Bill Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 If you had your car stolen, would you accept the police telling you it?s nothing to do with them, they?re not going to do anything about it and in any case it?s your own fault for not having better security? For almost every crime you could argue that the victims expose themselves to the risk. You?re a victim of mugging. Did you carry a personal attack alarm? No? Well then sorry it's your problem and we don't want to know! Now I?ve just had my works phone system hacked into resulting in a whacking great bill (?500+) for multiple calls to Liberia. Both BT and my third party provider know this is a scam but seem to be washing their hands by saying that it?s our responsibility to ensure that security systems are set to their highest level to prevent fraud like this. No alarms were raised as the calls went through the roof and all they seem concerned with now is with me paying the bill. I?m angry because both companies are not concerned that a crime has taken place, they just want me to shut up and pay up. I say that their actions are effectively condoning organised crime and by demanding my money, they are acting as middleman for these crooks. Yes I am contacting the police but what do you think they?re going to do about it? Bill PS If you think this stinks then text ?You Robbing Ba***rd? to 0023 14 599702 Sorry Bill... had to edit again , Dizzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 The police will do diddly because they can't fine anyone Bill and they will probably be angry with you because you have given them a criome that they can't solve and so will stick in their tick boxes as a black mark. Try ringing the number you have given and in a very deep and monotone voice say "I am going to come to your country and kill your children....." then hang up!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fugtifino Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Or I could get my mum to ring them using her complaining voice. They wouldn't like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Bill, it 'might' be worth a call to Trading Standards as they might be able to advise on whether you should have to pay or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 BT can and do charge upto ?1500 to supply records to the Police for any investigation, hence the reluctance to investigate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Also contact Ofcom http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/telephone/landcomplain The police apparently wont do anything about 'Dial Through Fraud' Bill due to the costs charged by BT for tracing http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t30463.html Also this type of crime has been known about for a long time so you would think BT etc etc would blummin' pull their fingers out and find a way to stop it rather than to put the responsibility onto the business/bill payer. Saying that though if BT can shift the blame to you and others so easily think how much extra money they must be receiving in bill payments But like you say.. WHY didn't they alert you to the suddenly high usage and costs.. I suppose for the same reason that a mobile phone company didn't alert my friend when his sons mobile bill came in at allegidely ?700. It was finally 'reduced to ?30' when they repeatidly refused point blank to pay it and asked to be taken to court Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 You have my sympathy Bill, but I can't help thinking how apt your name is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 That wasn't nice PJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted January 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Thanks for the excellent link there Diz. If BT want to charge ?1,500 to inform the police where the calls from then it's not surprising this sort of crime goes unchecked. Even though it dosn't make any financial sense, I'm quite prepaired to pay that if there's a chance that they'll actually do something about it. Anyway the police are comming round on Thursday and I might be calling in a few favours. For years I've been involved with them on a regular basis providing detailed breakdowns of phone records and vehicle movement from taxi databases. But unlike BT, I've never asked for payment even though sometimes I might spend a whole day compiling the info. My only reward is the satisfaction of knowing that I may actually have helped to remove a piece of scum from our environment if only for a short time. Makes you wonder who's worse here, the scammers or BT Bill Excuse poor spelling my word processor got deleted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 BT are definately the worse Bill as they are the ones who are ALLOWING the spammers to get away with it scott free while the law abiding citizens (and also the snitches ) have to PAY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Bill = supergrass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Bill.... over what period of time was your phone line hacked? Was it over xmas by any chance ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted January 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 There were multiple attacks throughout the Christmas period, but most were relativley short calls that wouldnt have amounted to much. The real damage was started at half past four in the morning on Saturday the 18th with about eighty odd calls all to the same Liberian number. They went on more or less continusley over that weekend which by the way is the norm for this sort of scam. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Can't say I understand this one Bill (a tad technical); but if someone uses your credit card can't the money be claimed back? If so, why can't BT reimbuse you, if they know it's a scam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 If they were all to the same number and at 4.30am then I really can't understand how BT can get away with just fobbing you off. I wouldn't suggest that anyone else calls or texts the number you posted on here earlier though Bill unless it is from a phone box or the phone line of someone they don't like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Alas, the net can virtually be a dangerous place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 eh? Are you in the wrong topic Obs.... this one is about landline phone hacking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Told you I didn't quite understand it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 No Observers right. It's a phone system but its one of the new IP based systems (rather like Skype) that allow my staff to connect to the main lines at work via the internet. So the scam works by someone scanning a whole range of internet addresses until they detect an internet based phone system. Then they work through all the permutations of extension numbers and security codes until they find a line. Once connected they appear for all intents and purposes like a member of staff on a remote extension just making a call. The third party supplier said that the system should have triggered an alert with BT but that in this instance none was generated or if it was they were not notified. Not too sure I belive this! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Ooops.... I'M REALLY SORRY OBS OH KNOWLEAGABLE ONE Bill I thought you meant an internal phone system with a switchboard and auto answering service etc. I was going to install Skype... glad I didn't now Flippin heck my dads got an extra BT internet phone... so has my sister and she's got Skype too. I will warn them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Slow down Diz. Our system is a business switchboard with all the usual features, it?s just that some of the extensions are away from the office and connect via the Internet. It?s very different than a home phone and from Sykpe, so you needn?t worry about this happening to you. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RENT-A-GOAT Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Bill - have you looked "a little closer to home" - eg are your employees using the facility trustworthy? You don't employ any Liberians do you? Who set it up? Could anyone else know your PIN/passwords? Since this has come to your attention have you changed your system/manager PIN on your PBX? A lot of "hackers" target switchboards using the default PIN numbers as suprisingly most dont change these - this then allows them to dial up your PBX then in turn connect to these numbers and rack up your bills! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 As expected, the call from the local police essentially said they couldn?t do anything about this but that they would pass all the details onto the organised crime/ anti terrorism lot down in London. Needless to say a follow up call today from the police asking how happy I was with their response received a very short reply. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Like you say Bill... as expected eh? Have you contacted Ofcom etc yet and if so what have they said? I find it totally unbelievable that these hacking 'scum' can simply get away with such a theft and fraud without question it would seem. I class it as both 'theft and fraud' as they have intentionally hacked into your service and in doing so have 'stolen' from you as you are now expected to just pay ?'s to your service providor as a consequence of the scumbags actions. No wonder they do it if they can get away with it so easily. Me... well I wouldn't pay and would go to court based on the fact that no bugger is actually doing anything to STOP them 'your honour' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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