Two new scams to look out for

HMRC will never send emails - even if you want them to!

Had these both Mishap.....and the Paypal one was almost convincing.....but yes I 'junked' it! Honestly these toe rags are so persitent. Pity they cant spend their energies on something more worthwhile!!! Rant over.

I've had the PayPal one. It's very convincing.

I've had the PayPal one as well. Easy to get caught out if you don't stay aware.

You can forward scam messages to [email protected] before deleting them, although I am sure they are aware of this one as it has been around for a while.

The best rule is to never to act on a request in an email to click on a link, to reset your account details (unless you have been to the website and e.g. asked for a password reset). Requests to click on a link from an email "out of the blue" is what alerts me to scams. The only way you should ever reset details on your account is if you do it yourself directly from a particular website.

Thanks mishap for the warning. When I acquired my laptop both my children stressed that I don't open anything other then those companies,like Amazon, that I have frequent dealings with. I never give my account details on line or on the phone when I get a cold call. I'm always surprised about how many people allow themselves to fall prey to these criminals despite the many warnings on TV - and you!

I have just had a scam e mail from Nationwide Building Society.
See my thread. Next one.

Frank

We had one from the tax people, which I knew was a spam, but what amazed me more than anything else was the fact that this quoted exactly the amount we had been due to receive (and received). We had the same message several times, each time deleted, but - where did that exact sum of money come from?

I had an email from Paypal today which imforms me that my card is about to run out and to register the new one. This information is correct but I am still not too happy about doing it. Perhaps I should log in independently to Paypal and register it that way? It all becomes a bit disconcerting as you don't know who to trust these days

Yes I have had the Pay Pal one. I am a rather suspicious type anyway and I don't open anything at all that I don't recognise as having been from someone I have had previous dealings with.

If you have one from an address or company you have never had dealings with its best to just "junk" it which, I think, should send similar stuff to your "junk box." The odd real thing goes in there but if you recognise or expect it you can just "not junk" it. That way the most of the bad stuff does get isolated from the inbox.

My Mum and FIL have both fallen foul to the scam from satellite box companies who ring and confuse the customer into thinking that the insurance on their satellite box is due to expire and can we sent up another direct debit, my Mum had 4 accounts with different companies running at the same time.

I have told both never to give any bank details out over the phone but it falls on deaf ears, especially when they think its the company they are registered with, the company fools the customer to think they are ringing from their original company.

Oh dear, glass, I've got an awful feeling DH has fallen for that one too! He can be so gullible sometimes - I've told him he shouldn't give bank details over the phone (unless he's ordering something). I thought it was odd at the time...

Hi glassortwo

I had a phone call saying the insurance was about to run out on my satelite box a few months ago.
I found it strange as I do not even have a satelite box.

Another thing I found strange about a year ago I was helping an elderly lady to move some furniture and I answered a phone call saying her laptop had some viruses in it as she was in a difficult position to get to the phone.
She did not have a laptop.

Frank

I am just about to ring one of these companies now to complain not that I think I will get very far!

Just received a phone call from someone with a strong Indian accent claiming to be from The Ministry of Justice and saying I have overpaid £1900. Told them I knew it was a scam and hung up. This is similar to a call I received yesterday and I have reported it to the Information Commissioners Office - the number they called from was 02392987558.

gally Yes, log in independently to the genuine website and change it there. It is easy enough for someone to find out when your credit card is about to run out - the date is quoted whenever you buy something online (maybe not by Paypal, but these scammers just try their luck and say they are from Paypal)

And forward the email to spoof@paypal and ask whether it is genuine - if it is not they will like to know, if it is, no harm done.

I have never been told by email by paypal when my credit card is about to expire, nor from amazon. You only find out when you try to pay something.

Yes, same here Elegran. I don't think they keep tabs on all their customers' cards and their expiry dates - it doesn't matter until you order from them, as you say.

I phoned company and got a girl in the call centre she said I needed to put it in writing to get money repaid, I felt my hackles rise and she then said of course I could email, which I have done and it has been read as I have had the read report back but not had a reply as yet, I have said I am reporting them to Trading Standards.

The Information Commissioners Office would probably like to hear about it too, glass their website is www.ico.gov.uk/complaints.aspx

Thanks elegran

I have had the Paypal one today too and also one from Europcar with an attached invoice for recent car hire that I have never had.

If you get a recorded call from 01133100149 saying that "their records show" that you are due money back from a PPI, do not press a button to ring the number they tell you, not even 9 to unsubscribe.

I had a call from them while I was typing my previous post. I looked the number up on whocallsme.com

Apparently they are a high price dial back number - so they make their money from people calling back to see what the h**l is going on, or even just calling back to unsubscribe. Oh, and they said "...as you are under 60...." which just shows they have no record of me at all.

It is worth having a call barring facility on your phone. At least you only get one call from each number.

Deleting Emails.
Some years ago I made friends with a Bulgarian girl. A year ago she got her first laptop and spent TWO HOURS with a dictionary writing an email.
When I saw the email I could see that it was a Russian name and deleted it strait away.
When we had a phone call some time later she asked me if I had received the email. I felt terrible, and had to tell her what I had done.