Alan Mallett is warning people to be aware of a potential phone scam
Trading Standards warning over Asian call centres targeting Norfolk homes every day with computer ‘fault’ scam
BY Tom Bristow
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
11:33 AM
Scammers from Indian call centres telephone Norfolk homes every day in a bid to earn money and steal identities.
IT experts say details are taken from computers on the premise of a machine fault and are then sold to crime lords to cover the true identity of criminals behind drug and paedophile rings.
The scam starts with a seemingly helpful phone call from someone pretending to be from a computer firm such as Microsoft or Apple. They say there is a virus or error on a computer and they will fix it.
But it can end with fake profiles being set up on social network sites to commit further fraud and crimes.
Ann Jackson, of Norfolk Trading standards, said: “The contact advises there is a problem with the user’s computer and they can offer a security check.
The individual then gains access to the computer with the ensuing risk of accessing personal information and bank details which can be used to commit fraud.”
One 81-year-old woman from Unthank Road, Norwich, who did not wish to be named, said she had been called constantly for four months by somebody trying to get access to her computer.
And a 74-year-old woman from Stalham, who did not wish to be named, lost £820 over three months to the virus scam.
Money was taken from her account from two call centres and paid to accounts in Nigeria, India and Cyprus.
“It was expensive and disastrous,” she said. “I’m not very computer literate and I was getting error messages. I got cold-called and they said ‘we see there are a lot of errors and we will look after your computer’.
“They kept me on the phone for about an hour. They asked for £340 which I foolishly paid.”
The woman was told the computer had been fixed but the scammers then said another problem had been found and she had to pay an extra £110.
A month later a different caller rang claiming to be from Microsoft and she was asked to pay up again.
But, according to trading standards, the real payday for scammers is selling card details and identity on to other crime organisations.
Rob Lucas, whose firm RLS Computers in King’s Lynn is part of Norfolk County Council’s trusted trader scheme, said: “People need to understand times have moved on. What is more valuable – stealing a computer or stealing information about people to sell on to much bigger crime lords?
“The biggest hustle at the moment which is spiralling is setting up social network profiles. The criminals need ways to create new identities.”
Norfolk Trading Standards and Action Fraud are fighting back by telling people never to give out their card details over the phone and report each scam to them.
Trading standards want to hear from anyone who has been targeted. Email trading.standards@norfolk.gov.uk or write to Norfolk County Council Trading Standards Service, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2UD
Contact Action Fraud on 03001232040 or email@actionfraud.org.uk or get in touch with Consumer Direct on 08454040506.
Have you been targeted by a scam? Contact reporter Tom Bristow on 01603772313 or email tom.bristow@archant.co.uk
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24 comments
Similar to Albert Cooper, (Tuesday 7th February), I received a call yesterday from an Indian male saying he was from Microsoft. I told him I had just been reading our local newspaper report and I knew this was a scam. He became very abusive and shouted that I was very rude and had no manners! He continued to shout at me until I said I had his number and would be informing the police. He then hung up. His number displayed on my phone was simply 0501.
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JuneH
Friday, February 10, 2012
This scammimg activity has been going on for years.has Trading Standards just got hold of the problem ?
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Albert Cooper
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I loved my conversation with one of these callers when I explained my trusty ZX Spectrum has never let me down. He still insisted he provide 'assistance' and after 30 minutes discussion about Horace Goes Skiing Error 45Q and Castle Spellerus Error 99P he finally hung up in disgust. If you're strapped for time a quicker way of doing with these people is to simply say your robbing the property and that you picked up the phone by mistake.
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Yahweh or the Highway
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Think of it this way. when YOU call a bank, BT, your mortgage company, etc how much checks do they go through to validate who you are? Then flip reverse it, how many check do you go through to check who they are... Think about it.
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Rob Lucas
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Daisy roots in theory these calls should be blocked but because they are based offshore the companies involved due not have to adhere to our Telecom guidelines. Even if they are traced and the line is terminated, the scammer can start a new number within minutes and start all over again. I also expect they withhold the number so unless you have withheld number barred from calling then it is to late once you are speaking to them. The simple rule is never to give any personal information and if they are a legitimate company they will not mind in you calling them back on their number. Although even then some numbers could be premium rate and this is where BT can do something.
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chebram71
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
If someone rang you up and said "there seems to be something wrong with your car. Please leave your car keys outside on the step." you wouldn't do it would you? Yet the word "computer" seems to fill some people with dread and because it's a computer they do it!!
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samphirelover
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I got myself so worked up arguing with one of these guys who was extremely determined I have invested in a Choose to Refuse phone system for £1.79 per month with the Phone Coop which allows you the option of refusing to accept any call you think may be suspicious or anyone else who you do not wish to speak with-it gets rid of all of them!
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Peter Watson
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
why not just make a not of this number tell the caller you can not access the main settings and ask the caller to ring your computer administrator on 03001232040 or 101 hopefully these calls can then be lodged
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k day
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I can't see why not Cheb.. They are nuisance calls and BT as the service provider ought to have the means to make the service we pay for,whether direct to BT or via another company, less problematical. Like Ira I no longer use a landline for calls but my elderly parents are much inconvenienced by cold calls, despite doing everything to limit them. When people are accustomed to businesses like their own banks, insurance and Amex etc making cold calls it can take a moment or two to twig what these scammers are up to.Most will not be taken in by them,but it is the unpleasantness of being "approached " by those with criminal intent we could do without. If a pub knowingly allowed its premises to be used for illegal activities the landlord would not escape scot free.
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Daisy Roots
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Every time I get one of these calls I tell them they have come through to the police station they can't put that phone down quick enough!
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Queenie
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
My dear old mum had one of these calls last month, however when she informed them she had an AndyPad they didn't recognise it hung up. I have told her to stop accepting these calls and it baffles me that she spoke to them in the first place. She got off luckily, but sadly others do not. Regards, Whiley.
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Whiley Boy
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I had a call from these, I let him go all the way through his script then told him I don't have a computer..... he was peeved with me I can tell you.
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expat
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
If they call to say you have a problem with your Computer tell them you have a ZX Spectrum, they will have no clue what you are even on about :0)
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chebram71
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I receive this call almost daily and I wonder if these criminalst target the aged ? I play them along but often if I declare that I am totally aware the call is a scam I often then receive there and then,or phoned back , receive the most awfulll foul and abusive language.
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Albert Cooper
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Isn't modern technology wonderful, NOT. Thank god I don't use the pc for financial purposes. I would never part with that amount of cash either, especially over the phone.
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Karen Henry
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Evening News please have an edit post facility, another typo due to cold fingers and frozen brain :(
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chebram71
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Daisy it is not for BT or other Telcos to filter out these numbers. People need to use common sense and nothing more. They need to thing I do not know this person on the end of the phone. Would these people also just hand over several hundred pounds to a complete stranger on the street? Even if BT do filter a number,it takes minutes for these scammers to use another number to call from. There are online companies that create virtual numbers for companies and individuals to use, so it is not as simple as you may think.
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chebram71
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
You are all being completely unfair! As you can see from the report it was 2 elderly people that had been shaf*ed by the scum! It is not only elderly people that have had the calls either, I have been targeted and received 8 calls one after the other (in one evening), they were so persistent that I nearly gave in - it was only when they asked me to go onto a website to give them access to my computer that I told them to 'get lost', they still called day after day until I had told them that I had taken the PC into my local PC shop to be looked at. PLEASE BE CAREFUL EVERYONE :)
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wombat
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
About time BT was forced to filter out these calls from international numbers which are known to be scammers. We can opt out ourselves or elderly parents from cold calling from UK numbers but remain inconvenienced by international crooks. Best ploy is to have an Acme Thunderer next to the phone and give a good long blast down the mouthpiece. As for serves them right- when people in their late 70s and 80s are recently getting to grips with IT they may not have been aware of any previous publicity.
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Daisy Roots
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
ive had this going on for nearly 6 weeks - we get 2 or 3 calls a day, we do a mix of put it down, or go whats a comp for our own amusement. The call comes up as unknown, blocked or international so i know its them thats calling - cant belive people fall for it!!
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billy
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
There is a long and short approach to these scammers. what always works is to say' sorry I'm making bread and my hands are full of dough, can't hold the phone, bye', it works everytime, I frequently get 'sorry sir for bothering you'. :)
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ingo wagenknecht
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Unless you have initiated the call never give out any personal details. I used to get several of these computer scam calls a week and delighted in leading the caller on for about 30 minutes then telling them that they were scammmers and that while they had been talking to me they were losing money. I recently terminated my landline and went fully mobile for internet and phones so thankfully I no longer get these calls.
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Ira Rose
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I received these calls several times advising they were repair people conected with Microsoft. I had my doubts and did nothing - be careful everyone.
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CANARY-CRUISE-GIRL
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sorry but if these people are not computer literate and they just hand over several hundred pounds to a complete stranger then sorry more fool them. If your computer has a problem first port of call should be the manufacturer if hardware related and if anything to do with the operating system then call Microsoft or Apple for support. People are warned year on year about these scams but fools are easily parted with their cash. Sames goes for companies calling you asking for your details and passwords, call them back rather than disclose this information.
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chebram71
Tuesday, February 7, 2012