@Catlady2 wrote:
I may have given them remote access. I got so confused as they had all of my personal details, including for my bank account. My details were obviously included in the data breach although I haven’t been contacted by VM!!
The scammers' aims are to generate confusion and uncertainty which, in turn, allows them to carry out their scam. Unfortunately, they are very good at this.
The following is some general advice on things you should consider. You will need to see how it applies to your situation and what took place during your interaction with the scammers. Then you will need to decide what do do next.
You have listed a lot of personal and important information which the scammers already appear to have had access to. I would suggest you need urgently to start putting in place some measures to mitigate against possible harm from the scammer's call.
Have you spoken to your bank(s) yet and alerted them to what has happened? They may be able to put in place some extra safeguards on your account once they are aware of the scam attempt.
Secondly, report the matter to Action Fraud.
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/contact-us
They should be able to give you further information and advice and should issue you with a crime number which may be useful if the need arises.
Thirdly, if you allowed the scammers remote access to your computer, then it is possible that remote access software could still be in place. It would be advisable not to use that device online until you can be sure there is no longer any remote access software in place. If you are not sure about doing this yourself, then seek the advice of a trusted local computer shop or trusted local computer technician. It may be that they suggest wiping the device and reloading its software to guarantee no hidden malware is left on it.
Finally, given the amount of information you mention that the scammers already knew about you, you may be at risk of identity fraud. There is an article below from Action Fraud which explains the risks
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/identity-fraud-and-identity-theft
Depending on how much online activity you do, you should also start a process of changing your passwords to your online accounts. These should be secure and unique for each site/service you use. Avoid using the same password across different sites. Start with the most important ones such as email accounts, key shopping sites, any social media etc. then work your way through to less important ones.
There is also some useful general advice from Citizens Advice here on what to do after a scam attempt
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/scams/what-to-do-if-youve-been-scammed/
All of the above may sound a bit daunting. Do you have a trusted friend or family member you can turn to, to help you with this? They may be able to help in the process and offer further suggestions on what you need to do which are specific to you and your circumstances.
