Latest Telephone Scam

[johninlondon1]

I was cold called today by someone pertaining to represent NHS direct. He wanted

 

[ktguk]

I was cold called today by someone pertaining to represent NHS direct. He wanted

 

[johninlondon1]

The phone number they called on was 0208 4577 837 as they did not hide their phone number, which is a london number. I was in yellow pages about 6-8 years ago as a plasterer and advertised in those free newspapers for awhile at the time. Now re-training to be an electrickery person.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 13:20 ---------- Previous post was made at 11:54 ----------

another way to check on these scammers, is when they mention VAT, ask for their VAT registration number and use the following to ensure it is a valid number VAT Validation Formula!

A VAT number has 3-4-2 format i.e. 3 digits, a gap, four digits, a gap then 2 digits. The first 7 digits are multiplied by 8,7,6,5,4,3,and 2. Add the resulting figures. Then find the multiple of 97 which is less than the total. Find the difference and this should be equal to last 2 check digits in a valid VAT number!.

Example:

VAT NO: 123-4567-15

1*8=8

2*7=14

3*6=18

4*5=20

5*4=20

6*3=18

7*2=14

Total: 112

112-97 = 15, difference = 15 and this is equal to the last two check digits! if this doesn't work first time, deduct 97 again until u have a negative number and this should sum up to the last 2 digits of the VAT number.

The formula works but the VAT number should be validated with C&E to avoid fraud!

Also you can go to the site and type in any vat number to validate it. EUROPA site - Validation can be used, you just type in their VAT number and it will give you details of their trading. A conpany using a fake or hijacked VAT number is a good way of finding out if it is a scam.

 

[ktguk]

The phone number they called on was 0208 4577 837 as they did not hide their phone number, which is a london number. I was in yellow pages about 6-8 years ago as a plasterer and advertised in those free newspapers for awhile at the time. Now re-training to be an electrickery person.---------- Post Auto-Merged at 13:20 ---------- Previous post was made at 11:54 ----------

another way to check on these scammers, is when they mention VAT, ask for their VAT registration number and use the following to ensure it is a valid number VAT Validation Formula!

A VAT number has 3-4-2 format i.e. 3 digits, a gap, four digits, a gap then 2 digits. The first 7 digits are multiplied by 8,7,6,5,4,3,and 2. Add the resulting figures. Then find the multiple of 97 which is less than the total. Find the difference and this should be equal to last 2 check digits in a valid VAT number!.

Example:

VAT NO: 123-4567-15

1*8=8

2*7=14

3*6=18

4*5=20

5*4=20

6*3=18

7*2=14

Total: 112

1 * 97 = 97, difference = 15 and this is equal to the last two check digits!

The formula works but the VAT number should be validated with C&E to avoid fraud!

Also you can go to the site and type in any vat number to validate it. EUROPA site - Validation can be used, you just type in their VAT number and it will give you details of their trading. A conpany using a fake or hijacked VAT number is a good way of finding out if it is a scam.

they are real companies they just operate nearly on the right side of the law using distance selling laws and loop holes to their advantage, but the claims of police/fire or whatever arent legal but they will have a standard script which they would say their sales ppl have to follow and if one gets caught doing the one WE hear they will say its just a bad sales person (again with the loop holes), just best hang up or better yet say you have no money lol

 

[cooldude]

Thanks for the info

 

[Sidewinder]

The phone number they called on was 0208 4577 837 as they did not hide their phone number, which is a london number. I was in yellow pages about 6-8 years ago as a plasterer and advertised in those free newspapers for awhile at the time. Now re-training to be an electrickery person.---------- Post Auto-Merged at 13:20 ---------- Previous post was made at 11:54 ----------

another way to check on these scammers, is when they mention VAT, ask for their VAT registration number and use the following to ensure it is a valid number VAT Validation Formula!

A VAT number has 3-4-2 format i.e. 3 digits, a gap, four digits, a gap then 2 digits. The first 7 digits are multiplied by 8,7,6,5,4,3,and 2. Add the resulting figures. Then find the multiple of 97 which is less than the total. Find the difference and this should be equal to last 2 check digits in a valid VAT number!.

Example:

VAT NO: 123-4567-15

1*8=8

2*7=14

3*6=18

4*5=20

5*4=20

6*3=18

7*2=14

Total: 112

1 * 97 = 97, difference = 15 and this is equal to the last two check digits!

The formula works but the VAT number should be validated with C&E to avoid fraud!

Also you can go to the site and type in any vat number to validate it. EUROPA site - Validation can be used, you just type in their VAT number and it will give you details of their trading. A conpany using a fake or hijacked VAT number is a good way of finding out if it is a scam.

Well, joninlondon1,

I have just verified my VAT number using that of one of my suppliers VAT numbers as you have to enter a valid UK VAT number to query, and it conformed as OK on the EU website link you provided, I then did the reverse search, i.e checked my supplier using mine, theirs checked OK.

Thus I now have 2 valid VAT numbers that check out on the EU website, now I know mine is correct as I have the VAT cert from HMRC.

The supplier I selected is a very reputable blue chip UK supplier.

Both are UK Ltd. companies.

However, neither number checks out using your formula using the multiplication etc. above!

Sorry mate I can't see how that is a valid calculation.

Try it for yourself, supplier VAT number is 362 0233 93

You give this as:

3*8=24

6*7=42

2*6=12

0*5=0

2*4=8

3*3=9

3*2=6

Sum=24+42+12+0+8+9+6=101

101-97=4

Check digits are 93!

Over to you?...

 

[ktguk]

Don't u hate smart arses

 

[johninlondon1]

my error sidewinder sorry, u deduct 97 from the resulting number until u get a negative number, so 101 - 97 = 4 as you said, then deduct 97 again u get -93 which corresponds to last 2 digits of Wolseley PLC Vat number, sorry for the confusion.

 

[batty]

I think they must have been the same lot that rang me a few weeks back they wanted

 

[steptoe]

I dont know if John edited SW but I got it, if you -97 again from 4 you get [-]93, which is your last 2 digits.