Amazon Prime Scam

Just asking if any one else has had this and warning it's a scam. Over the last three days I've had phone calls, from a "robot woman" with an American accent, telling me my Amazon prime membership is being renewed and £39.99 will be taken out of my bank account, and if I wish to cancel this press 1 I don't have Amazon prime membership, and have checked this on my Amazon account. I rang Amazon and told them about this, they didn't seem very interested but did say they would never ring to do this, and never to respond to requests like this. I've just had another call, number withheld. How these people have my number I don't know and only hope they haven't my bank account details, I don't use on-line banking. would welcome your thoughts. Thanks

Just asking if any one else has had this and warning it's a scam. Over the last three days I've had phone calls, from a "robot woman" with an American accent, telling me my Amazon prime membership is being renewed and £39.99 will be taken out of my bank account, and if I wish to cancel this press 1 I don't have Amazon prime membership, and have checked this on my Amazon account. I rang Amazon and told them about this, they didn't seem very interested but did say they would never ring to do this, and never to respond to requests like this. I've just had another call, number withheld. How these people have my number I don't know and only hope they haven't my bank account details, I don't use on-line banking. would welcome your thoughts. Thanks

This type of call seems to be proliferating, and the script of the call you've had is very similar to ones I've received, either by phone or email. Others include my Amazon or Apple "order" has been processed, and if I wish to amend or cancel, to press this, or click through on that. Other popular scripts are "my router has been compromised", my phone is about to be cut off if I don't pay this or that, and, of course, the old favourite - a very concerned caller asking anxiously about "the crash that wasn't my fault". Strangely, we hadn't had any for months, then, suddenly, they started again and we were getting five or six calls a day. So we've now bought BT call blocker phones, which intercept every call with a message asking the caller to state their name, which is then relayed to us to see if we want to answer. Friends, family, doctors, dentists, etc, are added to an approved list, and can ring straight through thereafter, whereas unwanted calls go on a blocked list. In practice, any dodgy caller doesn't bother to continue the ruse and hangs up. The result? No more unwanted calls. Hope this helps. Allan

This type of call seems to be proliferating, and the script of the call you've had is very similar to ones I've received, either by phone or email. Others include my Amazon or Apple "order" has been processed, and if I wish to amend or cancel, to press this, or click through on that.

Other popular scripts are "my router has been compromised", my phone is about to be cut off if I don't pay this or that, and, of course, the old favourite - a very concerned caller asking anxiously about "the crash that wasn't my fault".

Strangely, we hadn't had any for months, then, suddenly, they started again and we were getting five or six calls a day. So we've now bought BT call blocker phones, which intercept every call with a message asking the caller to state their name, which is then relayed to us to see if we want to answer. Friends, family, doctors, dentists, etc, are added to an approved list, and can ring straight through thereafter, whereas unwanted calls go on a blocked list. In practice, any dodgy caller doesn't bother to continue the ruse and hangs up. The result? No more unwanted calls.

Hope this helps.

Allan

I no longer have a land line for this very reason - although mobiles are not exempt but if a caller is unknown the phone does tell you it is an unknown number which then gives you some options. I do not answer 'unknown' callers except for the Hospital as they, for the mobile, are unknown. (I can usually guess that it is the hospital by the dialling code). Another warning - my daughter recently had an email purportedly from the BBC to say she did not have a license and she could do this on line - unfortunately she believed them but fortunately she realised before any money left her bank account.

I no longer have a land line for this very reason - although mobiles are not exempt but if a caller is unknown the phone does tell you it is an unknown number which then gives you some options. I do not answer 'unknown' callers except for the Hospital as they, for the mobile, are unknown. (I can usually guess that it is the hospital by the dialling code).
Another warning - my daughter recently had an email purportedly from the BBC to say she did not have a license and she could do this on line - unfortunately she believed them but fortunately she realised before any money left her bank account.

I've just missed a call that came while I was in the garden and so did 1471 to find out who it was. When I dialled the number wasn't recognised. One BT person told me that scamsters often hijack a UK number that isn't in use. We never click on links within emails do we? One properly educated friend always uses a Latin salutation so that friends know that a message is genuine!

I've just missed a call that came while I was in the garden and so did 1471 to find out who it was. When I dialled the number wasn't recognised. One BT person told me that scamsters often hijack a UK number that isn't in use.

We never click on links within emails do we?

One properly educated friend always uses a Latin salutation so that friends know that a message is genuine!

Back about a month or so ago I was getting regular calls from someone who said they were from BT and my internet would be disconnected in twenty four hours unless I updated something on my computer. It was a scam in order to give someone Access to my computer. I'm not with BT:)

Back about a month or so ago I was getting regular calls from someone who said they were from BT and my internet would be disconnected in twenty four hours unless I updated something on my computer. It was a scam in order to give someone Access to my computer. I'm not with BT

I can assure you that it is a scam. My advice to you is to hang up and DO NOT ENTER INTO CONVERSATION WITH THEM. They will keep calling. I had the same problem as franken, but I was stupid enough to fall for it. This was a couple of years ago. I was told that BT were getting so many error reports that they will close down my internet unless I followed their procedure. I had to buy a new laptop and request a new router with a different IP address to resume, though I still get calls claiming to be from BT. I do as advise you to do, and just hang up. Another scam is the "free computer check" generally on a toll free number coming from India. You will recieve a phone call offerring a free computer check. HANG UP!!!

I can assure you that it is a scam. My advice to you is to hang up and DO NOT ENTER INTO CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
They will keep calling.
I had the same problem as franken, but I was stupid enough to fall for it. This was a couple of years ago. I was told that BT were getting so many error reports that they will close down my internet unless I followed their procedure.
I had to buy a new laptop and request a new router with a different IP address to resume, though I still get calls claiming to be from BT. I do as advise you to do, and just hang up.
Another scam is the "free computer check" generally on a toll free number coming from India. You will recieve a phone call offerring a free computer check. HANG UP!!!

Just got home and I've got a message on my answerphone from a computerised bloke. Although I think mine was about a computer account. Just deleted it.

Just got home and I've got a message on my answerphone from a computerised bloke. Although I think mine was about a computer account. Just deleted it.

Delete also suspicious e-mails without reading them..

Delete also suspicious e-mails without reading them..

[quote] So we've now bought BT call blocker phones, which intercept every call with a message asking the caller to state their name, which is then relayed to us to see if we want to answer. Friends, family, doctors, dentists, etc, are added to an approved list, and can ring straight through thereafter, whereas unwanted calls go on a blocked list. In practice, any dodgy caller doesn't bother to continue the ruse and hangs up. The result? No more unwanted calls. Hope this helps. Allan[/quote] I have a call blocker but of the type that stores the numbers. unfortunately these scammers keep moving so blocking them is only blocking that one number. I can still get as many as eight of these calls in one day despite many being blocked. I have considered buying the type of blocker you describe but the local police, hospital and doctors normally do not supply their number so all I see is "Number Withheld".. I could block this but then I could miss important calls. A friend operates a similar system to yours and tells me that the Doctor gave up trying get through his system and he missed an important call. The key thing is how do you put No Caller ID on an approved list? If there is a way, I would be willing to give it a go. The problem is that the government has done little about this problem or forced OFFCOM to take action. Also it would help if the police, doctors and hospital did not withhold their numbers. Dave

Quote:

So we've now bought BT call blocker phones, which intercept every call with a message asking the caller to state their name, which is then relayed to us to see if we want to answer. Friends, family, doctors, dentists, etc, are added to an approved list, and can ring straight through thereafter, whereas unwanted calls go on a blocked list. In practice, any dodgy caller doesn't bother to continue the ruse and hangs up. The result? No more unwanted calls.

Hope this helps.

Allan


I have a call blocker but of the type that stores the numbers. unfortunately these scammers keep moving so blocking them is only blocking that one number. I can still get as many as eight of these calls in one day despite many being blocked. I have considered buying the type of blocker you describe but the local police, hospital and doctors normally do not supply their number so all I see is "Number Withheld".. I could block this but then I could miss important calls. A friend operates a similar system to yours and tells me that the Doctor gave up trying get through his system and he missed an important call. The key thing is how do you put No Caller ID on an approved list? If there is a way, I would be willing to give it a go.

The problem is that the government has done little about this problem or forced OFFCOM to take action. Also it would help if the police, doctors and hospital did not withhold their numbers.

Dave

I never answer my landline. I leave it to the answerphone and in most cases the call ceases as soon as the message starts playing. Anyone or anything important will leave a message.

I never answer my landline. I leave it to the answerphone and in most cases the call ceases as soon as the message starts playing. Anyone or anything important will leave a message.

Other scams that appear to be in circulation are emails or phone calls from energy suppliers, internet companies, and even banks that ask you to update or confirm your bank details. Alarm bells should ring here if you've not changed anything. If you get a call from someone who says they're from your bank and your account has been compromised and they ask you to put the phone down and ring back using the number you have as confirmation it will probably be a scam as they never put the phone down their end. Best to wait awhile and then ring them or use another phone.

Other scams that appear to be in circulation are emails or phone calls from energy suppliers, internet companies, and even banks that ask you to update or confirm your bank details. Alarm bells should ring here if you've not changed anything. If you get a call from someone who says they're from your bank and your account has been compromised and they ask you to put the phone down and ring back using the number you have as confirmation it will probably be a scam as they never put the phone down their end. Best to wait awhile and then ring them or use another phone.

I always delete Emails before opening if I don't know where they have come from. We have also had numerous calls and e mails about our BT internet being disconnected, we don't have BT internet. Also a few years ago I had a phone call from the bank saying there were suspicious debits from my account and to confirm one of my security details. I put the phone down then rang the bank some time later, they said they had called and there were several suspicious debits for air fares and on line shops which the bank (Co-op) paid back to me. You can never be too careful.

I always delete Emails before opening if I don't know where they have come from. We have also had numerous calls and e mails about our BT internet being disconnected, we don't have BT internet. Also a few years ago I had a phone call from the bank saying there were suspicious debits from my account and to confirm one of my security details. I put the phone down then rang the bank some time later, they said they had called and there were several suspicious debits for air fares and on line shops which the bank (Co-op) paid back to me. You can never be too careful.

I think call blocking has already been mentioned above, I have a fairly old mobile phone and a company I cannot identify keeps calling me but using different numbers each time. My son and daughter have an Apple Phone which can block calls, my Android doesn't, but it will put 'unknown' numbers that have called straight to answerphone after ticking a box in my Contacts list. Another tactic, which I learned when a friend and I were speaking face-to-face; his mobile rang but he didn't acknowledge it (polite of him in these days answering everything). I asked if he needed to take the call and he replied that he never answered a call that wasn't in his contact list; if it was a reputable person or company they would leave a message. If the call doesn't go to your answerphone then it is likely to be of no concern to you and you could just leave it or block it. I label any unknown numbers as Spam in my contacts list'. A landline phone can be handled the same way, we have a BT Landline and, while I am not a big fan of BT, we rarely get duff calls on the landline. I hope this is helpful and not to repetitive of the good advice already given. Chris

I think call blocking has already been mentioned above, I have a fairly old mobile phone and a company I cannot identify keeps calling me but using different numbers each time. My son and daughter have an Apple Phone which can block calls, my Android doesn't, but it will put 'unknown' numbers that have called straight to answerphone after ticking a box in my Contacts list. Another tactic, which I learned when a friend and I were speaking face-to-face; his mobile rang but he didn't acknowledge it (polite of him in these days answering everything). I asked if he needed to take the call and he replied that he never answered a call that wasn't in his contact list; if it was a reputable person or company they would leave a message. If the call doesn't go to your answerphone then it is likely to be of no concern to you and you could just leave it or block it. I label any unknown numbers as Spam in my contacts list'. A landline phone can be handled the same way, we have a BT Landline and, while I am not a big fan of BT, we rarely get duff calls on the landline. I hope this is helpful and not to repetitive of the good advice already given. Chris

[quote]I have considered buying the type of blocker you describe but the local police, hospital and doctors normally do not supply their number so all I see is "Number Withheld".. I could block this but then I could miss important calls. A friend operates a similar system to yours and tells me that the Doctor gave up trying get through his system and he missed an important call. The key thing is how do you put No Caller ID on an approved list? Also it would help if the police, doctors and hospital did not withhold their numbers. Dave[/quote] The beauty of the system, which uses trueCall technology (which I believe can be bought as an add-on to existing phones), is that the caller is asked to give their name, your phone then rings and you hear the person say who they are, and you can judge if you want that call. As far as I can see, this should not be affected even if the doctor, etc, chooses to withhold their number - you still hear their spoken introduction. Of course, you can't add a withheld number to an approved list, so, if they call more than once, they will have to announce themselves and wait for your approval each time, but that is the price of them withholding their number, I'm afraid. As a far as I know, if you are out, they can leave a message in the normal way, which a fraudster would not usually bother with.

Quote:I have considered buying the type of blocker you describe but the local police, hospital and doctors normally do not supply their number so all I see is "Number Withheld".. I could block this but then I could miss important calls. A friend operates a similar system to yours and tells me that the Doctor gave up trying get through his system and he missed an important call. The key thing is how do you put No Caller ID on an approved list?

Also it would help if the police, doctors and hospital did not withhold their numbers.

Dave


The beauty of the system, which uses trueCall technology (which I believe can be bought as an add-on to existing phones), is that the caller is asked to give their name, your phone then rings and you hear the person say who they are, and you can judge if you want that call. As far as I can see, this should not be affected even if the doctor, etc, chooses to withhold their number - you still hear their spoken introduction.

Of course, you can't add a withheld number to an approved list, so, if they call more than once, they will have to announce themselves and wait for your approval each time, but that is the price of them withholding their number, I'm afraid. As a far as I know, if you are out, they can leave a message in the normal way, which a fraudster would not usually bother with.

[quote] The beauty of the system, which uses trueCall technology (which I believe can be bought as an add-on to existing phones), is that the caller is asked to give their name, your phone then rings and you hear the person say who they are, and you can judge if you want that call. As far as I can see, this should not be affected even if the doctor, etc, chooses to withhold their number - you still hear their spoken introduction. Of course, you can't add a withheld number to an approved list, so, if they call more than once, they will have to announce themselves and wait for your approval each time, but that is the price of them withholding their number, I'm afraid. As a far as I know, if you are out, they can leave a message in the normal way, which a fraudster would not usually bother with.[/quote] This is the device I was considering replacing my current Blocker with (or perhaps running the two in series). We have persuaded regular friends who normally choose to withhold their number to store our number preceded by 1470. This allows our phone system to see their caller ID but not others. This would allow them to pass through "TrueCall" and we can see their name so know they are OK. However, you are still stuck with the fact that the Police, NHS, Doctors and dentist withhold their iD. Yes they could announce themselves but as my friend found out his Doctor (or probably an administrator just rang off at the initial message and after two tries gave up). Recently, calls from the NHS, dentist and Police (Neighbourhood watch) are not uncommon though not as common as "BT or Openreach" Spam.

Quote:
The beauty of the system, which uses trueCall technology (which I believe can be bought as an add-on to existing phones), is that the caller is asked to give their name, your phone then rings and you hear the person say who they are, and you can judge if you want that call. As far as I can see, this should not be affected even if the doctor, etc, chooses to withhold their number - you still hear their spoken introduction.

Of course, you can't add a withheld number to an approved list, so, if they call more than once, they will have to announce themselves and wait for your approval each time, but that is the price of them withholding their number, I'm afraid. As a far as I know, if you are out, they can leave a message in the normal way, which a fraudster would not usually bother with.


This is the device I was considering replacing my current Blocker with (or perhaps running the two in series). We have persuaded regular friends who normally choose to withhold their number to store our number preceded by 1470. This allows our phone system to see their caller ID but not others. This would allow them to pass through "TrueCall" and we can see their name so know they are OK. However, you are still stuck with the fact that the Police, NHS, Doctors and dentist withhold their iD. Yes they could announce themselves but as my friend found out his Doctor (or probably an administrator just rang off at the initial message and after two tries gave up). Recently, calls from the NHS, dentist and Police (Neighbourhood watch) are not uncommon though not as common as "BT or Openreach" Spam.