This is a variant on the text message from a scammer pretending to be a friend who is in dire trouble and needs your help.

This one is a phone call and relies on you to falsely recognise the voice.

The caller says “Hi, Do you recognise my voice?”

Generally people will guess the nearest sounding voice they can think of and a typical response is something like “Is that Charlotte?”

Now the scammer has the name of one of your friends or relatives and will play the part, while being careful not to give anything away that would tell you she’s not the person you know.

“Oh Thank God I’ve got through to you.”.

Then she launches into a long story about being overseas and how she was mugged… or needs an urgent operation in hospital… or needs to escape the country she’s in but hasn’t enough money… or was in a car accident etc.

The scammer’s aim is to get you to wire money to her urgently and not ask too many questions.

Don’t be rushed by the apparent urgency of the matter – think it though and think about how to prove who you were actually talking with.

If you have any experiences with scammers, spammers or time-waster do let me know, by email.