Wham bam no thank you scam

I'm sure it's the same with you but hardly a day goes by without at least one automated telephone call inviting me to press the magic number '1'.

I've yet to do it but I'm under no illusion about what would happen if I did. I would be put through to someone who would inevitably ask for my bank or debit card details so they can relieve me of my savings.

Another popular scam is the call (often from the sub-continent) that informs you there is a problem with the Windows operating system on your PC. This leads to an offer to take virtual control of your computer so they can sort out the problem.

Sometimes, if I'm in a good mood and not very busy, I'll play along for a few minutes before revealing I've got a Mac and they are talking absolute shite. (At this point the phone normally goes dead.)

More often than not I'll just put the phone down at the start of the call. On very rare occasions I'll call them "crooks" and scream abuse down the line.

A couple of days ago I got a more threatening version of the 'press 1' scam when the automated voice told me I owed money to HMRC (which is not impossible) and a warrant had been issued for my arrest.

If I wanted to know why I was being arrested I was invited to 'press 1'.

I didn't, of course, but if this blog isn't updated for a while you'll know what has happened.

Anyway, a few minutes ago I received the email above. Apparently this site has been suspended but it seems to be working well enough for me to write and publish this post.

The sender is given as 'Squarespace Support'. Now I've used Squarespace Support in the past and their email address is 'support@squarespace.com'.

The address on this email however featured a completely different domain name.

I looked it up and what I found was a website for a business that had nothing to do with Squarespace or website hosting and publishing.

An obvious scam, then.

Nevertheless someone must be making money from all this because why else would they persist?

My biggest worry is that I inadvertently give away my online banking details and wake up to find my account no longer has any money in it.

In my top five list of fears that has replaced flying at number one. What's yours?

Comments

[David Kerr]

Simon,

A very easy way to sort out the scam emails, if you do not know or have never had an email from the sender, just delete straight away do not even open it. No government body or bank building society whatever will contact you to let you know you are going to be arrested or you owe them money, this demand will come through the normal post in an official envelope with instructions to go to your nearest office or branch to discuss details. Never give any bank details or card numbers over the internet or to phone callers. I myself have had emails instructing me to renew my tv licence by pressing the link in the mail. Guess what it was deleted if they want me to renew then I would expect a visit or an official correspondence via the tv licensing office. I have also had emails supposedly from the Dutch motor road tax office, informing me that I have paid too much road tax for my car, so press the link to retrieve my rebate from them, once again I deleted this mail as rubbish. I have also had emails from a person who claimed he was my very good friend from Nigeria, he wished to use my bank account for various nefarious reasons, once again deleted

[Adam]

This woman knows what to do when receiving a windows scam calls! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz1HAXcnZ3o