Appliances Direct (UK). Possible scam ??

This morning I received a call on our home phone from this firm. They wanted to know if I wanted to continue 'repair protection' on our home appliances, as it was due to expire. I asked what she was talking about, and she mentioned our Hotpoint washing machine our Hotpoint freezer, and then our oven (but she did not quote that manufacturer). I informed her that we no longer had the Hotpoint washer,having changed manufacturer, Quote, "Then can we offer you terms re your new washer ?" I told her that it was not necessary as we have an extended warranty with the new manufacturer. I asked her who she was and the firm she was employed by - result - the above. I told her that we have never used her firm, and that we have no 'policy' with them whatsoever. I rang off at that point. Now I am wondering, how the hell did they know what 2 of the machines we had, or did have; AND, due to my age were they hoping to find a doddery old codger who would think," OMG, better give them my details [to continue with a non existent policy] and let them set up a standing order. Anyone had any experience with this firm ? As regards their supply of various and numerous electrical appliances, they have a very good record.

This morning I received a call on our home phone from this firm. They wanted to know if I wanted to continue 'repair protection' on our home appliances, as it was due to expire. I asked what she was talking about, and she mentioned our Hotpoint washing machine our Hotpoint freezer, and then our oven (but she did not quote that manufacturer). I informed her that we no longer had the Hotpoint washer,having changed manufacturer, Quote, "Then can we offer you terms re your new washer ?" I told her that it was not necessary as we have an extended warranty with the new manufacturer.
I asked her who she was and the firm she was employed by - result - the above. I told her that we have never used her firm, and that we have no 'policy' with them whatsoever. I rang off at that point.
Now I am wondering, how the hell did they know what 2 of the machines we had, or did have; AND, due to my age were they hoping to find a doddery old codger who would think," OMG, better give them my details [to continue with a non existent policy] and let them set up a standing order.
Anyone had any experience with this firm ? As regards their supply of various and numerous electrical appliances, they have a very good record.

I've had a few items from them but not had any calls re insurance. The caller was probably a "Work from home" housewife trying to earn a few bob doing cold or sales calls.

I've had a few items from them but not had any calls re insurance.
The caller was probably a "Work from home" housewife trying to earn a few bob doing cold or sales calls.

Bridgelayer, Thanks for that, and it was a female/housewife. Very pleasant and not demanding. Due to the readout on our cordless phone fading, it looked to me as being a mobile no., an I answered it thinking it was one of the family.

Bridgelayer, Thanks for that, and it was a female/housewife. Very pleasant and not demanding. Due to the readout on our cordless phone fading, it looked to me as being a mobile no., an I answered it thinking it was one of the family.

One of the things I have noticed with mobile phones is that as I have all my contacts listed they know who is calling me and give the name of the person when they phone. If I have a phone call which is one I do not know then it is immediately obvious that this is a stranger - which works well for cold calls as it is a prior warning to 'take extra care' - can be a little embarrassing when it is the Hospital who has called however - I have been known to disconnect the call without answering!

One of the things I have noticed with mobile phones is that as I have all my contacts listed they know who is calling me and give the name of the person when they phone. If I have a phone call which is one I do not know then it is immediately obvious that this is a stranger - which works well for cold calls as it is a prior warning to 'take extra care' - can be a little embarrassing when it is the Hospital who has called however - I have been known to disconnect the call without answering!

Did you buy the goods they mentioned from Currys? We had a few similar calls after the Currys data breach a couple of years ago - they were after credit card details. I can't remember the name they gave but the spiel was that our extended warranty was due for renewal, just give your card details to renew.

Did you buy the goods they mentioned from Currys? We had a few similar calls after the Currys data breach a couple of years ago - they were after credit card details. I can't remember the name they gave but the spiel was that our extended warranty was due for renewal, just give your card details to renew.

Beware another scam currently on the go - a phone call (usually early morning) purporting to be from your bank asking you to [i]'authorise a transaction of £xxx to an overseas bank account. To authorise this transaction please press 1'[/i]. It's a scam, I checked with my bank as I had not arranged any such transactions and when I do my bank checks with me at the time. I have had a handful of such calls on the house phone recently, always in the early morning about 8.30am. That suggests a caller well to the East of UK in different time zone (Eastern Europe would be about right). Just thought I'd give a heads-up!

Beware another scam currently on the go - a phone call (usually early morning) purporting to be from your bank asking you to 'authorise a transaction of £xxx to an overseas bank account. To authorise this transaction please press 1'. It's a scam, I checked with my bank as I had not arranged any such transactions and when I do my bank checks with me at the time.

I have had a handful of such calls on the house phone recently, always in the early morning about 8.30am. That suggests a caller well to the East of UK in different time zone (Eastern Europe would be about right).

Just thought I'd give a heads-up!

Also you can't trust the number being called from as a true identifier of who the person is, organisations can set up calling systems to 'present fake' caller ID numbers so that they are less traceable to you and I.

Also you can't trust the number being called from as a true identifier of who the person is, organisations can set up calling systems to 'present fake' caller ID numbers so that they are less traceable to you and I.

[quote]Also you can't trust the number being called from as a true identifier of who the person is, organisations can set up calling systems to 'present fake' caller ID numbers so that they are less traceable to you and I.[/quote] Very true! I often do a 1471 after a scam call and hear "this number is not in service". Does this happen because the telecom providers can't be bothered to do anything about scam callers? When I forward a phishing email to Paypal, they send me two messages: the first to thank me and then another to confirm that it was malicious.

Quote:Also you can't trust the number being called from as a true identifier of who the person is, organisations can set up calling systems to 'present fake' caller ID numbers so that they are less traceable to you and I.


Very true! I often do a 1471 after a scam call and hear "this number is not in service". Does this happen because the telecom providers can't be bothered to do anything about scam callers? When I forward a phishing email to Paypal, they send me two messages: the first to thank me and then another to confirm that it was malicious.

Ofcom are presently doing a consultation for their plans next year - [link=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-2/plan-of-work-2020-21]https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-2/plan-of-work-2020-21[/link] Download and fill in the for and email them at - [email protected] its a fairly simple form to fill in and question their strategy about Scam calls etc. I've asked such a question - perhaps if many others do also they might prioritize a solution. I'd like the same HTTPS certificate protection websites gave and email scanning services give to filter out rogue calls. Only certified callers allowed and spam calls filtered out.

Ofcom are presently doing a consultation for their plans next year - https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-2/plan-of-work-2020-21
Download and fill in the for and email them at - [email protected]

its a fairly simple form to fill in and question their strategy about Scam calls etc. I've asked such a question - perhaps if many others do also they might prioritize a solution.

I'd like the same HTTPS certificate protection websites gave and email scanning services give to filter out rogue calls. Only certified callers allowed and spam calls filtered out.

I'd like to notify my fellow photographers that DIGIBEST is a very dodgy outfit. I am still awaiting the return of money spent on a non existant lens advertised at a particular price. timdl

I'd like to notify my fellow photographers that DIGIBEST is a very dodgy outfit. I am still awaiting the return of money spent on a non existant lens advertised at a particular price.

timdl

Thanks: when I google for reviews, they seem to get either 1 star or 5 stars with nothing in between and this rings alarm bells. I'll only deal with an unknown supplier that accepts either credit-card or Paypal, both of which give first-rate buyer protection.

Thanks: when I google for reviews, they seem to get either 1 star or 5 stars with nothing in between and this rings alarm bells.

I'll only deal with an unknown supplier that accepts either credit-card or Paypal, both of which give first-rate buyer protection.

If buying from a previously unused vendor, I like to see a land line number and a bricks & mortar address. I then check on the premises using Google Earth. If anything does not seem right I will happily pay more and get the item from a known provider. I ptrger to sleep easy at night. A mobile number and a website only, does not cut it with me. Totally untraceable in the event of a problem.

If buying from a previously unused vendor, I like to see a land line number and a bricks & mortar address. I then check on the premises using Google Earth. If anything does not seem right I will happily pay more and get the item from a known provider. I ptrger to sleep easy at night.

A mobile number and a website only, does not cut it with me. Totally untraceable in the event of a problem.

It's all about money. The government puts money before loss of life. photographers can't trust their suppliers, quite a few want your money before any consideration of the value of what they are selling. We are obliged to go through the sort of self protective actions as above.So many fraudsters. Hopefully we can count on the protection offered by Paypal. I trust Park Cameras whose costs are not more than their main competitors. In the grey area I've had no problems with Hdew but then none of their products have as yet failed. My problems start when I cant find what I want at the normal outlets and get tempted by the crooks. Tim dl

It's all about money. The government puts money before loss of life.
photographers can't trust their suppliers, quite a few want your money before any consideration of the value of what they are selling.
We are obliged to go through the sort of self protective actions as above.So many fraudsters.
Hopefully we can count on the protection offered by Paypal.
I trust Park Cameras whose costs are not more than their main competitors.
In the grey area I've had no problems with Hdew but then none of their products have as yet failed.
My problems start when I cant find what I want at the normal outlets and get tempted by the crooks.

Tim dl

It's surprising how many brides will book a photographer when they know just a web address and mobile phone number. It's not just punters buying kit. When things go wrong, Court documents can't be served to a website and that phone could be a burner. One of the major professional bodies helped a disappointed bride, who was advised to hire a private detective to locate the incompetent snapper and Small Claims judge awarded the detective costs along with the compensation. Alas, this doesn't help if the offender is based overseas!

It's surprising how many brides will book a photographer when they know just a web address and mobile phone number. It's not just punters buying kit.

When things go wrong, Court documents can't be served to a website and that phone could be a burner.

One of the major professional bodies helped a disappointed bride, who was advised to hire a private detective to locate the incompetent snapper and Small Claims judge awarded the detective costs along with the compensation. Alas, this doesn't help if the offender is based overseas!

A landline number means nothing. It’s relatively cheap to set up a ‘fake’ landline number that diverts to a mobile and outgoing calls to others will appear as the landline as well.

A landline number means nothing. It’s relatively cheap to set up a ‘fake’ landline number that diverts to a mobile and outgoing calls to others will appear as the landline as well.