Watch out, watch out, scammers about…
Just got the first part of the latest identity theft scam going round. I knew what it was, so hung up straight away…
From The Register’s description of the scam:
In the first part of the ruse, a pre-recorded telephone call asks members of the public if they subscribe to Sky TV. A week or so later, the prospective mark receives a telephone call from a fraudster, posing as a Sky employee, claiming the customer’s Sky subscription is unpaid and warning that their subscription will be suspended unless they make credit card payment.
The call I had was a recording of a woman’s voice, posing as a maintenance company, wanting to sell support for satellite systems.
So be careful out there!
Simon's Backup Weblog 
on January 1, 2001 on 12:00 am
on August 9, 2006 on 5:03 pm
I had something a couple of weeks ago, didn’t think it was a scam as such (I’d had mail the same day offering an extended warranty on the sky+ box, so just assumed it was some sky subsidiary getting customer info from their customer database).
I was so offended to be cold called by an automated service I just hung up though.
on August 9, 2006 on 5:35 pm
I’ve been dealing with the end-results of the same sort of scam, only with small-timers who get hold of cell phone numbers and call the mark to demand payment. Naturally, all of the ads the company puts out stating that they’ll never call a customer and demand credit card information over the phone goes right in one ear and out the other.
on August 9, 2006 on 7:54 pm
aha another good reason not to have Sky!
on August 10, 2006 on 9:31 am
I had a call from a company regarding warranty but it was a person not an automated system and when I said it sounded suspicious, the salesman got quite upset. I got a letter yesterday from a company called Satellite Direct UK trying to sell a warranty as well. I am not sure ALL these companies are fake but I am not risking it in any case.
But I don’t understand the last comment, surely it is nothing to do with Sky and shouldn’t put you off Sky (if you wanted it in the first place)? Is potential fraud a good reason to keep you cash under the mattress as ID fraud and phishing scams are far more likely to target banks?
on August 10, 2006 on 10:44 am
Yes, for me I think it is reason enough.
on August 11, 2006 on 3:08 pm
Actually I’ve had this one twice, first time they where using Vodafone as the ‘hook company’ and second was ‘Sky’. Now the Sky one was easily delt with I have Sky already and they called on my work BT line at home so I just hung up.
The Vodafone one they actually skipped the want to join vodafone and went striaght to the you haven’t paid your bill thing. I pay my vodafone bill via DD so I know it had been paid, they attempted to improvise and do the you have large usage on your account you gota pay some now or we will suspend it thing. Alas, they happened to call on the day my bill was calculated online for me to pay so I knew exactly how much the bill was.. So I went on the offensive and questioned them about my account, they hung up..
Suffice I called a guy I know Vodafone fraud to report it.. 🙂
on August 1, 2007 on 4:42 pm
I didn’t know that there were such thefts but will be more cautious those days with whom I am talking on the phone and what are they wanting from me.
Cara Fletcher
http://www.stopidentitycrime.com/