Another scam.

I have a smartphone and a landline. Only people I know and trust have my smartphone number.

My landline phone is one that shows me the name of who is calling ( as long as they are in my list of contacts) and asks other callers to say who they are. I can then hear a recording of what they say and choose whether to answer or not by pressing the appropriate button. It works well

I think there is a rumour that landlines are going to disappear, which is really annoying . I can only hope that someone is going to produce a smartphone with the same facility when that happen, - if I'm still around that long!

Our landline is via TalkTalk, who have a brilliant system for call screening; you are advised who is calling and you can then choose to allow that caller access at all times, accept the call just once or reject/block them. Since we initiated this we haven't had any scam calls, for which we are extremely thankful.

Dear me, what ever next?

I just sigh at it all and wonder what on earth we are coming to.

How many of you have given your number to Amazon, ebay etc etc. Or even airlines when booking a flight?
The only people who have my number are my bank and doctor/ hospital.

Wheniwasyourage

Am I just being dense? How would hearing your own voice make you hand over bank details?

Precisely what I was wondering!

It might make my son worried, but he would check by phoning me back before transferring money or giving any details of any kind.

Must admit, if someone phones me, and the number is not in my contacts, and has a name, I don't answer. If its urgent they'll leave a message. They never do. Mind you I've no money to rob, but identity is another matter,dreadful for those involved either way. The BBC did a programme, Scam Interceptors, working with ethical hackers to trace and confront the perpetrators of these crimes.

HannahLoisLuke

I shall use my trusty football referees whistle if I get one if these calls!

I’ve used one for years.

The world is becoming an ever more dangerous place. We need eyes in the back of our heads and to be ever vigilant 24/7 and who on earth can do that???
My bank also takes my voice as my password so that could be a real problem. I wonder if we'll go full circle eventually and have banks back in the high streets and be able to conduct our business face to face with a friendly assistant?

I shall use my trusty football referees whistle if I get one if these calls!

Wheniwasyourage

Am I just being dense? How would hearing your own voice make you hand over bank details?

Thank you, crazyH and others for explaining. I was being dense!

I got a 'MUM, please help me' text - that sent me into a panic (they'd been robbed and left stranded) - until I realised that they'd contact their siblings, not me. I asked for their name - that stopped them!

the banks say that voice recordings will not work with their ID systems, which are v sophisticated.
if they did give access improperly, wouldn't they, the bank, have to bear the loss ?

I’ve got that telephone banking voice recognition. Apparently, you can still be recognized through a heavy cold or sore throat! Really??? Mine, never, ever recognizes me if I call from my mobile phone, reverting to asking for 2 of my pins.
Googled last night and I’m going to cancel the voice thing once and for all.

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Scary!

Several years ago I received a phone call from a man about my credit card. He asked for my security details and I refused. I forgot all about it as we were busy packing for a holiday.

I went to duty free at the airport and my card had been stopped!

CocoPops

To give you an example of how these criminals use voice recordings...
My friend had a call from her teenage GS saying he was at the police station and needed bail money. Could Grandma go to the police station with the money?
My friend immediately phoned her son who said GS was at home! She said "the voice" sounded exactly like her GS.

I live many miles from my DGC so I wouldn't be able to go to the police station but of course they won't really want you to do that, so no doubt a 'police officer' would come on the line to help transfer money.

I think you're right Jess20.

Also, I don't know if banks still phone customers and ask for security info before they'll say what the call is about.
One bank did that to me, in the past, and the guy seemed surprised that I objected.

I recently had my internet provider do that, tho, and I refused to give it to them.
Even tho I was expecting a call from them, it's the principle as it still could have been anyone using a faked number.

My bank uses my voice as my password, a sophisticated AI program could replicate my voice and hack that part of my security as I don't need a password at that point. How could it be proven it was or wasn't me if I had money stolen? I always hang up on unknown, unexpected and unidentified callers. We are starting to move into a new level of risk and I don't think banks etc are really taking it on board. Branches are shutting and the internet and mobile banking by phone are really vulnerable.

The other day I got one I think the poster is talking about, they tried to keep me talking by asking lots of questions about my bank account and which shops I had used in the last week and my family s use of shops. Luckily I just let them talk and question by saying ahah until they get fed and just cut off. I should really have cut off right away.
My DDs usually message me but I am going to have a list of family numbers by the phone so I know who is important.
The trouble with voice mail is you might have a recording of your own voice I was warned about this and now use the generic server's voice to answer.

Good grief. AI certainly has the potential to do good, but the reverse also applies. As for telephone calls, we have a call-guard system in place as we were getting so many unsolicited calls trying to sell stuff to us. Also obvious scam calls from people purporting to be Microsoft, our Bank, BT, Virgin etc. I don't think you can be too cautious these days, as it's a minefield out there.

I don’t answer numbers I don’t recognise either, but I do answer ‘number withheld’ calls as that is how the doctor or the surgery contact me. Trouble is more scams are using withheld numbers!

Same here.

I dont answer calls from unknown numbers. I let them go to voicemail and then google the number.

I am in trouble. The system keeps asking me to change my password. I have AMD, so it is very difficult to see.

CocoPops
That’s why we have agreed a password