Dodgy Call Claiming to be QFF Program Representative

[harvyk]

My mother got the Virgin version of this scam and they asked for her by name, so it's not just random dialling of numbers and hoping someone picks up.

That's a fair bit of research on behalf of the scammers, plus in a way it ultimately works against them.

The really successful scammers virtually do everything just shy of telling the victim they are a scammer. The reason behind this is each victim represents an investment on behalf of the scammer. There are certain details of my life that I'm probably not going to tell just anyone (most of my friends included), regardless of how genuine the other person may appear. But someone else who is far more trusting and far less skeptical than me would. The scammer wants to eliminate people like me asap, as I would simply be considered wasted time, and the easiest way of doing that is by dropping subtle hints really early that they are not on the level. That way the people they manage to string along are likely to give up sensitive details that they should be keeping confidential.

There is a reason why scam emails typically have typo's, are "Dear Customer" despite the fact that with most peoples emails it is easy to guess the persons name etc

 

[QF WP]

To show just how concerning scamming is, I just received this from a supplier:

Fraud alert: customer webmail hacked
A customer's webmail account was recently hacked, and subsequently used to carry out fraudulent withdrawal requests totalling over $500,000.

I look forward to getting the QF scammers call...

 

[eminere]

They're also targetting businesses (or perhaps their system isn't sophisticated enough to distinguish between individual and company). Our shop received a number of calls today too.

 

[straitman]

Are these calls coming from an identifiable number?

I have missed several calls today from an unknown 07 number. We are currently in Malaysia so I'm not rushing to answer calls from unknown numbers who then do not leave messages.

 

[QF WP]

It wasn't me Straitman

 

[markis10]

Never rely on caller ID either, its very easy to set up a PBX to display whatever number you want shown.

 

[harvyk]

Never rely on caller ID either, its very easy to set up a PBX to display whatever number you want shown.

The trick I tend to use to confirm if a call is legitimate is I'll ask some probing questions which a genuine company rep would know (if the premise of the call is not overly sensitive) and / or hang up and call back on a trusted number. I've had a few calls from "banks" where I said I would call them back on a number I had for them. The person on the other end didn't like that, and sure enough when talking to the actual bank they had no idea what the call was about and they had no need to call me.

These fake "bank" calls got so regular that I next to never answer private number calls (unless I am expecting a call which I know comes from a private number).

 

[lovestotravel]

All private numbers for me go straight to voicemail, along with about 150 other numbers that continually call me about life insurance, Cellarmasters etc etc

If someone important enough is calling me and they want to speak to me they can/will leave a message

 

[harvyk]

If someone important enough is calling me and they want to speak to me they can/will leave a message

Agreed, everyone who I want to speak with know methods to get in contact with me that does not involve using private numbers.

 

[QF WP]

I never answer personal numbers either, straight to voicemail - so my parents and wife know to ring my office number or text me.

I always know when an AFF'er is calling me (one for whom I have their details in my iPhone) - their real name and screen name comes up and the ring tone is a boarding announcement.

I so want to get ones of these calls now and string them along...