Fraud Alert!

[Olomola]

This message is to send an alert and awareness to all O2 subscribers and phone Owners and Users. As with most businesses and public resources, there is now a plethora of fraudsters and scammers operating through O2. O2 is well aware of this issue but, as a public facing company, will do nothing to help victims of O2 scam and fraud.

in all my 40 years of owning mobile phones from many phone companies and third parties, for the first time, i had fraudsters and scammers plaguing my O2 phone most of yesterday 22/09/2022. I ran to O2 for help, and received none. Embarrassingly, the scammers were using O2 numbers and customer services techniques to scam me. O2 customer services asked me the same questions in exactly the same way the scammers asked me. It got so confusing that I could not tell one from the other. I had to come to the unswerving conclusion that perhaps in a bid to scale up her business, O2 is working with scammers and fraudsters.

The following are phone numbers you should be wary of: 01526 210024, 0203 840 4722, 2023 287 6812, 0800 840 0202. The scammers called my phone asking me my security questions, and when i gave a false answer, they corrected me by giving me the correct answer. This is an answer only O2 should have but the scammers also had it. There were other information which should have been exlusive to O2 only, but the scammers had it also. In addition to the phne numbers which the scammers used on me, they had names like "Peter", "Smith", "Ben", "Alex". Common with them is the accent which sounded very much of "Indian" origin. One of the phone calls was from Lincoln, London and others were from eslewhere.

Personally, I strongly believe there is an official O2 involvement in all these scamming and fraudulent activities. I hope someone out there can and would call O2 out for this as O2 appears unfazed about it.

[Arasheed]

I wouldn't say that there is o2 involvement but they instead got your details via their own methods I have received scam calls similar to what you have submitted but instead from my bank asking me where I live after giving me my own postcode. But I don't see why o2 won't help you at all. Call 202 with your o2 phone or reach then using social media links

[Cleoriff]

@Olomola 

Just some practical advice from O2.

It's a well known scam.

Block the number and report it free to 7726.

DO NOT follow any links or enter any information.

O2 advice here   https://www.o2.co.uk/help/safety-and-security/phishing-and-smishing

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Welcome-News/Phishing-Smishing-amp-Scams-Latest-info-amp-advice/m-p/13... 

 How to block a number:

https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00062352/

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201229

[Olomola]

@Arasheed 

Thanks Arasheed. One big problem this odious event revealed to me is my inability to recognise phone scam of this day and age straight away. I often prided myself as being above falling for scams. It is truly a troubling thing to realise that I am not infallible. But, going forward, I have noted all the good suggestions and advice that I received, and would be more careful henceforth. However, I disagree that mentioning the identity or race of my scammers is racist. If we all subscribe to such views, no one on earth will be blameless. Throughout the night, I filled in opinion polls which asked me for my identity and ethnic group. Should that be viewed as racism now? We are who we are regardless of small minded people’s opinion or views. I am a Nigerian. For many years, it was reported that Nigerians were fraudulent. No one baited an eye even though it was not a true statement. The statement, although is false, does not represent the totality of all Nigerians. There are Nigerians working in financial institutions, government agencies etc. they are not fraudulent. Categorising identity of the people who scammed me as racist is very offensive and I sincerely hope someone would look into why the responder made such a statement. 
nonetheless, thanks for your comments @Arasheed.

[Olomola]

@Cleoriff 

My thanks. I blocked their number (s), and they keep calling with different numbers. Funny, I was thrown by the similarity of their call procedures with what I was used to coming from O2.  The problem I have to deal with now is twofold. First, identifying genuine callers and secondly, loss of potential genuine incentives from genuine callers. 
Nonetheless, I am sincerely grateful for your comments. 

[Arasheed]

I understand and I as well don't see how it could be racist mentioning someone's race especially in an informative paragraph but the best course of action is to move on with this part of the problem and solve the current problem you are facing with the spam calls. 

[Cleoriff]

@Olomola 

Now this is a real nuisance but you could think of a change of number. You are allowed one free of charge.

then go into MyO2 http://www.o2.co.uk/myo2  

and find the section titled MORE, click on that and then CONTACT PREFERENCES

You will receive a text to make sure its you, then you will get access to this:

Make sure you untick all the boxes you have no interest in. With a change of number, you will cut down on a lot of spam.

Just a suggestion.

[abandit]

Having the same issue, o2 dont care thier fraud team dont care , they have turned into a scam . and now wont even let me have my PAK code, i have 2 direct debits set up this morning that are nothing to do with me , i have alerted my bank of this fraud 

[jonsie]

Great username

[Poppysmum]

I work in a school and you got to be extra careful nowadays what is classified as this and that. Its pathetic in my eyes some of the things that are not allowed to be said that we wouldnt blink an eye to it years ago . Wont mention them on here. But i will say i also went through a spate spam texts , calls and messages They stopped when i played along with one and told them to expect a call from the police lol,

[Climbcrazy50]

You are right I rang 202,  the lady kept putting me on hold then we got cut off , one of your numbers above called me back same lady this time asking all sorts including my bank details!   Did not sound English.  I rang back 202 next lady very professional changed my contract without my bank details.