05/12/2023
Christmas is a time for Santa, Nativity plays, Carol Singers, Shopping ….. and scammers.
Here’s one to watch out for!
Yesterday I received a phone call from Amazon (supposedly!) telling me that someone had ordered an I-phone on my account and they were checking up to see if I had ordered it. He then offered to help by sending me a text message with a code and if I read it back to him he would cancel the order.
I was about to hang up when I decided to play along. I received the text code but I read back a different code to him. He said it didn’t work and he sent me another one. Again I read back a different code and he said it didn’t work either and would I take a third code. That’s when I asked him why he would think I would send him a code that would enable him to change my password and take control of my account. Then he hung up!
So, things to watch for:
Scammers will try to frighten you with the possibility that you are going to lose a lot of money and will use high-value items to get your attention. They want you to think they’ve got your best interests at heart and everything they say sounds reasonable and plausible.
But to get you to hand over control of your account they need your help! So what would’ve happened if I had given this person the code?
Most likely they would have used the code to gain access to my account by changing the password! Not good!
So here are a few hints to help you stay safe from this and other scams:
1. Never ever share a code that has been sent to you by text. It’s only for you to use!
2. My suspicions were alerted initially when the caller called me on a mobile phone! Amazon doesn’t do this!
3. Always be suspicious and if you feel even the slightest unease, hang up. If it’s genuine they’ll call you back. Scammers generally don’t this as they are now thinking that they may have been rumbled and will just move on to the next one!
4. Be wary of a caller asking you to confirm your personal details over the phone. You may be giving them information they don’t have but could find useful for identity fraud.
5. Don’t be complacent if a genuine-looking phone number appears on your screen, complete with the company name. This is called number spoofing and scammers can make that happen quite easily.
And to really put them off, tell them you’ll phone Amazon (or the relevant company) yourself to sort it out. This usually results in an instant disconnection! (And don’t phone the number on your phone screen - go online and find the published Customer Care number!)
For more information on scams search online for Scamwise NI where you’ll find lots of useful information.
And we're here to give you free support on 08000 488 638 as we fight to foil the scammers.
Have a Safe Online Christmas!