Scam Phone Calls

At Sigma we assist numerous customers who have fallen victim to a scam phone call. These situations have often only just occurred and we are the first point of contact from a frantic and understandably emotional customer who wants immediate advice on what they should do next. By understanding the threat, you can help protect yourself from falling victim to these scams.

What is a scam phone call?

A scam phone call is an unsolicited phone call that pretends to be from a legitimate company or person, the most common our customers report to us are callers claimg to be from Amazon, BT, Microsoft, Virgin Media and even the Police!

There are numerous ways a scammer will try to convince you of their legitimacy:

Caller ID spoofing: Scammers can make any name or number appear on your caller ID.
Robocalls: Pre-recorded calls that are sent through auto-dialing software.
Social engineering: Scammers use social engineering techniques to trick you into believing they are someone you know or a legitimate company.

When it comes to your computer, scammers will attempt to convince you that your system has been compromised, that it has malware or virus issues, they will also tell you that you will be disconnected from your internet provision if you do not allow them to remotely rectify the issue. Their aim is to gain access to your system where they will show you information to scare you and convince you into thinking your system is infected. They will then offer to fix this for a one-off payment.

THIS IS FAKE: by accepting this service the scammer is obtaining your bank / payment details, full access to your computer and any information you have on it (including saved passwords) and your trust! The scammer is able to show you one thing on screen whilst in the background, stealing your information, the longer they are connected to your computer the more information they can obtain. In some cases, the scammer can reconnect to your computer without your knowledge to monitor and manipulate your activitys.

How can you protect yourself?

• Don’t agree to anything over the phone.
• Hang up if you feel wary of a caller, if you are being pressured to take action within a time limit or someone is wanting personal information.
• Be wary of calls that claim to be from a bank or reputable organisation, companies such as BT will expect you to report a fault to them, they will not report a fault to you directly.
• Never let a cold caller take control of your computer or talk you through pressing specific buttons.
• Check the line: Be aware that scammers can keep your phone line open even after you’ve hung up. Use a different phone, call someone you know first to check the line is free, or wait at least 10 to 15 minutes between calls to make sure that any scammers have hung up. 

Actions you should take

If you have fallen victim of a scam, there are actions you should take to protect yourself, but the right cause of action can depend on what has happened specifically and what information you have given:

1. Stop contact with the scammer: Cut off contact with the scammer as soon as possible
2. Turn your computer off! Assuming the scammer gained remote access to your computer, this will ensure the scammer is disconnected.
3. Turn your broadband router off! This will ensure the scammer is not connected to remote devices in your property or workplace, however, if you have a digital phone line this will also go off, you will need to use a mobile phone for outgoing calls.
4. Contact your bank and inform them about what has happened. The bank may cancel your cards and issue you new ones. Transactions will be monitored to check for fraudulent purchases and money transfers.
5. Get Support, call us at Sigma Office. We will advise you on what to do next. If your computer was remotely compromised you will need a security health check, this will ensure any remote software is removed preventing future access by the scammer, we will secure your data and assist you with securing your online accounts.

How to report a scam:

In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you can report a scam to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting the Action Fraud website

REMEMBER

Never give out personal details i.e. date of birth, passwords, bank account details; to anyone that has cold called you

JUST HANG UP