Forum Discussion

suzyb1978's avatar
suzyb1978
Tuning in
17 days ago

Call from Virgin Media Maintenance

Today my parents received a phone call from someone saying they were from "Virgin Media Maintenance" wanting them to provide their card details to pay for an equipment maintenance policy.  They said the equipment had been covered by the Virgin Media payment until this year but my parents had a 2 year policy so they had to pay for the second year of it. 

When my Father was reluctant to give his details over the phone he was passed onto a manager, and as I had gone downstairs I caught this part of the conversation which felt suspicious to me, how reassuring but insistent the manager was in trying to get the last 3 digits of the credit card.  

I've googled the number the phone call came from and it does say it's associated with TV maintenance scam calls.  But to confirm I just wanted to check whether Virgin or any company associated with them would call customers like this.

I've also just realised, my parents pay for Virgin by direct debit so how did this company get their credit card details to only need the last 3 digits.  Or is this a lie and they'd ask for "confirmation" of the card number / date afterwards to get the rest.

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    17 days ago

    This was a scam call. If there are any faults with VM's equipment, they are covered for repair under the monthly VM subscription.

    Scammers can collect data about individuals from a variety of leaked or stolen pieces of information. If they collect enough information that way, they can make a fairly detailed and accurate scam attempt to collect any final pieces of information needed (such as a 3 digit card number) to be able to carry out fraud against the victim.

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    17 days ago

    how did this company get their credit card details to only need the last 3 digits

    Sadly the most likely answer is your father gave them the details and the last 3 digits
    was the CVV number from the rear of the card, i.e. all that was needed to attempt an online payment. 

    Having worked in payment card companies, you may to find that is tricky to confirm. 
    After all no one likes to feel foolish, whatever their age.

  • suzyb1978's avatar
    suzyb1978
    Tuning in
    17 days ago

    Thanks for confirming, I'll let my parents know the equipment is covered by the monthly payments.  I thought it was but wasn't 100% sure.

    Thankfully I think the scammers may not have had the credit card number after all.  After speaking to Father again he more just assumed they had the number as they gave him one that looked correct.  I've told my parents to keep an eye on their account for any suspicious activity just in case though.

    I'm not sure whether to post this so if it's not OK let me know and I'll edit it out.  But in case it helps anyone else avoid getting taken in, the phone number the call came from was [MOD EDIT: Removed]

    • goslow's avatar
      goslow
      Alessandro Volta
      17 days ago

      The phone number confirms it was a scam call as it is a BT-owned number. The scammers will use a fake caller ID (often taken from a legitimate business or from the same area code as the victim) to try to make their call look more authentic. The moderators should remove this in due course to reduce any possible issues for the real owner of the number.

      If the scammers have spoken to your father, and engaged him in conversation, it is almost certain that they will call again and may use a different story (Amazon, Microsoft calling etc. etc.)

      When I had a landline in the past, I used this device on the line

      https://www.truecall.co.uk/shop/truecall-call-blocker

      which 100% stopped all scam calls for me.

  • pete37593's avatar
    pete37593
    Joining in
    17 days ago

    Possibly, the request for the last three numbers was just to try convince your father that the call was legit...The scammer had no knowledge of your fathers credit card number, but asking for the last three digits makes them appear to have the number.

    Personally, I rarely pick up numbers I don't recognise, but when I do I treat them all with suspicion until proved otherwise.
    Even then, phone numbers and emails can be spoofed.

    If I receive a call from what appears to be a legit number, I ask them a few security questions of my own.