In the tune of Beadle's About - Watch out, scammers about

[Moonshane]

hi all

this is old hat but for anyone not in the know, might save you a few quid.

I put a wanted ad on Astro-Buy and sell and as usuall the 'I have your XXX - let me know etc'.

The wording was as follows - stupidly they give a telephone number but google either this or some of the text in the email and you'll be able to check any you get for scammage.

"i am ALA Robinson Spain Madrid .I am came Across your advert on website that you are in need of the above subject...I just want to let you know that i have it for sale and still in good condition..Let me know if you are still interested and i will get back to you with condition of the item and price thanks and hope to hear from you soon..contact number..+347031952786"

the email address it came from was [a.robinson393@gmail.com]

I ignored it and you should too for this sort of thing.

[nigelwr]

I wonder how soms people fall for such responses but they sometimes do!! I was selling on another site and was asked for my bank details to transfer the money with out a question about my sale item and wether I would post abroad!!

[Steve922]

I wonder how knowing someone's bank details can be of any use to a scammer? They can't draw money from it.

Steve

[Tugboat]

I wonder how knowing someone's bank details can be of any use to a scammer? They can't draw money from it.

Steve

I seem to remember Jeremy Clarkson (writing in the Telegraph I think) saying much the same thing, and he published his bank details as a challenge......I understand he became signed up to a number of direct debits for all kinds of dubious items!

Steve

[Tugboat]

I seem to remember Jeremy Clarkson (writing in the Telegraph I think) saying much the same thing, and he published his bank details as a challenge......I understand he became signed up to a number of direct debits for all kinds of dubious items!

Steve

Having checked, it wasn't dubious at all - someone signed him up for £500 direct debits to charity:

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Clarkson stung after bank prank

[Moonshane]

it's all about accumulating data. the more they get the more chance they have of getting something - it's a numbers game really.

also, most direct debits now are paperless so all you need is the bank details. that said, there's a scheme which means you are guaranteed to get your money back.

also, if you ever get your funds stolen, by any means, the Bank can only make you liable for max £50 if you notice it and report it within 13 months.

[Steve922]

No, I still don't get it. Are you saying that whenever you give someone a cheque or pay someone with a debit card they can help themselves afterwards to money from your account?

Steve

[Astro_Baby]

Possibly if they know whiih questions to ask. I dont want to go into this on a public board cos I dont want to help crooks but if someone has a cheque off you and can work out a few other details which are normally easy to get then yes - they can fake your bank and start using the account.

The reason they dont is most of us are honest - we might not tell the cashier at Tesco if we get too much change or of they forget to take for something but most of us wont deliberately steal of someone else - scammers will.

[Steve922]

How can they start using your account? For what? Can they draw money out of it? Can they pay for things with it?

How? please explain. I'm keen to know what I'm letting myself in for whenever I send out a cheque.

Steve

[The Sailor]

As an aside to this I recycle a lot to the extent my rubbish bin only goes out once a month. All paper that comes in the mail and has any personal details on it is shredded and goes in the composter. Have been consious of these scams for a number of years and how much personal info is gathered from household recycled rubbish.

Jim

[kev]

I work in retail tills and EPOS systems, and Mels comments are spot on. What doesnt help is that many bank security systems ask for birthdays etc that are frequently put into eg Facebook. For this reason I never ever put family/dates into such sites - or guve incorrect ones, and anything that is a membership, bill etc gets either shreded or burnt every month.

That may seem over the top but at least ive never been caught out - with the exception of once where I paid for a meal at a cafe/resturant whilst travelling (a pleace where they have a small cook) and being tired I stupidly gave my card to the cashier in front of me who put it into the card machine out of my sight and then handed it to me whence I keyed in my pin (in my usual way that stops them seeing the pin, one hand over the other). Driving back I realised what I had done and checked my online account, and sawboth my transaction and another for £50. Called the bank, stopped the card, went back next morning saw the manager there, she called the police, interviewed the employee - fired and nicked - result!

For what its worth never ever key your pin in visible, and ensure that not only the cashier and others cant see it, but also **the security camera above you** cant see it.

Sorry to go on about this in an astro forum but it really is so important.

Kev