Chops54
pfm Member
Bart
pfm Member
I don’t understand how these scams work in any technical detail but I would have thought that if a scam is generally known about and it is using a web address to mimic a bona fide organisation or a dodgy phone number which robs you then it ought to be traceable to someone who could then get their collar felt by PC Plod.
wylton
Naim and Mana member
I'm no expert (obviously, given that I fell for it), but it's called phishing; to quote Wiki:
Phishing is the fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information or data, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication, typically by email spoofing and instant messaging and text messaging, phishing often directs users to enter personal information at a fake website which matches the look and feel of the legitimate site.
So, in other words, they are collecting data and personal information, to build up a profile so that they can steal your money. Apparently, if you log on to your bank's we site, there is likely to be warning there; my mate said that when he logs into Nat West, there is a specific warning about DPD, but like many people, I hardly ever log in to on-line banking, because I mostly use the app.
When I eventually got through to the fraud people at the bank, the lady assured me that despite all the information I divulged, the scammer still didn't have enough to get into my account but she warned that there may be follow up emails, texts, or phone calls. I've spoken to friends and family to warn them, and virtually all of them have had similar emails.
Beobloke
pfm Member
I had one of these last week but I've had enough deliveries from DPD to know that they don't charge for re-delivery - I also put the delivery numbers quoted into the DPD website with no results. I then went back to the email and realised that I had missed that the subject was apparently about "Reassing my delivery"!
gustav_errata
pfm Member
It's also generally wise to a) look at the full email headers and b) view the email HTML source (if your email client allows it). Usually they'll be full of obviously incorrect addresses/URLs.
wylton
Naim and Mana member
in March this year, apparantly the database containing the personal details of 900,000 people was left unsecured and accessible online for 10 months. This was the email that I received from Virgin Media:
We are very sorry to have to inform you that we recently became aware that some of your personal information, stored on one of our databases has been accessed without permission. Our investigation is ongoing but we currently understand that the database was accessible from at least 19 April 2019 and that the information has been recently accessed.
To reassure you, the database did NOT include any of your passwords or financial details, such as bank account number or credit card information.
The database was used to manage information about our existing and potential customers in relation to some of our marketing activities. This included: contact details (such as name, home and email address and phone numbers), technical and product information, including any requests you may have made to us using forms on our website. In a very small number of cases, it included date of birth. Please note that this is all of the types of information in the database, but not all of this information may have related to you.
We take our responsibility to protect your personal information seriously. We know what happened, why it happened and as soon as we became aware we immediately shut down access to the database and launched a full independent forensic investigation. We have also informed the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Given the nature of the information involved, there is a risk you might be targeted for phishing attempts, fraud or nuisance marketing communications. We understand that you will be concerned so we are writing to everybody affected to provide reassurance, guidance and support. We have put all of the latest information on our website https://www.virginmedia.com/help/data-incident, including some advice on how to stay safe online, such as:
•
Advice from the Information Commissioner's Office on how you can avoid or report nuisance marketing calls, emails and texts (https://ico.org.uk/)
•
How to be vigilant by not providing your personal information to anyone suspicious online, by phone, email or text. If you want more information, you can get it here https://www.getsafeonline.org/protecting-yourself/spam-and-scam-email/
•
How you can protect yourself from the risk of identity theft (which is when someone uses someone else’s personal information to obtain goods, services or money without permission) and other types of fraud. The Information Commissioner’s Office has information online here https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/identity-theft/
Although no financial, banking details or account passwords were accessed, it is always a good idea to make sure that your passwords are strong and not easy to guess. There is some advice here on how to set a strong password https://www.virginmedia.com/help/how-to-create-a-strong-password.
If having read this email and visited our website you still have questions, you can contact us on 0800 052 2621, but please be aware our customer service advisors do not have any further information at this stage.
Once again, we sincerely apologise for what has happened.
Lutz Schueler
CEO, Virgin Media
Chops54
pfm Member
Thank you wylton. Shows how much attention I pay to the news, tv etc.
I never received a letter so I’m assuming it didn’t affect me. However I’ve had the dpd thing and one or two others purportedly from hsbc etc. I’ve had another from Lloyds that looks genuine but I’m not so sure. It’s two pages long and looks exactly like the online banking pages but it came through an email address that’s never been given to Lloyds. It says lower down the page to ring their fraud line to authenticate the message. It gives a number and that started alarm bells ringing. I’ve a good mind to go into a Lloyds bank and show them the email.
I never received a letter so I’m assuming it didn’t affect me. However I’ve had the dpd thing and one or two others purportedly from hsbc etc. I’ve had another from Lloyds that looks genuine but I’m not so sure. It’s two pages long and looks exactly like the online banking pages but it came through an email address that’s never been given to Lloyds. It says lower down the page to ring their fraud line to authenticate the message. It gives a number and that started alarm bells ringing. I’ve a good mind to go into a Lloyds bank and show them the email.
Amber Audio
This is the Day
This site will tell you if one of your Email Addresses has be harvested in a data breach, of which there have been many
PWNED = OWNED misspelled - it was common for gamers back in the day to mistype it in haste O P keys are next to each other, when they beat someone and it stuck
https://haveibeenpwned.com/
PWNED = OWNED misspelled - it was common for gamers back in the day to mistype it in haste O P keys are next to each other, when they beat someone and it stuck
https://haveibeenpwned.com/
Amber Audio
This is the Day
Got that today as well
Ponty
pfm Member
Must be our lucky day, time to go shopping!
Apparently I'm due 'millions' of $ because of a hacked UPS server back in 2012 or some such pish.
Attention: E-mail owner,
This compensation is for all the scam victim pas years 2012- 2020,it from (I.M.F) according to them,they said that your e-mail address was found as as one of those that pas, through scam victim,and your own fund was deposited in our office here in Benin to transfer to you through Money Gram money transfer.
We have concluded to effect your payment via Money Gram Money Transfer,$3,500 twice daily until the total sum of $2.7Million Dollras which we were mandated by the IMF to transfer to you is completely transferred. We now needed your information as to where we will be sending the second payment to you,such as: Receivers Name (Your full Name:..)Your Full Address, Your phone Number,Your Country:...
Finaly,your first payment as been sent to you,we sent it with your e-mail address,so we are advise you to go and pick it up,in any Money Gram around your city,but try comply back with full information,because we can not send you ,your second payment through e-mail address again,for your information here is our officer E-mail
Address:
Attention: E-mail owner,
This compensation is for all the scam victim pas years 2012- 2020,it from (I.M.F) according to them,they said that your e-mail address was found as as one of those that pas, through scam victim,and your own fund was deposited in our office here in Benin to transfer to you through Money Gram money transfer.
We have concluded to effect your payment via Money Gram Money Transfer,$3,500 twice daily until the total sum of $2.7Million Dollras which we were mandated by the IMF to transfer to you is completely transferred. We now needed your information as to where we will be sending the second payment to you,such as: Receivers Name (Your full Name:..)Your Full Address, Your phone Number,Your Country:...
Finaly,your first payment as been sent to you,we sent it with your e-mail address,so we are advise you to go and pick it up,in any Money Gram around your city,but try comply back with full information,because we can not send you ,your second payment through e-mail address again,for your information here is our officer E-mail
Address:
wylton
Naim and Mana member
I obvously need to visit the off topic room more often; it's mostly the endless, circular political arguments that puts me off.
I just ignore them mostly, I check out the coronavirus thread every day for @gavreid updates though, best thing in that section, guy deserves a medal for the amount of effort he put's in.
Bart
pfm Member
Many Thanks for the reply but my point was, why is it that the people who set up bogus website and dodgy phone systems that nick your money be traced?
I’m led to believe someone, somewhere is recording my every move in cyberspace so surely the person who sets up a scamming website or email address can be traced.
Especially since the police are no longer in evidence on the streets supposedly spending their time looking into this sort of stuff.
Amber Audio
This is the Day
Because it’s relatively easy to hide yourself online if you’re half decent at this crap. There are services that you can use to Anonymise yourself setup by guys that are purportedly protecting “free speech”. You can also Spoof digital ID’s and divert things easily too. Not close to being accurate but think of it like the car thief changing a number plate to throw the cops off.