Had a phone call from a service provider offering you compensation? Be wary, especially if you’re asked for personal details, as this member was when they received a call from ‘Sky TV’…
Member Peter Marfell told us:
‘I’m a Sky TV customer, and someone recently called me claiming to be from Sky. The caller said I was owed £200 compensation for poor service.
‘I hadn’t made any recent complaint, but he knew my name and address, and asked me to confirm these. Then he asked for the expiry date of my card. I replied that a genuine Sky caller would already have these details. He became abusive and then hung up.’
Our say on unsolicited calls offering compensation
Sky has confirmed it ‘doesn’t make unexpected phone calls requesting personal or financial information, to provide compensation or otherwise’.
This fraudulent caller’s motive is clearly to obtain your card or banking details. Never give these unless you’re certain of the caller’s identity.
If a call concerns you, hang up, wait five minutes and call the person or organisation using a number you’ve verified independently. It’s also a good idea to report scam calls to Action Fraud.
The troubling question is how the fraudster has your phone number, name, address and TV package provider. Here are some tips on how to protect your identity in future:
- Change the password on your email account
- Evaluate the security of your home’s letterbox (especially if it’s external or communal)
- If you’re opted in to the open electoral roll, consider opting out
- Never access email, banking or other sensitive accounts on open wi-fi networks provided by cafés, etc.
Have you ever had a scam call like this? Were you convinced by the scammer or did you call them out?
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