One Man's Fight Against Scammers

[Bambino]

A 6 minute video worth watching. Stay alert!

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/stories-51660982/criminals-on-cctv-scammers-caught-red-handed

[pgn]

Interesting video, @Bambino.

Some people will use any opportunity to make money, scamming is the lower-end of the food chain. They take advantage of people's fears - technology can be scary.

Great Post, something everyone should be aware of - this Jim Browning guy has his heart in the right place, I hope his work is not in vain.

[Cleoriff]

Terrible that they think it's so funny.

I didn't realise this was on Panorama on the 2nd March. I'll have to see if I can find it on Catch up.

Thanks for posting @Bambino 

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much @Bambino for posting this

I have to be aware

Related for older people - when scammers ring my mum I've said before to my mum re scam calls to just be polite - say thank you & put the phone down, than she doesn't get upset. I've told her they're after your money. These days it takes mum longer to get to the phone before the computer has cut the call. She knows if it were me or my sister or brother-in-law we would let the call ring until she came to the phone.

She is on TPS but calls do seem to get through.

[pgn]

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@Anonymous wrote:

... 

She is on TPS but calls do seem to get through.

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I think TPS is not much use, alas - these scammers have no standards, TPS relies on the caller to know and honour the code.

And yes, I have been registered with TPS for years, but still get calls from Cabbot Insurance, Microsoft (Pune branch), etc. 

A bit like seeking sanctuary in a church - only effective if both parties know... Remember Highlander? 

Reminds me of the hotel in the John Wick films, look what happens if people don't leave their differences at the door when they check in! 

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately these scumbags (for that is what they are) can continue to do this as the authorities in the countries they are operating from tend to turn a blind eye.

Companies such as Microsoft or even your own Internet Service Provider do not contact you about suspicious activity, if suspicious activity is detected on a system the account is either disabled or the password changed to force the person to make contact with Customer Services or Technical Support.

Unless you are a business running your own servers with a leased line or running an Autonomous System such as a service provider your IP address will only identify your service provider when run against the WHOIS on RIPE https://www.ripe.net/ for people in the UK and Europe or ARIN https://www.arin.net/ for people like @Bambino  in the US.

The following link will show your IP at the top of a google search

https://www.google.co.uk/search?source=hp&ei=J0dlXpntBoWRlwT9zpioBg&q=what+is+my+ip&oq=what+is+my+&g... 

For the vast majority of home broadband connections the IP is fixed these days so note it down and pop into the WHOIS for RIPE or ARIN and you'll see what I mean.

If they ring and you fancy having a bit of fun, ask them what your IP address is, they will not know and you'll probably hear them panic, at that point hang up.