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‘Beware of phone line fraudsters’ warns BT

Tuesday 22 September, 2009

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

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Telecommunications giant BT and regulator Ofcom are urging consumers to be vigilant about giving out their personal details to scammers in disguise.

Ofcom has revealed that fraudsters, posing as BT (www.bt.com), are targeting customers and threatening to disconnect their landlines if they don’t give their bank details to pay for “network upgrades.”

The scammers claim that the victim’s telephone line needs to be upgraded, and that it’ll cost £6. They then ask for card or bank details, and threaten to disconnect the line if it’s not paid.

If the customer refuses or asks for proof, the fraudsters then offer to prove they are BT by temporarily disconnecting the line, scaring people into handing over their details.

A spokesperson for BT said: “The police are investigating and BT Security is looking into incidents where the fraudsters have claimed to be from BT.”

BT reiterated that it does have debt handling procedures which may involve calling customers; however it never carries out disconnections during the call by way of proof.

“We advise customers never to give out any banking details over the phone unless they are absolutely certain who they are dealing with,” added the BT spokesperson.

Ofcom has issued the following advice for customers worried about the scam:

What to do if fraudsters call

If you receive a call you suspect is fraudulent:

• Do not give out any personal or bank details
• Call your service provider’s nuisance call bureau to see if the call can be traced
• If it can, pass on details to Ofcom (call 0300 123 3333).

What to do if you have given out personal details

If you have already received a call and given out your bank details you should:

• Call your bank immediately to let them know about the scam and to cancel your credit card or change your bank details
• Ask your bank to try and trace the payment
• And, if you get any information from your bank, let Ofcom know (call 0300 123 3333).