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Thread: Beware New "Telstra" Scam

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    Default Beware New "Telstra" Scam

    we have all heard the one where you get a phone call saying "your broadband will be cut off etc..." and thats enough I hang up (get this one a lot)

    Yesterday got a new one he said Telstra had identified broadband was slow in my area and they were going to give me an "upgrade"

    I said yes my internet has been slow lately ....

    he got me to do a speed test .... then said OK I can upgrade your modem ( i am half skeptical at this stage)

    he said press the windows key (after he worked out I had a windows key next to my Ctrl key in the left corner of my keyboard) then press R at the same time (brings up the run command)

    he said enter www. a for Anna, n for Nelly, y for yellow, d for dog, e for egg, s for sam, k for kelly, .com

    I looked at it ....

    I said are you going to do remote desktop .... No no no he said I'm going to upgrade your modem

    after a further exchange that went on a few minutes I said I don't know you, you could be a scammer wanting to install malware or something on my computer

    he had had enough at this stage & said I cannot force you to do it and hung up

    I then rang Telstra Faults and told them what had happened & asked them if he would have been from Telstra .... he said no he was a scammer


    Just letting you guys know .... I had not had this scam before
    Last edited by OSIRUS; 25-04-21 at 01:01 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by OSIRUS View Post
    we have all heard the one where you get a phone call saying "your broadband will be cut off etc..." and thats enough I hang up (get this one a lot)

    Yesterday got a new one he said Telstra had identified broadband was slow in my area and they were going to give me an "upgrade"

    I said yes my internet has been slow lately ....

    he got me to do a speed test .... then said OK I can upgrade your modem ( i am half skeptical at this stage)

    he said press the windows key (after he worked out I had a windows key next to my Ctrl key in the left corner of my keyboard) then press R at the same time (brings up the run command)

    he said enter www. a for Anna, n for Nelly, y for yellow, d for dog, e for egg, s for sam, k for kelly, .com

    I looked at it ....

    I said are you going to do remote desktop .... No no no he said I'm going to upgrade your modem

    after a further exchange that went on a few minutes I said I don't know you, you could be a scammer wanting to install malware or something on my computer

    he had had enough at this stage & said I cannot force you to do it and hung up

    I then rang Telstra Faults and told them what had happened & asked them if he would have been from Telstra .... he said no he was a scammer


    Just letting you guys know .... I had not had this scam before
    Do you have a landline or mobile?
    I rarely get scam calls. That sucks that happened to you.


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    Same scam as in the past, with a slight modification to the narrative.

    Any cold callers claiming to be from any company that request you to download remote access software from third party providers such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer, etc should be considered scammers.

    No doubt there are still people out there who fall for these types of scams, otherwise they scammers wouldn’t bother.

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    Had a older friend fall for this recently..

    They remotely installed ransomware on his laptop, good and proper

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    It kind of reminds me of the old days when you would do this to hack like in the 90s I'm surprised ppl still fall for this scam.

    Back than I had a program where I would enter ur landline # and it would give me your dob ssn maiden name all kinds of personal goodies.


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    EVERY call on a number that is not in my contacts list simply gets ignored. I don't bother answering or rejecting just let it ring
    War dialers only ring a few times and then go to the next number, otherwise they would't scan enough numbers to find the gullible.
    If there is an honest caller they have the the opportunity to leave a message.
    So far in the years I have been doing this not one has left a message.

    If I have troubles with the Internet which I can not fix myself I am the one who calls my provider.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Fester View Post
    EVERY call on a number that is not in my contacts list simply gets ignored. I don't bother answering or rejecting just let it ring
    War dialers only ring a few times and then go to the next number, otherwise they would't scan enough numbers to find the gullible.
    If there is an honest caller they have the the opportunity to leave a message.
    So far in the years I have been doing this not one has left a message.

    If I have troubles with the Internet which I can not fix myself I am the one who calls my provider.
    +1

    On the incredibly rare occasions I should have answered, too bad.
    The fact that there's a highway to hell and a stairway to heaven says a lot about the anticipated traffic flow.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Fester View Post
    EVERY call on a number that is not in my contacts list simply gets ignored. I don't bother answering or rejecting just let it ring
    Yep, same approach here -- daft logic ; why would I answer a call from an unknown number? I wouldn't, so I don't (and as you point out, voice message will catch anything important and it never has in nearly 2 decades).

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    I miss having a landline which was bundled and I did not use. I had it unlisted and on the do not call register, I gave the number to nobody and even I didn't know what it was.
    But I kept the phone on for sits and giggles, anybody who rang it was going to have their time wasted, their intelligence tested and the morals assaulted.

    I'm sure some of my previous posts on this subject are still archived on this forum.

    If I was getting calls these days I'd been answering the phone with "Hello, Oxygen Exports".
    Oh I'm so glad you called, or oxygen generators were working yesterday but the network connection has been getting slower and our oxygen product is down from 500,000 litres per day down to 300,000 L/day. We have an order of one million litres due to ship out to Pakistan at the end of the week and we're worried we might not have enough.

    If you can get them to bite, get them to place an order and provide a shipping address for verification ... let your imagination run with it.
    See if I could get them to buy some shares in "oxygen futures".

    Usually if you get one scam call, more are on the way. So you have time to think about how to fvck the next one around.

    Almost all of these scam calls are very easy to identify. I'm a bit concerned osirus gave it more than 2 seconds thought.
    Being a member of a forum like this tends to give you some immunity from them.
    My mum is not internet literate so I'm concerned that she might fall prey to a clever scam. But she's a bit of a cynic so anybody with a brown accent is likely to be politely told to fvck off. All tech support comes to me, my number is on her account.

    The only serious Telstra scam calls I've seen were happening about 5 years ago.
    You would get a call from a Filipino accent caller (which makes them sound more legit because they are not indian or pakistani) and the call would come about 7 to 10 days after a legit call to Telstra they you made that went to a Philipino call center.
    It was a very sophisticated type of scam call and particularly dangerous. The caller would often be "following up" on your complaint or case and they would know your name and some minor details like your address but nothing else. The would also often ask your password for verification. And well you can imagine how that could open the gates of hell.

    Even I might have been taken by this kind of scam except that I resolved my problem and calling my scam hotline, I'm primed for the scam.
    I tried to disect the call, I gave them a crap password and they verified it, "thank you, that is correct". So I fed them a lot of shit which I knew would get them unwanted attention.

    I was impressed with with how this scam was run and it looked like an inside job. Legit operators were farming simple details. A legit customer calls in and they verify with the legit operator. That operator collects the simplest of details, name and phone number and then moves it out of band to a guy on the street for a small sum.
    The information by itself is useless and worthless, but the scammers know your guard will be down because their scam caller will well timed and almost expected.

    That scam only lasted a short time and I suspect Telstra was pretty quick once they realised what was going on.
    But I have to wonder if the scammers were trying this with other big call centers.
    Yes I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Fester View Post
    If there is an honest caller they have the the opportunity to leave a message.
    So far in the years I have been doing this not one has left a message.
    That could cause quite an impasse. Myself and many people I know refuse to leave voice messages!

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    Quote Originally Posted by peteramjet View Post
    That could cause quite an impasse. Myself and many people I know refuse to leave voice messages!
    I work on the basis that if you do not leave a message you really do not want to talk to me.

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    i read recently that Telstra is now bulk blocking IP addresses and call traffic from known scammer hotspots , some 100,000 calls per day , so hopefully this will reduce the scammers income in future

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    Quote Originally Posted by trash View Post
    ....
    The only serious Telstra scam calls I've seen were happening about 5 years ago.
    You would get a call from a Filipino accent caller (which makes them sound more legit because they are not indian or pakistani) and the call would come about 7 to 10 days after a legit call to Telstra they you made that went to a Philipino call center.
    It was a very sophisticated type of scam call and particularly dangerous. The caller would often be "following up" on your complaint or case and they would know your name and some minor details like your address but nothing else. The would also often ask your password for verification. And well you can imagine how that could open the gates of hell.

    Even I might have been taken by this kind of scam except that I resolved my problem and calling my scam hotline, I'm primed for the scam.
    I tried to disect the call, I gave them a crap password and they verified it, "thank you, that is correct". So I fed them a lot of shit which I knew would get them unwanted attention.

    I was impressed with with how this scam was run and it looked like an inside job. Legit operators were farming simple details. A legit customer calls in and they verify with the legit operator. That operator collects the simplest of details, name and phone number and then moves it out of band to a guy on the street for a small sum.
    The information by itself is useless and worthless, but the scammers know your guard will be down because their scam caller will well timed and almost expected.

    That scam only lasted a short time and I suspect Telstra was pretty quick once they realised what was going on.
    But I have to wonder if the scammers were trying this with other big call centers.
    I got this one a few years back, caller had enough info about me to be legit, but I still questioned her. I asked her to quote my Telstra account number & she couldn't. I said then you cannot possibly be from Telstra, she got angry & hung up.

    Now we do what Fester does, don't answer unless a contact name comes up or I feel playful & answer to fvck with them.
    In the last week or so we have lots of unknown callers, checked the numbers they called from in reverse look up the other day, all political surveys. Yep we have an election this Saturday.
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    Quote Originally Posted by trash View Post
    I miss having a landline which was bundled and I did not use. I had it unlisted and on the do not call register, I gave the number to nobody and even I didn't know what it was.
    But I kept the phone on for sits and giggles, anybody who rang it was going to have their time wasted, their intelligence tested and the morals assaulted.

    The only serious Telstra scam calls I've seen were happening about 5 years ago.
    You would get a call from a Filipino accent caller (which makes them sound more legit because they are not indian or pakistani) and the call would come about 7 to 10 days after a legit call to Telstra they you made that went to a Philipino call center.

    It was a very sophisticated type of scam call and particularly dangerous. The caller would often be "following up" on your complaint or case and they would know your name and some minor details like your address but nothing else. The would also often ask your password for verification. And well you can imagine how that could open the gates of hell.

    Even I might have been taken by this kind of scam except that I resolved my problem and calling my scam hotline, I'm primed for the scam.
    I tried to disect the call, I gave them a crap password and they verified it, "thank you, that is correct". So I fed them a lot of shit which I knew would get them unwanted attention.

    I was impressed with with how this scam was run and it looked like an inside job. Legit operators were farming simple details. A legit customer calls in and they verify with the legit operator. That operator collects the simplest of details, name and phone number and then moves it out of band to a guy on the street for a small sum.
    The information by itself is useless and worthless, but the scammers know your guard will be down because their scam caller will well timed and almost expected.

    That scam only lasted a short time and I suspect Telstra was pretty quick once they realised what was going on.
    But I have to wonder if the scammers were trying this with other big call centers.
    It really is of concern.
    Unless call centers are brought back to Australia, I can't see this disappearing anytime soon.
    It makes you wonder how much of our details are collected during a legit call, then passed on for extra money.

    And we know, people do anything for money - even in Australia; and they don't have to be poor and desperate, even the rich step on others and go to extremes to get more.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Reschs View Post
    I work on the basis that if you do not leave a message you really do not want to talk to me.
    Which is ironic, as I work on the basis that if someone doesn’t answer, they don’t want to talk to me! I’ll try again at a time convenient to me. Two sides of the coin I guess.

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    But ask your self ":dont you feel a right dick talking to a machine " and telephones basic use is to talk on it to another human ! therefore if you dont want to talk to an other human put a plastic bag on your head and talk to yourself because you have just announced that Mr bell was a idiot for inventing it . The purpose of owning a phone is lost on some isnt it ?

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    Quote Originally Posted by peteramjet View Post
    Which is ironic, as I work on the basis that if someone doesn’t answer, they don’t want to talk to me! I’ll try again at a time convenient to me. Two sides of the coin I guess.
    Two sides here. A lot of the time the phone stops ringing before I can get to it.
    If they are not on my contacts list, I treat them as scammers.
    I always leave a message if I ring someone.

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    RING RING hello is that mr Bell "yes how can i help you"? alexander graham bell - It is - good why the #### did you invent the telephone when its not used as you intended and people get pissed-off with it ? Sir "when I invented the telephone the world wasnt full of fvckwits so the telephone was used as intended" Hmm I see " so how do we fix this current situation ?" Mr Bell answers In a stern annoyed voice ---Shoot the fvckwits that dont use the phone as I intended --- so has this something to do with religion ?---------shoot those bastards as well was his answer in a even angrier voice ----
    Well I have just rang to warn you that the telco is going to cut you off unless you pay me ??????

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    Quote Originally Posted by peteramjet View Post
    Which is ironic, as I work on the basis that if someone doesn’t answer, they don’t want to talk to me!
    You got that bit right at least. I REALLY don't want to talk/respond to scammers, surveys, insurance companies, ppl telling me I won an iPad, other ppl wanting to repair my WindowsOS(although I use Mac) and other harassers and private data miners.

    If a stranger wants my response and it is important they will leave a voice message or text if they have a hint of common sense. Time to wake up to the 21st century.
    Last edited by Uncle Fester; 28-04-21 at 12:10 PM.
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    I work on the theory that 99.9% of people are not calling me for my benifit and if they genuinely need to contact me they will leave a message or find another way to contact me.
    Don't worry, it only seems kinky the first time.

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