Dawlish Discussion

There is an article in this week's Dawlish Post on page 3 about computer scams originating from India.

I know many of us have had these phone calls before but please be aware that the scammers have upped their apparent authenticity.

They now know not only the landline phone number (ours is ex-directory), but the name of the person with the account (don't know if phone or isp provider) but also details of

problems you may have had with your computer (how they would know that I don't know but that they do is extremely concerning). 

And how do I know all that? - because we had such a call only a few days ago and it was only because yours truly here smelt a rat that the call got cut off - but only just in time!

Please let others know of this scam and how easy it is to be hoodwinked by the caller's knowledge of you and your computer. 

Read this.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/mar/14/talktalk-fraud-victim-compensation-data-theft-responsibility

and

this http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/feb/27/threat-to-millions-of-talktalk-customers

There is information about a scam involving someone claiming to be from TalkTalk in the latest edition of The Observer. See page 48 "TalkTalk refused to compensate me after I fell victim to telephone scam."

This is the information I have gotten from that article;

Millions of TalkTalk customers had their personal details leaked in Defember 2014 when hackers broke into TalkTalk’s database. So the hackers will have your name and phone number but not, I understand, details like bank account or credit card details.

Are you a TalkTalk customer (or were you at that time?) and have you been having problems with your computer eg internet connection keeping on dropping out?

It may be that your computer is being monitored by people other than TalkTalk.

You may get a call from someone saying s/he is from TalkTalk and that s/he is aware that you are having problems with your computer and that s/he needs remote control access to your computer to correct it.

AT THIS POINT PUT THE PHONE DOWN!

If you don’t you could end up being scammed for £000s.

Apparently TalkTalk is aware of this sophisticated fraud  which may be the result of the December 2014 data leak.

TalkTalk says it would never require customers to download software on an unplanned call or ask for bank details.            

@Lynne

You can put out warnings like this until kingdom come but people will still fall victim to scams.

How many times have we heard stories like this on the TV news, radio, newspapers, yet people still give details to strangers on the phone?

I have had bona fide calls from my bank but I still refuse to give any details to them and I have complained bitterly to them for doing so, as they (or any bank) always tell us not to do such things.

As for trying to get compensation for something that is your own fault, then good luck to them.