Don’t hang up on C5’s cold callers
IF you weren’t scared of dodgy phone calls before, you certainly were after watching Channel 5’s gripping four-parter Cold Call.
I’m never answering an unknown number again.
Cold calls used to be an occasional nuisance we moaned about. “Oh someone’s trying to sell us double glazing love, get rid of them.” Now it’s more sinister.
In the thriller, ex-corrie star Sally Lindsay plays June Clarke, a carer in desperate need of cash to support her pregnant daughter. After losing her job, she decides to sell the house.
But in an astonishing scene in the first 10 minutes, June is scammed out of £83,000. I was hooked, watching both sides of the call with my mouth open, because we all know this really happens.
Phone banking scammer Aubrey, played by Dan Skinner, put on a masterclass in deceit. And he taught colleagues tricks of the trade: use friendly accents, from the North-east or Wales, notice the details, is she distracted, a people pleaser?
He told her she had to act fast, that he was doing her a favour. It was terrifying how easy it was.
We’ve all been flummoxed by people who call from the bank or HMRC.
The endless security questions: mother’s maiden name, first pet, favourite colour, school, street, pub, what you had for breakfast on Tuesday. It’s enough to baffle even the savviest. It’s a brilliant premise and the mini-series just got more tense and outrageous.
At a scamming support group, June bumps into old pal Des, played by Dan Ryan, who has spent years super sleuthing to catch out scammers. It was great to see the Mount Pleasant couple back together. They have brilliant on-screen chemistry.
The script was pacy and the action kept moving, from discovering con artist Kirk
Wiley, played by Paul Higgins, to June working for him and picking up clues.
Next thing we know, June murders Aubrey with a lethal injection and kidnaps Wiley’s ailing mum.
Well that escalated quickly.
The whole sorry saga ends with the head honcho floating dead in a swimming pool, while a rainbow unicorn dinghy lurked ominously in the background.
Des doesn’t fare too well but June gets £100,000 and books herself a first class ticket to Barbados.
With viewers flocking to social media to discuss cold calling dangers, this drama has done us all a favour.
I wonder what other public service TV shows we could have?
A comedy on how to put your bins out? A thriller on how to apply for PPI? Anyone want to write a drama telling us the ending of Brexit?
All life’s lessons through the power of television, I’m totally here for it.
SAVE Well, Spend
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Better on C4 was
live on family finance therapy
money woes telly. People with
and confessed took a deep breath
red to oblivious they were in the
and friends. It partners, relatives
but showed was heartbreaking
can stop that asking for help
in debt. people drowning
but They say talk is cheap,
I’d say it’s priceless.