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Malicious call ? from BT ?

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wickham
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Malicious call ? from BT ?

#80799

Postby wickham » September 13th, 2017, 9:44 am

I've just received a call from Natalie purporting to be from BT saying that my internet connection is going to be cut off within one hour for ten days because of malware found by the server.

I immediately thought that it was a call from a potential hacker, but I kept talking to the caller for longer than I usually do because tomorrow I am due to change my ISP and I was told in an email from my future ISP that my internet would be cut off for about half an hour.

Is it just a coincidence that I've received a malicious call when I am in the process of changing my ISP? Has someone managed to find out from my old or future ISP that I am changing ISP?

I kept her going long enough to find out that her purported address is in London and her phone number is 020 3289 9604. She asked if my computer was on and when I said I wasn't sure because it was in another room she asked me to go to it, so I said I would phone her back and hung up.

tjh290633
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Re: Malicious call ? from BT ?

#80804

Postby tjh290633 » September 13th, 2017, 10:00 am

I've had one of those calls. My response was, "Right then, cut it off", and of course nothing happened.

It's a variation on the "I am from Windows Technical Department" scam.

TJH

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Re: Malicious call ? from BT ?

#80805

Postby Alaric » September 13th, 2017, 10:03 am

wickham wrote:I've just received a call from Natalie purporting to be from BT saying that my internet connection is going to be cut off within one hour for ten days because of malware found by the server.


see
http://who-called.co.uk/Number/02032899604

Your first impression of a scam is correct of course. "Microsoft" phone as well with similar propositions. Enough people must change ISP so that they get a "hit" every so often, even by phoning at random.

I like to ask them how they can associate a phone number with an internet connection. It's usually the same wires, but outside the billing department of your ISP I don't think the two are stored anywhere they could be cross-referenced.

They are may just be malevolent hackers, but perhaps there's a commercial purpose there. Someone is paying the call centres and I believe it's software suppliers of dubious standing who want to sell you some unnecessary software which will "cure" your computer problems.

wickham
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Re: Malicious call ? from BT ?

#80807

Postby wickham » September 13th, 2017, 10:04 am

Yes, but my question was, why now? Just when I am changing ISP.

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Re: Malicious call ? from BT ?

#80809

Postby Alaric » September 13th, 2017, 10:08 am

wickham wrote:Yes, but my question was, why now? Just when I am changing ISP.


I would think it chance, but it remains possible that a list of new clients or leaving clients has been leaked by one of the ISPs.

When you phone up a Call Centre you may be asked security questions. The same should apply when a Call Centre phones you. Some organisations will do this.

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Re: Malicious call ? from BT ?

#80827

Postby madhatter » September 13th, 2017, 11:25 am

Might be chance, but I had my first ever scam call from "British Telecom" as the fellow called it, a week or so ago. He started by asking if I was having a nice day, to which I rather grumpily replied "not yet. You just woke me up", and asked me if I had used the internet "between about 2 and 4am the previous night. On being told I hadn't, the rascal then claimed that in that case, someone else had, and did I know anyone who had my password?

I assume the next stage would have been to offer to change the password, for which he would need my current password, but when I told him that was unlikely, since I don't have a broadband connection, he hung up without further ado.

Two hours later I had the Windows Technical Department call (been a few weeks since the last time) who asked if I was having a nice day etc. So I started telling him about the previous call from British Telecom.

On reaching the punchline that I didn't have broadband he even said "Oh! Oho!"

At which point I then added " And the funny thing is, I don't have a Windows computer either"

At which point he also hung up.

Must have been a coincidence. But a lot of people do have broadband connections and Windows.

As for call centres asking security questions, I can see the point of it, but only if I ring them. Some years ago I had a few calls apparently from Barclays Bank, but they wouldn't even tell me what it was in relation with, until I answered a few security questions. I wasn't going to do that. He offered to give me my account number but I still refused.

Never heard anything more about it.

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Re: Malicious call ? from BT ?

#80833

Postby AleisterCrowley » September 13th, 2017, 12:07 pm

wickham wrote:...

I kept her going long enough to find out that her purported address is in London and her phone number is 020 3289 9604. She asked if my computer was on and when I said I wasn't sure because it was in another room she asked me to go to it, so I said I would phone her back and hung up.



http://who-called.co.uk/Number/02032899604

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Re: Malicious call ? from BT ?

#81500

Postby Slarti » September 16th, 2017, 5:08 pm

Alaric wrote:When you phone up a Call Centre you may be asked security questions. The same should apply when a Call Centre phones you. Some organisations will do this.


Right and then all they have to do is prove who they are for me to answer the questions. :roll:


Actually on the 2 real occasions when that has happened, I've called them back, from another phone to double check that it is a real call. and so that I don't give anything away to naughty people.

Slarti


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