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Fancy a beer? For a limited time, Virgin Media is covering the cost of two free drinks – alcoholic or non-alcoholic – in pubs across the country. The campaign is designed to spark conversations between friends about scams and how you can protect yourself from online fraud.
Don't worry – you don't need to be a Virgin Media customer to claim the free drink. The broadband firm has brewed its own beer, dubbed Crafty Lager 7726, specifically for the campaign, which is being spearheaded by Eastenders star and documentary filmmaker Ross Kemp.
The label on the Crafty Lager 7726 can is packed with advice on how to report spam callers and dodgy text messages, as well as some of the most common mistakes that leave customers open to fraud. The "7726" in the brand name refers to the industry-wide number to report scam texts and calls.
If you're looking for an easy way to remember that number (especially after a few free lagers), "7726" spells out "SPAM" on an alpha-numeric keypad.
There are two free cans of Crafty Lager 7726 available in select pubs across the country, but the giveaway ends on November 30, 2023
VIRGIN MEDIA O2 PRESS OFFICE
Over £1.2billion was stolen by criminals in fraud cases last year, according to the latest statistics from UK Finance. Remote purchases – where criminals use stolen credit or debit cards to buy items online or over the phone – is the single biggest category of losses, standing at an eye-watering £395.7 million.
Virgin Media hopes that its boozy giveaway will help customers learn to spot the signs of fraud to better protect themselves from future scams. Research conducted by Virgin Media found that fraud victims lost £393 on average.
More than two in five people (41%) know someone who has fallen for a scam, the data revealed.
To claim a free beer, ask for a "Crafty Lager 7726" at the bar at one of the participating pubs. You'll need to be quick as the promotion is only available until November 30, 2023.
The participating pubs include:
Commenting on why he decided to join the campaign, Ross Kemp said: “I’ve teamed up with Virgin Media O2 in the fight against scammers to launch Crafty Lager 7726 and help put fraud top of the agenda when catching up with mates or family for a drink. With these fraudsters continually adapting their tactics, it’s important to keep your guard up.
"If you receive a call or a text unexpectedly, offering a deal too good to be true and asking for a security code, don't share it; just hang up – it's almost certainly a scam. The more we talk about fraud the better we become at spotting the signs. So, whether it’s a beer or a brew, whatever your choice of beverage, why not take the chance to have a chat over a drink and break the taboo."
Reporting scam texts and calls to the 7726 hotline helps Virgin Media and other telecoms to both block the mobile numbers used by fraudsters. This means similar scams can be shut down faster in future. So far this year, Virgin Media O2 has blocked more than 78 million texts, the company has confirmed.
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Virgin Media merged with mobile network O2 back in June 2021 as part of a mammoth £31 billion deal. Earlier this year, Virgin Media started to move its pay monthly customers over to O2 – keeping their mobile number and billing date identical. You can no longer buy pay monthly contracts or SIM-only deals under the "Virgin Media" brand, with everything sold under the O2 banner.
No matter which mobile network you're using, you can claim two cans of free lager from the pubs listed above. You'll also be able to report spam text messages and calls to 7726 from any network.
Rob Orr, chief operations officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “Fraud is now a national epidemic and, with thousands of people falling victim every single day, we are committed to doing all we can to help the UK swerve the scammers.
"Awareness of common scams and tactics can help consumers fight the phoneys, so we are arming Brits with the tips and tools they need to protect themselves. That’s why we’re proud to launch Crafty Lager 7726; which puts top tips on staying safe into consumers’ hands, kickstarting a national conversation."
