[Kiariitf]

Basically the last few months I've had scammers calling me both on my mobile and at home. Would go something like

1) they ask if they're talking to me (address me by my name)
2) they want to confirm my address (usually they already know it)
3) they're either a solicitor-type company asking if I've been involved in any car crash in the last few years, or a plain blatent scammer ("I work for Windows [sic], your computer is sending viruses" or "there is something dodgy going on with your bank account"... questioning him further, he says it's about a Barclays account... and I don't even have one...)

I think it's linked to my recent purchase of a car insurance over comparethemarket.com. To be honest, if they sell my data to third parties, they should tell me beforehand. And if they don't, then they got a serious problem with web security... [no]

Anyone else experienced this?

[tigoCeree]

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[Licacivelip]

They might have just picked up a phone book and phoned you up.

I know quite a few people get called up saying they had a virus by some Indian bloke with an English name. Quite funny. I've received about 3 and I always waste their time.

[reervieltnope]

Terms of use are a b#tch [thumbup]

Agreed - that's why I always make sure I don't give them permission. Somehow it seems they might ignore it.

I know quite a few people get called up saying they had a virus by some Indian bloke with an English name. Quite funny. I've received about 3 and I always waste their time.

I had my fair share of "hi my name is Clive Johnson" Indian blokes calling, yeah. I surely waste their time when they call me... unfortunately they waste mine more.

[Konidurase]

Yeah, they're bastards. For gods sake don't use Money Supermarket to look for a loan.

[Gromiaaborn]

Never.






My son likes his plush meerkat toy though

[VrQsgM7c]

I had a scammer offering me "free microsoft training" once... Went through a load of questions etc... Sounded good... The asked me for £40 a month and started getting suspicious... Turns out they were trying to scam me.... I dont know how these people sleep at night [thumbdown]

[Coededgeme]

I had a scammer offering me "free microsoft training" once... Went through a load of questions etc... Sounded good... The asked me for £40 a month and started getting suspicious... Turns out they were trying to scam me.... I dont know how these people sleep at night [thumbdown]

Wait, at the point where they asked for £40 a month for "free microsoft training", that's where you started getting suspicious?

[meridiasas]

Wait, at the point where they asked for £40 a month for "free microsoft training", that's where you started getting suspicious?

He is a little slow.

[duminyricky]

Mmm tbh EaG is vastly more intelligent then me...

Hmm well again I cba to explain it really (I honestly dont give a shite if EaG thinks I am "a little slow" because he is an imbecile tbh) but at first the offer was quite convincing... Until they started telling me the exact details of the training at which point it became obvious it was fake.. (no I am not stupid)

[Wetekemieluth]

Just for information:

Comparison websites are owned by insurance companies and will give poor results for any company not "under the umbrella" of their specific group of companies. You're better off doing the leg work and going to each company direct.

Example last time I renewed:

Confused.com E-Sure Quote: £600
E-Sure Direct Quote: £350

I asked E-Sure why the difference and their rep said "Yeah, Confused are owned by Admiral, so they don't quote properly for anyone who doesn't belong to their group".

Confused.com owned by Admiral. Yes, that Admiral. They also own elephant.co.uk, Bell Direct and Diamond, the womens car insurance specialist.

GoCompare are "independent" but have received a £30m loan from esure. If they can't pay esure back in cash, esure become a major shareholder. That's according to the Insurance Times.

Compare the Market is owned by Budget. This one is a bit naughty, as all of the brands quoted are Budget group companies - but they don't make that obvious. They also own Dial Direct, "Local Broker", ibuyeco, Quote Mart, and Junction who run the insurance arms of the Post Office, Marks and Spencer, Debenhams, Bradford & Bingley, Homebase and yesinsurance.com.

MoneySupermarket have just floated (in what was described as an "unfortunate" stock market debut, they failed to raise as much cash as had been hoped for, partly due to a recent Google penalty for link spamming which saw their web traffic shrink alarmingly!). As such they are independent.

So much for the main price comparison sites, what about some of the other big insurance brands?

HBOS Group owns Halifax Insurance, esure, Sheilas Wheels and First Alternative.
Royal & SunAlliance owns More Than
GroupAMA owns Carole Nash, Choice Quote, Bollington & Lark
AXA owns Swiftcover and has a share in Venture Preference. It also offers quotes as Lloyds TSB Insurance and insurance.co.uk
AON owns Firebond & Footman James
MMA owns Swinton, its4me & bullseye
Zurich owns Endsleigh
Fortis owns RIAS
Kwik-Fit Insurance Services owns Express Insurance
BDML Connect owns Lancaster
Fresh Insurance owns Ladybird and First Insurance
IAG owns Hastings Direct, People's Choice, Advantage, Open & Direct and Equity

RBS Group - the Royal Bank of Scotland Group includes our old friends Direct Line, plus Churchill, Privilege, NIG as well as insurance sold branded as Tesco Insurance, Natwest, Virgin Money, MBNA, BMW Insurance, MINI Insurance, Mint, Egg, Nationwide, Age Concern, Vauxhall Insurance and several others!

[neguoogleX]

Just for information:

Comparison websites are owned by insurance companies and will give poor results for any company not "under the umbrella" of their specific group of companies. You're better off doing the leg work and going to each company direct.

Example last time I renewed:

Confused.com E-Sure Quote: £600
E-Sure Direct Quote: £350

I asked E-Sure why the difference and their rep said "Yeah, Confused are owned by Admiral, so they don't quote properly for anyone who doesn't belong to their group".

Explains why Admiral came out cheapest when I renewed then, but weirdly they were cheapest on Confused.com AND GoCompare.

[DeronBoltonRen]

Change company every year and use Quidco