More spam/scam emails

[Dave2002]

Just noticed I have a dodgy looking email in my Spam/Junk folder.

Seems others have had these too - https://www.which.co.uk/news/article...e-aAagk1z9ZZPm

Raises the question though, what would happen if there were a real problem with TV licence renewal? Is the "I had an email, but 'knew' it was fake" a defence?

[Serial_Apologist]

Blimey Dave! Thanks for the warning. My latest scam was not from TVlicensing, but purported to come from Lloyds, my bank. The usual stuff about needing to check as there appeared to have been someone trying to get into my account. It managed to look authentic - even stated the last three digits from my current account number (where would they get that?) The odd thing was that halfway down the page the font suddenly changed to something similar but slightly bigger with "reassuring" words to the effect that my bank would never try and get in touch online with requests to give my details! I just diverted the thing into my cancelled bucket and will probably have another look at it with thoughts as to whether to report it - it did look like one I had a couple of years ago which I took down to the then still open local branch for checking and was told it was certainly a fake which they said they would report, and that was the last I heard of it. Subsequent checking of my actual accounts showed no interference. But it does show just how careful one has to be.

[Petrushka]

I get remarkably few scam emails these days - they'll be back, I'm sure - and nearly all of them are to do with casino betting. I've never done any betting online so din't know why I keep getting them. I've not seen a TV licence scam for a long time but I pay mine by direct debit and leave it at that so any emails are easily batted away.

Another one to beware of are those emails that purport to come from someone you know with a silly message such as 'you must see this' and a link to a video. They are unsettling at first but are easiiy batted away now. On one occasion, I got one of these fake emails from someone who died over 10 years ago!

[oddoneout]

Blimey Dave! Thanks for the warning. My latest scam was not from TVlicensing, but purported to come from Lloyds, my bank. The usual stuff about needing to check as there appeared to have been someone trying to get into my account. It managed to look authentic - even stated the last three digits from my current account number (where would they get that?) The odd thing was that halfway down the page the font suddenly changed to something similar but slightly bigger with "reassuring" words to the effect that my bank would never try and get in touch online with requests to give my details! I just diverted the thing into my cancelled bucket and will probably have another look at it with thoughts as to whether to report it - it did look like one I had a couple of years ago which I took down to the then still open local branch for checking and was told it was certainly a fake which they said they would report, and that was the last I heard of it. Subsequent checking of my actual accounts showed no interference. But it does show just how careful one has to be.

Sounds like a phishing attempt, so I'd be inclined to report it although I don't know how much notice institutions take of such reports. As far as response to such missives goes I think it boils down to "if in doubt, don't" - you noted the change in font and the apparent contradictory message which sowed doubt.

[ahinton]

even stated the last three digits from my current account number (where would they get that?)

This is a question that I asked myself following a scam phone call - admittedly not an email, so not quite on-topic - purporting to be from my bank a couple of years ago.

I began by taking the caller's name and stating that I was very busy but would call back shortly. I did so several minutes later from a different number, using the number that I ususally do when calling my bank and got straight through to the same person. One of her questions related to my passport whose number is one of my bank's agreed security questions; I said that I would have to get the passport as I could not remember it but when returning to the call with it my suspicions were aroused so I asked the caller to tell me instead what she had - and she gave the passport number accurately.

She knew how long I'd been a customer of the bank (more than 30 years) and had ample other security information at her fingertips. She asked me to use my card machine to log in and then I got really suspicious. I said that this didn't work, to which she replied that it must be out of date. She knew when it had been issued and undertook to send out a replacement (which of course never arrived).

I then began to wonder what the purpose of the call was, as it seemed to be becoming ever less clear. At no stage did I give away any security information as she seemed already to have it somehow; she knew my NI, NHS and HMRC reference numbers, my charge and debit card numbers and I can't now recall what else.

I made an excuse and politely terminated the call. Five minutes later I received another call from someone else at my bank. I did the same and called back from another number. This time the call was genuine and it was to advise that someone had just tried to withdraw a sum of a little under £90K from my current account and, of course, the bank rejected it as fraud (not that I had that much in the account anyway). As a consequence, all of my cards had to be closed down and replaced, which caused considerable inconvenience.

It seems that the fraudulent caller had somehow managed to tie the bank's number to both my landline which she'd called and my mobile which I used to call back.

The entire experience was not a pleasant one.

[smittims]

My commiserations. Alistair. I hope eveything's Ok now.

I seem to have been fortunate in thatthe cold calls I get are more amusing than anything else: obviously from an African or Indian call centre and by poorly-trained callers who are easily wrong-footed and end the call . Neverethless I always adopt a rule of never telling them anything, only saying thimgs like 'I'd like to know more about your firm'.

I am, however, in a long-running dispute with TVLicensing, after I complained about their rude and arrogant letters which seem to have no human being checking the accuracy of their accusations. Fortunately no money is involved but they have dealt with the complaint in such amn inconsiderate way that I'm determined to teach them a lesson; so it may go to the Ombudsman.

Best wishes to all scam-receivers and stay vigilant.

[ahinton]

My commiserations. Alistair. I hope eveything's Ok now.

I seem to have been fortunate in thatthe cold calls I get are more amusing than anything else: obviously from an African or Indian call centre and by poorly-trained callers who are easily wrong-footed and end the call . Neverethless I always adopt a rule of never telling them anything, only saying thimgs like 'I'd like to know more about your firm'.

I am, however, in a long-running dispute with TVLicensing, after I complained about their rude and arrogant letters which seem to have no human being checking the accuracy of their accusations. Fortunately no money is involved but they have dealt with the complaint in such amn inconsiderate way that I'm determined to teach them a lesson; so it may go to the Ombudsman.

Best wishes to all scam-receivers and stay vigilant.

Thank you. Yes, all was fine after my new cards were received and I'd been through the accounts to change all the details on regular mandated payments, which was by far the most inconvenient part of the entire process.

Yes, as Cole Porter's song advises, "never give anything away"! Sorry to heave about NTVLRO; yes, do open a case with the Ombudsman - they seem to deserve it...

[Cockney Sparrow]

I've used the same joint account for decades.
Regardless of the bother, I am considering changing bank if my present one won't allocate a different account number.

I know a data protection compliance chief exec. who tells me the latest hacks are massive - they have garnered individuals data from a transfer site - to transfer information to for example, payment process, employee benefit sub-contractors/specialists. This will be for payroll and pensions etc. The transfer site was regarded as secure.

I'll also look at credit reference monitoring in an ongoing basis as identity theft will be a risk. Self protection is the only realistic approach, I feel.

Reporting to the police (or action fraud etc ) is public spirited - they collect that data and can choose the most egregious (or possible to get a result from) to pursue.

[Bryn]

I get remarkably few scam emails these days - they'll be back, I'm sure - and nearly all of them are to do with casino betting. I've never done any betting online so din't know why I keep getting them. I've not seen a TV licence scam for a long time but I pay mine by direct debit and leave it at that so any emails are easily batted away.

Another one to beware of are those emails that purport to come from someone you know with a silly message such as 'you must see this' and a link to a video. They are unsettling at first but are easiiy batted away now. On one occasion, I got one of these fake emails from someone who died over 10 years ago!

Ha, ha. Has yet another tv licence scam email today. As previously, it came from French source. On this occasion: szokejekuw(at)outlook(DOT)fr (I'm not blaming anyone here ). Interestingly, they use "tvlicence" in the header but "tvlicense" in the body text. Duly deleted.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I've used the same joint account for decades.
Regardless of the bother, I am considering changing bank if my present one won't allocate a different account number.

I know a data protection compliance chief exec. who tells me the latest hacks are massive - they have garnered individuals data from a transfer site - to transfer information to for example, payment process, employee benefit sub-contractors/specialists. This will be for payroll and pensions etc. The transfer site was regarded as secure.

I'll also look at credit reference monitoring in an ongoing basis as identity theft will be a risk. Self protection is the only realistic approach, I feel.

Reporting to the police (or action fraud etc ) is public spirited - they collect that data and can choose the most egregious (or possible to get a result from) to pursue.

Yep I’m one of them even though I left the relevant employers 9 years ago. They have full name , staff no , bank details, NI no, date of birth and start / end employment and first line of address . Probably only enough to attempt to take out a loan or claim benefits in my name I’m told . We’ve all been offered free Experian identity plus for a year to protect our credit record. The BBC element must alone run into tens of thousands of people , ditto British Airways.

[Pulcinella]

Yep I’m one of them even though I left the relevant employers 9 years ago. They have full name , staff no , bank details, NI no, date of birth and start / end employment and first line of address . Probably only enough to attempt to take out a loan or claim benefits in my name I’m told . We’ve all been offered free Experian identity plus for a year to protect our credit record. The BBC element must alone run into tens of thousands of people , ditto British Airways.

This has featured in another thread. USS has given us a year's Experian membership as a consequence.

[muzzer]

On a related point my ipad throws up numerous security tips saying ‘this password has appeared in a data leak, please change it now’ messages. Short of checking every site supposedly affected, should i just take its word for it and change all these passwords?

[Ein Heldenleben]

This has featured in another thread. USS has given us a year's Experian membership as a consequence.

With the Beeb it was the main employees payroll that got hacked.

[Dave2002]

This has featured in another thread. USS has given us a year's Experian membership as a consequence.

I think I have also been possibly exposed to the same threats, though whether that has really affected me I can't say, right now. Maybe I need to check further - yet more unwanted things to chase up!

[alywin]

On a related point my ipad throws up numerous security tips saying ‘this password has appeared in a data leak, please change it now’ messages. Short of checking every site supposedly affected, should i just take its word for it and change all these passwords?

Can't you check for compromised email addresses at HaveIbeenpwned instead? That would surely be quicker.