Dear reader,
I had some well received comments on my post about front doors and burglars so I wanted to share another piece of crime prevention. This is a really clever scam. Do pass on.
Victim receives a phone call and the caller knows their name. Easy to get that from phone book or post or the electoral roll at the library.
The caller says I'm from your bank and your cards have been cloned and used fraudulently.
Just to build the confidence of the victim they ask them to put the phone down and ring their bank.
So far, so good.
The victim replaces the handset and calls their bank.
The scammer has never put the phone down and answers saying " fraud line" or similar. They then have a conversation and ask the victim to confirm their pin.
Part one is achieved.
The fake bank then says they will have to collect the victims cards and will send a courier round to collect them. Cheekily adding that the caller should seal them in an envelope.
They then send round a local mini cab and the rest is history.
Nice little spend up on some poor old dears card.
Please make people aware, they are very convincing.
Stay safe and aware. X
So I suppose the best thing is to call your bank on another phone; your mobile or a neighbour's. Actually your bank would never ask you to return your cards in this way, they can cancel them and you just cut them up. I was doing online banking and accidently clicked on one of their products; they rang me to talk about that product. I enjoyed winding them up by reading them the riot act; how do I know this is really my bank? etc. I am a suspicious old woman!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely right, they would never ask the pin or want the cards but sadly some people are a little naive. I am exactly the same as you when they ask me to confirm my name and dob, what a cheek, they rang me! I always ask them how I know it's them and they're only trying to sell something anyway.
DeleteI am 66 married living with my hubs of over 40 years, I don't answer my front door anymore. I have to know someone is coming to see me and I go to the side gate and see if it is them..When I am alone I don't answer the door period if the hubs is home he answers and states who is it loudly ususally the people and scam artists scram, my neighbor who is recently 88 doesn't answer the door with his wife home at all..they have a big sign NO SOLICITORS and OTHER SELLING ANYTHING! THAT KEEPS A LOT OF THE RIFF RAFF GONE! I always watch when they are away they call me and let know what is up 88 and 85 respectively they are lovely friends and neighbors I watch the neighborhood & if something is fishy I call a non-emergency 911 line and speak with a person who is knowledgable about all the scams here and now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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