Author: comptroller

Cold Callers Selling Call Blockers

Elderly homeowners are being targeted by cold callers selling expensive gadgets that supposedly block cold callers.

Sometimes the scammers have no product and the whole thing is just a con to get the victim’s credit card details but there appear to be several companies actually selling products they claim can block cold callers.

But, they are contacting people registered on the Telephone Preference Service who should not be called so they are operating illegally. These companies sell expensive products that turn out to be cheap and ineffective – either stopping all calls or are incompatible with most people’s home phones or are too complicated for the end user to understand.

One such company was Telecom Protection Service which was stopped in 2017 after being found guilty of defrauding hundreds of people. Also, a company named  IT Protect Ltd was fined £400,000 for cold calling to sell call blockers more recently.

Other companies have since sprung up to continue this scam.

If you want a call blocking service, first try your phone provider as most have call blocking feature available and quite often these are free or at a modest charge.

If you do want or need a gadget to plug into your phone line for blocking callers then research what’s available and pick one that is recommended by experts and by its customers. Do not ever respond to cold callers trying to sell anything as it will never be value for money.

If you have any experiences with cold callers do let me know, by email.

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What is Card Skimming

Card skimming is where criminals use a small device (called a skimmer) to steal payment card information in an otherwise legitimate credit or debit card transaction. When a payment card is swiped through a skimmer, the device captures and stores all the details stored in the card’s magnetic stripe which contains the card number, expiration date and the card holder’s full name. Thieves use the stolen data to make purchases online or make counterfeit cards or sell to other criminals.

Card skimmers can be placed over almost any type of card reader but are most often placed over the card entry mechanism on ATMs and petrol stations. The criminals may also place a tiny camera above the keypad to record you entering your PIN. This gives the thief all the information needed to make fake cards and withdraw money from  your account.

Sometimes retail and restaurant workers who handle payment cards are recruited to be part of a skimming ring. These workers use a handheld device to skim your card during a normal transaction. For example when you hand your card over to the waiter to pay your bill – the waiter disappears and returns with your receipt but has also passed your card through a skimmer.

Once the victim’s card information is stolen, thieves will either create cloned card to make purchases in store or online or sell the information or fake cards on the dark web. Victims of credit card skimming are often unaware of the theft until they notice unauthorized charges on their account, have their card unexpectedly declined, or receive an overdraft notification from the bank or warnings about a loan in their name that they didn’t take out.

How to Spot a Card Skimmer at an ATM

Card skimming devices are made to look as if part of the ATM it’s placed on.

Look out for :-

  • A card reader that sticks out far past the panel. Skimmers are designed to fit over the existing credit card reader.
  • A keypad that’s thicker than normal (there may be a fake one on top of the original)
  • If the keys seem hard to push, eject your card and use another ATM.

 

Watch where you shop and keep hold of your cards at all times. Do not let waiters or retail staff wander off with your card to process your payment.

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Time-wasters Update

Partyofthesin (actual email address is twoomail.com) claims to have sent me a message and I just need to sign up to read and reply. It says by clicking the link I agree to an account being created for me. No thanks. I have no idea if this is real or completely fake but there’s no way I would sign up for something unknown like this.

You may have seen programmes on TV and news items about how your gut bacteria affect more than your digestive system. That is true but the scammers have jumped on to the bandwagon claiming all sorts of miracle effects from your gut bacteria. “Obesity Cure” (breaking news – scientists link weight gain to gut bacteria) tells me there is one simple tweak that will force your body to get rid of stubborn unwanted belly fat every day for the rest of your life. No – just a scammer intent on stealing from you every day for the rest of their life.

Kelvin Quarterman tells me an invoice is due. Apparently there is an outstanding payment of $6408 and they would appreciate if it is paid out no later a date two weeks from now. The invoice is attached and has a password 1234. You’re out of luck evil thief – I am not going to open any attached document – certainly not one that is password protected to try to get it past the anti-virus scanner.

Martin Jones (email address is jm8587196 @gmail.com) is trustee of a $1.3 Billion portfolio and he wants my advice on where to invest the money. How about you invest it all in Bitcoin scams and lose every cent.

Solar Chargers (email address is @steptowards.bid) have got 223 solar chargers to give away to the first people who respond to the email. Nope – it’s just a scammer looking for names and addresses to sell to other scammers. There are no chargers.

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PSA Consults on Phone Subscription Services

The PSA is consulting on proposals to introduce new Special conditions for all phone-paid subscription services. This follows the review that commenced in September last year.

The proposals are intended to reduce consumer harm, build confidence in the market and support good growth. The consultation closes on 16 April 2019. You can view the consultation on the PSA website https://psauthority.org.uk

The PSA is also publishing new research undertaken by market research agency Jigsaw, on what consumers expect when engaging with phone-paid subscription services – from discovery, signing up, using, and exiting a phone-paid subscription service.

Subscriptions have enormous potential as a growth area for phone-paid services. Major brands like Spotify have started offering phone-payment for subscriptions as a default payment option. Other music, video, film and TV streaming, books and other services are now also using or considering using phone-payment on a subscription basis.

However, 95% of complaints to the PSA over the last twelve months have been about subscription services. The reputation of phone-paid services is suffering as a result, and there are cases where PSA Tribunals have issued very substantial fines and prohibitions to non-compliant providers.

PSA recently commissioned research into consumer expectations of phone-paid subscriptions from Jigsaw, a market research agency. This research includes some interesting and significant findings.

  1. When purchasing a subscription, many consumers are not aware that phone payment is an option and therefore they may not know they are in a purchasing environment.
  2. They expect clarity in a payment process, to ensure that it is made clear what they are being charged for, how they will be charged, and that the payment is for a subscription.
  3. Consumers expect to see payment cues and friction that they are familiar with from other forms of digital payment, such as use of an account and password or a PIN number.
  4. Many consumers say that, provided the process is as secure and transparent as for other payment methods, subscriptions paid via a phone account can be a convenient option for accessing content.

With all of this in mind, the PSA is proposing changes to the regulatory framework for subscriptions to reduce consumer harm, build confidence in the market and support good growth. The proposals are aimed at ensuring that:

  • The process of discovering and signing up for subscription services is as clear as possible for consumers – including ensuring it is clear when a consumer is viewing promotional material and when they have entered a purchasing environment
  • There are multiple steps in the payment and sign-up process for recurring charges, so that consumers engage with the process and are fully aware of what they are signing up to
  • Consumers receive receipts that contain the relevant service information, in a manner more consistent with what they are used to from other forms of digital payment, to help ensure that consumers engage with these messages.

High complaint volumes, and the perception that operator billing is a vehicle for ‘scams’ are in no-one’s interests. PSA think that the proposals in the consultation document will address these issues: providing consumers with a payment experience that they understand and trust and helping to support growth of phone-paid subscriptions.

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