Since the pandemic and subsequent lock down anyone here noticed an increase in fraudulent practises? Duplicitous emails, phone-calls and SMS are steadily increasing, seemingly the police cannot deal (or be arsed) with most of the scammers, generally it's just recorded but seldom investigated. Only today I received an automated: message- push 1 to speak to an 'HMRC Officer' or else I'll be 'arrested' in an hour scam; it's quite unsettling even though you known it some scammer at the other end of the phone. A friend of mine who's current job atm is just to take calls from actual victims of this type of crime, where the police are actively redirecting these crime reports to the Action Fraud Agency for the sole purpose of simply recording the crime, and generally that is as far as it goes. For example he often has to tell victims that of 'identity theft' that 'stealing an individual's identity details does not, on its own, constitute identity fraud! Seriously wtf! Everyday there's reports 1000's of victims are being financially 'stung' at times with no recourse whatsoever. Who ever thought that 'crime does not pay'? Probably needs to rethink! Anyone on here been a victim of a scam?
I'd like to think I would never get scammed. I'm too suspicious and too tight. They are sneaky bastards though.
There’s a few going round at the moment mate. I know my mother and my wife’s mother, have had two young lads at the door selling stuff, saying they’ve just been released from prison and are on a rehabilitation programme. They nick the stuff from shops (I witnessed one a couple of weeks ago) and sell details of vulnerable folk to people up the criminal chain. Similar one going round for ex servicemen. Preying on the elderly and vulnerable, ****ing scumbags.
Just be careful how you respond to suspected scammers/telesales etc. After several phone calls off accident, ppi etc, me fatha answers the phone and his response to "hello is that mr *****" Fook off yer cùnts was badly timed as it was local police concerning a horse box theft from his neighbour
Aye theres a lot down here posing as workmen to check house insulation etc and two blokes rifling through rooms of elderly.
Cold calling on telephone lines should be banned, its akin to legalised burglary, and Governments of both persuasions have condoned it for far too long, it could easily be stopped if the will was there, so why its not been done is a mystery to me. I never answer any questions on the telephone unless I know the caller personally, and its amazing how many of the concerned people put the phone down when informed of this. Never tried the great late Billy's method of blowing a dog whistle down the line, but have often been tempted to get me one and give it a try.
everything has been made a lot easier for scammers, anonymous people on the end of a 'phone or a site on the tinterweb, all monies paid into banks now with overdrafts handed out like sweeties...go back to the old weekly wage packet in the hand when we all knew exactly where every penny came from and went to and we lose best part of these scams. consider myself pretty 'up to date' with scams etc but there are times i have been damn close...these people are damn good at what they do.
I lad come our house with the prison story so I asked him what he was in for and he says arson so anyway i reckon i got a canny deal for everything in his bag for £70
Great post mate However no scam or attempts but loads of people companies authority’s lngact the majority of the population has taken advantage of this Covid Used it as an excuse for shoddy poor workmanship no customer service And generally a couldn’t care attitude Nevertheless the key workers have continued to work there butts off while the majority of the rest couldn’t gone a flying @@@@@@
I have noticed this too mate, in the past week for example I know of 3 different people that had appointments for home and business visit of BT Engineers and they just had not shown up. Not given any excuses and no apologies given. Maybe it could be one of the knock effects of business employing their staff to work from home? I was expecting a delivery on Sunday received a confirmation an email saying it wood arrive between 12 and 2. I received an email at 3pm saying that I was not at home and the parcel could not be delivered. The laughable thing was: I had been working and weeding in my driveway all through that allotted time that's outside my front door . Covid has given many the ideal excuse to act shoddily.
