Cold call from Private Number about my Telecom account

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Cold call from Private Number about my Telecom account

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#1059368 4-Jun-2014 20:15

l43a2: dont forget on the ultra $39 you get 30GB free wifi per month.

it also has 4G, which Skinny doesn't yet have.

OMGpjay

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#1059369 4-Jun-2014 20:16

If you're not confident it's Telecom, ask for details only Telecom should know.

IE: Telecom account number, postal address if different to your res address, broadband data usage last month.

surfisup1000

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#1059373 4-Jun-2014 20:22

How about this...

Ordered something from the USA a couple of weeks back which was shipped by USPS.

Received an email the other day saying the courier called but not home (and i was not).

The email had an attachment zip with the name indicating the package had transited via Auckland . Inside the zip was an EXE which I am supposed to click to open the shipping label or something.

I realise this is malware.

But, how did the attacker know that I ordered something from USPS a couple of weeks ago and that I am located in NZ and expecting something around this time.

Sure, maybe a random coincidence but I wonder if there were some kind of data breaches that allowed them to pull this information together.

quickymart

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#1059388 4-Jun-2014 20:37

I would say random coincidence - I used to get those too.

l43a2

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#1059389 4-Jun-2014 20:42

NonprayingMantis:
l43a2: dont forget on the ultra $39 you get 30GB free wifi per month.

it also has 4G, which Skinny doesn't yet have.

forgot about that too :P

mattwnz

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#1059401 4-Jun-2014 21:00

surfisup1000: How about this...

Ordered something from the USA a couple of weeks back which was shipped by USPS.

Received an email the other day saying the courier called but not home (and i was not).

The email had an attachment zip with the name indicating the package had transited via Auckland . Inside the zip was an EXE which I am supposed to click to open the shipping label or something.

I realise this is malware.

But, how did the attacker know that I ordered something from USPS a couple of weeks ago and that I am located in NZ and expecting something around this time.

Sure, maybe a random coincidence but I wonder if there were some kind of data breaches that allowed them to pull this information together.

They didn't. They work on percentages that someone they have spammed has ordered something from ups. It's the same with all cold callers, they know people hate receiving them , but they know a certain percentage of people will buy , and it tends to be more effective than other marketing techniques. I

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timmmay

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#1059405 4-Jun-2014 21:07

I won't give any information to anyone who calls me unless they authenticate themselves. A company (I forget which) called me and asked me to go through their security questions, I refused until they proved themselves by giving me information they should know but wasn't public. Sometimes I'll ask for their extension and call them back via the companies published phone number.

JimmyH

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#1059432 4-Jun-2014 22:14

Scam cold callers are a pestilence.

I have an elderly relative who keeps getting the "I'm from Microsoft's security department and we can see that your computer has a virus...." ones over the last week or two. She's finding it all a bit distressing, she doesn't actually have a computer, and some of them are getting very pushy, rude and aggressive when she tries to tell them that. I've told her just to hang up and not talk to them, but she doesn't like to do that to people. Thankfully, she's smart enough not to give a credit card number.

I don't know if they are just dialling the numbers at random or not - because I haven't had any for several months.

I wish the phone companies could find a way of letting people block spoofed and +0000 numbers. Sigh.

OMGpjay

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#1059467 4-Jun-2014 23:27

JimmyH:
I wish the phone companies could find a way of letting people block spoofed and +0000 numbers. Sigh.

Add yourself to DNC list, could help.

http://www.marketing.org.nz/maDNC?Action=New

mattwnz

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#1059488 5-Jun-2014 00:23

OMGpjay:
JimmyH:
I wish the phone companies could find a way of letting people block spoofed and +0000 numbers. Sigh.

Add yourself to DNC list, could help.

http://www.marketing.org.nz/maDNC?Action=New

I have found it doesn't help. The companies that are members tend not to be the ones who are the problem.

matisyahu

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#1059491 5-Jun-2014 01:28

richms: I gave fake details to cold callers. Caused one credit card company to freak out and I had to give them a right yelling at.

Perhaps it's time telecom sorted out blocking these scam private and +0000 calls from ever getting thru?

The real solution would be for Telecom not to use cold callers or door to door sales people in the first place - if you want to sell me something then advertise the good old fashioned way and then I'll make a decision in my own good time whether the said product is worth buying.

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quickymart

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#1059499 5-Jun-2014 06:13

It hasn't been established it was Telecom yet, though.

nakedmolerat

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#1059512 5-Jun-2014 07:59

openmedia: Perhaps Telecom can comment here. I had a call a couple of hours ago that showed up as a Private Number on my mobile.

The caller explained they were from the Telecom call center and wanted to discuss my plan. They knew which plan I was on and wanted to talk about if I was happy etc.

I stopped them at this point and pointed out that I couldn't be sure they were Telecom. The caller stated that because of their call center their numbers always show up as private, but couldn't prove to me that he actually was from Telecom. He then stated that he'd have to end the call and hung up.

Was this Telecom?

If it was then they should have some way of proving that they are Telecom rather than just hanging up on the call.

Personally I'd like to discuss my account with Telecom as at present the Skinny $30 and $40 options are looking far better as they include AU calls.

Honestly, I don't see why you have to stop him/her. I don't think it's a big issue at all.

Just answer yes or no to that first question.

Let him/her told you about your plan, how much you have used mins etc. I do get similar call recently. They just want to make sure you're on the right plan or to make you spend more.

I honestly don't see any major issue at all. It will be a problem if they start asking you about credit card, account number etc.

My bank (Westpac), AA insurance are the two examples where both have 'private number'. It's no big deal.

old3eyes

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#1059552 5-Jun-2014 08:53

richms: I gave fake details to cold callers. Caused one credit card company to freak out and I had to give them a right yelling at.

Perhaps it's time telecom sorted out blocking these scam private and +0000 calls from ever getting thru?

But calls come into NZ via other means other than Telecom so there's not much they can do about it..

Regards,

Old3eyes

loceff13

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#1059741 5-Jun-2014 12:35

Yabanize:

A agree, The Skinny $30 and $40 deals do look very good compared to Telecom's...

I don't see how they can justify charging $9 more. 2degrees does the same for $29

If you have Telecom for broadband - customers on 80GB+ plans can bundle broadband/mobile billing($39 monthly plans etc) for a $10 saving each month which brings it in line.

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