Be aware of unsolicited calls from scammers pretending to be representatives of your mobile phone provider. These individuals impersonate legitimate mobile phone network operators and suppliers.
They offer victims early phone and hardware upgrades or new contracts at significant discounts. Once the victim has been convinced that the deals offered are genuine and agree to proceed, scammers then ask for their online mobile account credentials, including log-ins, address and bank account details.
In some cases, suspects then place orders with genuine companies on behalf of victims, but they select a different handset to that requested and have it shipped to the customer’s address.
Upon receipt of the incorrect phone, suspects assure victims that this has been an error and instruct them to ‘return’ the handset to a different address not affiliated to the mobile company. These addresses are usually residential.
Upon intercepting the ‘returned’ handsets, the suspects cease contact and victims find themselves stuck with no phone and liable for the entirety of a new contract taken out in their name.
In other cases, suspects now have the information needed to steal your identity and open other credit products in your name.
To help keep yourself safe follow these tips…
- Beware of cold calls about mobile upgrades and contracts, if you’re unsure that the person calling you is an official representative of the company they claim to be from, hang up and do not reveal any personal information.
- Only contact your mobile network provider on a number you know to be correct. For example, use contact info from a bill, statement or legitimate website.
- If you receive a device that you did not order or expect, contact the genuine sender immediately. The details for this will be within the parcel.
- NEVER post a device directly to a given address. All genuine Mobile Providers would send out return information to send back your phone without you incurring additional cost.
