Soundloco Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Last week recieved a phone call out of the blue with a guy trying to get me to subscribe to what he called Model Rail First. When I said no thanks I get a few others and dont want any more, he said to ditch the rest and get the best, but have never seen this magazine. Can anyone throw a light on the magazine, and is it any good, who is it buy etc ? Or was it a con ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Fisher Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Bit daft naming a magazine or whatever it is so close to another, id say a wind up and if it isnt they aint going to get far with tactics like that are they? Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Probably wanted your bank details... Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Well, I've just done a google search on "Model Rail First" and only 6 results come up - all to do with the first things that 'Model Rail' magazine have done. It would be rare these days for a new mag to start without any internet presence so I'd suspect a con. Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted June 16, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 16, 2011 If it's a con then where did they get your details from and how did they know that you were a railway modeller - they could have phoned up and tried to sell you 'Knitting Monthly' or ' Worm Dangling from a Stick' or any other hobby that you care to mention All a bit strange mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted June 16, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2011 Probably wanted your bank details... Dave. I've had quite a lot of these types of calls of late, basically they are scams just like the 'Nigerian General who wants to desspotizeet £208,045.34 into miee bank.' Or the 'Dear Mr Roger Nicholas, please can you update your Halifax (who I don't bank with) online banking details!' The best one so far was someone trying to sell me a new washing machine and starting up a 'credit account, but we need the card details first!' I do love them! Gives me great pleasure in pressing either the 'delete to recycling bin' button, or if it is a cold call, just leave the muppet on the end of the phone talking and place the phone on the back of the chair, whilst he rabbits on about washing machines and dish washers! They go for about 2 minutes of solid talking before you get, 'Hello, hello, are you there?' Then click! Beautiful! Regards, Roger Nicholas! (Nick!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Are you sure it wasn't first Model Rail? With first handing to keys back to the first Great Western Franchise they may be looking at running something smaller! - ticket barriers on every layout! Xerces fobe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Perhaps one of the online model shops has sold their mailing list. A few years ago I got a lot of spam from someone selling something model rail related. I have my suspicions of who they got my details from (I always opt out of receiving third party emails) but as I can't prove it I will not name either party here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted June 16, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2011 Perhaps one of the online model shops has sold their mailing list. A few years ago I got a lot of spam from someone selling something model rail related. I have my suspicions of who they got my details from (I always opt out of receiving third party emails) but as I can't prove it I will not name either party here. Well it is funny you should say that. A couple of years ago when late fiancée and I set up home we received a Thorntons chocolate promotion, basically send your address and receive a free box of chocolates. Not being one to turn down a 'freebie' I sent away for the chocolates, but sent the name off as Mr N Elmslie (my Grandmothers maiden name), I haven't ever used this name before, indeed she only used that name until she was 22 when she got married (in 1932!), but about 6 months later we started getting credit card applications addressed to, you guessed it Mr N Elmslie. So the bu**ers do sell you details. When I contacted Thorntons they said that they didn't sell details off, but we received £50 worth of gift vouchers for an upset caused. As a friend who I used to go to school with said that basically by sending the vouchers they were admitting guilt! I didn't push it any further as I'm not that type of person, but you can prove it, if you are crafty. Regards, Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_mcfarlane Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 ...they said that they didn't sell details off, Without wishing to comment on this particular firm, it wouldn't be the first company that had it's customer details extracted from their data warehouse (in other words stolen) and sold on by an employee. My current employer has some software on it's PCs that encrypts all data written to USB attached devices to stop this from happening. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted June 16, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2011 Without wishing to comment on this particular firm, it wouldn't be the first company that had it's customer details extracted from their data warehouse (in other words stolen) and sold on by an employee. My current employer has some software on it's PCs that encrypts all data written to USB attached devices to stop this from happening. That's quite interesting, I suppose in today's world it is easy to 'steal' something electronically. I always thought that the Iain Hislop goes off the rails programme was funny with the spin Dr that Beeching used who at the end of the day personally destroyed every typewriter ribbon that had been used, to ensure no leaks! Today you just slap it on the photocopier, or email it off. Regards, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Theres a simple way to avoid con calls etc, get a answer phone with caller id and only pick up the handset if you recognise the number - its amazing how many calls are that important they cannot be bothered to leave a message. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted June 16, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2011 Theres a simple way to avoid con calls etc, get a answer phone with caller id and only pick up the handset if you recognise the number - its amazing how many calls are that important they cannot be bothered to leave a message. No the sods just keep ringing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 No the sods just keep ringing! Turn the ringer off and just let them continue - it is their money they are spending (or rather some of the money they have already conned) I find most of them do not leave a message, and those that do don't leave a number to call. When you do answer the phone NEVER give your name simply say hello, even if they ask for you by name NEVER acknowledge it is you or that the address is correct (they then have a name and possibly an address to go with the number - that is well on the way to hijacking your identity) let the caller identify themselves first. Tell all your friends to do this and make a habit of it when you call someone, it is only good manners to declare who you are when you initiate a call. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 If it's a con then where did they get your details from and how did they know that you were a railway modeller - they could have phoned up and tried to sell you 'Knitting Monthly' or ' Worm Dangling from a Stick' or any other hobby that you care to mention All a bit strange mike Sadly, Mike, It's all too easy to have your details intercepted by 'others' who can then proceed to make a right mess for you. Guard your personal details with your life (because they are!), shred all unimportant documents, never put your name/address details in the bin, etc, etc! Oh! and never, but NEVER put your details on twitface etc, especially when you're out for the night, going on holiday and so forth! When you do answer the phone NEVER give your name simply say hello, even if they ask for you by name NEVER acknowledge it is you or that the address is correct (they then have a name and possibly an address to go with the number - that is well on the way to hijacking your identity) let the caller identify themselves first. Tell all your friends to do this and make a habit of it when you call someone, it is only good manners to declare who you are when you initiate a call. HEAR, HEAR! Very well said, that man! With my above statements, I may sound a bit paranoid but having family who are constantly being bothered and generally messed around - I can see just how well it pays to be safe with your personal details! I don't have my phone number in the book and I have caller ID - don't get many nuisance calls at all! John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractor_37260 Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Yep these "unknown/withheld phone no's" calls are a real pest. However to stop the majority of them (at least those originating from the UK )sign up to the TPS - Telephone Preference Service, it's FREE and works on a yearly basis, they then contact you to ask if you wish to renew it. See http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/ for more info. Other option sites are available. Junk mail can also be mostly stopped by signing up for the Mail Preference Service on http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mps/ HTH Ken Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 No the sods just keep ringing! There is a technical reason for this. Calls that ring and ring are more likely to be discarded by the auto dialler that is generating these calls. Calls that drop into an answerphone are immediately cut off as the auto dialler detects the electronic silence that ensues as the answerphone cuts in. Unfortunately, it also logs it as an answered call and puts it back in the 'live' stack for a future call. Pick it up and speak and you are doomed to another twenty of them. Buy something and it goes into hyperdrive. In both cases you have become qualified data which is worth money to other operators who buy in bulk. All done by computers. Nearly all of these calls originate abroad. TPS is only partially successful as it can only filter known numbers. I routinely receive calls that are a four digit number on my caller display. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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