RCVS warning re scam

RE: RCVS warning re scam

Stephen Courtney — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 18:53:50 GMT

Everyone knows vets have loads of money so we are of course a good target for such enterprises!

RE: RCVS warning re scam

Bob Russell — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 09:50:33 GMT

I ended up going into the local Barclays because I had an email to tell me there was a problem with the account. It turned out to be genuine and I had missed a text message!

The differences between that email and the spam ones were actually quite subtle. I have had a number of calls over the years, especially Vodafone fraud department. They asked me to confirm my account details. They seemed quite surprised when I told them they had called me so should know my account details. I insisted on phoning them back on a different line having checked their number on-line!

Turned out that when I requested my code to leave Vodafone someone in the call centre had changed the address details and ordered a few of the brand new iPhone. They would not speak to me after that as the security information I gave was incorrect! Was a bit of a struggle to convince them that I had the correct information and they did not!!

A trip to the local Vodafone shop with my bank statement was required!

These scams are often well thought out and even the most aware can be caught out! Who would really think that the scammers would hit such a small group of people such as vets?

RE: RCVS warning re scam

Anthony Todd — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 19:37:29 GMT

Barclays mobile phone me about suspicious activity on my [or my wife's! ]account and seem surprised when I am reluctant to give all my details to whoever is on the other end.

I usually tell them to photograph somewhere else, but, to be fair, how can a genuine financial enquiry be verified, assuming the account has been compromised?

RE: RCVS warning re scam

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 16:23:30 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]

People's guards are sometimes down a bit when 'dealing' with a body such as the RCVS especially during a busy day.

Strikes me as more likely to work than the typical phone scam.

[/quote]A little while ago I had several phone calls from someone purporting to be from Nationwide telling me that that there had been some suspicious activity on my credit card account and that in order to check this with me they would have to confirm they were indeed talking to me so I needed to tell them my account details. After rather more politely than is usual for me suggesting that perhaps the onus of proof might have to be the other way round the caller unbelievably said they couldn't give me any details in case it wasn't me they were talking to despite them calling me on an ex-directory number they had. I then became rather less than polite and told them to go and read the response of the defendant to the plaintiff in the case of Pressdram v Arkyll 1971.

After several of these calls I finally phoned Nationwide myself and found that the calls had indeed been genuine. It is little wonder that the unwary and vulnerable fall for phishing scams when companies who should know better are so irresponsible.

RE: RCVS warning re scam

Anna Battek-Kosiorowska — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 15:55:57 GMT

[quote user="grumpyoldman"]Do Felicity and Christine have an accent ? [/quote] They must have some, I'm sure...

RE: RCVS warning re scam

Bob Russell — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 15:41:47 GMT

People's guards are sometimes down a bit when 'dealing' with a body such as the RCVS especially during a busy day.

Strikes me as more likely to work than the typical phone scam. Judging by the types of people taken in by phone scams, the perpetrators must be pretty convincing.

As I pay by direct debit the RCVS already have my bank details so could return any overpayment that way. I have the good sense to make sure they don't overcharge me in the first place!

We have dodgy emails arriving every day and some take a bit of checking before being consigned to the junk folder.

RE: RCVS warning re scam

Mark Hedberg — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 14:21:17 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

I would hope that the average vet has a bit more sense than to fall for this bit of phishing.

[/quote]

Don't know about average vet, but it's fascinating how technophobic we are sometimes! :)

RE: RCVS warning re scam

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 14:12:26 GMT

I would hope that the average vet has a bit more sense than to fall for this bit of phishing.

RE: RCVS warning re scam

Bob Russell — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 13:12:57 GMT

Or Felicity and Christine are using a bit of brain power and 'Find A Vet'!!

Quite a simple scam in the modern world and potentially quite lucrative as who would expect the RCVS to be anything other than whiter than white?

RE: RCVS warning re scam

grumpyoldman — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 12:52:04 GMT

So has that all new and shiney sparkling IT system been hacked ? Gangs of arch criminals and their henchmen secretly scrutinising CPD records ?. Do Felicity and Christine have an accent ?