O2 mobile account...... security issue

[ThriceNightly]

I've been using an O2 payg sim for the last 18 months with no issue until today.

Started getting a string of verification sms messages with security codes late morning and after an hour or so fortunately a call from 02 (confirmed genuine contact number) who after passing security advised me what was going on.....

An individual claiming to be me called 02 call centre requesting my number and balance be transfered to another account. This individual could not pass initial security however was very persistent in repeatedly phoning a number of different call handlers to get them to make this change.

Fortunate 02 were on the ball and have also upgraded my account with an additional security password for customer service calls and have put notes on my account.

Any ideas what this scammer is up to..... my concern is a data breach elsewhere possibly attempting to gain control of my phone number for 2 step verification for other web accounts?

 

[Diddums x]

Imma go out on a limb here and say he was trying to transfer your credit or number to his account.

 

[Buffman]

You sure it was O2 that phoned you?

 

[PapaLazaru]

Phone your bank immediately and let them know what happened. The fraudsters are trying to steal your money by bypassing your bank's two factor authentication.

 

[ThriceNightly]

Imma go out on a limb here and say he was trying to transfer your credit or number to his account.

hopefully its that simple and not a case of identity theft....he has my name address and mobile phone number and was very persistent

You sure it was O2 that phoned you?

yes definite genuine o2 staff member that I was speaking too

Phone your bank immediately and let them know what happened. The fraudsters are trying to steal your money by bypassing your bank's two factor authentication.

My online bank account uses a physical passcode generator which I use at home to authenticate ( unlike my amazon ebay paypal accounts which are 2 step verification)

Coincidentally last week I lost one of my credit cards and the replacement has been lost in the post....is it possible the scammer has intercepted the card and was trying to gain control of my phone i should imagine as well as to steal my identity? No suspicious activity and a new card has been requested.

NOTE :After checking my two long standingemail adressses I use both have shown breaches on https://haveibeenpwned.com/

Am in the process of setting up new email address for all my accounts and passwords.

With regard to my old email addresses am I best to discard using them entirely for any accounts?

 

[PapaLazaru]

Depends if you like them or not. They will unlikely to try anything again if they had no success, plenty of other victims to be getting on with.

I work in telecoms fraud btw

 

[ultralaser]

Phone your bank immediately and let them know what happened. The fraudsters are trying to steal your money by bypassing your bank's two factor authentication.

This is absolutely spot on. They are probably trying to get access to your bank account by bypassing your SMS verification. DEFINITELY tell your bank immediately.

(This technique was used A LOT during the TSB problems).

 

[ThriceNightly]

Depends if you like them or not. They will unlikely to try anything again if they had no success, plenty of other victims to be getting on with.

I work in telecoms fraud btw

appreciated and hopefully he has moved elsewhere. thank fully O2 were on the ball with this one.

This is absolutely spot on. They are probably trying to get access to your bank account by bypassing your SMS verification. DEFINITELY tell your bank immediately.

(This technique was used A LOT during the TSB problems).

Thanks and noted. I have now updated my bank with details of this incident.

BTW my credit card company (amex) does not yet provide 2 factor authentication on their web account