Scam broadband call

[Wilkinson81]

Watch out people scammers about

...I just received a phishing phone called on my landline apparently from sky about my broadband connection. This is the number they called from 0018323593031. The internet hasn’t been great the last few weeks but seeing I hadn’t reported it I thought it very strange. He didn’t ask me for my name, wanted to know how many devices were connected to my router then wanted me to turn my laptop on, then he would give me some commands to get it up and running to the speed it should be. When I questioned why sky would be calling when I hadn’t reported anything and that I’d prefer to call sky myself as I didn’t know he was actually from sky he hung up 🤔😡

[TimmyBGood]

@Wilkinson81 

There's definitely an increase in this scam at the moment: you'll see several reports of it below.

[spammers]

We have been getting same scam calls. I have started just putting panic alarm to microphone on telephone and pulling the pin. Hopefully they gave a ringing in ears for a long time.

[Bradder77]

Had the call yesterday and again today. Saying there was an issue with the broadband speed (even though I know it is running ok). Said his name was John Parker but clearly not his real name judging by his accent.

When I queried how do I know, he was saying it is a genuine call and then offered his employee ID number etc but how is that going to help? I said he needs to convince me and then he started raising his voice. I hope to god this is not Sky calling with these employees as they certainly need more training on customer services!

[TimmyBGood]

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@Bradder77 wrote:

I hope to god this is not Sky calling with these employees as they certainly need more training on customer services!

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No, it isn't.  Apparently criminals don't do customer relationship training...

[mikeomike]

You were right to hang up.

If you had allowed them to access your computer, they would have run an automatic  program , which will lock you out and you can't get back in and use the computer, until you pay them. They will have access to all your personal photos and will  try and blackmail  you.

If the scam caller puts you onto another agent, its so the other agentcan talk to you (distract you) whilst the original caller runs the  malicious computer program . 

These people are total scum, They have no morals.

[JJeffers]

Hi, I have just had a scam call, they asked me how many devices I had connected and wanted me to connect my laptop and computer, (mobile device too small appare tly) i said I was not able to as they were my partners, who was not home and the said they have malware in them stopping the broadband from running at full speed. When I said how do they know this, they hung up. I got freaked out and so turned off my mobile connection and shortly after that my broadband Internet connection  went and then started flashing orange to reconnect, so I turned it off at the wall. I'm not great with technology so don't know what they are capable of, can they get access to my router? Can that then lead them too my details on the devices its connected too? 

The phone number they called on was 018 753 506 37 by the way. 

[Mark-Br · Accepted solution]

This community page offers some handy links which will offer help

https://community.sky.com/t5/Broadband/Help-with-scam-calls-amp-emails/m-p/3437640#M198834

[TimmyBGood]

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@JJeffers wrote:

Hi, I have just had a scam call, they asked me how many devices I had connected and wanted me to connect my laptop and computer, (mobile device too small appare tly)

That's so they can get you to allow them remote access to the computer to steal your credentials.

the said they have malware in them stopping the broadband from running at full speed.

No, that's just to trick you into cooperating

can they get access to my router? Can that then lead them too my details on the devices its connected too? 

No, only if you download and run remote access software on their instructions

The phone number they called on was 018 753 506 37 by the way. 

That would be faked

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[Ambotambo]

Here's another number they are calling from 01642 043029, I've actually reported this to BT.

the number is a Middlesbrough number used in India for the scam. He got more than a mouthful and didn't like it when he was called a scammer.

[Anne28]

Im getting 2 or 3 calls a day on my landline. Thye claim to be from Sky Technical department and I just challenge every time and they put the phone down on me, Im getting fed up with it. Numbers are so far, 01492 291611, 01886246789, 0187785954, 01886 246789, 015598720049, 01654 933531, 01467 604037, 0181 442 5228, 0114 59128101894 508055,  It started all of a sudden early Septemer. How can I stop these nuisance calls. I havent reported a Broadband problem to Sky as I dont have a problem with my boradband !

[Highlinder]

You can have Sky talk shield put on your line for free, more information can be found in the links below

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-talk-shield-getting-started 

https://www.sky.com/help/diagnostics/sky-talk-shield/contact-us 

If you are asked the reason for the call say " Activate talk shield ".

[Moggle]

Just had this. I hadn't noticed they didn't confirm my identity as I was keen to speak to them as my broadband has been awful this week! That's what they are banking on. But as soon as they asked for access to the laptop I began to think something was wrong. When I asked them to just tell me how to fix it so I could write it down, I was immediately passed to the supervisor, who became agitated and started shouting at me 😳. That's what clinched it, I mean when does anyone ever get to speak to a supervisor on a call centre without begging for 30 minutes 😂 Call was from 01806 number, I can't post it here, it won't let me. Terrible line.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Moggle wrote:

Call was from 01806 number, I can't post it here, it won't let me. Terrible line.

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Such numbers are almost always 'spoofed', and actually originate overseas which accounts for the poor quality.  It is bizarre that so many forum posters report getting shouted at: the bad guys appear to have missed the 'building a rapport with the customer' PowerPoint presentation...

[Anonymous]

Hi, I just had a call that was very suspicious too. From a 0289 number. There's nothing wrong with our broadband. What I want to know is how these people know we are Sky customers? Has there been a data breach? Or is there another simple way to know?