Double Scam

Banks and credit card companies don't help, tho.
I've had texts saying 'this is xxx card fraud dept, contact us on this number' and cold calls from my bank asking for security details before they'll speak to me.
I didn't do it, and contacted them on the number I knew was real, and find that those were genuine calls.
If people do respond as asked, tho, and it's all fine, they'll be more likely to fall for a scam.

What strikes me is that the person who was scammed said she was at a vulnerable time of her life. It’s so much easier for the scammers to take advantage of people when they’re worried or distracted. A very savvy friend of mine nearly fell for a common scam when she was newly bereaved. These people really are scum.

How awful for that person that was scammed!

When you find out just how much about you is accessible on the net with a bit of searching, it gives you a jolt! That scammer could have found out the name and address from the reply to the mail scam, then noted more from the Barclays scam, and then found all those other details online and used them to confirm how genuine their call was!

The moral is - make sure that YOU contact people on their secure phone number or website, don't passively accept THEM contacting you and claiming to be who they aren't.

If you are in a hurry, ask for a number to call them back later - but don't use it! Instead find the secure website of whoever they claim to be (it has an s with the http in the browser address box, and a little piccy of a padlock. If you hover your pointer over the padlock or select it you will see more information. Try it on the Gransnet address in the box) Find how to contact them in safety to find out what is going on, or find the business number in the phone directory and ring that.