Real or Scam

[Cessford]

I received a telephone call June 25/24 around 5:10 p.m. from a male identifying himself as Johnson at 778-652-6776. He said he was from the Telus Loyalty Department and offered a 40 percent discount on our monthly mobility bill for one year. He asked for our last monthly bill amount. I did not give it to him. We asked for his name and phone number, which he provided and I listed above. I suspect this is a scam. Please advise.

Sheila

[Nighthawk · Accepted solution]

It's a scam. If it was the Loyalty department, which isn't even the real name of it, they have full access to your account. Also Loyalty doesn't cold call people offering new plans.

The 778-652 NXX is also controlled by Iristel. That's a VoIP telecom provider that owned the NXXs that overseas scammers have used recently pretending to be Telus and various other Canadian companies. This is not the first Iristel NXX that has popped up here in the last week. Another was used as part of a fake job offer scam by overseas scammers.

[Nighthawk · Accepted solution]

It's a scam. If it was the Loyalty department, which isn't even the real name of it, they have full access to your account. Also Loyalty doesn't cold call people offering new plans.

The 778-652 NXX is also controlled by Iristel. That's a VoIP telecom provider that owned the NXXs that overseas scammers have used recently pretending to be Telus and various other Canadian companies. This is not the first Iristel NXX that has popped up here in the last week. Another was used as part of a fake job offer scam by overseas scammers.

[awmack]

We had the same type of call 2 weeks ago (September 6, 2024).  Call Display said it was from 780-900-3822.  They started by asking if we were happy with our Telus service.  When I mentioned there was a problem on our last bill, they offered a better deal.  They appeared to know how much we were paying.  When I agreed to the reduced price, they wanted information to be sure they were talking to the right person.  I ended up giving birthdates, but when they asked for a driver's license number, I balked.  They said they would send an email so I would know it was from Telus.  I thought it was strange that they didn't know our email address because it is a Telus email address.  I had to spell it to them twice (even the telus.net part).  When I said they should know our email address, they said this was a different department.  "This is the loyalty department.  The billing department has that information, but not the loyalty department.   They are different."

They wanted me to open the email while they were on the phone.  I said it wasn't a convenient time so they said they would call back after I had read the email.  About 1/2 hour later I opened the email, which was from this email address:  [email protected].   The message had the Telus logo at the top and graphics that looked very much like it was legitimate.  The offer wasn't what they had quoted me.  I phoned the number that was listed in the email to call if you have questions (888-414-4223).  After a weird conversation with obviously a different person, they hung up.  Another 1/2 hour later the first people phoned me back.  They then sent another email with the right quote.  When I started to fill out the form linked in the email, I saw that it asked for a driver's license number and a credit card number.  I hung up on them, then they called back to ask why I hung up. 

I have since heard of 3 or 4 local friends who received similar calls.  We have assumed it is a scam.  The email looks very much like it was from Telus.  These are good scammers.  Don't fall for it!!

[Nighthawk]

It's 100% a scam.

• 780-900 is often associated with a landline in a small town. Telus definitely would not be using that one.
• Loyalty at Telus has full access to the same account info that Sales does.
• The email address was not a Telus one. telus-loyalty. com is owned by a third party. It was first registered in November 2023 though Sqaurespace.
• Any email from Telus will have @Anonymous.com. 
• 888-414-4223 isn't a Telus toll free number.

[walternaz]

Thank you for this information. I also received a promotional offer from the same email [email protected] with the same toll-free number 888-414-4223. I have taken the time to contact a Telus team member and they could not verify the toll-free number or the email. A key thing to look out for is the combined home services and mobility promotions. In my experience, these two departments function independently of each other. 

[Nighthawk]

Additionally, any email from Telus will end in @Anonymous.com. Anything else is a scam.

[Snoopy123]

I have just received a call for offering discount and the person Ben Walker telephone number 604-529-4699 email from 

[email protected] sending email looks like promotion.  He asked to provide the connection fee of $60 via a form then i will get the contract by post.  I asked why email address not ending @Anonymous.com.  He then looks not comfortable and asking me to complete the form and pay first. Thank you for you all putting this chat so i know it’s scam. I didn’t complete the form and request to see the contract by mail first.  He then hang up.

[TELUS_Support · Accepted solution]

Thank you for sharing your experience. We're glad you caught the warning signs. TELUS representatives will always use official @Anonymous.com email addresses, and we would never ask for payment through a form before sending a contract.