Plagued by scam calls *DON'T POST PHONE NUMBERS*

rn

rn wrote: »

I answered and strung them along today... I had 20 mins to kill. Clearly the scam works by trying to build rapport and then get bank details off you. They used a 3 part call with me. Automated, moved to an agent. Who runs basic queries, all ment to heighten your fear and then they transfer you to some one who can "help". Garda Roisin Murphy in my particular case. Roisin had obviously grown up some where on the Indian sub continent judging by her thick accent. Anyway I ran outta time and didn't wait for Roisin line of questions, so when I asked her for her garda I'd no, she promptly hung up.

It's not a very believeable scam ie your pps no is linked to 8 bank accounts... but if the networks don't lock it down they'll learn a bit from every smart buck like me and their story will get better over time.

Please do come back to the thread in a couple of weeks and let us know if you have received any more calls after this - there is some anecdotal evidence that wasting their time gets your number blacklisted.

ElChe32

Got a call earlier today 087, thick Indian accent telling me that my pps was linked to serious crime. Wanted my details. I duly obliged.

"My name is Daniel Kinahan..can't believe you've finally caught me"

Few mins later the guy tells me he's gunna transfer me to a supervisor but I had my fun at this stage and told him while he was transferring me could he iron my ball sack. He hung up. Wonder if I'll get any more calls.

steamsey

Got the automated one today from 086XXXXXX. Hung up pretty quickly. Obviously there's a digit missing, and other numbers I've seen are all only 6 digits, so that might be a useful way, for now, to screen calls.

Would be good to make a list of numbers so everyone could block these scammers.

rn

All the numbers I've been called "from" are legit Irish no. I rang first one back on Monday. An elderly Irish lady answered. I promptly apologised and hung up.

I reckon they'll move to institutional numbers soon, like garda stations, social welfare offices etc.

SouthWesterly

Got automated call from gardai today. I hung up

Jim_Hodge

steamsey wrote: »

Got the automated one today from 086160499. Hung up pretty quickly. Obviously there's a digit missing, and other numbers I've seen are all only 6 digits, so that might be a useful way, for now, to screen calls.

Would be good to make a list of numbers so everyone could block these scammers.

Most are legit numbers and they constantly change. Blocking is pointless.

kooga

I'm getting plagued with numbers showing up as mobile, tipperary 062 and dublin 01 - if you answer and say something - you get an automated reply saying they are calling from the dep of social protection - if you answer and say nothing the call goes dead. Some even leave voicemail. I keep blocking them but a new number dials me back - absolutely plagued at this stage. I informed my mobile operator

blue5000

I think the only option is block all unknown callers. Can they still send a text if they're blocked? Problem then is a genuine 'new' caller is blocked.

Jim_Hodge

blue5000 wrote: »

I think the only option is block all unknown callers. Can they still send a text if they're blocked? Problem then is a genuine 'new' caller is blocked.

Is it not easier to simply answer the call and hang up if you wish?

EltonJohn69

Sawduck wrote: »

Had the exact same number +353 85 387 ring me too

Just rang me too !!! Some Indian woman.. sounded like she was on a train !!!

Glaceon

blue5000 wrote: »

I think the only option is block all unknown callers. Can they still send a text if they're blocked? Problem then is a genuine 'new' caller is blocked.

Got another two calls today so far. I think I'll be doing the same.

Garlinge

You can get a device that intercepts calls and only lets thru ones that you have nominated so regular/favourite will be fine. The rest are asked to leave a message and you can return if genuine but the phone does not 'ring'. I suppose there is a flashing light to indicate unread messages.

I worry about an elderly relative rushing to get to a phonecall and having a fall.
Also there is a concern that someone might checking out the house and an unanswered phone is sign of no one home.

Nowadays we have virtually no landline calls and do not seem to have the same problem with mobile numbers.

scotchy

blue5000 wrote: »

I think the only option is block all unknown callers. Can they still send a text if they're blocked? Problem then is a genuine 'new' caller is blocked.

I got a call from an unknown caller yesterday. I answered, but said nothing waiting to see what would happen. Turned out to be my Amazon delivery guy telling me he was outside my house and no one home. I felt like an idiot:o.

As I was typing the above got my first scammer of the day:rolleyes:

.

Butson

Getting loads of calls from a German number.

Most people give their name in their voicemail.....so they have your name, and your mobile number....

honeyjo

I got a call from an 094 number this morning.

Bicyclette

honeyjo wrote: »

I got a call from an 094 number this morning.

I got one the other day too - 094 950 XXX2 Its a Balllinrobe number. I wasn't too sure if it was a pocket dial or something else. I could hear noise in the background and then it hung up.

.42.

Managed to talk to a scammer today who called from 083 at 13:38.

Calls coming from India using Dept of Social Protection as their cover

Jim_Hodge

What number the calls are coming from is immaterial. It's just a fake number and means nothing,

JimmyVik

Ive been getting two or three a day for the last two weeks.
Never had one before that.
Always a different number, but most of them leave an automated message telling some dept or another is pressing charges against me.
Two were surveys, which were well prepared when i asked them who they were, but i know for a fact from work that they are well oiled info gathering scams.
They take the answers to the questions you give, tie them to your number and then when they have thousands sell them to other scammers.

Never ever answer a question from anyone who calls you that you dont know personally. All the various ones are tallied up and can all be linked to you once a key piece of data is found

BnB

whiterebel wrote: »

Problem is, I got 2 calls on Monday, from someone returning 'my' calls. I didn’t ring, them, it was obviously someone spoofed my number. Your suggestion would leave me blocked for no reason.

I had the same yesterday. Some fella in Donegal rang me as he missed a call from my number. Sound fella as it happens. His number was very similar to mine - same prefix (087) & same first 4 digits.

Eventhough I had not got the scam calls myself before, in the hour after he rang me - I got two of them. I answered the first and it was some automated speel in an Indian accent - Press 1 to sort out (I didn't). The second one I missed.

Funnily enough both were from different numbers but both of them were very similar to my own number in the same way the fella from Donegal's number was (i.e. Same prefix and same 1st 4 numbers).

franklyon

for anybody getting plagued with these calls do what I did. Answer play along for a few minutes then drop the word benchod.( Indian word for fcker.)
(to pronounce correctly chod rhymes with rode)
Was getting these everyday but since I did this nothing but silence.

My phone is starting today now.

3 times but none amounted to any human interaction, more like they want me to ring back the number type scams.

Mearings

Got an automated call today purporting to be from the Department for Social Protection.

Call from 085 387 6***.

Alert on scam phone calls and scam text messages.

From Department of Social Protection
Published on 28 April 2021
Last updated on 23 June 2021

We are aware of fraudulent phone calls and text messages, claiming to be from the department, seeking bank account details or personal information.


Our staff will never ask you for your bank details if they should have reason to call you over the phone and we will never seek personal information from you by text message.


If you receive such a call or text, please do not engage with the caller and do not share any part of your PPS Number, bank account details or any other personal information with them.


If you have provided any such information to a caller that you believe to be a scam call or scam text, please contact the Gardaí immediately. Please view advice from Gardaí here.


We urge you to be extremely cautious if you receive such a call or text message. You should also ensure that you use official departmental websites, for example www.MyWelfare.ie and www.gov.ie/dsp.

tgdaly

Had nothing since last Friday, thought I was out of the woods for a while. But then today got an 028 number calling which is Skibbereen

Have just now had a call from 087 621 xxxx. My plan was to answer and say nothing, but there was an Irish sounding woman on the other end saying hello. Tried saying hello back but couldn't seem to hear me, anyways now I'm thinking maybe my number had been used for calls and she responding back to it

ClosedAccountFuzzy

Mine so far today:

01 XXXX XXXX
028 XXX XXX
024 XXX XXX
(All too many digits)

And several mobile numbers.

Damien360

Yesterday
083 340 xxxx
083 353 xxxx
083 355 xxxx

My wife had a 088 xxx xxxx number today. Brings back memories !

ClosedAccountFuzzy

I had one extremely abusive call from a real Irish number, claiming I called them trying to rip them off! Seems my number was spoofed.

This is becoming very annoying.

Xenji

blue5000 wrote: »

I think the only option is block all unknown callers. Can they still send a text if they're blocked? Problem then is a genuine 'new' caller is blocked.

I must of blocked about 12 calls from 12 different +353 08X numbers last Thursday alone, they have eased off this week but last week I had about 40 calls all with different numbers.

monaghanmissus

Got my first one today - +353 (79) 86... Automated message with something along the lines of suspicious activity with my PPS number and the Dept of Social Protection were building a case? Hope this isn't the start of it now!

James Bond Junior

Plagued with 083 numbers today. Apparently there is a warrant out for my arrest. Strange as I don't live in Ireland.

rn

Deleted User wrote: »

Please do come back to the thread in a couple of weeks and let us know if you have received any more calls after this - there is some anecdotal evidence that wasting their time gets your number blacklisted.

Well blagging them did not put them off. Got only one today. Unfortunately I didn't have time to engage and have any chat with "garda roisin Murphy" from new Delhi.

rn

rn wrote: »

Well blagging them did not put them off. Got only one today. Unfortunately I didn't have time to engage and have any chat with "garda roisin Murphy" from new Delhi.

Thanks for the update. Funny enough I still haven't received a single call since the first one where I told the guy I was drug trafficking.

rn

Careful "roisin" will have a warrant out for your arrest..

rn

rn wrote: »

Careful "roisin" will have a warrant out for your arrest..

He hung up on me! I didn't even get to level 2 and the wonderful Roisín.

L1011

It has been pointed out that, considering the numbers currently in use for the main PPS/Garda scams are fake, that posting them may cause problems for the real owners. So don't

corkie

"@sinead_ryan
@sinead_ryan
The @welfare_ie
is suing me for moneylaundering and fraud. This follows suspicion that I have stolen money.
I can rectify this by pressing 1 and speaking to a 'customs officer'.
OR ... hey, could it be a scam?
083 ### #### ... GOOD TRY!!"

Of all people for the scammers to ring, someone who works in the Media?
Not linking the tweet, because of number posted.

L1011

corkie wrote: »

Of all people for the scammers to ring, someone who works in the Media?
Not linking the tweet, because of number posted.

They don't know who they're ringing. That's the point - this is a random number generation thing, not a leak, not a hack, not anything other than trying all the possible mobile numbers.

Jim_Hodge

corkie wrote: »

"@sinead_ryan
@sinead_ryan
The @welfare_ie
is suing me for moneylaundering and fraud. This follows suspicion that I have stolen money.
I can rectify this by pressing 1 and speaking to a 'customs officer'.
OR ... hey, could it be a scam?
083 ### #### ... GOOD TRY!!"

Of all people for the scammers to ring, someone who works in the Media?
Not linking the tweet, because of number posted.

And being in the media you'd think she'd have been aware that this scam is running months and the Dept has issued warnings about it. Hardly news or tweet worthy.

namloc1980

Very very annoying. Got 6 or 7 of these in the last few weeks. Pain in the hole at this stage.

whiskeyman

I never got any, then got 3 the day after I got vaccinated!

Each one the automated call about PPS.

They left a voicemail of the message on one of them.

whiskeyman

whiskeyman wrote: »

I never got any, then got 3 the day after I got vaccinated!

Each one the automated call about PPS.

They left a voicemail of the message on one of them.

Must be picking up on your brand new microchip!

JimmyVik

How do they get someone elses real number to appear as the caller?
Can that not be fixed so that they cant do this?

General Toilet

Caller ID can be spoofed to show any number they want.

ClosedAccountFuzzy

JimmyVik wrote: »

How do they get someone elses real number to appear as the caller?
Can that not be fixed so that they cant do this?

Basically the voice telephone network is based around very old concepts that relied on Caller ID being always trustworthy, as it only ever could be generated by a telephone exchange in a trusted “telephone administration”.

Nowadays there are VoIP gateways all over the place and it is interconnecting with internet technologies, but still lacks the ability to verify Caller ID information with exchange of keys or certs or anything and there’s basically no control over it at all and the networks blindly pass the information though, without verifying anything.

Basically, unless they sort this out, Caller ID will be a useful as Reply-To on email and the voice networks will be as overrun with spammers too.

I predict in about 10 years, the PSTN be it mobile or fixed line, will have been almost totally replaced by IM services voice calls. It’s not able to get to grips with spam and it’ll become irrelevant if it can’t solve this. There are plenty of alternatives these days.

Muppet Man

Two calls this evening from +216 tunisia... within an hour of each other. Slightly different numbers though. Didn't bother me hole answering.

patnor1011

Oh well I enjoyed a week off since last friday and got 2 calls today. I was pretty annoyed as basterds woke me up sleeping after night shift so you can imagine what words I exchanged with them. I answered both and tried to hurl as much abuse as I could within few seconds as they both hung up.
Funniest thing is that they both said "thank you for calling social protection" which caused me to go 1000mph and told them "YOU are calling ME ya cnut"
Eh, they did not last long I tell you I managed only 3-4 obscenities.
I go with presumption that nobody like to hear such things so maybe they will leave me be. If not, I will widen my vocabulary and add some of their native language expressions to the conversation.

ClosedAccountFuzzy

Ive my phone set to silence calls from anyone not in my contacts during certain hours now. It’s the only way I can deal with it

sporina

I got a scatter of scam calls from 086 numbers... answered the 1st one.. twas a recorded msg about my PPSN.. I smelled a rat and hung up.. then later heard on the radio about this happening nationally.. then over the next 2 days I got a load more of these calls.. didn't answer.. v annoying as turned out that one call was legit though I didn't have that no as a contact.. hard to know what numbers to answer/block as a result.. but they have stopped now.. crazier than usual world these days.. hope people don't get caught out

ClosedAccountFuzzy

Just curious, do you have an 086 number yourself ?

Most of my inbound spam calls have had fake mobile numbers with the same prefix as my own.

jos28

A new one to add to the list today - 01 592 xxxx