How Do They Get Your Number

[emmie]

i had a tx on the mobile yesterday, supposedly from Royal Mail asking me
to forward two pounds for a non delivered parcel, if that makes sense, i am assuming this is a scam, but what do they get out of it. I deleted it anyway.

[diddlydo]

This is a well known scam. You ask what do they get out of it? The answer is the contents of your bank account when you do whatever the email tells you to do! Beware, be very aware!

[emmie]

it said to press the link which i didn't do, but 2 quid, doesn't make sense.

[emmie]

ok thanks. i was wary anyway, i got home to find a message on answer phone from another scammer, it gets a bit tiresome i must admit.

[TonyV]

I think they use a computer programme that just continually generate phone numbers until one gets a response.

[Peter Pedant]

There are 'sucker lists' of those who have already been scammed. there are as well lists of people who answer, and are therefore worth a punt.

The calls are automated so even if there are 2 replies per 10 000, it is still worth doing it. By chance with lots and lots of tries ( takes up a Poisson chance distribution) there will be inevitably people who have JUST used their card and are expecting a delivery

alternative maff models are the predator prey equations - we are the prey as punters and the predators are the scammers. Both models dont work badly = represents the chances of success, and what happens to the prey ( they learn but have a loss - at least not dead) and predator ( they starve and so something else, but dont die) (Volterra Lotka)

If you accept that people get touched once but not again, then the covid model equations would work

yeah you pick the model you fancy ....

[Peter Pedant]

I get about five a day - but I do pick up....

[barry1010]

They don't have your number, they send out millions of texts to random numbers knowing that a percentage will be real numbers.
If you reply they know straight away your number is real. Give them the information they ask for and now they have your mobile number, name, address and bank details which they can sell on or use for more scams.
I'm not sure they can empty your account although I have seen claims that they have done.

[diddlydo]

I assure you that an acquaintance of mine had her bank account emptied in this way.

[barry1010]

Wonder how they did it? If they can do it with just your account details you'd never send a cheque again

[aelmpvw]

someone stole from my account with a false cheque made out for £800 cash, don't know how they did it . . .

[barry1010]

Did you get your money back, ael?

[aelmpvw]

thankfully yes, the bank were very helpful

[barry1010]

ael, good, and so they should be in that situation

[Karamia]

I read about someone being scammed this way. I think the £2.99 payment is initially to find out which bank you are with to clone that number and to get a few bits of information. Then apparently you get a call a few days later from "your bank" telling you someone has tried to commit a fraud on your account and get you to move your money to a new account. They convince people by using the bits of info that they know.

[barry1010]

Nasty

[emmie]

Karamia, i think that was featured on watchdog segment on the One Show the other day....

[Karamia]

There are some youtubers who are turning tables and actually scamming the scammers. They either keep them on phones for over 4 hours at a time (to waste their time and prevent them scamming others) or are able to delete the scammers files while keeping them on the line- Kitboga and scammersrevolt, Jim Browning are just a few. These show how full scams are carried out and what to be aware of. Good to warn family and friends.

[barry1010]

Any card not present transaction on my account needs me to confirm it by two factor identification on my phone. It can be a bit of a nuisance but it only takes a second.
It doesn't make my account immune from all fraudulent activity but it helps

[bobbinwales]

unfortunately the scam busters are using a pebble when something like the Hoover dam is needed. Most scammers now wont be fooled into hanging on for more than a few seconds. Automated robot voice calls for example wont hang around

[bobbinwales]

trouble is barry peopel fall for it when the scammer says - "youll shortly be asked to enter a code, dont worry its safe to do so, or read me the code."