My land line rang yesterday. Probably for the first time. I answer it and down a crackly line a woman with an Indian accent* says she's calling from First Direct but before we proceed could she ask me some security questions.
I almost hang up straightaway, but explain that that's not going to happen is it. She understands and asks me to call back and ask for extension xyz. She also says she'll text me the reason for the call. 1471 indicates the number she called from was kosher, a text arrives asking me to get in touch with the fraud team, so I call them on my mobile. I explain what's gone on, they reassure me it's a legit call, thank me for taking such precautions and put me through. More crackly line, another Indian accent*. It turns out my credit has been declined in attempted dodgy transactions by Bad People. Card gets stopped, we check the transaction history, I cut up the card.
Why do they do this?They even realised it was wrong when I refused to give them the details.
*IME, calls to First Direct have been on uncrackley lines to people with Scottish or Norvern Monkey accents, as their call centres are in Scotland somewhere or Leeds.
