Text message scams

[Spark plug]

Has anyone else experienced a huge increase in text message scams recently?

I’m getting one probably every other day at the minute, claiming to be delivery companies, banks, PayPal, all the same sort of theme “click this very spurious link and give us your life savings” I don’t think so.

 

[stuvy]

Yep I keep getting ones from either Royal Mail or another parcel company my parents have almost paid it a few times now I keep telling them it’s a scam

 

[Spark plug]

Just been looking into these scams, some of you may already be aware but if can forward these messages to 7726 for the network operators to investigate and block:

Report a phishing attempt | Action Fraud

www.actionfraud.police.uk

You learn something everyday.

 

[TechnicAl]

Got one this morning........Post Office asking for 1.99 to complete a delivery

 

[JEZGUZ]

No text's but I get them on the landline, usually Indian subcontinent based, awful accent with a British name, bit of a giveaway as I'm sure Microsoft, BT and others would hire people that can actually speak the language that they're trying to communicate with.

 

[Al Strachan]

Definately, although it has no impact, I’ve found great satisfaction in sending a quick acknowledgement

 

[winchman]

Yes a big increase make sure any old folk you know are aware as its so easy to be caught out. Recently had a bloke saying he was from the Car Phone Warehouse and was going to do me a great Phone upgrade its a company mobile so clearly a scam.
Winchboy sold an item and posted it, bloke he sold it to very nearly paid the £1.99 as he got a message soon after buying it, but contacted winchboy who luckily had all the tracking number on him and could explain it was clearly a scam.
I feel your guard is down as its a small amount but I bet they send thousands out each day.

 

[Gritineye]

^^^ Al, what that does is tell them it's live number, so you get even more scam texts..

 

[TechnicAl]

Definately, although it has no impact, I’ve found great satisfaction in sending a quick acknowledgement

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I was told that whilst doing that will bring a warm feeling it actually proves the contact is live..........they just send to random numbers and dont know if they connect unless you acknowledge.............I dont know if this is true but it sounds plausible so I never reply....even though I would love to..

 

[fizzy]

Definately, although it has no impact, I’ve found great satisfaction in sending a quick acknowledgement

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Is a phone number linked to this?
We are getting 50 to 100 phone calls a day because of this.
ITs an 01792 number people are calling which ends up coming to us. I think its phone routing issues rather than the scam but the people ringing in are so dull I can't get sense out of them.
They say they are Googling Hermes phone number but that gives me 0330.

 

[the snooper]

Been getting calls from numbers almost identical to mine, they keep changing that last 3 digits, eventually I'll be answering a call from my own number, not sure it's worth reporting them as they will have spoofed the number and until the Comms industry stops spoofing it will go on and on

 

[pedrobedro]

Odd reading this just after I received a text from HSBC telling me someone has today tried to make an online purchase using my account and to click a link to cancel it if it wasn't me. I knew it was bogus as it didn't have the last 4 digits of my account number or my name which bank communications always have.

 

[Spark plug]

Odd reading this just after I received a text from HSBC telling me someone has today tried to make an online purchase using my account and to click a link to cancel it if it wasn't me. I knew it was bogus as it didn't have the last 4 digits of my account number or my name which bank communications always have.

I had that one last week

 

[My Old Landy]

Odd reading this just after I received a text from HSBC telling me someone has today tried to make an online purchase using my account and to click a link to cancel it if it wasn't me. I knew it was bogus as it didn't have the last 4 digits of my account number or my name which bank communications always have.

I recently had this too. I knew it was fake as I don't have a HSBC bank account I have also had a spate of the usual recently. I delete and block the number.

 

[500e]

Have had the £1.99 request twice in the last week, the strange thing is they come a day after I have sent parcels from local PO, almost as if they have an inside line to the PO

 

[My Old Landy]

Have had the £1.99 request twice in the last week, the strange thing is they come a day after I have sent parcels from local PO, almost as if they have an inside line to the PO

That's interesting, do you have to put a contact number on parcels? I have received some with the senders number visible. I did wonder if that is the source?

 

[MysterG]

I had one purportedly from Hermes last night. Apparently they tried to deliver whilst I was out .... only I was in ....

 

[Wozzaaah]

Have had the £1.99 request twice in the last week, the strange thing is they come a day after I have sent parcels from local PO, almost as if they have an inside line to the PO

That's interesting, do you have to put a contact number on parcels? I have received some with the senders number visible. I did wonder if that is the source?

It's very, very rare to see a phone number on a postage label and one isn't required when sending anything, it will be purely a coincidence. The scammers are often in India and will be targeting random numbers via a bot to try and get a bite.
How the RM one works is you pay the "redelivery fee" then get a phone call supposedly from your bank telling you that because you paid it you now have suspicious activity on your account and to safeguard your money you need to transfer it to a "holding" account until your account is safe to use.
For info, if you do click the link to pay it will ask you for your name, card number, expiry date, CVV, account number and sorting code..... all the info they ever need to convince you they're from your bank and that your account has been compromised.

 

[Wallace]

Got one this morning........Post Office asking for 1.99 to complete a delivery

Same here, did you give them my number?

 

[My Old Landy]

It's very, very rare to see a phone number on a postage label and one isn't required when sending anything, it will be purely a coincidence. The scammers are often in India and will be targeting random numbers via a bot to try and get a bite.
How the RM one works is you pay the "redelivery fee" then get a phone call supposedly from your bank telling you that because you paid it you now have suspicious activity on your account and to safeguard your money you need to transfer it to a "holding" account until your account is safe to use.
For info, if you do click the link to pay it will ask you for your name, card number, expiry date, CVV, account number and sorting code..... all the info they ever need to convince you they're from your bank and that your account has been compromised.

Thanks for that, I did wonder how it worked. The proliferation is astounding and quite disconcerting tbh. I am usually very careful but these things can catch you out!