Spam email

[Stanley]

[Big Kev]

Not an email, this is a text message

Screenshot_20211013-191837_Facebook.jpg

[Stanley]

I don't know what nasties that would unleash but I suspect a lot of people would hit the link.
What a world we live in......

[Stanley]

I have received an email stating "Visa credit cards will not be accepted, starting 19 Jan, 2022".
It purports to come from Amazon.co.uk <amazon-offers@amazon.co.uk> and invites me to open a page at a web address that looks like Amazon.
What do you think the chances are of this being spam? Needless to say I haven't opened the page and have deleted the email.

[Wendyf]

It's true Stanley, definitely happening. Visa debit cards and Mastercard credit cards will be OK.

[Stanley]

Thanks Wendy. How strange. Any idea why that is?

[Big Kev]

It's to do with fees, interestingly my Natwest debit card is changing from Visa to Mastercard which is probably for the same reason.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59306200

[Stanley]

Hmmmm.. Thanks for that Kev.

[Stanley]

Latest I have heard is that this is an ongoing negotiation and Visa are quite likely to lower the commission, they want the business. Watch this space.....

[Tripps]

Hello this is Christian / Krishna? from Open Reach . We need to tell you that someone has got into your computer who should not be there. We would like to help you. How many computers do you have?

Eleven.

Do you use Apple or Windows?

I'm not sure - is it important?

Which browser do you use?

I've no idea - I just type with the keyboard and stuff happens. It's a lot of fun.

Are you sitting in front of your computer now?

Yes - I rarely leave it.

How do you use your computer?

Oh - I just press the keys and stuff, and sometimes I use a little gadget called a mouse.

Can you type 'Anydesk' into the top line - then we will be able to find out who is on your computer that should not be?

Oh I see - do you mean people such as yourself?

He hung up on me - I'll never know who the cheeky rascals are. . . .

[Stanley]

Only one point to make David just in case anyone reads this and isn't on irony alert, they aren't cheeky devils, they are vicious scum who want to steal all your money.

[Tizer]

Perhaps it really was Open Reach and they've realised they can make more money that way than in telecoms!

[Tizer]

This post isn't about spam email but it's related to online security...
Today our post included a letter purporting to be from a local neighbour saying that "our neighbourhood is now using a free app called Nextdoor [followed by the name of our housing estate] and you should join us". It's supposed to be a local online forum for neighbours to help each other and keep in contact, to find local services, local information etc. The letter gives a code to allow me to join the local group. I had a look at the web site and it seems all genuine and already operates in several countries worldwide. To see anything much more than their home page you have to join the `platform' and this requires your genuine name and address etc. I didn't see anything about security so dug around and found their Privacy Policy. I've linked the page here - don't try to read it all or you'll lose an hour or so! Nextdoor Privacy Policy What struck me is that essentially they're saying they can grab every bit of what you put on the site and use it as they like. I doubt that many of the people who have signed up will have even looked for the Privacy Policy, never mind read it. I know that other platforms do the same sort of thing but this one takes advantage of the word neighbourhood to put themselves over as local, safe and honest.

[Big Kev]

Local neighbourhood watch tried to get me to sign up to it, I started reading the t&cs got bored after 20 minutes and politely declined.

[Stanley]

I think you are both wise to decline Nextdoor. I have come across some comments on it and the gist is as Peter says... They are using the desire for security in other words playing on fear, not out of concern for you but as a way of harvesting data. This is why I automatically decline all invitations to complete surveys or rate a service or purchase. Like loyalty cards, they are all data gathering exercises.

[plaques]

All this spam e-mail stuff now casts doubt on what services that may be a genuine desire to help. A snail mail from Electricity North West offering to enter people on the Priority Services Register ie: they will send a notification text of any future shut downs and / or current switch offs. Sounds reassuring but do you really want some unknown data base to identify yourself as possibly 'vulnerable'? I will respectfully decline.

[Tizer]

Plaques, we did sign up to the priority list (on the basis of our age) with EDF because they will then give us priority if we need help in power cuts or trouble with our supply. The only extra bit of information they got was that we were above a certain age.

Kev, don't remind me of Neighbourhood Watch! We joined when we moved to the village in the late 1990s and because we were running a business and had good internet, fax and phone connections I got the job of acting like a communications hub between the Watch and the police. I soon opted out of it - the police wouldn't give me information about incidents in our local area when it was needed (sorry guv, we can't give out that sort of information). It came to a head when there was an armed robbery at another village's post office. People heard about it through gossip and were expecting me to know more but the police wouldn't tell me anything, even though we had a post office run by an elderly postmistress. The police lady I was expected to communicate with was what I'd now call a `Priti Patel'!

[Stanley]

Ken, I too am on the energy company's priority list. I think it's a good thing because if you need urgent service you are prioritised.

[Big Kev]

SCAM OF THE WEEK:
Netflix Scam Double Feature
Netflix is both the world’s largest streaming platform and one of the most impersonated brands among cybercriminals. There have been many Netflix-themed scams over the years, but most of these scams target one of two groups: current Netflix subscribers or potential Netflix subscribers.

To target current Netflix subscribers, cybercriminals send phony email notifications claiming there is a problem with your billing information. To target potential Netflix subscribers, cybercriminals send emails that advertise a deal for new accounts. Both phishing emails include links that lead to Netflix look-alike webpages where you’re asked to provide your personal and payment information. Any information you enter on these fake webpages is delivered straight to the cybercriminals. 

Remember the tips below to stay safe from streaming scams:
Never click on a link within an email that you weren’t expecting, even if the email appears to come from a company or service you recognize.
These types of scams aren’t limited to Netflix. Cybercriminals also spoof other streaming services, such as Disney+ and Spotify. Remember that if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. 
If you receive an unexpected notification, open your browser and navigate to the platform’s website. Then, you can log in to your account knowing that you’re on the platform’s real website and not a phony look-alike website.

[Stanley]

I've had one of those mails and never even opened it as I am not connected in any way with any streaming service like Netflix or the others. I just deleted it. If I want to contact them, I will make the decision. Not a bad rule to follow.

[Big Kev]

My gmail filter picked up a dodgy email allegedly from Royal Mail regarding my 'track and trace' parcel. There are a couple of links in it, one to view the email in my browser (https://shoutout.wix.com) and the sender address is spoofed to look like it's from Royal Mail but is actually from a googlemail.com address.
I won't put a screenshot on here due to current available space but be aware, track and trace don't send stuff out to you...

[Stanley]

Noted.

[PanBiker]

I have had a couple of dodgy emails over the last couple of days. First one supposedly from Netflix warning me to renew my subscription, I don't have a subscription!

Second one today supposedly from McAfee, again for renewal of my non existent subscription to their anti-virus software. Dire warnings with the latter that my PC and phone will almost certainly be plagued with all manner of nasties if I don't renew.

Right, both in the junk folder and spoof emails added to the blocked list. Won't stop them of course as these are all auto generated including the rafts of spoof email addresses they use to con the unwary.

[Tizer]

There I was this morning doing some web searches in Google to follow up on something about climate change on the BBC site when I clicked an authentic looking link in the Google entries and got this page shown below. A bit more searching suggests it's a scam. That's confirmed by the web address of the page not having `google' in it and being `www.worldwidecongratsfreegiveaway' followed by an extremely long stream of gobbledegook. As you will guess, I haven't clicked on anything on the page. I expect it will lead to them wanting my details etc and access to my bank account or something similar! But I bet a lot of people out there won't be able to resist it.

[Stanley]

There's a site called PC risk that offers a free scan to find out if you are infected. How does anyone know if that is genuine or not.
I still believe that the only safe way is to ignore all instructions to click on any links unless they are ones chosen by you because you know they are genuine. (Like OG or your email!)