If they call on you... hang up (From Thisisdorset)

If they call on you... hang up

4:40pm Friday 24th October 2008

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A PORTLAND man is warning people about bogus calls after someone tried to get bank details from his wife.

And Trading Standards officers are urging against giving out any information after a ‘significant number’ of similar calls were reported across the county.

John Thorner, 50, was at his Croft Road home on Portland with wife Susan when a man telephoned pretending to be from his satellite television insurance company.

He said: “A guy said our insurance was up for renewal and needed our bank details.

“My wife became suspicious as we pay by direct debit and she told the caller they have our details.

“The caller claimed they didn’t have them because it was illegal to keep them and he tried to get our debit card details.”

“When Susan said he didn’t need them and questioned him he slammed the phone down.”

Mr Thorner telephoned his insurance company and they told him he was not the first person who had been called and that some people had given their details.

Mr Thorner, who is ex-directory, is concerned about how the caller found his telephone number.

Dorset County Council’s Trading Standards Manager Ivan Hancock said the bogus calls were random and that the general public should not feel targeted. Mr Hancock said callers were likely to be using automatic dialling machines that worked their way through lists of numbers.

He said: “We have had a significant number of calls about various companies with satellite in their name.

“The calls reported in Dorset stretch back a few months. They are confusing customers as to who they are when they ring up “A significant number of complaints have been made and there are 20 company names being used.”

Mr Hancock said a company in West Sussex which have been offering insurance in relation to satellite television systems was currently under investigation.

He said anyone concerned about any telephone calls, emails or other approaches should call Customer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

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