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point of scam calls

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  • 31-01-2020 7:39pm
    #1
    80j2lc5y7u6qs9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 957 ✭✭✭


    Does anyone know what is the point of the scam where you answer the phone and hear a recording "this is an emergency" I hung up then so don't know what follows. I got two of these calls again today and did not wait to hear what they said just answered and hung up to stop it ringing. I recognised the number beginning 0044


    Why would i be inclined to believe someone would ring me in an emergency, i am not 999


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    #2
    Fccwontletmebe
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 75 ✭✭Fccwontletmebe


    Audrina Mysterious Metropolitan wrote: »
    Does anyone know what is the point of the scam where you answer the phone and hear a recording "this is an emergency" I hung up then so don't know what follows. I got two of these calls again today and did not wait to hear what they said just answered and hung up to stop it ringing. I recognised the number beginning 0044


    Why would i be inclined to believe someone would ring me in an emergency, i am not 999

    Probably want you to call back a number at a premium rate.


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    #3
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 14,998 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    0044 would be a UK code.
    The scammers must be getting smarter.
    It's unusual to see a UK code used for scams.


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    #4
    80j2lc5y7u6qs9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 957 ✭✭✭80j2lc5y7u6qs9


    Fccwontletmebe wrote: »
    Probably want you to call back a number at a premium rate.
    ok i wondered


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    #5
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 14,998 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    More information here - https://www.comreg.ie/consumer-information/mobile-phone/scam-calls/


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    #6
    Padre_Pio
    Registered Users Posts: 5,189 ✭✭✭Padre_Pio


    sugarman wrote: »
    Because theres obviously enough naive people out there to still fall for it to make it worth their while.

    I heard the reason scam emails are so obviously scams (Nigerian Prince or the Russian Oligarch) is because they're looking for the stupidest of stupid people to fall for them.

    Not worth getting someone with half a brain cell who might realise the scam half way through.


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    #7
    80j2lc5y7u6qs9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 957 ✭✭✭80j2lc5y7u6qs9


    elperello wrote: »
    0044 would be a UK code.
    The scammers must be getting smarter.
    It's unusual to see a UK code used for scams.
    i know at least one was 0044


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    #8
    80j2lc5y7u6qs9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 957 ✭✭✭80j2lc5y7u6qs9


    elperello wrote: »
    More information here - https://www.comreg.ie/consumer-information/mobile-phone/scam-calls/
    Thanks but they have come to the wrong house for a scam. It is annoying to hva ehte phone ringing though


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    #9
    Terrontress
    Registered Users Posts: 3,900 ✭✭✭Terrontress


    elperello wrote: »
    0044 would be a UK code.
    The scammers must be getting smarter.
    It's unusual to see a UK code used for scams.

    But you’d usually see +44 on the screen, not 0044. It’s probably a computer generated number rather than representing a phone line or location where the call is originating.


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    #10
    Atlantic Dawn
    Registered Users Posts: 82,604 ✭✭✭✭Atlantic Dawn
    M


    They likely have a success rate of a tenth of a percent but that thick fooker they snare for the scam will keep them and their gang in cash for a long time.


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    #11
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 14,998 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    Terrontress wrote: »
    But you’d usually see +44 on the screen, not 0044. It’s probably a computer generated number rather than representing a phone line or location where the call is originating.

    That's where the smart comes in.
    How many people in Ireland have a connection to the UK?
    The 44 will draw them in.


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    #12
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 14,998 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    Atlantic Dawn wrote: »
    They likely have a success rate of a tenth of a percent but that thick fooker they snare for the scam will keep them and their gang in cash for a long time.

    Often it's the vulnerable or elderly that get caught by these scammers.

    It's also worth noting that the only way the scammers get your money is by your own telcom taking it from your account.

    Comreg and the companies should be doing more to protect the Irish consumer.


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    #13
    80j2lc5y7u6qs9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 957 ✭✭✭80j2lc5y7u6qs9


    elperello wrote: »
    Often it's the vulnerable or elderly that get caught by these scammers.

    It's also worth noting that the only way the scammers get your money is by your own telcom taking it from your account.

    Comreg and the companies should be doing more to protect the Irish consumer.
    true they are low life the scammers


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    #14
    Mebuntu
    Registered Users Posts: 911 ✭✭✭Mebuntu


    It's unusual to see a UK code used for scams.
    Not for me it's not. I've had a multitude of them on my landline this week and had a similar series for two separate weeks last year. Not only that. The Area Codes are legit UK Area Codes. You can check these easily online.

    I have Caller ID so never answer any of them. They ring off after about 6/7 rings and no messages are left.
    But you’d usually see +44 on the screen, not 0044
    On my phone all UK calls show as 00 and not +44. That probably tells you how old it is :)


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    #15
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,445 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Mebuntu wrote: »
    Not for me it's not. I've had a multitude of them on my landline ......

    On my phone all UK calls show as 00 and not +44. That probably tells you how old it is :)

    The age of your phone is irrelevant. On a landline you will see an incoming UK call as 0044, on a mobile it will show as +44.


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    #16
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,445 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Audrina Mysterious Metropolitan wrote: »
    Does anyone know what is the point of the scam where you answer the phone and hear a recording "this is an emergency" ........

    The urgency of the message is designed to put you into a state of panic, to drop your natural caution and go with whatever the caller tells you to do.

    Which usual involves a tall story about a fraudulent transaction about to go through against your current account or credit card. So they ask you to give details about your account. The reason they use landlines is because if you question if the call is genuine, they tell you you are correct to be cautious and that you should hang up and call your bank.

    They then stay on the line which means you are still connected so when you dial your bank, they play a ringing tone as if you re on a new call. You then get to speak to someone in 'your bank' who confirms the story. Thinking that this is a genuine 'emergency', you then readily give details of your bank or credit card account, even though 'your bank' doesn't need this data. The fraudsters then clean out your current account or submit a massive transaction against your credit card.

    All you need to remember is this: if anyone asks you for the three digit number from your debit or credit card, it's a scam.


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    #17
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 14,011 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    coylemj wrote: »
    The urgency of the message is designed to put you into a state of panic, to drop your natural caution and go with whatever the caller tells you to do.

    Which usual involves a tall story about a fraudulent transaction about to go through against your current account or credit card. So they ask you to give details about your account. The reason they use landlines is because if you question if the call is genuine, they tell you you are correct to be cautious and that you should hang up and call your bank.

    They then stay on the line which means you are still connected so when you dial your bank, they play a ringing tone as if you re on a new call. You then get to speak to someone in 'your bank' who confirms the story. Thinking that this is a genuine 'emergency', you then readily give details of your bank or credit card account, even though your actual bank doesn't need to ask you to supply this data. The fraudsters then clean out your current account or submit a massive transaction against your credit card.

    All you need to remember is this: if anyone asks you for the three digit number from your debit or credit card, it's a scam.

    You are saying that hanging up does not break the incoming call if the caller does not hang up also?


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    #18
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,445 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Johnboy1951 wrote: »
    You are saying that hanging up does not break the incoming call if the caller does not hang up also?

    On a landline to landline call, yes.

    If you get a suspicious call on your landline from someone claiming to be your bank and the caller invites you to call them back to prove that the call is geniune, call your bank (using a number from their website, not the number the caller gives you) on your mobile.


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    #19
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 14,011 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    coylemj wrote: »
    On a landline to landline call, yes.

    ...

    I came across that many years ago, but it was, I thought, a fault and had since been fixed.

    Have you any up to date references for this continuing?

    Thanks.


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    #20
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,445 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Johnboy1951 wrote: »
    I came across that many years ago, but it was, I thought, a fault and had since been fixed.

    It was never a 'fault', the equipment was designed to keep the call open until the caller hung up. But because this feature has been exploited by scammers, a lot of telcos now have a short timeout after either party hangs up, following which the call is terminated

    This is a website setup by the Irish banks to counter fraud. It includes the following advice ....

    There have also been cases where the fraudster encourages the victim to check the validity of their identity or to make an immediate report to the Gardaí/Police. When the individual hangs up their landline, the fraudster holds the line open (by not hanging up). When the individual picks up the phone again to ring the genuine company or the Gardaí /Police they do not realise that they are still talking to the fraudster.

    https://www.fraudsmart.ie/personal/fraud-scams/phone-fraud/vishing/


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    #21
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 14,011 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    coylemj wrote: »
    It was never a 'fault', the equipment was designed to keep the call open until the caller hung up. But because this feature has been exploited by scammers, a lot of telcos now have a short timeout after either party hangs up, following which the call is terminated

    This is a website setup by the Irish banks to counter fraud. It includes the following advice ....

    There have also been cases where the fraudster encourages the victim to check the validity of their identity or to make an immediate report to the Gardaí/Police. When the individual hangs up their landline, the fraudster holds the line open (by not hanging up). When the individual picks up the phone again to ring the genuine company or the Gardaí /Police they do not realise that they are still talking to the fraudster.

    https://www.fraudsmart.ie/personal/fraud-scams/phone-fraud/vishing/

    Thanks.
    Do the fraudsters also generate a correct dial tone to fool the target?


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    #22
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,445 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Johnboy1951 wrote: »
    Thanks.
    Do the fraudsters also generate a correct dial tone to fool the target?

    Time for you to start doing your own research.


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    #23
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 14,998 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    coylemj wrote: »
    Time for you to start doing your own research.

    Good advice to all phone users.
    Get up on your toes and be aware.
    You are lucky to have internet and be in a position to get informed.
    Vulnerable and older people are on their own at the mercy of the scammers.


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    #24
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 14,011 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    coylemj wrote: »
    Time for you to start doing your own research.

    As you are the only one I am aware of who knows what these scammers do on the telephone, I was asking what seemed to be a good source of information.

    OK, if you want to keep your scammer info to yourself, be like that.

    It would have taken one word to answer - if you know - or a simple "don't know".

    Much simpler than your smarty answer.


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    #25
    KaneToad
    Registered Users Posts: 3,356 ✭✭✭KaneToad


    Audrina Mysterious Metropolitan wrote: »
    Thanks but they have come to the wrong house for a scam. It is annoying to hva ehte phone ringing though

    Everyone says that. Until they're duped.


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    #26
    rogue-entity
    Registered Users Posts: 1,656 ✭✭✭rogue-entity


    coylemj wrote: »
    They then stay on the line which means you are still connected so when you dial your bank, they play a ringing tone...
    If it was 1992 I'd have no trouble believing this but I'd be surprised if this was an enabled feature today, even on Eircom lines. Still, better to be safe than sorry.
    coylemj wrote: »
    If you get a suspicious call on your landline from someone claiming to be your bank and the caller invites you to call them back to prove that the call is geniune, call your bank (using a number from their website, not the number the caller gives you) on your mobile.
    Good advice.

    Johnboy1951 wrote: »
    You are saying that hanging up does not break the incoming call if the caller does not hang up also?
    Johnboy1951 wrote: »
    I came across that many years ago, but it was, I thought, a fault and had since been fixed.

    Have you any up to date references for this continuing?

    Thanks.
    If I remember correctly, the early SxS and (later) Crossbar switches (still used here into the mid 90s) didn't have far-end supervision - they couldn't tell if the remote party had hung up so the line would stay connected as long as the caller didn't hang up. Digital switches don't have this 'issue' but it might be a feature.

    It was handy if you had two phones on the same line (say, one in the bedroom) because you could tell the caller to hold on, hang up, pop over to the other phone and pick up to continue the call. If that 'feature' is still available on a modern Eircom landline then they'd have intentionally set that up but it doesn't work on mobiles or VoIP services.


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