No matter .. how tech savvy they are, anyone can fall victim to a scam

[northernladuk]

The closest I got was a phishing e-mail from a trusted source (account hacked) with a dodgy link container therein, but the message and context was sufficiently generic/out of place that I spotted it. I am generally super untrusting of everything (), but not arrogant enough to say that I'd never get scammed. I'm pretty sure that a bad actor targeting an individual (e.g., a state actor) could scam that individual without too much trouble. Most scams are easy to spot because they are sufficiently generic.

Indeed. The real danger is when you are expecting something similar. A few of us have already mentioned the Royal Mail one as we were actively waiting for parcels. I had to take a double look at the Netflix and Amazon Prime ones as well. I have had payment problems as I constantly change credit cards so have to give some of them a double take.

[xoggoth]

Paid about 5 quid for phone call to somebody who I thought wanted an order from us. Nearest I've ever got to being scammed. Don't think you have to be stupid to get done though, these people can obtain details, hack into emails and impersonate very convincingly, like this case:

https://www.rollonfriday.com/news-co...er-lose-ps640k

[northernladuk]

Paid about 5 quid for phone call to somebody who I thought wanted an order from us. Nearest I've ever got to being scammed. Don't think you have to be stupid to get done though, these people can obtain details, hack into emails and impersonate very convincingly, like this case:

https://www.rollonfriday.com/news-co...er-lose-ps640k

Totally agree but there are times where a lapse of judgement or concentration can make you look a bit stupid though. Spent a lot of time showing my lads (and other half) scam sites showing them the URL and all that. Mid lockdown my lad comes down and said he thinks he's been scammed. He was laid on his bed playing his Playstation and a mail popped up for someting or other. One click, autofill and submit and he'd sent off his bank details and passport (he can't remember exactly what). Had to get a new passport, driving licence, bank account the works as he can't even remember what he sent. I'd put that one in to the stupid catagory. Lesson learned as he was so pissed off having to do it he'll think twice next time.

[vetran]

The banks should just ensure that any business account has suitable insurance (which of course the banks can sell internationally) and is marked as such.

When you attempt to transfer money it should say either:

This is an insured business account and covered by the anti scam guarantee

or

This looks dodgy, it hasn't got insurance and if you transfer money its gone you muppet.

The same can be done with pension scams - insure them for pension transfers and say chouse sale transfers.

of course large amounts or repeated transactions should attract attention and restrictions.

Asking people to know better isn't security!

[northernladuk]

The banks should just ensure that any business account has suitable insurance (which of course the banks can sell internationally) and is marked as such.

When you attempt to transfer money it should say either:

This is an insured business account and covered by the anti scam guarantee

or

This looks dodgy, it hasn't got insurance and if you transfer money its gone you muppet.

The same can be done with pension scams - insure them for pension transfers and say chouse sale transfers.

of course large amounts or repeated transactions should attract attention and restrictions.

Asking people to know better isn't security!

That would certainly help but dunno how expensive/complex is to set up. My banks do have a feature that ask why I'm transferring the money and then different warnings to check and people still do it so just giving options/warnings still won't cap it I don't think.

[xoggoth]

Don't understand how some scams continue. That one where your "bank" says your account is compromised and they'll send a courier round to collect your card. Nobody ever says ok and then calls the police or waits with hefty mates and a camera?

PS I did get one of those umpteen million pound transfer offers the other day. Not had one of those for years.

[xoggoth]

Rather agree with OP's original point. Maybe there are extra protections that could be put in place but don't think the banks should reimburse everyone for being scammed regardless of circumstances, it's the rest of us who pay.

[DoctorStrangelove]

I had someone try to pull the 419 scam via an actual letter.

I now own half of Hong Kong.

[northernladuk]

Don't understand how some scams continue. That one where your "bank" says your account is compromised and they'll send a courier round to collect your card. Nobody ever says ok and then calls the police or waits with hefty mates and a camera?

PS I did get one of those umpteen million pound transfer offers the other day. Not had one of those for years.

It's very frustrating the lack of effort put in to stopping them. Maybe we just don't see a ton of hard work going on in the background but I doubt it. Obviously it's very difficult to do on the net and the scammers are always one step ahead of everyone else so it will never go away.

When I had 7k spent on my card it was a proper job. They ordered three electric mountain bikes, paid for two meals, ordered posh ratan furniture online, booked a hotel for the weekend in the future and had two new tyres fitted on a car amongst other things. One of the bikes was ordered on the Isle of Man and someone actually went to pick it up. They had the car and the person on video, teh two meals had the same 4 people turn up to eat all on CCTV (couldn't believe the gaul of that one! Someone prepaid by phone so no pin needed) and they must have a host of addresses for the furnture and a ton of takeaways. Could have waited to see who turned up at the hotel and so on. Absolutely nothing got done. The credit card just went through the list of purchases, told me they'd contact the police and that was it. Not a finger lifted to investigate. I spoke to the restaurants and two of the bike companys and no one got in touch with them. The Isle of man company contacted the police independantly but again logged and no investigation.
Really unbelievable. Just pure open season to do it with absolutely zero risk of getting caught. Really frustrating period that was.

[TheDude]

Anyone one here willing to admit they've been scammed?

I once gave a recruiter the names of two previous managers as part of the 'process' of applying for a role.