Scams like these

[AustraliaPoochie]

Someone ought to upgrade these scammers on the "appropriate" grammar.

 

[bussyboy]

This looks almost legit:



Only because i know it's not my payment date have i ignored this email. Others would likely click through...

 

[SYD]

This looks almost legit:

View attachment 327889

Only because i know it's not my payment date have i ignored this email. Others would likely click through...

Companies are usually pretty fanatical about Corp branding - the “TELSTRA” in capitals just looks wrong and stands out like DBs when used with the “T” logo - normally it’s just T-logo + “elstra” (lowercase).

But yep, could fool many.

Clicking on the sender email to get the underlying email address is usually my first check if I’m suspicious…

 

[straitman]

Who the heck are Superloop? I have never had anything to do with them.

 

[Forg]

Ad in the first tile of the "Suggested" videos on YouTube says "Electric scooters from $39!".
I think - wow, those have dropped in price since I was paying any attention!

Open the ad in a private browser window ... it doesn't try to install anything ... hmm but all the $39, $49, $45 etc prices scooters are marked "save $3500!"

Hmmm ... Google "lihoby.com scam", and what do you know it's a great big fat scam site, owned by a company that's been associated with many scams in the past. Doesn't alert you to it's dodginess with running scripts or anything when you log in, but I have no doubt that if you tried to buy anything they'd be charging your credit-card quick-smart ...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I think I saw a youtube video for Superloop, its was an African American saying that they can hyper up your internet range.
If I am not mistaken.
It seems that its all too easy for scammers to go to a website, cut and copy or cut and paste a logo to make it look identical.
ACCC (anti scam section) do not seem to care about it.
No other Aust fed govt agency seems to be worried about stolen brandings.
Edit: yep, "boost your wifi signal in 5 easy hacks" lah lah lah
I didn't think they provided internet, they online seems to be more an extra plug in sort of device seller, as in range extender products.
They do have an Aust presence though.
Ah, and Superloop is an ISP for the NBN too.

 

[Forg]

Hi, Your OTP for new PAYEE addition is 829472. If you haven't requested for new PAYEE please contact immediately 0280064516

Playing on the fear of someone being assigned to some account or service as a payee, so call back this dodgy number (I'm not sure how to check what a hotlink in an SMS actually links to - it might say 0280064516 but I have no idea what number it'd actually call).

 

[JohnK]

08 84480644
02 43024883
08 84480673
07 31336301
08 62206654

This is on my 6 year old daughters phone. All calls from Credit Corp. From the little I have searched they are a debt collector buying debt cheaply and trying recover full debt.

Someone please explain how scumbag companies such as this are allowed to operate? Can't block them as they use different numbers each time.

 

[Forg]

08 84480644
02 43024883
08 84480673
07 31336301
08 62206654

This is on my 6 year old daughters phone. All calls from Credit Corp. From the little I have searched they are a debt collector buying debt cheaply and trying recover full debt.

Someone please explain how scumbag companies such as this are allowed to operate? Can't block them as they use different numbers each time.

My better-half was pestered by three mobs like this, a few years back. She turned right when the right arrow went green, the bloke coming the other way didn't like the fact the person in front of him was stopping at their red light so he swerved to the left of them & blasted through the red light straight into my better half's car.

It being clearly his fault, he made up some story which was a tad ridiculous & which was unsupported by witnesses or the damage to both cars, and HIS insurer sold that "risk" onto a debt collector such that a year after my not-wife-at-that-time was out of hospital she suddenly got a lovely summons to court. She organised for her insurer to assist with defending her, took the day off work (not knowing how long the case might even take as well), turned up at court ... the debt collector of course didn't turn up, they were never going to win.

6 months later ... the risk had been on-sold to another debt collector, same occurs, they don't turn up.

She cracked the coughs when it happened again a year later & didn't turn up to court, apparently neither did the third debt-collector.

My guess in your case, JohnK, is that some scumbag gave fake details including your daughter's phone number to a moderately-legit company such as an insurance company or maybe a retailer when signing-up for one of those "5 payments of only $X each" deals. This Credit Corp company has either been engaged by the company that was scammed, or that debt/risk has been on-sold to Credit Corp ... and they're scrood now 'cos they can't locate the original scammer.

 

[JohnK]

Thanks @Forg. I've only had this number for daughter since February so every chance it was registered to another person.

I don't have anything to discuss with Credit Corp. I would like them to stop calling my daughter. Do I answer and hang up immediately? The government really needs to intervene in the situations.

 

[Forg]

Thanks @Forg. I've only had this number for daughter since February so every chance it was registered to another person.

I don't have anything to discuss with Credit Corp. I would like them to stop calling my daughter. Do I answer and hang up immediately? The government really needs to intervene in the situations.

I honestly can't say. In the normal situation of a real debt collection company, this would be a legitimate call as they have incorrect details for someone. What I can't tell is whether they're a legitimate company though ... but if they are legit, they don't have a way of knowing that the number they have is bogus 'til you tell them so.

I'm a bit 6-of-one-half-dozen-of-the-other, but if I was sure they're a legit company I'd probably answer & let them know that the person they're looking for isn't at the number they're calling. But if they're blocking the ID of their 'phone numbers how can you do that? So eff 'em.
I guess if you want the calls to go away you could call them and say you've been getting calls to your 6yo daughter's 'phone and suspect that a scammer has given them bad details 'cos your 6yo daughter has no debts (ie. couching your anger at them in sweetness & light in the hope they'll eff off) and can that be cleared up please? If they're continually calling that may be the best way to get rid of them. I can't think of a reason that could make it any worse, but I'm suspicious I've not thought of something.

 

[JohnK]

I honestly can't say. In the normal situation of a real debt collection company, this would be a legitimate call as they have incorrect details for someone. What I can't tell is whether they're a legitimate company though ... but if they are legit, they don't have a way of knowing that the number they have is bogus 'til you tell them so.

As far as I'm aware the company is literally Credit Corp. Very dodgy practices.

Credit Corp Group (page 2)

Credit Corp Group (Debt Consolidation Service): 1.1 out of 5 stars from 108 genuine reviews (page 2) on Australia's largest opinion site ProductReview.com.au.

www.productreview.com.au

If some of the reviews/reports are true how does a company purchase debt so cheaply and then try to recover full amount plus interest? If they purchase a $1000 debt for $100 or $200 from say Optus why doesn't Optus offer the person in debt to pay debt off cheaply instead of involving these dodgy companies?

 

[Forg]

If some of the reviews/reports are true how does a company purchase debt so cheaply and then try to recover full amount plus interest? If they purchase a $1000 debt for $100 or $200 from say Optus why doesn't Optus offer the person in debt to pay debt off cheaply instead of involving these dodgy companies?

Short answer is ... Optus couldn't be bothered chasing what little money they'd get back, it's not what they focus on; they'd write the money off, except there're companies willing to buy the "bad debt" off them so Optus pays at cents on the dollar & it's still more'n they'd have got back if they just wrote it off.
There's every chance they've been through one round of trying to negotiate some special payment terms or similar, that's failed, now they're done with it ...

I'm not enamoured of these debt collection agencies, but on the other hand, I can't muster-up too much sympathy for most people who get themselves into the situation of not paying their debts off. If you can't afford it don't buy it. I know that's over-simplistic, but ... well if you can't afford it don't buy it.

 

[Skyring]

Someone ought to upgrade these scammers on the "appropriate" grammar.

They don't necessarily want good grammar in a scam text or email. There's too much likelihood that they will reach someone who has a reasonable education, a bent for investigation, and an interest in justice.

Their target is someone who isn't quite up to the pace and can be hooked instead of stringing them along and maybe siccing the rozzers onto them.

If you get something that's not quite right, you smell a rat and engage your critical faculties. But someone who thinks it's good English won't be looking for more irregularities.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

One slight possibility is that the number was held by a previous client.
Aust telcos don't wipe data off the numbers they reuse.
I have in the past for a while, had a call from a health org in MEL, which I have never used.
I contacted them to explain that I had taken over the number from Telstra, and from then, never had a call from that organisation again.
Also, a Vic dentist, so I knew the persons name, of the previous holder, was kosher, via sms for a dental health check up reminder.
Edit: ah, Forg has helped already, but a bit off a different a bit tangent.
2 possibilities, someone gave fake details as Forg mentioned, or that the phone number issued to your daughter has been reused.
Officially, its called "phone number recycling", as our mobile phone range starts with 04, its a limited resource, so, if people do not keep up wiht prepaid payments/postpaid billings, the telco can take back the number, and issue it to others.
Its a vicious circle, (considering so many kids have mobiles these days), and as you described, these kids can fall for the case as you described, or worst.

 

[Forg]

^ When you think about it, someone who’s had problems paying bills in general is also likely to have had problems paying ‘phone bills, and had a service terminated.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Not sure what the solution to JohnK's is, if he calls them up and explain, they might try something on him.
If he leaves it alone, they will keep pestering the number.
Not sure if he writes to them, would they listen or reply to his letter.
Worst is if they start asking him for id to "prove/provide proof he has taken on the service "newly".
Its hard.
Its like being between a rock and a hard place, so to speak.
Or you just can't win.

 

[Blackadder]

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

It wouldn't work if internet developers make it impossible to cut and paste logos.
But that would never change, so we will keep getting things like this.

 

[Forg]

It wouldn't work if internet developers make it impossible to cut and paste logos.
But that would never change, so we will keep getting things like this.

How can you block someone from taking a screen-shot? The legit use of that functionality is so widespread that it makes no sense to block the ability due to a bit of illegitimate usage … it’d be like banning all aircraft ‘cos 911.