Fake Open Reach calls - again.

Looking online this looks like it's been around for awhile, where a Foreign Guy (Indian) makes out he's from Open Reach and says that you've got an issue in your area with broadband speed.
When I asked him for his number so that i could call back, he hung up, which didn't surprise me.

What did surprise me though was the number that he called on looked as though it was a Geographical UK number and when I tried to look it up online there was next to no reference about it.

01278 962539 An automated response just says the number is not recognised.
Is it easy for scammers to use these sorts of numbers and practically fool us into it's a legitimate number?

Also as per some of the older stories on the web about this, there is the sound of a busy office going on in the background which I guess leads to an element of authenticity.

Edited by Vorlon (Wed 05-Jun-19 12:18:31)

In reply to a post by Vorlon:

01278 962539 An automated response just says the number is not recognised.
Is it easy for scammers to use these sorts of numbers and practically fool us into it's a legitimate number?

Yes.

Vorlon

It is very easy to spoof the CLI on an IP originated call. They are 'dialled by computer and it just generates a random UK CLI usually from an unallocated range.

OFCOM could prevent this happening by allowing Operators to bar calls from other operators where false CLIs are being generated by more than x % of calls ( say 20%). This would hit the relevant operators in the pocket and cause them to block the originating operator/customer. But so far they haven't had the backbone.

Likewise where a call is 00xxxx...�. they should be treated as international and therefore come in the international call block category. Some operators do not mark them as International in the call type and these then bypass network call blocking software.

In reply to a post by kitcat:

It is very easy to spoof the CLI on an IP originated call. They are 'dialled by computer and it just generates a random UK CLI usually from an unallocated range.

OFCOM could prevent this happening by allowing Operators to bar calls from other operators where false CLIs are being generated by more than x % of calls ( say 20%). This would hit the relevant operators in the pocket and cause them to block the originating operator/customer. But so far they haven't had the backbone.

...but a lot of these calls also come from allocated ranges too and if the range is allocated Ofcom have no idea if the number is in use or not as the number owners don't share data. Even if they were able to, numbers that are ported would have one or more chains to go through.

Blocking unallocated numbers from being routable as the source should be easy but then you rely upon telcos to remove that from their blocklists once allocated. Getting some networks to accept newly allocated Ofcom ranges is hard enough.

Matt

I had one number call 3 times within 40 mins after 8 pm,( 03333440000 ) Did a google on the number plenty of reports it was an automated text to voice mail type message gives a couple of options press 1 to hear the message 2 to delete 3 to disable this service (spoofed) they had recorded that pose English female voice that BT uses for the quiet line test ect,(a bit more authentic that some American voice,lol ) The last scammer got called some not very nice names in hindi

I've noticed recently that those scammers phoning up pretending to be from BT, OR, Ofcom, Microsoft or your ISP & lying that your PC or BB has been hacked / infected have taken to faking their no. as with the same dialling code as your own exchange (some of which are cloned from genuine nos.). They used to use faked national or international nos. I suppose they are trying to make out you are being called by a friend or neighbour, so you pick up.

People get calls demanding money from genuine Inland Revenue numbers which have been spoofed. See

The government needs to do more to protect people though it is difficult if the criminals are abroad.

HMRC blocks them

But now it says it's worked with the telecommunications industry and its regulator, Ofcom, to stop scammers spoofing its most commonly-used helpline numbers.

BBC

In 2018, HMRC received reports of 104,774 attempted phone scams, compared with just 407 in 2016.

Since the controls were introduced in April, HMRC said it had not received a single report of the spoofing trick being used.

So you have to question why that very industry that can work with HMRC and stop them. Can't stop call that are supposed to be from them.....
Or is it a case of they don't care as they get a kickback and don't have to pick up the mess that these scammers cause...

Id love a call like this so i can play along with them for abit. Never get any though

I'll sell you some of mine. I've plenty left over after I mess with them.

https://ispuk4.webnode.com/ is a page where 1 of them gets you to go to where you click on Cyber Security to be invited to d/load DeskRoll.exe. At which point the baiting had to stop & I had to tell him a few home truths.