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freitasm

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#311767 13-Feb-2024 10:00
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Users have been told over the years to "Not click links on emails". But not many warnings about "Do not call phone numbers on emails".

 

I received this one today. Clever scammer does not use any links. But put and Auckland number there (not the email used is not a PayPal email - first sign of a scam).

 

 

Ok, I know it's a scam. How do I report it?

 

Looking through the NZ NAD I see this number range belongs to Symbio, a business provider. So this is likely a VoIP that's been used by scammers. Let's see what Symbio tells me about reporting scams.

 

Oh, the link they have there go to a Page Not Found on the TCF.

 

Ok, @PaulBrislen is the TCF CEO. I talk to him, they don't receive scam reports. These should be reported to the telcos (Symbio's only contact is to Sales), Netsafe or DIA.

 

The Netsafe reporting page seems to be for those who fell for a scam, and it doesn't look like they work with the telcos to bring down numbers.

 

The DIA seems to be focused on child exploitation, extremism, online harm and spam but they do mention scams. So I sent it to DIA via the Spam reporting as per instructions here: Spam-How-to-Report-Scams - dia.govt.nz

 

I can see how these scam happens - it's hard and takes time to get this reported. Not many options to stop something before it happens.

 

[UPDATE: Added DIA link after reporting. Thanks to @PaulBrislen for answering my questions]





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SaltyNZ
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  #3194543 13-Feb-2024 10:06
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I'll get it blocked here but as you say ... it'll be another whack-a-mole.





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freitasm

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  #3194544 13-Feb-2024 10:07
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Yes. Someone pwned that number.

 

@PaulBrislen called it. The guy answered "PayPal security".

 

What a load of crap.





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freitasm

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  #3194545 13-Feb-2024 10:08
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Update: there's a scam instructions page here: Spam-How-to-Report-Scams - dia.govt.nz





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wellygary
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  #3194548 13-Feb-2024 10:23
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I had a few spam voice calls the other week claiming to be from paypal security, they were using  "09 597 0707"  - which is unallocated according to the NAD, - they haven't come back since I blocked the number 


SaltyNZ
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  #3194550 13-Feb-2024 10:24
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wellygary:

 

I had a few spam voice calls the other week claiming to be from paypal security, they were using  "09 597 0707"  - which is unallocated according to the NAD, - they haven't come back since I blocked the number 

 

 

 

 

Yes, one of our people here had a voice call from an unallocated mobile range (0245) this morning.





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freitasm

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  #3194551 13-Feb-2024 10:25
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People are (should be) aware to not answer unsolicited "security" phone calls. But they are told to call a number on the official website or back of the card. I guess some people see an email like this and think it's "official".





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freitasm

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  #3194564 13-Feb-2024 11:01
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I am told that number is now blocked.

 

Surely others will appear. But it's not easy to block those unless you know someone who knows someone.





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cddt
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  #3194626 13-Feb-2024 11:43
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freitasm:

 

People are (should be) aware to not answer unsolicited "security" phone calls. 

 

 

 

 

And yet I still receive (legitimate) calls from an insurer (a major NZ provider) who starts the conversation by asking my name, date of birth, and physical address in order to "verify my identity"! That conversation quickly went nowhere. 


Kiwifan
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  #3194787 13-Feb-2024 17:29
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I have watched a fair few scambaiter YouTube videos of late and the one dead giveaway is the word kindly in their emails. 

 

I would love to see these pricks “put behind the bars in the courthouse.” 😁


snnet
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  #3194799 13-Feb-2024 18:04
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Out of curiosity, has anyone had a legitimate call from an 889 number? I sure haven't....dead giveaway for me 


quickymart
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  #3194805 13-Feb-2024 18:59
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Kiwifan:

 

I have watched a fair few scambaiter YouTube videos of late and the one dead giveaway is the word kindly in their emails. 

 

I would love to see these pricks “put behind the bars in the courthouse.” 😁

 

 

Or calling you "dear".


mattwnz
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  #3194808 13-Feb-2024 19:01
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quickymart:

 

Kiwifan:

 

I have watched a fair few scambaiter YouTube videos of late and the one dead giveaway is the word kindly in their emails. 

 

I would love to see these pricks “put behind the bars in the courthouse.” 😁

 

 

Or calling you "dear".

 

 

 

 

You sometimes get that with companies that use overseas call centres where english isn't their first language and they are likely following some form of cut and paste flowchat to reply with. 


JimmyH
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  #3194824 13-Feb-2024 19:44
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They seem to come in waves. I had a bunch (20+) get past my filters a while ago, all trying to tell me my antivirus had expired and I was at risk if I didn't call to renew it pronto. Most were for my alleged McAffee antivirus subscription, together with a few almost identically worded and formatted ones for my alleged Norton antivirus subscription. My actual AV package is neither of these.

 

I'm not sure who they would have fooled, the quality of the emails was amateurish with spelling errors and looked like they were designed by an 8 year old.

 

I also recently had a run of clearly scam calls to my work phone. Short one-ring calls that with ID prefixes from Ghana and the Ivory Coast etc. Clearly premium rate numbers that they are hoping I will return the "missed call" to.


SaltyNZ
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  #3194860 13-Feb-2024 21:41
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JimmyH:

 

I'm not sure who they would have fooled, the quality of the emails was amateurish with spelling errors and looked like they were designed by an 8 year old.

 

 

 

 

There is a theory that this is (at least sometimes) deliberate. Only an idiot would fall for one of those emails. Ergo, anyone who falls for one of those emails is an idiot - all the people too smart to be easily scammed ignore the original email. This way the scammers don't waste too much time and effort on people who won't fall for it.





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jarledb
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  #3194875 13-Feb-2024 23:25
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cddt:

 

And yet I still receive (legitimate) calls from an insurer (a major NZ provider) who starts the conversation by asking my name, date of birth, and physical address in order to "verify my identity"! That conversation quickly went nowhere. 

 

 

Happens from major banks as well. Had a query to one of them about getting a credit card and a representative called me and wanted to confirm my identity. Didn't happen.





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