Scammers again !!!

If I were quick-thinking enough I would say that it had to be at a certain time as I had to go out, and then I'd contact the police station to see if they could arrange to have someone in the house at that time, and catch them in the act. I don't know whether they would take that much trouble for a petty scammer, but it would be worth trying.
Could also try having a neighbour there to take a photo of him handing over the cheque, which would get a pic of him (if he fell for it - he is probably highly suspicious of other people as he is such a shyster himself)

tiggypiro I live on my own but after similar phone calls I also have a son who works locally and when the need arises, a couch potato husband

Actuallly I DO have a SIL who is the Fraud Investigation partner in one of the “Big Four” global accountancy firms!

Yes, the shout through to the "other room" to ask the opinion of an invisible bodyguard. And when there is an unexplained noise in the night, the shout to the invisible sleeping partner to phone the police as you hear intruders.

I know most of us know not to click on links in emails... but being as I got another scam email purporting to be from Paypal again this morning i thought it only timely to remind people never to click on a link in an email, and certainly always be aware that Paypal or financial institutions will always address you by your full name. However, even then still be suspicious and DO not click on a link. Instead go to the paypal or bank website and sign in, if there's any messages for you they will be in there. For anyone whose never seen a scam Paypal email I've copied this one from this morning.....be very careful folks, especially at this time of year when you may be using your paypal or cards more online than usual.

ΡayΡal
Suspicious Activity
Hello, Dear Customer,
Tuesday, December 12, 2017 (GMT), We noticed a successful sign in to your ΡayΡal account from an unrecognized device in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

You must be verified before it can be used to recover your account. If you have not completed verification, your account will be limited, please visit :
www.paypal.com/resolve/update?id=usr_num113834>&actin=_resolve-pp-0987-98749-2212
Sincerely,
ΡayΡal

And don't be nosy and click on that link in the posted copy of the email!!!! Perhaps GNHQ could deactivate it or remove it?)

I keep getting these from Paypal too - had one the other day to say my card was due to expire so I logged in via the proper route to check and this time it was correct. I've also started getting the phone calls about my broadband having a problem - what they don't realise is I have two lines and they're ringing about the one which doesn't have broadband on it! It is worrying that some people might be taken in by the scammers.

Yes I did wonder if I should remove that link Elegran but I felt that without it, people who weren't aware of the scam email might not realise that there's a link attached to the mail which you MUST NOT click on... so hopefully people will have enough sense not to click on the link in my post..

That link is there now and I have a feeling that HQ can only delete the whole post. If anyone in the future is posting a link that is definitely NOT to click on, maybe they could spoil it some way - leave out a crucial bit of it like the .com perhaps, or miss out the whole of it and put instead "They give a link to click".

I should think most of us have the wit to avoid it, but you never know - people do the daftest things. You only have to look at the Darwin Awards to realise that!

Yes good idea..as I can't edit the post myself perhaps a Mod could remove part of the link..

Report it to HQ and tell them why.

If Paypal contact you, they never say "Dear Customer", they use your name. That should alert you right away that something is wrong.

We had a call from "BT" this morning about someone trying to hack into our BT broadband. I do wonder where they get their info from as we moved from BT some months ago.

I am suspicious about where all these calls get our names and details from. DH was with DS a couple of years ago when they had a car accident. The only people informed were the police and ambulance but the very next day they got calls from 'ambulance chasers' who knew about the accident. They hadn't yet contacted the insurers.

I’ve had one this afternoon from teachers pensions claiming to have an important message. I logged in on a different device, no such message.
Obviously a scam, it addressed me as ‘Hi’ and had no TP logo, but did have links.
Don’t open, but go through the official website to check, if you need to.

I have had several emails from "HMRC" telling me that I'm owed tax back, usually more than I actually pay!!?. Click on the link etc.! Always addressed as dear followed by my email address!! I think the tax office know my name!!?

And keep a pair of size 11 boots in the hallway!

One of my tenants in the sheltered housing unit where I work was scammed last week out of £3000. The 'bank' called to say they needed to replace his card etc and would send a courier to get it which they did and asked for his PIN number. This gentleman is not stupid at all but was totally convinced, the police have been brilliant and we had lots of cctv so maybe that will help but such a shame

Your recent accident phone calls have been increasing lately, all to my mobile too. At first I just said no but the other day I lost my temper and shouted at the woman " don't be such a b****y moron " DH and I think that charities sell our details and believe DVLA do too.

They don't even need a list of phone numbers - they use a programme that automatically dials one sequential number after another until someone (you) answers.

J52 how did they know you were part of that scheme? That is what worries me, where do they get the information?

Yes I agree, I assume it’s the same as how they know someone has a PayPal or bank account.
They only thing to do is be super careful and trust no one!
I suspect if you were in a professional occupation there’s a chance you get a pension from that profession. Data is out there and scammers get it from those with IT skills that allow them to drill down deep enough to get certain data about individuals.

I don’t think they do know if you have Pay Pal or which is your bank they keep trying till someone reacts. I get endless emails with the wrong bank account.

If they send ten thousand random emails claiming to be about "your Paypal account" several thousand of them will go to people who DO have a Paypal account. If fifty of those click on the link, and of those fifty only five go on to reveal their passwords, it still gives them five more accounts to plunder than they had before they sent out the bulk emails, or made the random phone calls.

I think there is a ratio in advertising that if one person in ten looks at your ad, you are doing fine. Of those who look at it, one in ten will pay attention to it enough to consider the item, and one in ten of those buying it is a good return on effort. When phone calls are very cheap, it is worth someone's time to invest in ringing thousands of cold calls. The people actually phoning are probably paid only by results.

I've had great fun with the phone calls. Emails - I've got to the stage that unless its a friend I just delete them. I get ones from my bank and credit card company but ignore them and go to their website to check what they want.

I love it when the chap from the Insurance Department of the Ministry of Government phones me with a better deal on my life insurance.

The latest one is TPM a company that is, according to the caller, asked by TPS to phone because I'm getting lots of cold calls. This "free" service will cost me a one off payment £29.99, The last one regretted using the word free. By the time I had finished with him he definitely knew what "free" meant and his ear must have been on fire. They won't stop calling so I usually have fun with them.