[Fowgill Farm]

This is a nasty one because it appears very real and vulnerable people will believe it.

PLEASE PASS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY.

I received a call from a 'representative' of BT, informing me that he
was
dis-connecting me because of an unpaid bill.
He demanded payment immediately of £31.00 or it would be £118.00 to
re-connect at a later date..

The guy wasn't even fazed when I told him I was with Virgin Media,
allegedly

VM have to pay BT a percentage for line
rental!

I asked the guy's name - he gave me the very 'English' John Peacock
with a
very 'African' accent - & phone number -
0800 0800 152.

Obviously the fellow realized I didn't believe his story, so offered to
demonstrate that he was from BT. I asked how &
he told me to hang up & try phoning someone - he would dis-connect my
phone
to prevent this. AND HE DID !!

My phone was dead - no engaged tone, nothing - until he phoned me again.

Very pleased with himself, he asked if that was enough proof that he was
with BT. I asked how the payment was to be
made and he said credit card, there and then.

I said that I didn't know how he'd done it, but I had absolutely no
intention of paying him, I didn't believe his name
or that he worked for BT.

He hung up.

I dialed 1471 - number withheld

I phoned his fictitious 0800 number - not recognized., so I phoned the
police to let them know. I wasn't the first!
It's only just started apparently, but it is escalating.

Their advice was to let as many people as possible know of this scam.
The
fact that the phone does go off would
probably convince some people it's real, so please make as many friends
&
family aware of this.

How is it done?

This is good but not that clever. He gave the wrong number - it should
have
been 0800 800 152 which takes you through
to BT Business.

The cutting off of the line is very simple, he stays on the line with
the
mute button on and you can't dial out - but
he can hear you trying (This is because the person who initiates a call
is
the one to terminate it). When you stop
trying he cuts off and immediately calls back.

You could almost be convinced!

The sad thing is that it is so simple that it will certainly fool the
elderly and vulnerable.

By the way this is not about getting the cash as this would not get past
merchant services - it is all about getting
the credit card details which include the security number so that it
can be
used for far larger purchases.

Andy ORPIN

Police Community Support Officer Cheshire

[JulieS]

Thanks for letting us know Mandy.

[daddymatty82]

mum had this last week so non english guy demanding payment of bill which she does owe and was paying the day after so guy demands money or be cut off so she said go on then cut me off i wont pay bill il go with someone else and you wont get paid so he hangs up after getting told to cut her off

[robert waddell]

NOW I JUST LOVE IT when these foreign nationals come on the phone with a British name
it was late at night after a particularly bad day he called me and he was given abuse down the phone a few minutes later his supervisor comes on the phone  you were abusive to one of my operators i said yes did i ask you to call no    did i want you to call no  well i will tell you the same if i were standing next to you i would shove this phone so far up your arse it would come out your mouth        the phone went down and i never heard from them again
the Africans that send begging e mails all with the same problem my parents were killed they have millions in the bank only need your bank details to get there millions out of there country
contacted someone from the committee of bpa       and next day started to get e mails saying there was a problem with my bank account did not have one and never worked with them
there was another scam with bt and had to contact them to alert them to the scam cant remember the ins and outs of it
if you you are half blind and a Luddite like me it should not happen but if you are stressed and pushed for time i can see the possibilities of a wrong click or being taken in by the scammers
don't hold back what are they going to do        tell them to get to France and get a proper English speaking person  on the phone