Yet another scam

[DellParticipant @dell]

Yet another scam or should that be scum, I received a text this morning supposedly from DWP saying I hadn’t applied for my winter fuel payment & I needed to apply by 12th July please click this link, well DWP wouldn’t send out text & I would never click on a link the text came from no name no number just a few random letters & numbers & lastly anyone receiving less than £35K would receive it.

Dell

[Dell]

On 12 July 2025 at 09:33 Dell Said:

Yet another scam or should that be scum, I received a text this morning supposedly from DWP saying I hadn’t applied for my winter fuel payment & I needed to apply by 12th July please click this link, well DWP wouldn’t send out text & I would never click on a link the text came from no name no number just a few random letters & numbers & lastly anyone receiving less than £35K would receive it.

Dell

I’m sure it won’t be long before the scammers make the senders e-mail address look vaguely genuine!

[Mike HurleyParticipant @mikehurley60381]

I know there has been some comments in the past about add-on commercial virus programs and wether they are necessary/ effective.

Just been having a quick browse in Google on my Android phone, and get a screen pop-up purporting to be from Google and to be fair it looked very convincing – I’m naturally suspicious, but it seemed so ‘proper’ I went along. Supposedly this was part of the Google reward program, and I was the n billionth visitor I could claim a modest prize. There didn’t appear any of the usual signs that may be a give away .

I wasn’t going to be trapped & enter my ‘contact details ‘ to be fair, but to I must stress how VERY convincing it was, and feel the less wary might get caught.

At this point, Norton AV posted a big message “dangerous website detected” with plenty of dire consequences! + A get out option! Just nice to know these things work well (usual disclaimer re specific product)

Regards, Mike

 

 

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

I’ve been receiving e-posts from “@outlook.com” or “@gmail” addresses, each pretending to be from an individual whose name is different each time, written in slightly carcked English, and allegedly offering web-site design services.

No attachment, no links…..

I can’t make out what these aim to do but as a matter of course I block the sender and report them. They could be attempts to determine if my e-post address is real, shown by replying, prior to sending their malicious stuff, I suppose.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

While I understand it is not a scam our club email addresses received a message that reads very like one from ‘smenews’ about being shortlisted for ‘Southern Enterprise Awards’. apparently winners get something ” A complimentary (free) package is gifted to awardees and optional packages for a lil’ boost will also be available. ”

A few years ago the company I worked for employed someone in the personnel dept with a Chinese name and then had her send out internal surveys. Talk about shortsighted planning –  you can imagine the resulting deluge of reports to IT.

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

Believe it or not I had Mr. Patel from Microsoft call me the other day. I thought that one was well dead and buried but apparently not. There must be a new generation of idiots ready to fall for his nonsense since all of us oldies have all since wised up.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

I’m afraid gullibility and momentary lapses of awareness are part of the human condition, and fraudsters have always been ready to exploit that.

One trick some use is aggression, so if you question them they act as if you are disputing their sincerity and therefore being very rude to them.

One trick I have used is, “No you are, no it has not, and I have worked in IT security!” That frightens them off.

Respectively: not a Microsoft technician, no reports from my PC; and I had access to the company’s secure server-room / computer workshop. To remove used packing-materials.

[old foolParticipant @old-fool]

For many years I have been on the committee of a club and all committee members regularly get E-Mails from the “chairman” asking for help. First time it happened I rang him to see what’s up. The reply:- “Oh they’ve found you now”

Since then they got listed as “spam” and didn’t even appear in my in box. Till the toerag changed his address slightly. It only needs an unnoticed full stop.

My usual approach is, IT IS A SCAM unless I have proof it isn’t

 

Bob

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

I don’t know what this type does – though I still report and delete it.

Spot the three flaws – two obvious, the third a bit less so, in this one though!

(Aprt from my not knowing anyone called Kay Fabian, of course; and that such a message does not work on a PC.)

 

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

A new one on me, but have had a couple of “Your latest Invoice, click here to pay” from addresses which are not my ISP

More recently, a couple of the “landline”, “text” or “voice mail” message types (One even had “Spotify” as cc!)  “Click here to read/ hear”

Not ****** likely!

All sent to Trash and then Trash deleted.

And of course, phone calls from unknown mobile , or supposedly landline, numbers.
Once the answering machine cuts in, the line goes dead, so timewasters or spoofers!

All looking for the gullible or unwary!

Howard

[Nigel Graham 2]

On Nigel Graham 2 Said:

I don’t know what this type does – though I still report and delete it.

 

[…]

 

and that such a message does not work on a PC.)

 

 

It really doesn’t matter a jot, Nigel

The text of that eMail is simply something [anything] designed to arouse sufficient curiosity for the  recipient to click the link.

You are doing the right thing by reporting and deleting it, but someone, somewhere, will wonder what Kay Fabian’s Voice-mail contains, and take the bait.

MichaelG.
.

P.S. __ I don’t understand your closing remark.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Tenniel had it sussed in 1865

https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/alice-taking-the-drink-me-bottle-from-alice-s-adventures-in-wonderland-sir-john-tenniel.html?srsltid=AfmBOoo9dehuX0mgsUgfZj_V2YF-EJFmvuIT_EMtS2rJTUqtibUxT-2k

MichaelG.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

This morning received an E mail from Erik Fauvel, with a French E mail address, telling me that I had received a 2M donation (Didn’t say the currency) and giving me another E mail address to contact to confirm details. (Presumably my bank details!)

That got the double delete treatment!

Strangely, many years ago, worked with someone with the surname Fauvel, but he was definitely English.

Howard

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