General Chat

I have just read this thread and would like to add a warning about phone calls from supposedly financial help companies. I have had several this year all promising to wipe interest costs off my credit cards (don't have any) and personal loans. All I have to do is give them details of my finances including who I bank with etc and they will tell me how much money I am entitled to get back. At least 2 of these callers had my full address but they addressed me in my previous name (I have remarried) and the only people who haven't yet changed my name on their records is the local council for council tax. One caller also had the first 4 digits of my debit card (this was reported to the bank). All the callers have been Asian men who start off by being very friendly but when you say "not interested" will argue with you. Maybe because me and OH work within finance I can be strong enough to see these calls for what they are but what if it is someone who has money problems and is desperate or if they are pensioner etc.
Please never discuss personal finances over the phone especially if they have called you.

I don't have a catalogue either, and I've never had anything out of anyone else's.

I don't have a catalogue and I have had that one twice from 2 different people. Both this week.

I don't have a catalogue, and haven't had one for years, so I don't think it's that. I can only think it must be job applications. I've sent off hundreds in the last year, so it wouldn't be surprising if there was one unscrupulous company in need of some funds among them.

The company itself almost looks legitimate, but its the same old deal, 'you could get thousands in cash if you just pay us a small fee and give us your bank details'

Just another version of the good old Nigerian Scam.

That's interesting Daff, as my neighbour who used a number of catalogues was also targeted by a 'bank scam' ... eg: "give us your AC and sortcode and we will make transfer money in from the other account you hold with us ( named bank) so you don't pay charges" she lost a small amount that night, but her bank repaid it, as they were investigating the scam nationally at the time.

plus lots of calls at random from other companies,new phone providers etc.

Some of these catalogues also use overseas call centres, which might be less 'secure' ?

I have just googled..... and the parent company has a rather large portfolio of interests, lol

http://www.nbrown.co.uk/

try looking at Links.... it is quite surprising.... they have financial service interests as well.... and this is just one organisation... how many others are flogging or giving away our details as they please?

Love

Daff xxxx

oh, and I always tick the bit that says whether or not they can pass your details on... I always refuse that permission, and still they did it. xxxx

I got one, but it just had my address as UK.

I havent got one....evening ladies ~~~~~

I agree with Rose, TW... the main problems I have had were from a catalogue selling on my details... this catalogue is part of a huge group... I had a begging letter from a National charity for Children's Leukaemia, asking me to set my will so that it would have a donation from me when I died... bad timing, as it was just a couple of days after I came out of hospital last year, still fighting to stay on this planet, lolol... I phoned them, they were brilliant, and they gave me the organisation who was selling the list.

I will google them, and then name and shame... it would seem that charities regularly ask big companies for fundraising help... and many big companies oblige by donating cash, or like supermarkets, situating begging buckets at the end of the tills. Others, however give the lists of their customer database as their donation, which I think is scandalous.

This catalogue was Fifty Plus... but they are a part of a huge group. They had a good, strong piece of my mind, I can tell you... well, as strong as I could manage at the time.

Then I believe some charities, not all, sell the lists on. To get funding. It is totally amoral, in my opinion... but they are charities so they seem to be getting away with it.

Eddie, we have a lot of home grown crooks, you know... more than enough!

Love

Daff xxxx

Edit..... last year was the first time it had happened... but the catalogue I have been using since I was in my late 40's... at least 8 years ago.... so it might be a catalogue you ONCE had but still has your details.....

Looking on one forum, they were saying one was sent to the address 'UK' (they might have a job tracking that person down, and another was just to Flat 8, London. That narrows it down to a few thousand possibilities then!


Mine did go straight into my spam folder, I found it when just checking there were no job app replies in there that I would otherwise miss.

No Rose, nothing from any catalogue, all belts duly tightened since my redundancy last year, so I really can't think of anywhere other than the hundreds of job applications, all of which contain my personal details of course.

Hi Teresa, just googled the addy and see the same is being talked about on some other forums, recipients seemingly nothing in common, checked my spam...nothing theree, except an offer to release the equity on the house I stayed at for a while before moving here...lol the owner would be chuffed ;)

You haven't bought anything from a catalogue by any chance? I think that they are some of the worst culprits for selling off lists,

xx

It could even be fom your medical records which were all sent abroad to be digitised. There are many for sale if you know where to look.

tw i had just the same .i deleted it .but they had my home address too

I got this today...

To Teresa Walker
* *** *****
*******, *** ***

Teresa,

Are you still at * *** *****?
You may be eligible to receive upto 07,643 GBP in government money that you would NEVER HAVE TO REPAY.

Complete your application at ukgrants.be


Now, for a start, it's a Belgium address, not a sensible scammer, you'd think they'd have a .co.uk address if they were scamming Brits, but the most concerning thing is, they have my personal details, the asterisks are my home address!

Someone is selling personal details somewhere. I wouldn't mind betting it's off one of the many job applications I've sent out, but it's rather disconcerting that it's even a risk to apply for a job and not be respected for it!

It won't be off a new agreement anywhere, no new loans, commitments or anything else I would have to put my address on, being unemployed there aren't any.

So, just so you're aware, its a scam, only a couple of days old, by the looks of the forums I've seen talking about it.