VIRGIN Media O2 has warned its customers that they are being targeted with a new scam.
Fraudsters have launched a scheme to steal O2 customers’ personal details by calling them with fake offers of “discounts” on their phone bills.
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Virgin Media O2 is one of the biggest telecoms companies in the UK, having more than 30million customers in Britain alone.
But scammers have begun cold-calling customers with a 30% off deal to cut down their phone bill.
Customers are then be sent a follow-up text message after accepting the bogus offer, containing a one-time passcode.
The scammer, who’s impersonating an O2 representative, will then ask customers to read out the number.
Customers must make sure they never tell the caller the code they got sent, the company has cautioned – or risk their account being raided.
If a customer hands over the code to the cold-caller, they will then be able to access the victim’s account.
The worst part is how hard this scam is to spot.
The company has warned that the text containing the code is sent from an official O2 number, despite it being a fraudulent offer.
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“We know that full-time fraudsters are always looking for new ways to target our customers,” the company’s head of fraud Liam Rawsthorne said.
“If you receive a call offering a deal or significant discount on your mobile contract that sounds too good to be true, it probably is – so taking a moment to pause is always the best course of action.”
The company said that after fraudsters gain unauthorised access to accounts, they are ordering new phones in the victims name.
The victim can then find themselves being charged for a handset they did not order or receive, until they report the case as fraud to the company.
But the scammer will have pocketed the device and its sale value anyway.
“Our staff will never pressure you into accepting a deal right then and there or call you to ask for your one-time passcode over the phone so never share it with an unexpected caller, no matter how legitimate they seem,” added Rawsthorne.
“When in doubt, always clam up, hang up and call us back. Our offers will never have a five-minute time limit, so you won’t miss out on any genuine deals – but you might just swerve the scammers.”
If you believe you have been contacted by a scammer you can report it to Action Fraud in England and Wales by calling 0300 123 2040 or via the organisation’s website.
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