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Disconnecting Phone Line Scams

K0MP4CT
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Found this at The Register:

Quote

This happens after fraudsters are challenged to establish their identity as a representative of a telecoms carrier. In response, con men tell their prospective victims to hang up a phone and attempt to try phoning someone, claiming the line will be disconnected to prevent this. This supposedly establishes that con men are calling on official business.

In reality, the fraudster stays on the line with the mute button on. Because the person who initiates a call is the one to terminate it, a prospective mark is left unable to make a phone call, or even obtain a dial tone.

The fraudster is able to hear the failed attempts to make a call. When these stop he is able to cut off the first call and immediately call back. To those unaware of the telephone system, particularly elderly or vulnerable people, this might easily be taken as establishing that someone is representing a service provider.

and many other sites say the same thing so I assume this is how they do it.

Recently, the BT disconnecting phone line scam has become more common once again. A caller pretends he's from BT and threatens to disconnect your phone line if you don't pay your "line rental fee." The caller will disconnect your phone line to prove to you, that he's from BT. I'm sure plenty of people know about this, including myself. My confusion comes as to how? How can someone disconnect your phone line?

 

Apologies if the answer is very simple, I just can't think of it :P

 

Thank you in advance! 

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Found this at The Register:

Quote

This happens after fraudsters are challenged to establish their identity as a representative of a telecoms carrier. In response, con men tell their prospective victims to hang up a phone and attempt to try phoning someone, claiming the line will be disconnected to prevent this. This supposedly establishes that con men are calling on official business.

In reality, the fraudster stays on the line with the mute button on. Because the person who initiates a call is the one to terminate it, a prospective mark is left unable to make a phone call, or even obtain a dial tone.

The fraudster is able to hear the failed attempts to make a call. When these stop he is able to cut off the first call and immediately call back. To those unaware of the telephone system, particularly elderly or vulnerable people, this might easily be taken as establishing that someone is representing a service provider.

and many other sites say the same thing so I assume this is how they do it.

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funny joke, like people use landlines

 

scams are getting more and more complicated, i mean look at these fine examples!

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138 is a good number.

 

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19 hours ago, aidanapple said:

Found this at The Register:

and many other sites say the same thing so I assume this is how they do it.

That's exactly the reply I was hoping for! Thank you :D 

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19 hours ago, aidanapple said:

Found this at The Register:

and many other sites say the same thing so I assume this is how they do it.

Isn't the line (by 'line' I mean 'the connection between caller and callee', as opposed to the telephone line) disconnected when the hook switch is opened?

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1 hour ago, Fetzie said:

Isn't the line (by 'line' I mean 'the connection between caller and callee', as opposed to the telephone line) disconnected when the hook switch is opened?

As I do not live in the UK, I have no idea of the validity of this but from what I read this is because of the landline infrastructure. Apparently, Called Subscriber Held is what it is called. 

Quote

The person from which the call originates must hang up for the call to disconnect as it is the person from which the call originates that is paying for the bill. The person receiving the call may hang up, but this will not disconnect the call unless the originating caller also hangs up. [SEE HERE FOR MORE]

 

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Just as a PSA, there have been many individuals of Pilipino decent wandering around University campuses, and shopping centres around the Lower Mainland claiming to be collecting funds for relief efforts in the Philippines. Often times these individuals will harass people to donate, even insist to follow you to the ATM. If you even attempt to ask about where the funds will go to, they will get agitated. Be careful out there.  

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On 3/17/2017 at 2:08 PM, K0MP4CT said:

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They are preying on the stupid, so if they get even 0.01% these scammers are living large in their 3rd world country.

I feel for the old and elderly or handicapped that get shaken down, but for the just plain ole stupid they gotta live & learn.

 

Anyone with an accent is a red flag. Anyone wanting something from me is a red flag.

 

This is what you do, you hang up and look for the companies official web site online then you call them.

 

I had a good one awhile ago that wanted some info off a receipt from a sofa purchase.

Another common one is the redirect. You have won a prize, press 1 to claim.... then it redirects you to a 1-900 $100/second line.

Tis the season, good ole tax scams.

But the disconnect scam is a good one too because it puts fear into people.

 

 

I saw a dude dressed up in monk clothing, wanting money. I offered a nickel, he refused and I laughed in his face with puroposeful saliva coming out.

 

What I want to do is find an address via Google Maps that is just outside the city limits, gated acreage, and when these home services companies come calling, say why yes I need my entire house done right away as I am moving very soon, but can you come in the late evening.

 

See how long they keep calling.

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