She seemed genuinely concerned and would check back with her manager before carrying on.

And yes I 100% know it was my bank on the phone. She was calling from a geographical number in the town centre where my branch is and while that could be spammed, she also had a local accent from within no more than a 10 mile radius of there which would be extremely difficult to fake.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Polarbear]

I got rid of my telephone landline when I went to fibre broadband. I never got anything but scams or cold calls.

The only problem with that is there are still companies, banks etc. that expect you to have a landline as though it shows you are a trustworthy individual. (I am, honest guv)
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Easy-X]

[to v or not to v]

i had one of those "someone with your surname and no next of kin has died and left millions in their bank. please give me all your details so i can transfer the funds" type of scams, actually delivered to my home, as a physical letter.
____________________
current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
Moto Guzzi V7.

[Easy-X]

How quaint
____________________
Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Easy-X]

Slight crossover with the Geek Zone but this thread seems slightly more appropriate:

Exposing the Honey Influencer Scam (YouTube)

Honey is a browser extension that purports to scour the Interwebs for the best discount codes and apply them at checkout for you, totally for free! There's a saying: "If you're not paying for the product, then you are the product." If only it were that simple...
____________________
Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Freddyfruitba...]

____________________
KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

[Easy-X]

It starts with Honey paying a load of influencers for ad reads to recommend installing the Honey browser extension. All the muppets download it and from now on Honey pops up every time it sees a shopping cart saying "hey! let me look for some discount codes!"

Weeks later the influencer is reviewing something entirely different. Say it's scented candles. The influencer has a special "affiliate link" you can click on to buy the candles and the retailer then gives the influencer a little bit of money for passing on the sale.

Scam No.1 is Honey would quietly replace all affiliate links with their own - it's just a cookie in the browser. So essentially Honey are stealing commissions.

Scam No.2 is Honey go to retailers an say "hey, why not pay us to manage your discount codes!" And from then on Honey wouldn't suggest the best discount codes for said retailer - fibbing to the muppets.

Scam No.3 is the classic "nice retail site, shame if something were to happen to it" if they didn't pay Honey to manage their discount codes but it looks like the details will be in a separate video.

There are more wrinkles to this but the biggest ones are a) Honey are stealing from the same ppl who they've previously paid for ad reads and b) Honey is owned by PayPal
____________________
Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter