Warning over Sky TV scam

Two-part ruse

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Security, 24th July 2006 11:15 GMT

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Credit card fraudsters are targeting Sky TV subscribers with a new two-part scam.

In the first part of the ruse, a pre-recorded telephone call asks members of the public if they subscribe to Sky TV. A week or so later, the prospective mark receives a telephone call from a fraudster, posing as a Sky employee, claiming the customer's Sky subscription is unpaid and warning that their subscription will be suspended unless they make credit card payment.

Those who fall for the ruse will find their credit card details in the hands of fraudsters, who can use the data to make fraudulent transactions.

But the fraudsters unwisely tried the scam on Andrew Goodwill, managing director of online fraud prevention firm Early Warning. "This scam was tried on me. Luckily, I did not fall for it. It all sounded very genuine. It was only that I knew I had paid my subscription to Sky recently that it did not ring true," he said.

Sky TV was unaware of the scam until informed of it by Early Warning. The firm advises people who receive unexpected bill payment requests over the phone to decline the request and ask such requests to be put to them in writing. Members of the public should also regularly check their bank statements for unauthorised transactions. ®

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