ALF28
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Joined 6 years ago
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Re: Frequent cold calling
These frequent cold call, which are daily are from numbers that are "unknown" and usually are pre-recorded messages. I also get lots of calls from mobile numbers. I often get the loft insulation and boiler calls, even though TPS registered, I also have anonymous call rejection on my VM house phone. I do not answer cold calls and use my own answer phone set to 9 rings but rarely ever get any message left. I think the cold callers can spoof any phone number, easy to do, so most are just random numbers in some cases may belong to someone else by. I also look at the caller display number and will pick up any local or recognised number calls, as they may be wanted.16Views2likes0CommentsRe: ntlworld account full of spam
I have had no spam emails to my VM email for a month, never happed before so pleased with that. Note that spammers/scammers do opperate across all methods of communication such as phones and social media as well as email, so it not just limited to email alone Facebook and instagram are often used to distibute spam adverts/posts also, and cold calls to mobile phones and landline phones are another method and some are scams. It is wise to have defenses/protection policy set up against such unsolicitted activity from unknown senders and I also just delete out the emails or put to spam, and hide posts or phone call records deleted so you do not interact with the spammers/cold callers. It is wise not to communicate with "unknown people" who contact you as they could be scammers and they use all types of media platforms.7Views0likes0CommentsRe: Scam mobile calls from India on landline
The use of a screening device is interesting and worth consideration. A lot of phone spoofing is going on at present. I get a lot of unknown calls that when answered it has a message please leave a message after the tone, so no person is there, perhaps a machine is just dialling out, this is mainly on my VM hub phone. I had a call today on a mobile phone from an unknown person saying he had a missed call, wanted to know who had called, but we did not ring his number, he just kept saying hello many times, very odd but have had that a few times on different mobiles. I also have had unusual sales text messages repeating every few days on one mobile phone from an unknown person. Also regular calls which appear to be linked to china/immigration documents. It seems that they know my phone numbers, and if so how, or they just put out a block of numbers including my numbers. These calls are happening most days, and the technology now being used by phone providers has no way to filter these spoofed callers, but the scammers can use any number they want including my numbers it seems. As we expect genuine calls we have to pick up some of these scam calls, but careful not to divulge information to unknown people who will not give their details.19Views0likes0CommentsRe: Scam mobile calls from India on landline
letting cold calls go to voicemail is a very good tactic and an effective method, I do that if I do not recognise the number or out of the house . It is rare that they ever leave a message. I prefer to use my own BT model answerphone which alerts and records any messages, rather than use voicemail. I get cold calls, often mobile numbers but also UK phone numbers with area codes and suspect most are spoofed. I check the phone display and tend to only answer local calls which might be important such as medical etc. I am also TPS registered myself, but still get these calls. Virgin phone numbers are well known so can be recognised, they do not call from mobile phones. (an exception would be from engineer visits and they do use mobiles) Scam callers can spoof any number and use computers to dial many people hoping you will pick up the phone. It is best to ignore these calls or just say thanks but I am not interested. It makes life difficult trying to establish if a call is genuine or not, and not enough is been done to prevent international calls from call centres abroad. I pay extra for the anonymous caller rejection which may help. The other problem can be spam texts to mobiles, I usually delete them and also cold calls to mobile phones can be an issue.11Views0likes0CommentsRe: account security
Access to the community site is normal, the internal IP address has replaced my own IP address. My computer is working normally. I see legacy1 also confirms that the 10. ip address is being used which is helpful. My wife has a community account and that also shows an internal 10. ip address. The internal address now changes each time I log in starting with 10. and no longer shows my home router IP address, so not sure what has changed, I use wi-fi broadband not via 4g 02. I checked my hub 3 and my own router all normal so the change must be with the VM systems. I assume that something has changed with the community server SNAT for some reason, and the forum confirm it is still secure. I do not think the change of IP address is anything with my own hub and router or computer and my home IP address is normal when I check "what is my IP address" it begins with 81. as expected.33Views0likes0Commentsaccount security
Today I noticed the community account settings were incorrect,the section marked IP addresses did not display my normal VM IP address but shows 2 different internal IP addresses starting 10., where my IP address starts with 81. I have logged in twice today but does not show my normal IP address,Solved85Views0likes3CommentsRe: ntlworld account full of spam
stopping spam emails Recently I am receiving a lot less spam emails, which is good, perhaps they are being blocked by spam VM filters, only one spam email in the last 3 weeks which is amazing as I usually get around 10 each week. As most of my spam emails to my VM email are from gmail.com I have filtered them out to a holding folder, and as the email is now just a spare one, I set filters for any other email sources that deliver regular spam emails. I avoid clicking on any spam emails as contact lets the spammer know you are reading the emails, so filtering them out of the inbox helps me to avoid the unsolicited emails. I have also noticed less spam activity on my other emails, perhaps the spammers work in phases and some months they send many spam emails and then it goes quiet for a while, probably when their server gets shut down so it is peaks and troughs. Email Filtering is a powerful method for controlling spam emails once you learn how to use it, and can minimise the risk, also spam tagging warns that an email may be spoofed or has spam content. Most emails providers will detect some spam emails and put them into the spam folder which identifies that the email could be dangerous, in some cases it can be wrong with genuine emails going to spam so best to check the spam folder, but they can be marked as not spam.10Views0likes1CommentRe: Virgin Cold Calling and Harassment
COLD CALL SCAMMERS- They want you to pick up the phone and speak to them, it confirms your number to them. They may try to get you to speak and record your voice, just a few seconds may be enough to get a sample that they can duplicate your voice with AI to impersonate you, so beat to avoid talking to a scammer. Once on their list you may become a target. I find using an answerphone or voicemail service is a good policy as most scammers never leave a message, so if you do not know who is ringing it could be a scammer, and therefor may be wise not to take the call. Text messages can also be scams, so if unsure best just to delete them and not answer in any way. Many sms texts do keep repeating over and over, but they do not call, just want you to ring them or click on a link. I get a lot of calls or texts from mobile phone numbers that I do not know the sender, so if your device dose not identify a known regular caller, it may be a scammer. It can be difficult in some cases if calls are from doctors, nhs etc as they need to be answered, so I do answer calls if expected and only continue with the call if it is genuine. I get at least one scam call most days which is annoying, often no one is on the other end so could be someone doing prank calls.3Views0likes0CommentsRe: Calls at midnight
Scam phone calls- It might worth adding VirgIn media annonymous caller rejection which cost a few pounds extra on the monthly phone bill which I have done recently following advice from VM. It can be done by ringing 150. It does not however stop the other cold call which have numbers, I still am getting one or two each day although registered withTPSservice. Some of these calls do not connect if I dial 1471, others are usually for energy and insulation house checks. I also find it concerning when the caller knows your name and details- I wonder how do they get my data. Some calls just hang up, others say please leave a message after the tone or ask you to press 1. These cold calls have increased a lot in recent weeks, I also have the hub connected voip phone. The person on the other end can be very forceful and tries to pressure you you need to do something, so best to put down the phone. I am in the same position as you needing to answser medical calls that we are expecting from hospital and do not want to miss them by not answering on the voip phone. It is wise to give your mobile phone numbers to doctors/hospital and care services so they have an alternative method of contacting you, and they often do that or send an sms text message. Calls late at night are unusual. I had several calls duting the daytime yesterday, even on bank holiday monday, the area codes change all the time, linconshire- boston, scotland-lots of calls, barnsley. If the caller is unknown it is wise not to give any data out and close off the call quick. I find these daily nuisnace calls annoying, many of the numbers do not show up when I check them on the web site "who calledme" , so I suspect they use a diferent spoofed computer generated phone number each time. I agree it is big problem, but a display phone helps as local calls can be seen to display your local area code so wise to take that call and check who is calling. I also get cold calls and texts on mobile phones which I delet out if the sender appeares to be a scammer, and refuse to give out any data, even you name. I assume all unknown callers are scammers now, I have the problem going back as far as 2018. It is possible to change phone number, but would be too inconvenient for me at the moment due to medical contacts needed. The problem needs to be solved and seems never ending.6Views0likes0CommentsRe: Virgin Cold Calling and Harassment
Mobile phone numbers can also be registered to the telephone preference service (TPS), an email address is needed and your home address. I do also get scam or sales calls and sms texts on my mobiles phones from unknown people and companies which can have links in them. Not sure how they know my phone numbers, but in one case may have been hacking of website accounts and they get the phone number, just had one this week, identified this when my usual password failed on an online shopping account so had to reset that. Some of these calls can be dangerous and intimidating from dangerous people, so I treat all calls with some caution, and delete out immediately any dubious sms texts and call logs, but some do keep repeating regularly. On my hub connected VM home desk phone I often get mobile phone numbers which are unknown and also numbers with area codes such as Glasgow, Halifax, Bristol etc. form marketing companies/telesales but often there is no voice on the end and it just hangs up. As most of my genuine calls are local I look for my local area code on the phone display as to who might be calling, but some cold callers are now using mobile phone numbers. I now pay to reject anonymous callers with no number, which gives some protection. Some are scam calls, but as I also get genuine calls to phones, I need to pick up to see who is calling, if I am out they go to voicemail, and generally only genuine callers will leave a message. As many companies now use call centres outside of the UK, it makes it more difficult to know if the person ringing is genuine or a scammer, but best not to disclose any confidential information to a cold caller who could be an imposter. In some cases the calls can be due to a wrong number, may have been typed wrong or added to a database in error, that has happened a few times to me so you get calls or text meant for another person.5Views0likes0Comments