Although the majority of attempts at user-level scams today come via email and fraudulent WhatsApp links -such as the Traffic fine scam-, lately that of phone calls has been lavish. They call you and try to sneak you whatever.
And the OCU, the Organization of Consumers and Users, verified it at the beginning of 2020 when they discovered that a group of criminals used your name to carry out a scam.
The OCU Double Call scam
After receiving numerous complaints from consumers who are victims of a fraudulent practice that aims to change companies through deception, the OCU warned of this new type of fraud. This is the ‘double call’ scam: One to warn you of a (false) price increase, and another to offer you a (false) offer endorsed by OCU.
The attempted scam uses the name and advertising of most of the operators and the dynamics, with different variations, are usually the same:
1- The user receives a call supposedly from his operator in which you are informed of an immediate increase of between 15-20 euros of your rate
2- Shortly after, you will receive uSecond call from another company offering you a supposedly good deal for changing operator, sometimes mentioning that this company is the recommended by OCU, but all this is false.
A scam that is back
Some users indicated that they did not see the number of origin of the call reflected on the screen of their mobile, but in those cases in which the number was displayed, they were not helpful either to identify those responsible for the deception since a consumer cannot identify to a company from the phone number. Of course, the association immediately reported to the police the use of its name to endorse uploads or recommend operators. The complaints received affected the entire national territory.
And in this online scams and scams everything comes back, because almost a year and a half later, it is a well-known company that warns that they are trying to impersonate their identity to sneak the double call scam. That company is none other than Vodafone.
According you have indicated in your account from Twitter, “The SCAM of the double call is repeated: first they pose as Vodafone and announce an immediate increase of € 22 with 24 months of permanence, mentioning a file from the OCU. In 10 minutes they call again on behalf of another company with an offer. If they call you, HANG UP“.
Consumer rights
But can a company notify us in this way? If something like this were to occur, would our operator notify us in this way? Certainly not, because if an operator needs to communicate with their clients about an upload, will do so with a 30-day notice which is usually in writing and next to the invoice. And as for this, the user can abide by the upload, but if you don’t agree with her, “you will be able to change your rate or company without any penalty, even when you have permanence “.
OCU advises all consumers that to avoid the “double call” scam, follow the following recommendations:
- Be wary of calls from hidden or unknown numbers
- If you have missed calls from unknown numbers, do not return this call. OCU never authorizes “the use of your name for advertising activities or commercial activities of companies”. If a company uses OCU as a sales pitch, you already have a reason to distrust it.
- OCU offers its recommendations “exclusively through its publications (magazines or web pages, press releases …) “. If they offer you a good offer over the phone, always ask for send it to you in writing via email or verify the veracity of the details of the offer, calling yourself directly to the company that offers it.
- If you hire outside the physical store, OCU remembers that “the user You have the right of withdrawal that gives you 14 calendar days to regret your decision“.
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