Scam in UK

[Amittai]

The phone went and I answered (but without speaking) and the voice said "this is Scottish Gas" and invites me to tell them my meter reading. (My utilities are not with such a company. I recently interacted comprehensively with my actual energy company.)

Two possibilities:

- they have addresses matching the phone numbers and are going try to claim money anyway

- they don't have addresses and just hope they will get a few random mugs as takers

They also asked me to press a key which I DIDN'T.

 

[Lost4words]

Wish they would ring me! I would have a laugh with them. String them along etc...

 

[pdudgeon]

Good for you for being aware, and spotting a Scam!

 

[Amittai]

The other set of possibilities is, it may be to do with finding out which phone lines to hack, or what time of week someone is in their flat.

As if I don't have worries.

 

[Paulus59]

The phone went and I answered (but without speaking) and the voice said "this is Scottish Gas" and invites me to tell them my meter reading. (My utilities are not with such a company. I recently interacted comprehensively with my actual energy company.)

Two possibilities:

- they have addresses matching the phone numbers and are going try to claim money anyway

- they don't have addresses and just hope they will get a few random mugs as takers

They also asked me to press a key which I DIDN'T.

There is so much scamming happening these days that you can't be safe enough. These scammers are very slimy and will try to get to you through the phone, email, mail and in some cases their scams can be quite sophisticated and seem authentic. People have to be savvy to their schemes in order to protect themselves, unfortunately a lot of naive people fall victim to them. Best thing to do is hang up on them and put them on block on your phone, that's what I do. If you have any doubts you can contact YOUR gas company directly and ask them.

 

[Paulus59]

Wish they would ring me! I would have a laugh with them. String them along etc...

Yes, I have done that myself.

 

[Amittai]

Those calls come from 0333 202 9784. In the second one, they explicitly asked me to phone 0333 202 9524.

The new brazen method is to pretend frankness.

Don't phone those, don't speak and above all don't press any buttons when they tell you to!

I approached my energy company (which is of a different name to the above) myself for my own reasons three weeks ago, inputting lots of specific details, and the person I was dealing with seemed to understand, and since then I have received the expected two envelopes and when the home help comes tomorrow she can double check whether it is as expected.

A different thing: before now I have had my energy switched or purportedly switched TWICE to a different company without my wanting. It is always a lot of wasted work getting this put right again.

 

[Rajni]

Unless I recognize the number, I generally don't answer my phone at all. Same with answering the door if someone comes knocking.

In fact, there have been so many robo-calls these days that I set my phone to "Do Not Disturb", so that if, and when, I get such calls, I'm not even aware of it until the next time I look at my phone. If I'm expecting a call/text from someone, then I take the phone off of "Do Not Disturb".

 

[Tanj]

I got a phone call telling me there was a federal warrant out for my arrest due to tax evasion and if I didn't mail them $10000 in iPhone gift cards I'd also lose my house.

 

[usexpat97]

Those scamsters must be Jacobites. God save the Windsors!