The children’s mum just got caught out by an email offering a NHS digital vaccination pass
there was a £1.99 charge and now the scammers have her bank details.
the email looks convincing, the email address of the sender was the only real give away and often people forget to check that.
Sorry if this has already been done
the email address of the sender was the only real give away
The email address of the sender means almost nothing, it's very easy to send emails with any from address you like.It's the links you need to check.
By 'bank details' do you mean account number and sort code (which is pretty harmless) or account login details?
It was her debit card details and address etc
they have taken about £150 out of her account in numerous small amounts.
I did not check the links just the senders address which was digital@haycaptians.com
Contact the bank right now their emergency fraud number.
They’ll also have her phone number.
Tell her to expect a call from her bank, notifying her of some unusual transactions. The phone will display the correct number of the bank. It’s not genuine, end the call, ring the bank if concerned.
Ask me how I know….
Has she been vaxxed? Just interested in the dynamics of these scams as I can't see why you would want to buy one of you had actually had your jabs.
Not interested in the debate of actually getting it done or not, rather who the scammers at targeting with this.
Has she been vaxxed? Just interested in the dynamics of these scams as I can’t see why you would want to buy one of you had actually had your jabs.
She has had both Jabs.
Just interested in the dynamics of these scams as I can’t see why you would want to buy one of you had actually had your jabs.
Theres debate about whether proof of vaccination will be requited for travel, attend events and so on. So people who have those plans might feel they are expected to have to show some sort of proof. I don't know about anyone else who gets a vaccine but I have nothing to show to prove I've had mine if I was asked. If had plans to travel I'd be anxious about whether proving that would become an issue. So if the scam is pretending t be from the NHS its not difficult for them to suggest that the issuing of proof of vaccination is the logical next step after you've had your jab
I don’t know about anyone else who gets a vaccine but I have nothing to show to prove I’ve had mine if I was asked
There's the NHS app that shows the proof you need. (In England and I think Wales. In Scotland it works a bit differently). This is different to the track and trace app.
Other than that your description of the dynamics of the scam make sense :). I could see why someone who decided not to get the vaccine might want to pay for a certificate but was struggling to see why someone who had been done would want to buy one.
If you register on the main NHS app (not the NHS Covid app) it shows your vaccination status.
The scammers won't be targeting, there are enough people vaccinated to email at random, the emails don't cost them anything.
Never give bank details to anyone who starts the dialogue, only to companies you have sought out - and even then check their reputation.
The scammers won’t be targeting
Apologies, I didn't mean specifically targeting - rather the overall profile of the scam and the victims thereof.
scams work by blasting out to all and then getting money from the <1% of people who are stupid enough to fall for them.
That 1% need better education around this as sending money/giving details to anyone that emails you out of the blue is never going to be the right thing to do, ever.
The phone will display the correct number of the bank. It’s not genuine, end the call, ring the bank if concerned.
Ask me how I know….
😿
Always ring your bank back, using the numbers from your documents or from their website (or using their mobile app). Never continue a conversation when a “bank” rings you.
I got onto the NHS Scotland website it shows my vaccination status. I'd be wary of anything but official NHS routes, I mean if I were checking.
www.nhsinform/scot/covid19status
@TrekEX8 good point. I will let her know she is possibly now going to be the target of a phone scammers.
scams work by blasting out to all and then getting money from the <1% of people who are stupid enough to fall for them.
Lets not get too victim blamey. Scams work by being designed to work. The nature of modern communications mean they don't have to be targeted to find the person who would be vulnerable to that scam at the moment that they'd fall for it.
You're not too clever to fall for a scam - particularly if you think only stupid people would.
You’re not too clever to fall for a scam
An retired CFO that I know indirectly fell for an investment scam and introduced many of his friends to it. It was quite sophisticated involving the fraudulent use of a real investment company's email and notepaper. The returns weren't outrageous, just a bit better than market.
Sadly, he found out about whilst he was dying of cancer. He was a really nice guy that a scammer made feel bad at a bad time.
An retired CFO that I know indirectly fell for an investment scam
Our ex CFO wired $1.3m to fraudsters after being repeatedly warned it was the wrong bank details by his own staff and also Barclays who initially refused the transfer as it looked fraudulant. But no, he was right and they had to do as he said. What was worse, he kept his job after that!
That's terrible, someone just got a custodial sentence in uk for spamming texts. I just got my covid passport here in Spain, i got it printed and laminated as going to a few events. I understand only fully jabbed people can enter but may be wrong.
Scammers are getting better and better, I nearly fell for 1 it was really convincing.
Always ring your bank back, using the numbers from your documents or from their website (or using their mobile app). Never continue a conversation when a “bank” rings you.
Interestingly, I have twice had calls from my actual bank (or, rather, two separate banks that I hold accounts with) notifying me of potentially dodgy behaviour. Both times I've explained I don't want to talk and called them back via the mobile app and both times it's been legit.
Interestingly, I have twice had calls from my actual bank
Yes, my 'account manager' keeps trying to call me (to sell extra services) and I refuse to take a call from anyone claiming to be from my bank! NB It's legit but very daft no one should take their call as you have no idea who it really is.
You’re not too clever to fall for a scam – particularly if you think only stupid
people would.
Depends what the scam is. If I get an email asking me to give card details for a service that doesn't exist I would say yes I am definitely too clever to fall for that.
Nothing to do with victim blaming, not everybody has the knowledge or thinking to deal with scams and the scammers are clearly the fault here.
At least anti-vaxxers won't be falling for it eh.
It's known about
https://twitter.com/MPSWestminster/status/1406927560831901706
Depends what the scam is. If I get an email asking me to give card details for a service that doesn’t exist I would say yes I am definitely too clever to fall for that.
But then how do you know a service doesn't exist? Especialy as theres already 2 NHS apps and its not the covid one (that almost everyone has) that has the covid vaccine vaccine record on it. Even on knowitalltrackworld there was a PSA post a few weeks ago pointing out that the vaccine record was on the other app that very few peoppe seemed to have.
Given the number of news stories in the last few days saying services/events/countries will only be open to people who can prove they've had 2x vaccinations. An official looking e-mail from the NHS, Passport Office or Council might be quite easy to assume it was legitimate.
I regularly input my bank details into websites in response to official looking e-mails from planet-x and Merlin 🤣.
But then how do you know a service doesn’t exist?
Because I am clever. However, if I didn't know I would look it up by going to the relevant part of gov.uk (where all pages are very clear and simple to understand to anyone) but suppose you need to be clever to do that?
The education that is required is for people to just ignore any un-solicitied emails combined with NEVER clicking on a link in an email. Straight forward enough really.
