The folowing scam seems to be on the increase. We have been asked to bring it to public attention. and preys most upon the elderly and the anxious. It has been reported to the Police by several people so it’s presence is known to the authorities.
What happens is a phone call from someone claiming to be from BT. They threaten to cut off your phone because of an unpaid bill. If you say that you’re with Talk Talk, Virgin or any other supplier, the caller simply tells you that these operators have to py BT for line rental and an unpaid bill still means that your line will be disconnected.
If you query the caller’s authority, they say they will prove they’re with BT by showing they can cut off your connection. You are asked to hang up and then dial any number you like.
You do it – and you can’t get through. Your line is dead. You try a couple of times and the story is the same. You hang up. The phone rings. It’s the caller back again asking if you now believe they are who they claim to be. They may also give you a number to ring as verification. This is usually one digit different from a legitimate BT Business number and if you try it, it won’t work.
You ask how you pay the bill. They name a modest enough sum – £31 or so – pointing outthat if you are cut off you will pay £118 in a reconnection charge. They want payment at once by credit card over the phone.
Obviously no one should ever settle any unexpected transaction with anyone by credit card over the phone or online.
The key thing is, of course, how are they cutting off your line? They’re not. It just seemes that way.
Here’s how it works.
- They rang you.
- They ask you to hang up and dial a number to see if they’ve been able to cut you off.
- It is the person who initiaties the call who cuts the connection by hanging up – so when you hang up, they don’t. They put their phone on Mute. They can hear you trying to get through to another number. You can hear nothing. Your line won’t work and seems dead.
- They can hear when you’ve stopped trying – at which point they quickly ring you back.
This scam is quite capable of fooling the vulnerable who will be frightened at the prospect of being cut off and of incurring the high reconnecion charges that are, of course, mentioned.
The best protection is media publication as we are doing; and word of mouth warning which it is sensible to pass on.
Just had an e mail from someone down in the south of England telling me the same thing, so it seems to be spreading around the country. Beware.
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