An automated message purported to be from Barclays Bank, querying a payment to Argos for more than £1,000. Not only had I not made a payment to Argos recently, nor do I bank with Barclays. I am plagued with these kinds of calls.
Usually, when possible, I make it clear to the scammers that I know their game. Usually, that call ends there and then. But this time I realised there was a chance to string them along.
It was just a question of how soon they realised I was bluffing. I assumed it would be a couple of minutes. In fact it was three hours.
I called the number shown on my phone and, pretending to be a confused, doddery old man – not that difficult for me – I expressed the expected alarm at the bogus payment. The man who answered, who had more or less a received pronunciation accent, went through what I understand is the usual story: my credit card had been compromised, bankruptcy was on the horizon, remedial action essential. Someone from the investigations team would call me back, he said.
Thirty minutes later someone calling himself “Adam” rang. From here on in the number always came up as “No caller ID”. Several times Adam ended the call, presumably to consult his fellow crooks, and rang back later.
First, Adam went through several security-like questions. When did I last use my credit card? What was the last transaction I made?
Extract — continue reading at the source.
