Phone Scams

[Rockin' Robin]

A few days ago, I received an official looking text message on my phone.

I had a feeling it wasn't genuine, so I didn't respond to it.
There is a YouTuber called Atomic Shrimp who has made a short video about this scam, because that is what it is - a scam. So if you receive a text like this, do not respond to it, do not click on the link.

 

[emm]

I keep getting the one from my "child" whose phone has been stolen, can I send him some money. Pretty obviously a scam for me as I don't have children

 

[Rxt156]

They are looking sooooo legitimate which I bet catches some people out

 

[coconochanel]

Oh I've had them from.....

Royal mail-we coluldn't deliver your parcel plz click this link to reschedule-I never had a parcel coming
Apple pay- your apple pay has been suspended plz click this link- not my apple pay
Evri-parcel couldnt be delivered plz click the link-didnt have a parcel coming
Covid- you have been near someone who has tested positive for covid plz click this link-not true
Amazon- you account has been changed to apple pay blah blah-no it hasn't.

I just delete them all and never click the link.

 

[MitziAdele]

I don't have any apple tech/products and I haven't ordered anything for delivery.
I get the govuk text twice a week.

View attachment 1641618View attachment 1641621View attachment 1641626

To date, I have received the third one 3 times!. It is so obvious they are a scam. I don't open them.....I delete them immediately

 

[Bobby Chariot]

I wonder how they get folks' phone numbers in the first place, have they hacked a mobile providers' database or do the crooks just have a random number generator and send out texts en masse?

 

[Bobby Chariot]

I presume they are buying data from other sites when we sign up for things online?

Could be.
Would imagine an online crook would use any method to get a hold of the general public's data, mind you.

 

[candyland_]

I’ve had this text at least three times. I delete any text or email like that.

 

[emm]

I wonder how they get folks' phone numbers in the first place, have they hacked a mobile providers' database or do the crooks just have a random number generator and send out texts en masse?

I presume they are buying data from other sites when we sign up for things online?

 

[Bobby Chariot]

My wife received that text too.
Absolute scumbags

 

[Bobby Chariot]

Ahaa! You just reminded me, I logged into WiFi in my local restaurant not too long ago...and I started receiving the scam texts shortly after that. . That's made me think now... and I won't be doing it again, anywhere.

Yes, public Wi-Fi, definitely need to be careful.
Good shout

 

[MitziAdele]

I presume they are buying data from other sites when we sign up for things online?

That's probably how it's done. You would think there is some way we can stop our personal details being sold off. It might be somewhere in the screeds of information when you 'accept cookies' but I never read it all because it's too long.....and I don't understand most of it anyway.

 

[MitziAdele]

That's the thing, who does have the time/knowledge to read hundreds of pages before opening a link? I remember reading once that supermarkets and their loyalty schemes are especially bad for selling data, don't know how true that is though but would make sense. Ditto signing up for free WiFi in restaurants, cafes etc

Ahaa! You just reminded me, I logged into WiFi in my local restaurant not too long ago...and I started receiving the scam texts shortly after that. . That's made me think now... and I won't be doing it again, anywhere.

 

[MitziAdele]

Yes, public Wi-Fi, definitely need to be careful.
Good shout

I didn't think of it until @emm mentioned restaurants and cafes. Just goes to show how careful we have to be when putting our details out there.

 

[MitziAdele]

It’s a recording so sometimes in Chinese and sometimes just saying they are calling from the Chinese embassy. They are from mobile numbers as well. I block them but they ring from others then

I've definitely not had that or similar. Makes you wonder where they get our numbers from!

 

[emm]

A few days ago, I received an official looking text message on my phone.

View attachment 1621725

I had a feeling it wasn't genuine, so I didn't respond to it.
There is a YouTuber called Atomic Shrimp who has made a short video about this scam, because that is what it is - a scam. So if you receive a text like this, do not respond to it, do not click on the link.

There are so many scams around like this now, I have also been getting ones about being exposed to covid quite often

 

[emm]

That's probably how it's done. You would think there is some way we can stop our personal details being sold off. It might be somewhere in the screeds of information when you 'accept cookies' but I never read it all because it's too long.....and I don't understand most of it anyway.

That's the thing, who does have the time/knowledge to read hundreds of pages before opening a link? I remember reading once that supermarkets and their loyalty schemes are especially bad for selling data, don't know how true that is though but would make sense. Ditto signing up for free WiFi in restaurants, cafes etc

 

[MitziAdele]

A few days ago, I received an official looking text message on my phone.

View attachment 1621725

I had a feeling it wasn't genuine, so I didn't respond to it.
There is a YouTuber called Atomic Shrimp who has made a short video about this scam, because that is what it is - a scam. So if you receive a text like this, do not respond to it, do not click on the link.

I have received that one twice. I deleted both times. I thought it was a scam so didn't open it.

 

[Melian]

I've not had of the above.

I had an odd few calls last year - it would come up that someone is calling me, I'd answer (my HA sometimes call me - for example, if they're arranging repairs or other things) and the person would claim I'd called them? Very odd.

 

[Dot_Cotton]

Does anyone get those Chinese recorded calls? I have been getting about 5 a day