Cold calls scam alert
Scammers are contacting telephone customers demanding credit card details to "protect" them from unwanted sales calls.
Trading Standards officials say they have received several reports across Preston of cold-callers fishing for important financial information.
And they have warned never to give out card details over the phone. One woman, from Fulwood, was told she needed to pay 9 a month to BT.
But the Telephone Preference Service already provides free protection against cold callers.
The pensioner, who asked not to be named, said: "A man called saying he was from BT and he was ringing to say there was a new system for 9 where they could stop all funny incoming calls. I told them I had that anyway, but he said I was guaranteed to get no adverts and asked for my date of birth and like a fool I gave it.
"Then he asked for the number off the back of my card, but I have a direct debit and told him to send me a bill.
"He was very persistent and when I contacted BT, they confirmed it was a scam."
The woman contacted her bank, who have now cancelled her card as a precaution.
She said a friend, who lives in Ashton, was also contacted by someone claiming to be from BT asking for their card details.
Lancashire Trading Standards are aware of at least three phone scams involving customers of BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk.
In one, callers demand payment for a bill that they claim has not been paid up front. The other sees people calling claiming to be from the Telephone Preference Service, asking for payment to stop unwanted calls.
Trading Standards say they have had a "handful" of complaints, but just 1% of victims will actually contact them.
Julian Edwards, senior trading standards officer, said: "Anyone who asks for money over the phone is a scammer. There's nothing wrong with telling them you will ring them back to pay. No company should refuse that.
"The fraudsters will have some information on the account and try to get extra information."
To contact Trading Standards, call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.
>> Vote in our latest web poll
lepone: Every section and special feature can be found on a single page
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Preston
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 14 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
