TalkTalk Scam - Be aware if a customer

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39177981

TalkTalk appears to have lost customer data such as account numbers, names and addresses. This data has been used to setup fraud call centres in India who call TalkTalk customers and convince them they need to download some software which is a keylogger. They then use this data to access internet banking and so on. Standard type scam which most people would never fall for, but here the scammers have your genuine TalkTalk info such as account number, your name, package details so it appears much less of a scam.

If you receive any call from anyone claiming to be TalkTalk or your bank or BT or any other similar institution, ALWAYS call them back on the number on your bill or statement. NEVER go to websites instructed over the phone if they rang you. If it's legit then the company will have no problem with you calling them back on the number on the statement or bill so if the person on the line starts making threats or escalating when you say you'll phone back on the official number then you can be certain it's a scam.

It's likely to be more than just TalkTalk who is affected as almost any company with call centres has to share the customer information with a large number of people some of whom may see an opportunity. TalkTalk are having a bad run of it at the moment though...

There's no "appear" about it they lost loads of it a few years back and got a stiff fine.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37565367

As you note I've no doubt this breach is being used to further the scam above.

There's no "appear" about it they lost loads of it a few years back and got a stiff fine.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37565367

 

As you note I've no doubt this breach is being used to further the scam above.

This scam is related to call centre manager stealing the data directly from TalkTalk back end systems and then setting up a scam company with the data. It's not related to that breach.

EE did a similar thing with me, sort of. Phoned them directly to upgrade 4 or 5 years ago, hey presto within a few minutes early pay day lenders started ripping into my account. The only way this could've happened was for someone to have ALL my personal details plus bank account details in full. Yeah the details I'd just given to the EE rep over the phone. The hassle this caused me was unfathomable. Eventually grated a huge amount of damages from both EE and Wonga. Thanks Ofcom!

It would appear that this not just a phone scam it is also e-mail, as I have received an e-mail today stating that TalkTalk cannot collect my direct debit payment and to re-submit account details. I am reluctant to contact TalkTalk because I may be talking to one of the spurious/bent employees. JUST BE AWARE PLEASE!

It would appear that this not just a phone scam it is also e-mail, as I have received an e-mail today stating that TalkTalk cannot collect my direct debit payment and to re-submit account details. I am reluctant to contact TalkTalk because I may be talking to one of the spurious/bent employees. JUST BE AWARE PLEASE!

The 'bent' ones work for a different call centre and aren't working for TalkTalk at all and probably never have done. The details were stolen by dodgy managers and sold on. Phoning TalkTalk directly on their advertised phone number poses no extra risk (well, except being on hold for eternity and then speaking to someone who uses a script that no one ever fits into, but that's pretty standard!)

It's not only ISP's that have fallen foul of "off-shore"/"outsourcing". I was a long time holder (30 years plus) of a major credit card. At the time of the security breach I was with Vodafone where I would ring up to pay for credit on said card. I was informed that the transaction would not go through and to contact my Credit Card issuer. I promptly rang them when I got home on the landline, only to find out that my account had been compromised. Fraud section of Credit Card company said that Cards had been issued to my work address (which turned out to be at the other end of the country where I had never even visited - what was also disconcerting was that they claimed my email address had been changed to one of the sub-account email addresses with the named ISP in this thread. I contacted TT to check if main account had been altered - no it hadn't and no changes to sub-account either. I asked the Fraud section of the Credit Card company what address it had been sent to - they said my work address - I asked for confirmation of this address - having been given the address I looked on Google Maps Satellite and found it to be a run-down Council Estate in far end of UK - not even a work building! I notified the local constabulary of the address who were going to check if it had been used for fraud drop-offs before but not heard anything more from it. After getting things resolved with the Fraud Section I spoke to Customer Service who asked the perfunctory questions - and where do you think they posted the replacement cards to? You guessed it - the fraudsters address once more - the Asian sounding gentleman when I chased it up again, in customer services, said they knew more than what the Fraud Section Department knew - go figure! Needless to say when I finally got replacement cards I stopped using it and when up for renewal I rang to cancel the card - they asked why - it was the above experience plus their fraudulent handling of LIBOR.