Phone scams

There has been a recent speight of phone-based scams, where fraudsters call unsuspecting victims and claim to be from a company they know and trust. The aim of these calls is generally to obtain information about credit card numbers or to access your bank account.

The fraudsters are reportedly telling customers that their Spark services will be cut off unless they change their settings or clean up their computers. The customers are then directed to a website where they are asked to download some software, from which the fraudsters can gain remote access to their computer.

Customers are being asked by the fraudsters to log on to their personal online banking and switch off their mobile phones. Spark understands that the fraudsters are attempting to keep customers on the phone for long periods of time until they surrender their bank account details. In some instances, they are giving customers a made-up “employee number”, or phoning back multiple times after the initial conversation to verify their identity.

Scammers can be very convincing and insistent. Reputable companies will never ask you to divulge your password or access third-party sites such as online banking. If you ever receive a call from a company and believe it may be a scam, hang up and contact the company directly. The same goes for email scams – most will require you to click a link. If in doubt, contact the company directly and ask them if it is legitimate. Do not be fooled by logos or reference numbers – these can easily be faked.

If you have fallen prey to scammers and they have gained access to your bank or credit card details, contact your bank immediately. You may be able to recover funds obtained fraudulently in many cases.

Concerned Spark customers encouraged to call Scam Helpline on 123, option 9.