Advice from the police re scams

I think this is a reason for not using voice recognition as ID. I don't trust it.

On the subject of security, people need to be more careful about their own safety. Yesterday, I was standing in a queue in M&S. The woman in front of me had a shoulder bag pushed behind her. It was unzipped and I could see the contents. I warned her but she seemed unconcerned. Yet it is a fact that there have been pickpockets in this town. There are ordinary-looking women walking around looking out for just that sort of carelessness.

Agree that voice recognition should not be used instead of passwords. A lot of these new-fangled forms of recognition make me nervous.

My bank for which I have telephone banking uses voice recognition but I also have to put in my account number and my date of birth.

My other bank account has a much more secure app with password recognition and special word. It has asked if I want finger print recognition which I presume is secure.

There's loads of scams at the moment..
We're not sure about this one. Maybe someone knows any more than we do.
We received Letter DWP with to the occupier..
No National insurance in the letter.
It said the government are sending people from a company that will want to speak with you regarding your financial situation.
Your Well being and to see if they can help you claim for any medical help you may need. So you can claim for any health things going on your not claiming for. We can help you budget your money.
Then 2 days later another letter please ring this number to arrange for the visitor to discuss any queries you might have. Please leave your insurance number, telephone number and name and address.
We tried ringing, it just went into voice mail.
2 days later this this woman stood there at the door, hello I've come to discusse your government pension and to see what we can do for you.
She then said what's your name.
I then said well don't you know your here visiting us..
Husband shut the door.
Had anyone else had this done.

It is all very well saying do not answer a number you do not recognise, but all sorts of people you know or want to speak to, you may not recognise their number.

My chimney sweep, for example, rings me once a year. I have not memorised his number, nor do I have it saved on my phone, why should I? That applies to quite a number of tradesmen and also people who ring me as Secretary to a local special interest group.

I don't know anyone's number off by heart.

Merhaba You were right to react the way you did.

Any government department wanting to contact you, especially in regard to income and benefits would write to you first. This letter would contain, as well as your name and address, also your National Insurance number. They would never address a letter of this type just to 'The Occupier'

Even if they contracted the visiting to an agency, the agency worker, would have your name and full address including post code and I would expect them too to have your National Insurance number. They would also have a document and pass identifying who they were, and you should also look at this document/pass as well.

I notice when they asked you to ring they wanted you to give your name address and National Insurance number. That was so they could fake a letter to you. If someone does this again. givethem your name and ask them to give you your National Insurance number. They will nto be able to.

This was undoubtedly a scam and you dealt with it exactly as you should.

Or just don't ring the number.

I read of a scam today where the scammer already has some of your bank details and has ordered something expensive online and to complete the purchase need the six figure code that your bank/credit card provider sends to your mobile phone to verify that the purchaser is you.

They try to lull you into a sense of false security by telling you thata as they are the bank they do not need bank details or pin numbers, but that they do need t check on the seccurity code they have just sent you as there may have been aan error..

If you give them the number, they then use it to complete the deal and get the goods and your bank will not refund you because you gave the scammer the code when you are told never to give the code to anyone (including the bank)

Quite a few years ago, I was a bit distracted as I was packing to go on holiday and I answered the phone. The man said it was my bank and asked for the password for my card. I think maybe he had not been very well trained. Anyway I hung up, went to the airport and used my card in duty free - except it had been stopped!
It turns out that someone had tried to use my card.

There was an interesting article in the DM(Moneymail, p37) today on how the Indian call centres that used to be used by British Banks have tunred themselves into scam centres now British banks have moved back home.

Every call they make, the person called is classfied as a DNC (Do Not Call) if they say they know the call is a scam or are otherwise uncooperative, CBs (Call backs) if the person is uncertain, but might be worth calling again and SM (Sale Made) if they are hooked and believe what the scammer is saying.

I suspect we are on the DNC list because we very very rarely have any scam calls on the phone or online. If one does come we just put the phone down without saying anything. I have never had a scam call on my mobile phone.

I hope we count as DNC too, M0nica, as we have given up answering the landline or our mobiles to unrecognised numbers!

I can't do that because I do get calls I want to answer from people whose numbers I do not recognise - like the chimney sweep who rings me once a year. -

Doctors, hospitals, etc often withhold their number so it is becoming increasingly difficult to know whether to answer a call or not.

I always answer withheld numbers but not numbers I don’t recognise. As the police woman says if they are genuine they will leave a message.