Forest Town & District

Scam alerts

Send me you experiences with scammers, they may help others to avoid them.
Bob, Website editor

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Now is a busy time for scammers trying to take your money, please be careful when using your devices.

Cybercriminals like to target new victims some of the methods could include Malware, Phishing, Dark Web, Deep Fake, Advanced Fee fraud to name but a few.

Scammers invent convincing and seemingly genuine reasons for requesting payment, such as to cover postage fees or taxes. Lottery, sweepstakes and competition scams, an email, letter or text message from a bank, delivery company, police, NHS and Government Departments, overseas lottery or sweepstakes company arrives from out of nowhere, the list is extensive.

Be aware, don’t open attachments unless you know who they are from.

Online shopping, classified and auction scams, scammers like shopping online for victims, not getting what you paid for is a common scam targeting online shoppers.

Asking you to ring back on the number they provide inevitably is likely to be a very expensive premium number.

Stay safe online, Malware, or “malicious software” is an umbrella term that describes any malicious program or code that is harmful to systems, hostile, intrusive, and intentionally nasty, malware seeks to invade, damage, or disable computers, computer systems, networks, tablets, and mobile devices, often by taking partial control over a device’s operations, it interferes with normal functioning.

Phishing is a cybercrime in which a target or targets are contacted by email, telephone or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and passwords, the information is then used to access accounts and can result in identity theft and financial loss.

Don’t give out your personal details like your Bank Card Number, Pin Number, Passwords, your Banks Name, Mobile Number etc.

If someone phones you and you’re not sure put the phone down and contact the company/bank directly.

Have Strong Passwords, use 2FA (two-factor authentication) usually a text to your mobile with a unique code.

Report scams to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre.

Or click on this link: Action fraud

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I had a phone call from a person claiming to be a DCI at Scotland yard police station, he gave me his name, ID number and a crime number, he told me to write down these details, he went on to say they had arrested a young man in London claiming to be a relative of mine and lived at my address, this young man had several bank cards in his possession one of which was in my name and he had used the bank cards to make several purchases in London this morning amounting to £8,500, (this is where you start to panic), this DCI then told me to check his credentials, he said, "I will ring off now and transfer you to a secure police help line, don't put your phone down, dial 191 straight away give the person the details I have given you and they will verify my ID, I will ring you back in about ten minutes when you have verified my details", I tapped in 191 and a woman's voice answered straightaway, I gave her the details from the DCI, she said wait a few minutes and I will check, she came back on the line and said the ID and crime number details checked OK and I put the phone down.

The DCI rang back shortly afterwards and asked if the details checked, I said yes, he then said, "I will ring off again and transfer you to a secure bank help line, don't put your phone down just dial 0300 0800 straight away".

This where I stopped, put my phone down and decided to check my account online and ring my bank helpline using the number on my card, they verified that there had been no transactions on my card this day and it was a scam, the feeling of relief was enormous.

Thinking about it afterwards there are questions I could have asked the DCI about the bank card he claimed to have in his possession, no doubt he would have had a plausible answer.

Is it possible to dial another number when your line is still open? this is when my doubts started, normally when you are transferred you hear a ringing tone.

No details about my bank card were asked for or given in these conversations, that would probably have come if I had dialled ‘0300 0800’.

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Two recent scams landing in my mailbox, one from Government Gateway claiming my direct debit payment for my road tax had been cancelled by my bank and my car was no longer taxed, I don't have a direct debit for my road tax but if you do check with your bank first before clicking on any link, the heading of the email also included a private hotmail email address and hovering my cursor over the 'Tax now at gov.uk/vehicletax' link showed that the message had come from a .me domain which is allocated to Montenegro.

The second one claimed to be from Microsoft softT
"This is to inform you starting from 31th of May 2021, We're Updating Our Terms your email messages and pdf attachments won't be delivered to the intended recipients. due to your email being outdated. follow below to verify and update your email".

MicrosoftT ?? and 31th ??
hovering my cursor over the 'login verification' link showed a URL that had nothing to do with Microsoft.

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Pensions Scams

If you have already signed something you’re now unsure about, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and contact uour Scheme administrator immediately. They may be able to stop a transfer that hasn’t taken place yet.

Be wary of cold calls and unsolicited texts or emails. Scammers will often claim they’re from Pension Wise or other Government departments. These organisations would never phone or text to offer a pension review.

Don’t be rushed into a decision. Scammers will try to pressure you with ‘time limited offers’ or send a courier to your door to wait while you sign documents. Take your time to make all the checks you need, even if this means turning down an amazing deal.

Don’t fall for ‘guaranteed’ returns. You can never guarantee returns on an investment.

Scammers may pose as financial advisers, check yours is registered in the FCAregister.
You can check the FCA’s list of known scams here: FCAscamsmart

If you have doubts ask The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) to help you, you can call them on 0300 123 1047 or visit the TPAS-website.
TPAS also have a useful tool you can use to help you identify a scam, this can be found on the TPAS website.

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Royal Mail scam - I recently received this email:

Ticket no: 2855395 Parcel no: 387012229081076

We had a unsuccessful delivery to your address, no one was found at the address or there was no safe place to leave the package.
First delivery was paid by the sender and if you want us to make a new delivery a small fee is necessary.
The process is very simple, please assure you give the correct address and phone number.

Please make a new delivery!
Regards,
MyRoyal Online

Royal Mail website has several warnings of current scams, this is one of them.

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Nottinghamshire County Council - Consumer advice and scan alerts

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Microsoft email update - Is this a scam?
Short answer: Yes - it's nothing more then a phishing email looking to get the credentials to your account.
Microsoft will never send out an email telling you it is going to shutdown your account and by what date it would happen.

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Royal Mail text message scam
Hackers are infecting Android phones by sending text messages that claim Royal Mail tried but failed to deliver a package to your house.
The message tells you to click a link to download what looks like Royal Mail’s app, but it actually installs the FakeSpy malware on your phone.
This shows two messages — one asking for permission to intercept and read every SMS text message you receive, and the other to ignore battery optimisation features, allowing it to work while the screen is off and the phone locked. It appears to be legitimate because it sends you to the official Royal Mail website.
Once you’ve given these permissions, it steals data from your device, including messages, phone numbers, and details from banking apps. It also sends itself to devices owned by people on your contacts list

Royal Mail will only contact you when a business has paid it to deliver items through Royal Mail Tracked or Royal Mail Special Delivery, or when a member of the public sends a trackable item using ‘Click 8: Drop’.
If the postman fails to deliver a package to you he will pop a card, giving the reason, through your letterbox, but not send you a message, visit Royal Mail’s site for a current list of scams to avoid.

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The 'scammers' are busy as usual, recent ones are from HMRC for a tax refund, HMRC don't get in touch with you in this way.
I am warned my netflix account is suspended, I don't have a netflix account but it is a worry if you do have an account with the supposed sender of the email, if in doubt log in to your account on their official site to see if it is a genuine request.

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Microsoft Updates to our terms of use email

This is a genuine email, the links for the Microsoft Services Agreement, Microsoft Privacy and FAQ take you to a genuine Microsoft site.

The email is for information only and doesn't ask you for your Microsoft account details, the only requirement is that you read the terms and decide on the following question:

Microsoft Services Agreement

How do I accept these terms?

By using or accessing our products or services on or after 30 August 2019, you are agreeing to the updated Microsoft Services Agreement. If you do not agree, you can choose to discontinue using the products and services, and close your Microsoft account before 30 August 2019.

No doubt scammers will take advantage of these changes and send out emails that ask you to click on a link and update your Microsoft account, this will be a scam.

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Follow this link: Take 5 -To stop fraud (taken from the National U3A newsletter for March 2019), there is also a link to the U3A National newsletter archives on the General news page.

I have had an email from Amazon telling saying my recent order couldn't be processed and to click on a link to confirm the order, the link wasn't to the Amazon website, if in doubt and you do have an account with Amazon log in to your account in the usual way and check your orders there.
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Read about the 'phishing' scam on the BT phishing page.

The TV licence scam continues, my TV licence has expired (again), the latest one demands £17.... £17 ???.... seems reasonable.

A new twist on the TV licencing scam, they now tell me that the direct debit I made for TV licencing (which I didn't) failed and will I please try again, if the free TV licence for over 75's ceases in 2020 I can see this type of scam escalating.

HMRC scams continue to come and as it is nearing the end of the financial year we can expect reminders, demands and, if you are lucky, even a rebate from HMRC which makes these scams seem genuine, remember that HMRC will never contact you by email, only by letter, or, by telephone following a letter.

Advice from Gareth Lloyd, head of digital security at HMRC: "HMRC never contacts customers who are due a tax refund via email - we always send a letter through the post. If you receive an email claiming to be from HMRC which offers a tax rebate, please forward it to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and then delete it permanently."

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Phishing, smishing, vishing, what's that all about? the RBS exposes all types of banking scams on this site: Banking Scams

Scams, hoaxes, by email and ‘phone, are getting more frequent and sophisticated every day,
I have had two emails claiming there is a problem with my TV licence direct debit and the licence will be revoked if I don’t set up a new direct debit account, sorry hoaxer, I have a free TV licence, but it can be worrying if you do pay for your TV licence.

Several times I have had an automated ‘phone call purportedly from my internet service provider saying there is a problem with my broadband connection and to press ‘1’ to speak to an engineer, this one will re-direct YOUR ‘phone to an expensive call number and you wait in silence while your ‘phone bill mounts up.

I think we are all aware of the Microsoft windows problem ‘phone calls.

I am accused of watching porn on my laptop, evidence of which they have recorded via my laptop camera and the evidence will be forwarded to the appropriate authority if I don’t pay up.

There are warrants out for my arrest for not paying my tax bill unless I click on a link and pay a certain amount, why don’t they just arrest me instead of warning me and giving me a chance to skip the country? The reverse of this fraud is that you are owed a refund and to claim it by clicking on a link, no doubt to get your bank details and wipe out your account.

All scams aimed at getting your personal details and passwords.

HMRC and Banks don’t operate in this way or ask you for details on the 'phone or by email, HMRC will ‘phone you about a problem but only after a letter has been sent to you. Microsoft Windows users can hover their cursor over a link without clicking on it and a window will pop up showing the true address of the website you are being re-directed to, does it look anything like the website it is supposedly from?

If in doubt do nowt as we say up here in the frozen North, (my friends dahn Sarf really believe that) check with your Bank, ISP, HMRC or other firms via their official ‘phone number or website.

17/11/18 update: I have just read about a new 'Name Check' Security.
A new system to check the name of people you're sending money to will begin next Summer,in a bid to reduce fraud. Currently, when you make a payment online, only the account number and sort code are verified, not the recipient's name. Under the new 'Confirmation of payee' service banks will have to check that the name you enter matches that on the recipient's account. I thought they already did that.

Three useful publications from the Metropolitan Police that could help you to be safe online:

Little Book of Big Scams.
The latest edition of a booklet published by the Metropolitan Police about how to protect yourself against conmen/women in all their various guises and what to do if you find you have been scammed. Click the following link to open - Little Book of Big Scams

FALCON -Fraud And Linked Crime ONline.
A new booklet from the Metropolitan Police abut Cybercrime,
Click the following link to open - Little Book Of Cyberscams

A new leaflet from the Metropolitan Police on how to protect yourself online, click this link: Little Leaflet of Cyber Mistakes to read the leaflet.

You can check if a firm is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority on its register at: fca.org.uk/register

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