Scary phonecall

Steve748

Steve748

New member
Last night I was relaxing after a really hectic day that alternated between this site, Ebay and email, a book, a bike magazine and settling into the new Pixar film 'Cars' when I got a 'withheld' call on my cell phone, a guy with an american accent said " Hello is that Stephen Smith?" to which I replied it was I. "This is 'Absolute Poker' and we are just confirming the account you have just opened" :eek: Now I do not gamble, not even a £5 on the national, lottery, nothing so this was a big shock, that had me shaking, a big sweat, my heart was thumping thinking that someone had given them my bank details and was going to extract my money for them to gamble with :eek: I started asking him questions like "where did you get my number" and he said they must have made a mistake, or they had the wrong number. He sounded very professional and convincing but he wouldn't give me any details. I checked both accounts and no money had been taken out so that was a big relief. I think maybe someone had sold them the name & number and they were trying to sign me up. I looked up Absolute Poker and they exist and then again with 'scam' on the end and that came up with some interesting stuff too.
I hope none of you get a call like this but if you do, hopefully you will be a bit better prepared than I was!
 
Sorry! not that flash just sensible! Abbey is the account I have had for years and the Halifax is the joint account Wendy & me opened when we bought the house together and pays the bills and is the one I can't go overdrawn on!
 
The call wasn't just an excuse to get you to answer, then charge you a fortune a second to talk? Check your phone account.

PS I never answer withheld numbers or numbers I do not recognise on either my mobile or landline. They can leave a message if it's important, but they never do...surprise, surprise.
 
I'll remember that one, I never phone people back especially if it starts with 08 09 or a number I don't know. The hopital withholds their numbers so I might answer it during the day incase it is important or my physiotherapist who I always want to talk to as she is tottyly gorgeous ;)
 
guys

this sort of thing happens more and more .....you dont have to answer witheld nos if they want you they will leave a message .....if it's banks etc they will write to you....

If it is numbers that you don't recognise ......let it ring .....then check missed calls fire the number into google amazing what you can find... If you want to find where a call originates from or the mobile company etc use http://www.magsys.co.uk/ click on codelook and enter number or partial number ....

Companies you register with do hand out numbers .....Occasionally you will be called and even when you answer there might be no one there... this could be automated systems checking if your phone is active ...you might then receive telesales calls later......

Sometimes it's nothing sinister just a nuisance but it pays to take care....

Andy M
 
Wise words Andy, the Telephone Preference Service is worth registering with too for nuisance calls. I got plagued by every man and their dog trying to sell me double/glazing/kitchens etc. Registered with them and it all stopped more or less over night :thumbs:

Doesnt cost a penny

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/

If you do get a call after (Ive maybe had 3 this year), mention straight away that you have registered with the above and they magically say sorry and never bother you again.
 
Yes Davie

I've got house and mobiles registered, got it from o2.... they were good as far as advice was concerned. I got calls (9 in one day) from a strange London number when I tried to phone it back (from work of course), suprise... suprise... engaged.. called o2 gave them the number and the company name (from google) they told me it was an automated system used by a Ring tone company and it would continue to dial my number until I answered it... Registered the phones a couple of months back got a few more calls ......nothing recently.... it does work...

Andy M
 
steve748 said:
Last night I was relaxing after a really hectic day that alternated between this site, Ebay and email, a book, a bike magazine and settling into the new Pixar film 'Cars' when I got a 'withheld' call on my cell phone, a guy with an american accent said " Hello is that Stephen Smith?" to which I replied it was I. "This is 'Absolute Poker' and we are just confirming the account you have just opened" :eek: Now I do not gamble, not even a £5 on the national, lottery, nothing so this was a big shock, that had me shaking, a big sweat, my heart was thumping thinking that someone had given them my bank details and was going to extract my money for them to gamble with :eek: I started asking him questions like "where did you get my number" and he said they must have made a mistake, or they had the wrong number. He sounded very professional and convincing but he wouldn't give me any details. I checked both accounts and no money had been taken out so that was a big relief. I think maybe someone had sold them the name & number and they were trying to sign me up. I looked up Absolute Poker and they exist and then again with 'scam' on the end and that came up with some interesting stuff too.
I hope none of you get a call like this but if you do, hopefully you will be a bit better prepared than I was!
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Sorry Steve,
Just back from Las Vegas tonight!
Was staying at the Flamingo and this very nice young lady that was nearly wearing some clothes said I could have $50 of free bets for each contact number I gave her. Surprising how quickly you can lose $550 when it's not your money! Surprised a few other here have not heard yet though!:D









Nah, only kidding about giving out your number! Was a damn sight warmer there though than Harrogate on the way back!!! Scraped ice off the car last night!!! After a night in the Blues Bar/Cafe. Top spot!!!
 
PaulV said:
You do know it doesn't stop Gordons calls don't you...................;) :D
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hey if i had feelings id be deeply hurt :lol2:.............................................................. even if it did stop my calls i could still come round to visit:watchout:
 
hey I'm not worried - door open and coffee always on the go.... and wine on tap too :cheers:
:D
 
I have just checked my bank account and the b4a5tards at Absolute Poker have drawn £217.54 out my account and it is showing as a 'card payment'
so I have had to cancel my card and get a new pin number. If any of you get a call from any of these types then I would cancel your card straight away. I am now going to have to spend ages on the phone to try and get it back through a visa dispute process.
 
Took me 15 minutes before I spoke to a human to open a dispute with Visa. They said that they will ask the company to give them the card details they have on record and if they are all correct then it seems there is nothing I can do. Of course the details will be right because if they were not then they wouuldn't have passed the transaction.
 
Bloody Hell Steve :eek: These b@st@rds can't get away with this. Where and how did they get your card details and your phone number? If you've never had any dealings with them they must have got them somewhere. Dodgy security on some other internet sales site maybe? Or phishing of some sort?
And what was the £217.54 for? Bets allegedly placed I suppose. Have they any evidence to support this? Is it worthwhile reporting this to the Police? If it's happened to you it may well be happening to others.
Whatever, I hope you get it sorted out.
 
steve id maybe get onto the local press as well, a picture of you with your dodgy leg and the broken one as well:D may well help you get the sympathy vote with the card company.
sounds like a bit of this identity theft thing thats going on at the moment mate. if your dumping old statements or anything always take the name and address off and dump it seperate.
 
I have got in touch with 'Watchdog' as I thought it might be the sort of thing they like, sensational and scary things seem to go down well on there but I have not got a reply yet. I never throw anything away unless I shred it first so I think someone has taken the details from something I have paid for with the card, and I have not visited any dodgy porn sites either!
 
I checked my bank account this evening and I have a RESULT I have had a payment put back into my account of the same amount taken out! All it took was one rather long phone call and a bit of a wait! I am well happy now. I hope it won't happen again but if it does I will find out which card the account was opened with, tell the guy on the phone that I hav'nt opened an account and under no circumstances are they to take any money out and then I will phone the lost and stolen at the bank and report it and stop the card and tell them to refuse any payment to www.absolutepoker.com
 
steve748 said:
I checked my bank account this evening and I have a RESULT I have had a payment put back into my account of the same amount taken out! All it took was one rather long phone call and a bit of a wait! I am well happy now. I hope it won't happen again but if it does I will find out which card the account was opened with, tell the guy on the phone that I hav'nt opened an account and under no circumstances are they to take any money out and then I will phone the lost and stolen at the bank and report it and stop the card and tell them to refuse any payment to www.absolutepoker.com
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Steve, would have responded earlier if it wasn't for the fact that logging into DuN is a nightmare now.:comp2: I had a situation where someone got a hold of my card details and went on a spree buying ladies shoes and bags in some well known London store (Brown's? -I had never heard of it!!). It was a long story but I know what happened was that someone in a filling station took my card details and passed them to a mate in Manchester who used it. Complained to Barclaycard who did eventually reimburse me. Not much help to the store though! Reported to Police who had no interest and 2 years later I am still waiting for an update from them! Reality is that it is STILL dead easy to do this. When you get your card handed back to you with a receipt from a purchase, your card details are partially blanked out in case you drop the receipt etc. HOWEVER (!!!!) first receipt that comes out the the machine which shop retains shows ALL your details! All assistant has to do is turn your card over as they give it back to you and memorise your 3 digit security number and they are away!! Your pin & chip does not come into play if you order goods over the phone or web! ALSO, I discovered by accident this week you can get round putting your PIN number into a machine. When you are asked to confirm your PIN number , if you make a mistake , instead of pressing the correct button to retry, if you press a certain other button, this scews up the transaction process and you are then handed a receipt to sign as we all did before Chip & PIN came into existence. Things are perhaps slightly more difficult for a tea leaf but certainly not fool-proof yet. Glad you are not out of pocket!:)
 
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