Mobile phones are a wonderful thing – honestly, who’d leave their home without one these days? But, they can also be another way for fraudulent attackers to con us out of money or trick us into sharing sensitive information about our personal finances, such as bank account details.
We all like to think we would spot a mobile phone scam from a mile away, but they are getting more realistic and harder to spot. To ensure you are as prepared as possible, here are some of the latest mobile phone scams and what to look out for.
Mobile network scam
There has been a rise in mobile phone scams, in which individuals impersonate employees of legitimate mobile network operators and make cold calls, offering victims new handsets and contracts at a significant discount.
Once the customer agrees to proceed with the deal, the scammer asks for their mobile account credentials, including their login details, address and bank account information. The scammers then place the order on behalf of the victim with a genuine company but order a different handset than the one requested.
When this arrives at the victim’s address, the scammers assure them there has been a mistake and instruct them to return the handset to a different address. One that is usually a residential address and not associated with the mobile company. This leaves the victim with no phone and liable for the new contract taken out in their name.
What to look out for
If you are unsure the person calling you is legitimate, hang up and do not give them any personal information. Only contact your mobile network provider on a number you know to be correct, such as 150 for EE.
Text scams
Scammers use text messages to use a sophisticated technology called spoofing. This is where they can make their text messages look like they are coming from the organisation they are pretending to be. This can be a traditional text or on messaging apps such as WhatsApp.
A common text scam in 2024 is a delivery company or Royal Mail texting you to say your parcel is on its way and can be tracked via the link or they couldn’t deliver and you need to rearrange delivery via the link. The links are malicious and could compromise your phone and your personal information. Other types of these scams include texts from your bank or energy supplier.
What to look out for
Unexpected messages when you aren’t waiting for a delivery, spelling mistakes, and odd-looking links with lots of characters are red flags that the message may not be as it seems. Never reply to the text, but you should report it to your mobile phone network or Action Fraud.
Get in touch
At Zeus Connex, we believe relationships should be built on trust, honesty and communication. So, we promise to be upfront with our costs so you don’t get surprises along the way.
Contact us to discuss your requirements and explore how we can help you create a bespoke business connectivity package to suit your business.
