[BellaB18]

Some months ago I got a call from an English person. If it's anyone with an accent I immediately hang up as scammers usually operate from overseas. Anyway the Englishman said that he was from Bendigo Bank fraud squad and they'd found an oddity. Someone had accessed my Woolworths account in Perth and as I was in Victoria they thought it suspicious. So he asked me to verify my acoount details for privacy issues. Well I refused as I suspected scam. I actually said to him," I'm not giving you any details as you could be a scammer. You are from the bank and should have all my details. You tell me what my account number is." Well he did, as well as the CVC number on the back of the card. He then said in order for them to refund the money to my account I needed to provide the code number on my phone. Stupidly I did without checking the warning that comes with the code. He then asked me if it had been refunded. I toggled between screens and said no, so he told me to redo the code connection. That's when I read the warning which said do not provide this code to anyone including banking staff. I repeated this to him and he said it didn't apply to fraud squad. I started to smell a rat and didn't give him another code number. I actually work in the building that houses the Bendigo Bank so I went over to the staff and asked them if this was legit. The teller asked the scammer to provide her with the special code number that verifies the fraud squad, which of course he couldn't, so I hung up. The teller then rang the real fraud squad and found that it was a scammer based in London who had taken $5,000 out of my account to buy a Hermes handbag. Fortunately, they were able to stop the transaction and I didn't lose any money. But even though I was wary, I still could've been taken. Now I block all numbers that I don't know and just in case one slips by I just hang up.

If l got a call like that l would say thank you for letting me know. I shall contact my bank in regards to this matter. Have a great day and hang up immediately. As l just would not trust the caller to be legit.
I would phone the bank to double check and when they confirm it is a scam at least they will be aware of the matter. I would not think you would get a call from the fraud police. I would have thought they would come to see you at least with their identity. We must always be very careful with cold calls.
I don't answer if l don't know the number.
Kind regards to all Vicki

 

[JimmyFlatrock]

Some months ago I got a call from an English person. If it's anyone with an accent I immediately hang up as scammers usually operate from overseas. Anyway the Englishman said that he was from Bendigo Bank fraud squad and they'd found an oddity. Someone had accessed my Woolworths account in Perth and as I was in Victoria they thought it suspicious. So he asked me to verify my acoount details for privacy issues. Well I refused as I suspected scam. I actually said to him," I'm not giving you any details as you could be a scammer. You are from the bank and should have all my details. You tell me what my account number is." Well he did, as well as the CVC number on the back of the card. He then said in order for them to refund the money to my account I needed to provide the code number on my phone. Stupidly I did without checking the warning that comes with the code. He then asked me if it had been refunded. I toggled between screens and said no, so he told me to redo the code connection. That's when I read the warning which said do not provide this code to anyone including banking staff. I repeated this to him and he said it didn't apply to fraud squad. I started to smell a rat and didn't give him another code number. I actually work in the building that houses the Bendigo Bank so I went over to the staff and asked them if this was legit. The teller asked the scammer to provide her with the special code number that verifies the fraud squad, which of course he couldn't, so I hung up. The teller then rang the real fraud squad and found that it was a scammer based in London who had taken $5,000 out of my account to buy a Hermes handbag. Fortunately, they were able to stop the transaction and I didn't lose any money. But even though I was wary, I still could've been taken. Now I block all numbers that I don't know and just in case one slips by I just hang up.

That's a very good recovery from that situation. Well done and lucky you were close to your bank.

When mitigating risk, the highest choice is to choose elimination. I too block any number that my phone doesn't recognise. I figure if someone wants me bad enough, they will leave a message.

My phone recognises heaps of scam or nuisance numbers and blocks for me. The antivirus software also stops me going to dodgy websites.

 

[Judy ABowser]

Some months ago I got a call from an English person. If it's anyone with an accent I immediately hang up as scammers usually operate from overseas. Anyway the Englishman said that he was from Bendigo Bank fraud squad and they'd found an oddity. Someone had accessed my Woolworths account in Perth and as I was in Victoria they thought it suspicious. So he asked me to verify my acoount details for privacy issues. Well I refused as I suspected scam. I actually said to him," I'm not giving you any details as you could be a scammer. You are from the bank and should have all my details. You tell me what my account number is." Well he did, as well as the CVC number on the back of the card. He then said in order for them to refund the money to my account I needed to provide the code number on my phone. Stupidly I did without checking the warning that comes with the code. He then asked me if it had been refunded. I toggled between screens and said no, so he told me to redo the code connection. That's when I read the warning which said do not provide this code to anyone including banking staff. I repeated this to him and he said it didn't apply to fraud squad. I started to smell a rat and didn't give him another code number. I actually work in the building that houses the Bendigo Bank so I went over to the staff and asked them if this was legit. The teller asked the scammer to provide her with the special code number that verifies the fraud squad, which of course he couldn't, so I hung up. The teller then rang the real fraud squad and found that it was a scammer based in London who had taken $5,000 out of my account to buy a Hermes handbag. Fortunately, they were able to stop the transaction and I didn't lose any money. But even though I was wary, I still could've been taken. Now I block all numbers that I don't know and just in case one slips by I just hang up.

You were so lucky I also don’t answer any calls I don’t know I have been caught on messenger I was so stupid never again

 

[BruceC]

Don't answer ANY NUMBERS I don't know.
Leave a Message!
And I also ask MR Google to check the number on Cybertrace.com.au for scam numbers.
And BLOCK numbers.

Don't answer ANY NUMBERS I don't know.
Leave a Message!
And I also ask MR Google to check the number on Cybertrace.com.au for scam numbers.
And BLOCK numbers.

Thanks for the tip on Cybertrace.com.au I willcerta be trying it out

 

[JimmyFlatrock]

I have the same on my mobile phone Potential Fraud Suspected Spam, this is the main reason why I purchased a smart phone it saves me many hassles. Same with Private numbers I don't answer any of them if they block their numbers I consider there's a reason why.
Plus I have a Samsung smart phone it as I would imagine most smart phones would do it tells me the number or the person if it's one of my contacts or potential fraud / suspected spam I don't even have to get the phone out of my pocket for the spammers one thing I have noticed is that they only call my number a maximum of three times then hang up which I consider strange I don't have time to get the phone out of my pocket let alone answer the call.
I would be very interested to know if anyone has noticed that happened to them, Please advise via this thread . Thank you in advance.

20 years ago, there were legitimate businesses using phone software called predictive dialler. Spammers maybe using something similar that dials the next number after 3 rings go unanswered. That way they get through a lot of the numbers in their database, even though missing some potential victims.

 

[marni]

If we had not answered calls from unknown numbers we would have missed some important calls. One from CIL insurance and one from the hospital changing day surgery date. Just do t give out this type of information without phoning the companies yourself if you are asked for information.

 

[JimmyFlatrock]

If we had not answered calls from unknown numbers we would have missed some important calls. One from CIL insurance and one from the hospital changing day surgery date. Just do t give out this type of information without phoning the companies yourself if you are asked for information.

I agree with fomo being a real possibility when choosing to not answer some calls, so an awareness of anything new and if it's a number that is not redflagged by phone, then it can be fortuitous to answer. Like my NBN free update call (that I answered) with ftth for example. So there are no absolutes for me in this space.

Easy enough to hang up on any unwanted random.

All essential stuff for me like insurance is managed by email or calls under notice.

 

[David567]

I got a call from a scammer bank. I just said thanks, I'll call you back on the number I have. He got really peed off which just verified he was a scammer.
Anyone can buy international numbers so that's how they call on Australian numbers from overseas. Scammers mostly call on 02 and 03 numbers from anywhere in the world for the cost of a local call.

 

[JimmyFlatrock]

I got a call from a scammer bank. I just said thanks, I'll call you back on the number I have. He got really peed off which just verified he was a scammer.
Anyone can buy international numbers so that's how they call on Australian numbers from overseas. Scammers mostly call on 02 and 03 numbers from anywhere in the world for the cost of a local call.

Yes, most of my phone alerts about scammers are from the low life's using 02 or 03 numbers.

 

[Babbie]

Hear! Hear! I totally agree with what you said and I basically do the same as you. One thing more that I do. I have an umpire's whistle, as well as a couple of other loud things, that I will blow into the phone. Apparently it is very uncomfortable to the listener.

Yes, the whistle goes back many years. I have also used a whistle and I am told it is very uncomfortable on the ears! My phone is set up so that if I get a call from an unknown number, my phone does not ring and the call goes straight to message bank. It's fantastic, I don't have any issues.

 

[Viellarde]

If we had not answered calls from unknown numbers we would have missed some important calls. One from CIL insurance and one from the hospital changing day surgery date. Just do t give out this type of information without phoning the companies yourself if you are asked for information.

Genuine callers like insurance and hospital would leave a voice message.

 

[JimmyFlatrock]

I got a call from a scammer bank. I just said thanks, I'll call you back on the number I have.

That's a very good way to respond.

Years ago I had time to mess with a scammers head so I let him get so far in the conversation by being encouraging. Then I would push back a bit and so on. When he eventually worked out I was playing him, he lost it. Carried on like a pork chop. Swearing, while I laughed at him and asked him where in India he learnt to swear like an Aussie. Funny as with feelings of pay-back.

I don't waste my time like that anymore and just use systems to block the scamming sub-humanoids.

Must say though, their level of sophistication is rising each year and ones focus needs to be on high alert when dealing with phone calls, texts and emails irrespective of whether or not you think you know who you're dealing with.

 

[Kevin. A.]

If I'm not busy I'll do this. I can sometimes keep them on wasting their time as I pretend to go along with it.

The thing is it is so easy to get caught if you are in a hurry, you have a lot on your mind.
There should be a mandatory three-day delay on all transactions, and all financial institutions should be cross checking account details to ensure accounts match up to the financial institution a caller claims to represent and ensure they are who they say they are.

The elderly and frail are most at risk, it is too easy to be coerced into giving information if a elderly person is not thinking straightforward, tired or just not feeling well at the time.

I believe that there should be extra protection afforded by all financial institutions to those elderly people with dementia and Alzheimer's to ensure they do not become victims.

No one deserves to lose any money or assets to scammers. If we believe that people deserve to be scammed, then we are no better than the scammers.

 

[JimmyFlatrock]

There should be a mandatory three-day delay on all transactions, and all financial institutions should be cross checking account details to ensure accounts match up to the financial institution a caller claims to represent and ensure they are who they say they are.

I think in practice this would be nie on impossible to achieve. As a starter, the issues for many in business suddenly seeing a 3 day wait imposed on funds being received may well prove to be disastrous. Many small businesses could suffer as would the families involved.

I agree with the sentiment of the suggestion as it would certainly smash the current business model of the scammers.

I believe that there should be extra protection afforded by all financial institutions to those elderly people with dementia and Alzheimer's to ensure they do not become victims.

I think this is a great suggestion and believe it possible for banks to flag the accounts of vulnerable people and act when transactions are suspicious. Already banks have flagged POA accounts and have teams who look into certain transactions on POA accounts.

The problem for banks where there is no certainty of a scam taking place is the Privacy Act which can prevent banks from communicating properly with each other regarding transfers of moneys between different named accounts. The Privacy Act needs to be loosened to allow the vulnerable to be better protected.

From what I have read, there are degrees of cooperation between banks, but legislation does put them between a rock and a hard place.

 

[Hieme]

Pardon? How does someone get access to your devices if they're not given a number or if you've downloaded the software which allows them to steal your details? Has Mandrake the Magician been revived recently?
And might it be a bit of a help if the names of these "well known" software programs are sent out along with your items revealing that you can so easily fall prey to them?

I had two Travel Money Cards from the Commonwealth Bank issued to me about three years ago. They were put in my safe at home and sat there because Covid restrictions prevented me from overseas travel. About twelve months ago they were hacked and payments were made from them overseas, even though they were still in my safe.

 

[Hieme]

I have always wondered why we do not have a way of scamming the scammers. Send them false name and account details so they can waste their time. I've been tempted to open a bank account with a dollar and let them play with the details.

 

[rehandra]

Some months ago I got a call from an English person. If it's anyone with an accent I immediately hang up as scammers usually operate from overseas. Anyway the Englishman said that he was from Bendigo Bank fraud squad and they'd found an oddity. Someone had accessed my Woolworths account in Perth and as I was in Victoria they thought it suspicious. So he asked me to verify my acoount details for privacy issues. Well I refused as I suspected scam. I actually said to him," I'm not giving you any details as you could be a scammer. You are from the bank and should have all my details. You tell me what my account number is." Well he did, as well as the CVC number on the back of the card. He then said in order for them to refund the money to my account I needed to provide the code number on my phone. Stupidly I did without checking the warning that comes with the code. He then asked me if it had been refunded. I toggled between screens and said no, so he told me to redo the code connection. That's when I read the warning which said do not provide this code to anyone including banking staff. I repeated this to him and he said it didn't apply to fraud squad. I started to smell a rat and didn't give him another code number. I actually work in the building that houses the Bendigo Bank so I went over to the staff and asked them if this was legit. The teller asked the scammer to provide her with the special code number that verifies the fraud squad, which of course he couldn't, so I hung up. The teller then rang the real fraud squad and found that it was a scammer based in London who had taken $5,000 out of my account to buy a Hermes handbag. Fortunately, they were able to stop the transaction and I didn't lose any money. But even though I was wary, I still could've been taken. Now I block all numbers that I don't know and just in case one slips by I just hang up.

Very lucky there. I have found that just not answering any phone calls I do not know works for me. I have an answering machine and figure if they are legit they would leave a message....none ever do.