URGENT! IS THIS A SCAM?

iveofione · Sep 22, 2023

I just had a phone call from Direct TV saying that they need to update my TV receiver. These guys speak poor English and I'm not sure they are on the level. They both asked me if I make monthly payments which seems unusual and say It will take 5 or 6 minutes to update.

Has anyone else experienced this? I don't want to be victim to some kind of scam so I am suspicious of foreigners that call and make request.

DimeBrite · Sep 22, 2023

Hang up. Block the number.

Old406Kid · Sep 22, 2023

Is there a current scam on sending new receiver to existing customer? | DIRECTV Community Forums

Last week I received a call from Justin (ID B101) saying he was an account manager with DirecTV. Said he was sending me a new receiver due to upgrades in my area. He had a lot of inform...

forums.directv.com

"DirecTV (good catch on the misspelling) never calls you to send new equipment, or to verify info on your current equipment."

RCF · Sep 22, 2023

Had the same thing happened to me a couple of days ago. As @DimeBrite says - hang up. Also just had a call from 'Bank of America' and they even spoofed the phone number. I hung up but did not block the number. I need it in my Contacts...

SurfnFish · Sep 22, 2023

The accents are always the dead giveaway...

DanielOcean · Sep 22, 2023

I smell bullshit.

cedarslug · Sep 22, 2023

Anytime you receive an unsolicited call from a provider (bank, cable, credit card, etc) and they claim something, it's best to hang up, and call official contact number for the company. Same for suspicious emails with offers

JayB · Sep 22, 2023

Pretty much any inbound e-mail or call claiming that you need to confirm or update anything pertaining to any account you may have is a scam.

BriGuy · Sep 22, 2023

cedarslug said:
Anytime you receive an unsolicited call from a provider (bank, cable, credit card, etc) and they claim something, it's best to hang up, and call official contact number for the company. Same for suspicious emails with offers

This ^^^

Also, keep in mind that the company already knows your account details, personal information, equipment, etc. So, they should never ask for it. If the caller does, your name is Keissa Myass and your address is 60 Biteme Street.

Porter2 · Sep 22, 2023

I have no idea how many delivery packages are being held up because I need to confirm some information to get it delivered. It’s a bit amazing.
Usually involves making a payment or verify the payment

wanderingrichard · Sep 22, 2023

Ive,
Yes. Scam.

Josh · Sep 22, 2023

cedarslug said:
Anytime you receive an unsolicited call from a provider (bank, cable, credit card, etc) and they claim something, it's best to hang up, and call official contact number for the company. Same for suspicious emails with offers

This goes for any unsolicited call or email or txt message.

iveofione · Sep 22, 2023

About 8 calls from the scammers today, one might have been ligit but by then I was in no mood to be polite. I did call customer service and found that although I was eligible for a receiver update that I actually hadn't been contacted. Since I am going to cancel the service on November 30 and my current receiver will function till then there is nothing I need to do. Except become increasingly more rude if I get more bullshit calls.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and help, hopefully these clowns will stop harassing me.

Jim in Anacortes · Sep 22, 2023

I kept getting calls from my "contact number" in my phone that I named "XFinity". I assumed they were trying to sell me more services and did not answer. After a few calls with no "voicemail", I got a voicemail from a different number saying my special offer expired that day. It compelled me to directly call XFinity. It was a scam. Xfinity told me that the criminals can now "mimic" their phone number and that they had not reached out to me.

RCF · Sep 22, 2023

Josh said:
This goes for any unsolicited call or email or txt message.

I have two different banks that will email me when they identify fishy business happening. They provide a unique identifier and then request us to call the official number.

Otter · Sep 22, 2023

iveofione said:
Thanks to all for your suggestions and help, hopefully these clowns will stop harassing me.

You're very polite. Those people are not clowns; they are criminals. They are committing fraud, and possibly also identity theft.

Here's a sneaky scam: If somebody calls you and asks "Is this (your name)", do not say yes. Criminals can record your "yes" as a digital voiceprint, and use it to authorize fraudulent charges against some people's financial accounts. Instead, just ask "Who is speaking, please?" Or just hang up.

Be aware that scammers can also use technology to show a fake phone number appear on your phone's caller ID screen. It might even be the phone number of somebody you know, or a business or agency that you deal with. This is called "caller ID spoofing". One time, I saw my own phone number come up on my ID screen! Stupid criminals!