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http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29805002

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29805002

The BBC website has an article on “number spoofing” being used in phone based scams to get private info.

This could well be happening in NZ already! I frequently have my home line forwarded to my mobile and there have been numerous times when I’ve tried to return a missed call and the number doesn’t exist. Or when one of my kids has taken a call and I’ve tried to call back because the message they’ve taken hasn’t made sense.

When I was a kid I was taught that if you are unsure about anyone’s identity find out who they are and then look up their phone number, call and verify if they are meant to contacting you. The context we were given was fake policemen, but the rule works for any kind of faker!

If you take a call and are dubious ask for their extension but find the phone number yourself and call them back.

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anti-virus-hoaxAny phone call you get from your Internet Provider (ISP) should verified if they are saying anything even remotely dubious. Call them back on their publicly listed phone number, not one given by the caller.

In this latest scam they’re inciting fear from regular people by pretending that their access will be terminated if they don’t download some software. No prize for guessing that the software will be anti anti virus, right?!

While you should have anti virus software running it is not for your ISP to dictate which anti virus software you should use.