"Ministry of Justice" scam calls

[Ann]

I had a phone call on my landline last week, supposedly from the Ministry of Justice in London, telling me I had a refund from overpaid Direct Debits! Knowing how these scams work, I called their bluff and said sweetly "ooo a refund how lovely! Would you like my bank details?" He got very flustered and gave me a London number to call instead, I decided to call this number and a very foreign lady answered it " Hello Ministry of Justice"

I went along with this scam (I am not at all gullible but wanted to get names and tel numbers to report them) She said she would ring me back in 30 minutes (in the meantime I had googled Ministry of Justice scam and read all about these evil tricksters!) I didn't expect her to ring back as I thought she had sussed me, but she did ring me back and told me "a gentleman would be calling at my house to give me a cheque at 3pm the following day" and as they had to "hire a very expensive solicitor" to get this money back I had to pay this gentleman £150 solicitor fees before he would hand the cheque over. I then told her "No way! this is a scam and the Police are on to you" and she slammed the phone down very quickly. Scary though, as she had my address, she actually told me my address, I didnt tell her first!

I rang the local police who, surprisingly, were very interested and logged all the details including the London phone number she gave me (incidentally I rang it again the following day and the same foreign woman answered it Hello, Min of Justice!) The police asked me to google "Action Fraud" helpline and report it there, which I did online and by phone to a very helpful man (English) who told me there are hundreds of people falling for this scam every day and often they tell you to buy KCash (never heard of those) vouchers and send them to them, or call at the house and take people in a car to collect cash from a cash machine!
How can people be SO gullible? It just amazes me ..........

[squarebear]

What number was it. I could have some fun with this.

It is sad that people get greedy and fall for these things though.

[Ann]

Hi SquareBear it was 020 81 332794. Let me know how they answer if you do ring it. The police warned me it may be an international number which they somehow have "jigged" to show up as a London number and would cost me a bomb to ring it. But I've just had my phone statement and it was logged and charged as a London number (zero as I'm on free daytime UK calls)
Action Fraud number to report these scams is 0300 123 2040.

[Ann]

The following days afterwards I had an average of 7 silent or cold calls per day, I was having to field my calls via the answerphone. I'm convinced it all stemmed from this Ministry of Justice call. One of the calls asked for me by name (I always know its a hoax or cold call as they are foreign and pronounce my name wrongly!) I went along with this cold call trying to sell something and then I got angry and told them the police was logging all my calls as it was a scam and she screamed at me "YOU GET LOST LADY!" and slammed the phone down!

[Ann]

* Police were logging - not Police was (sorry, bit late!)

[Ann]

Methyl - do not reply to what?? I have to answer my phone as I don't have caller display. TPS only applies to UK calls and the majority of these calls are international and untraceable, they told me.

[tenrec]

Ann if you don't have caller display you could let it ring and then dial 1471 to see if you recognise the number. If it is a number you don't recognise and it was important, they will try again.

[Ann]

Thanks tenrec, I do that anyway and sometimes field my calls via my normal answerphone. I will see if the cold calls continue, but seem to be slacking off now, only had one on Sunday and none yesterday thank goodness. I'm not worried for myself, I can deal with them! Just wanted to bring it to people's attention as a lot of ABers have elderly relatives, like I do.

[tenrec]

Me too Ann. My Mum would be vulnerable to those sort of calls.

[Ann]

Luckily I have dinned it into my Mum (88) so I don't think she would fall for phone calls, but as for people calling at the house, that is another matter and I really worry as she seems to trust everyone!

[Dee Sa]

well done ann for reporting the scammers , I for one have made a not eof the Action Fraud number.These people [the scammers] are scum.

[Ann]

The people at Action Fraud were great Dee Sa, the man I spoke to was so friendly and appreciative that I had noted the numbers and also the names they were calling themselves (in my call, a very foreign man who when I asked him, told me his name was Charles Smith - I ask you! How silly!) Action fraud were going to follow it up and the man on the helpline also told me of all the other ways scammers were hoaxing poor vulnerable people and to pass the word around - hence this posting to AB. Hope it has helped.

[sir.prize]

Ann86 - the same telephone number here

http://www.whophonedme.co.uk/02081332794

[Ann]

That is very interesting Sir.prize, thanks for sharing that link, I hope they catch them soon.

[SIRandyraven]

Ministry Of Justice - My young niece used to rave on about there music mixes.

[sir.prize]

Sirandy - Ministry of Sound were good too.

[squarebear]

lol SIRandy. i think that was the "Ministry of Sound" :-)

Ann - I decided not to ring them, as most likely they will pass my number on to their creepy colleagues and I will be flooded with spam calls.