Another Scam warning
We perhaps ought to have a section for 'Scams', there are so many now.
Here's one I jus received from Neighbourhood Watch today about HMRC. Be aware folks:
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Police Warn Of Spoof HMRC Phone Calls
Our Crime Reduction team is advising people to be alert to bogus telephone calls, supposedly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), following some reports from the county’s residents.
An HMRC spokesperson said: “HMRC takes security extremely seriously. We are aware that some people have received telephone calls from individuals claiming to be from HMRC. .
These scams often involve people receiving a call out of the blue and being told that HMRC is investigating them. If you can’t verify the identity of the caller, we recommend that you do not speak to them.
Phishing is a method used by fraudsters to access valuable personal details, such as usernames, passwords and banking details. This information has a monetary value for criminals.
Phishing activity is not confined to telephone calls. It may also take the form of letters or online via emails, instant messages or text messages, with malicious attachments, or website links to infect computers or mobile devices. Very often these will appear to be authentic communications from legitimate organisations, and may be quite sophisticated in their execution.
Phishing messages try to convince the recipient that they are from a trusted source. “Spear-phishing” is a technique whereby criminals target an individual using personal information to earn trust and lower the intended victim’s defences, increasing the chances they may open attachments or embedded links.
Embedded links within a message can direct you to a hoax website, where your login or personal details may be requested. You may also run the risk of your computer or smartphone being infected by viruses.
Once your personal details have been accessed, criminals will then record this information and use it to commit crimes such as identity theft and bank fraud. Your details may also be sold onto other criminals."