[MovedGoalPosts]

So last night I get a phone call to my mobile. Claims to be on behalf of Virgin Media and clearly from overseas. "I have an offer for you on your TV service"

They then want to take me through security, and want two letters from my password.

Now call me paranoid, but, this is a cold call. They have called me, I don't actually know it is Virgin Media, they just claim it is.

I could give out these two password letters. And I know that by itself isn't a problem. But in a couple of weeks when I've forgotten about this, somebody else calls, and again I give out two different letters. Doesn't take too much for people to start to be able to predict my password.

Now if I use that or similar passwords elsewhere (I'm trying to avoid this, but to be honest there are now so many places that we use passwords that inevitably a pattern forms), things get more vulnerable.

So Virgin Media, if you want to make me an offer that is too good to refuse, perhaps, if you must cold call (by the way I thought I was opted out of such stuff). Just describe the offer. If I want it I can call back on a number that I recognise, and then I'll be happy to do your security.

Oh and by the way, I deal with all companies the same way, especially credit card when I get called to apparently check an unexpected transaction.