Potential Upgrade Scam

[SimonP]

Hi ,

I keep getting calls from a call center saying they are from Three and I have been selected for an upgrade as special promotion even though I am only 12 months through a 24 month contract. They call from mobile number starting 07451. I have not given personal details other than email to see the offer.  I see this as suspicious and a potential scam. They have sent an email from customer.sales@threegmobiles.uk.

Is this a scam?

Kind Regards

Simon

[JonathanB · Accepted solution]

Hi @SimonP,

Thanks for raising awareness about this. It's at best a 3rd party dealer using a similar name to confuse customers into thinking they are contacting you from Three, and at worst this could be a fraudster. We'll never call you from a mobile number, and we don't use the email domain you've mentioned.

We actually trade as Three, and you may see us referred to as Hutchison 3G UK Limited, but we never use the name Three g that you mentioned in that email.

If you would like to report any nuisance/scam/fraudulent callers, send a free text to 7726 with message CALL then the number you received the call from, this helps our Customer Protection Team investigate abusive and scam activities.

There's some more help info on Fraud to watch out for on our website.

Hope this helps,
Jonathan

[SimonP]

Hi Johnathan

Thank you for your prompt response and support.  This confirmed my suspicions.

Kind Regards

Simon 

[nyitunsan]

I received similar call from 020 8446 8671. Email - sales@threeupgrade.co.uk

Is this a scam?

[JonathanB]

Hi @nyitunsan,

Yeah this will be a 3rd party and very likely a scam, especially if they're claiming to be contacting you from Three directly. We don't use 0208 numbers or @threeupgrade.co.uk email addresses.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[Dean06280]

What is the best route to report this to three.

Important stuff first.

((noreply@threepromotion.live))

03300011285

07923 ******

07522 ******

07763 ******

What I believe these guys are doing is. Calling people up pretending to be three. Offering deals. Sound convincing, probably managed to phish other details from other avenues. So they call and offer a deal. They check if you have my3 app. If do, like most three customers will. They have my3 browser open on their computer. By having you on the line and having my3 browser open ready they ask to confirm your number. They then put that in their computer with my3 browser. As anyone knows if used my3 app it now has a OTP one time passcode system. So it said a verification code to your registered number. Which you would normally enter onto your my3 app page when requested.

So the scam caller has you on the phone. The my3 browser page at the ready on their screen. Requested an OTP. Which goes to your phone. The scam caller says to you I've just sent a code to your phone could you verify it to me so I know I'm speaking to the right person. 

Now if you give it. Because at this point you think must be legit. The OTP came from the normal three txt number.

Wrong l, they've just hot access to your account. They can change billing address. Order new phones to new addresses. Look up bank details etc.

Luckily, I caught on over playing with these guys a few times.

Be careful. Always place trick questions.

Like I can't remember how much I'm paying, can you check my account. Three has access to accounts so they should be able to tell you. 

[SoulessVamp1re]

Even three directly scam you. I was contacted by three for a business plan which I agreed to and got a extra one for my son. The guy selling it said that I would be able to upgrade to a handset contract after just 90 days with no external credit check as it will be based on payment.  THIS WAS A LIE. Did not even put me on a business tariff and when I contacted three for a upgrade was denied. THIS IS SURELY A SCAM. Now I'm tied into 2 contracts that I didn't really even want for 24 months. DON'T TRUST THREE. Dodgy sells tactics and straight out liars. This sort of practice should not happen.

[Hop4eTo]

Hi I reveice a call from 020 3******8 and 020 3******3 and emails from promotions@threegmobiles.com is this a scam? 

[JonathanB]

Hi @Hop4eTo,

Please don't share 01, 02, or 07 phone numbers on the Community, many scam calls are "spoofed" which means the number displayed is faked by the scammer, but may also be falsely showing someone's real personal phone number.

Our real numbers are all 0333 and we use three.co.uk emails. This will either be a scam or a 3rd party phone seller. Either way if they have called you out of the blue, you can report them as spam/fraud with this guidance:

If you would like to report any nuisance/scam/fraudulent callers, send a free text to 7726 with message CALL then the number you received the call from, this helps our Customer Protection Team investigate abusive and scam activities.

There's some more help info on Fraud to watch out for on our website.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[Dean06280]

Important stuff first.

(noreply@threepromotion.live)

03300011285

07923 ******

07522 ******

07763 ******

What I believe these guys are doing is. Calling people up pretending to be three. Offering deals. Sound convincing, probably managed to phish other details from other avenues. So they call and offer a deal. They check if you have my3 app. If do, like most three customers will. They have my3 browser open on their computer. By having you on the line and having my3 browser open ready they ask to confirm your number. They then put that in their computer with my3 browser. As anyone knows if used my3 app it now has a OTP one time passcode system. So it said a verification code to your registered number. Which you would normally enter onto your my3 app page when requested.

So the scam caller has you on the phone. The my3 browser page at the ready on their screen. Requested an OTP. Which goes to your phone. The scam caller says to you I've just sent a code to your phone could you verify it to me so I know I'm speaking to the right person. 

Now if you give it. Because at this point you think must be legit. The OTP came from the normal three txt number.

Wrong l, they've just hot access to your account. They can change billing address. Order new phones to new addresses. Look up bank details etc.

Luckily, I caught on over playing with these guys a few times.

Be careful. Always place trick questions.

Like I can't remember how much I'm paying, can you check my account. Three has access to accounts so they should be able to tell you.