stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 12:19 AM |
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a cautionary tale
or 'dont panic mr mannering!
Was about to go out this afternoon, phone rings. Wife answers, sounds like telemarketing call - goes to put phone down and then changes mind. She
calls me over. Its BT - you havnt paid the bill. Ive not seen a bill methinks. At least not the red one. (standard practise - chuck first one away,
pay the red one!).
Mr gusterson, you owe us 53 quid (about normal). Ok - can I pay you visa? Yes sir, says the indian sounding voice, no problem.
Can I have the numbers.
The name on the card.
The expiry date.....
Its now going through my mind that I saw an email last week, warning of phone scams where people fish for credit card info. Im thinking "if this
bastard asks for the security code on the back, im going red alert".
"now sir, can I have the 3 digit secturty code on the back' - no you friggin cant - how do I even know you are BT."
" Ahh," sayst the smiley voice "I can explain that". "no you cant" throws phone down.
ARGH. Ive been scammed.
First thing, press 1471 redial. Give me number - dials it and a message from BT says this may be a premium rate call - press someother key to
continue.
Double ARGH. Its a 20 quid a min call back methinks.
So, look up BT billing info on the web site - cant find any old bills. Rings BT and it has a 4 or 5 level automated system - eventually put in a
queue. "we are sorry, we are very busy, and you may have to wait some time"
Yeah - so is some git whos taking all my money.
So, ring local barclays bank. Lady on phone says, ok - will cancel that card, and get another one sent out..... ahh - that might have the same account
numbers....... I will put you through to our lost and stolen card dept at barclaycard."
"Hello sir, how can I help. Tells story." Ok sir, will cancel your card - (connect card actually, need it all the time to get money!) will
take 5 - 7 days to send a new one." "ok - but make sure you dont pay anything out that was pai d after 4pm today".
"ok".
Right. Now, what if BT really did ring? So, into the BT queue. After 20 mins, a lady answers. Why is it that they need your account no when you have a
unique phone no?
"Have you contacted me for a late payment today". "yes, about 4.05pm"
"bollox - I normally pay when I get the red bill, and I didnt get one". chuckles from lady. "Thats cos we dont send them out now.
You get a phone call and if you dont pay in 5 days we cop you with a 5 quid late payment charge".
So, hands over the dosh on another card, cos ive just shagged my connect debit card for 7 days!
moral of the story?
pay bills when you get em.
dont assume the worse.
dont get billed a 5 quid fine from bt.
bt automated payment system sucks.
finally - why didnt the guy at the card cancellation dept tell me that BT now take payment on the phone. I couldnt have been the first!
atb
steve
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white130d
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 01:05 AM |
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I think
you did the right thing. You can never tell anymore who is legit. I would have done the same thing. There are too many slick scams out there, seems
you can't trust anybody one the phone anymore.....
No excuse me, I have to go give my banking info to a gent in Nigeria who is going to send me 25 million dollars (at todays exchane rate that's
about 10 quid)
D.
"There's only 2 things that money can't buy, and that's true love and home grown tomatos" Guy Clark
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 02:39 AM |
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thing is, even the guy at the visa HQ that cancelled my card was foreign. The visa hq is about 15 miles from me in Northampton UK. However, may well
have been in Delhi, India, where most of our tele jobs are going. Accent isnt a guide!
next time I will pay the first bill for a change!
atb
steve
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wilkingj
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 06:52 AM |
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Moral of the story.... Pay by direct debit on a monthly Basis. (I do)
Then you wont forget, and get equal payments, and if it goes up or down (usage) you dont need to worry. and they will pay you back if you have a large
credit on your account.
Then this sort of thing wont happen, and it reduces the number of people ringing you to get money out of you.
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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zilspeed
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 09:16 AM |
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I'm a nightmare at paying bills. " Yeah, yeah - I'll get it later / next week / next pay etc..".
That's why I'm also another advocate of monthly by direct debit. It takes the responsibility out of this fool's hands and makes sure
it's done for me. Of course, I still have to make sure there's funds there to pay the bloody things. 
Repeat this mantra every payday - "that money's not yours - you're skint - honest"
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 10:06 AM |
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most of my bills ARE direct debit - but the phone bill for some reason never has. And thats not to say that direct debits wont ever go wrong (i know
you get refunded). I have been credited with 8k i never put into an account once, and given a 3m quid overdraft allowance, due to bank mistakes.
My story is better put into context, that 8 years ago my wife had her barclays debit card 'cloned' - she had it all the time. But sonmeone
managed to draw all the money out of our account up to the overdraft limit. reported it, got money back, signed forms to allow police investigations.
Never heard a sausage afterwards. These frauds go on, and the banks just absorb them cos if it was known how prevalent they are, people wouldnt use
cards....
The chip and pin thing they are just bringing in was used widely in france about 10 years ago. Ah, the pace of progress.
atb
steve
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john_p_b
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 10:33 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by stephen_gusterson
The chip and pin thing they are just bringing in was used widely in france about 10 years ago. Ah, the pace of progress.
atb
steve
i have one serious issue with the new chip and pin system....old ppl who pay with cards! i'm often in my mates shop on a weekend either helping
out or just in for a chat and the amount of times over the last couple of months he's had the older generation in and when they have given him a
debit/credit card he asks if they know thier pin number they plain as day to the whole shop just TELL him the pin number 
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Peteff
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 01:00 PM |
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given a 3m quid overdraft allowance
and you're still in the country, sucker.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 01:07 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by stephen_gusterson
thing is, even the guy at the visa HQ that cancelled my card was foreign. The visa hq is about 15 miles from me in Northampton UK. However, may well
have been in Delhi, India, where most of our tele jobs are going. Accent isnt a guide!
next time I will pay the first bill for a change!
atb
steve
The other Visa center is up here in Dunfermline........one of my relitives works there. Is Scotland foreign enough ?
And yes you are right to suspect the system. Even if you have had some disruption to your banking setup. It could have been worse they could have
gotcha for many thousands. Next time ask the caller for what company they are from. Hang up and call the company then you know its genuine.
good posting that fact. now we all know.
[Edited on 27-11-04 by mangogrooveworkshop]
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andyps
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 04:06 PM |
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Change away from BT!
I decided yesterday to take up the offer from Talk Talk for combined broadband and anytime phone usage for less than I have been paying BT for
broadband. The interesting thing is that talking to BT and BTopenworld about it I was talking to someone in Asia, the Talk Talk person was in London.
So BT charge more, but pay employees a lot less!
I think it best to not give out a number over the phone unless you have rung them. When people ring me and ask me to prove who I am, I ask them to
prove who they are. They should know it is me as I have answered my phone - I haven't got a clue who is ringing me.
O2 rang me once on my mobile and said "for security reasons, please can you confirm your full address and date of birth" I said,
"for security reasons, no" as I was stood in the middle of a busy shop at the time
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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Hellfire
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 06:37 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by andyps
Change away from BT!
I decided yesterday to take up the offer from Talk Talk for combined broadband and anytime phone usage for less than I have been paying BT for
broadband. The interesting thing is that talking to BT and BTopenworld about it I was talking to someone in Asia, the Talk Talk person was in London.
So BT charge more, but pay employees a lot less!
I think it best to not give out a number over the phone unless you have rung them. When people ring me and ask me to prove who I am, I ask them to
prove who they are. They should know it is me as I have answered my phone - I haven't got a clue who is ringing me.
O2 rang me once on my mobile and said "for security reasons, please can you confirm your full address and date of birth" I said,
"for security reasons, no" as I was stood in the middle of a busy shop at the time
HERE HERE - TALK TALK to TALK TALK free! Very nice, thank you!
NEXT!
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JoelP
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| posted on 27/11/04 at 08:05 PM |
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its outrageous that they think they can call up out of the blue and get cerdit card info. worth a complaint to someone or other. it sets a precident
for clever thieves.
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