Fraudulent emails

[cambrensis]

We are constantly being warned about email fraud and I'm sure that most of us are very well aware of the kind of thing that can happen. Much will depend upon what the perpetrator may know about us and also on luck/coincidence.
If you are in the UK you are probably aware that until recently those of us over 75 years of age have not had to pay for a TV licence. The law on this is changing, in June I think, so my current licence will expire in September.

Yesterday, I received an email request for my direct debit details as the Licensing Authority was unable to access my account owing to a change in those details. (This is correct as I had the bank change that account recently owing to an earlier attempt at fraud.) Were it the genuine Authority they would have known that they did not have any details of any kind! Free is free!

I scanned the email address and found it to be in Mexico! Attempting to access the website owning the address was not possible as Google Chrome blocked the site warning me of possible fraud! Good - that is working too! This suggests that the browser would have stopped me from giving the details had I been so foolish.

Does anybody know of some software which will flag up suspicious emails before they are accessed? I have noticed that some fraudulent attempts which appear to originate in Cyprus, swap to different company names and email addresses as each fails. Luckily, the banks are aware of this ploy.

[Maelbrigda]

I also received a TV licence spam yesterday on both the emails i use regularly.

[cambrensis]

I also received a TV licence spam yesterday on both the emails i use regularly.

.

Another today, this time with a U.S. address. How stupid do they think we are?

[squern]

Yes, somebody needs to invent something like those wands they scan banknotes with to use on e-mails!!

I've also had one of those TV licence e-mails, which I spotted.
But I've also had a genuine e-mail which looked iffy but was genuine.
Can't quite remember who it was from, but I think it was a building society.
The grammar was so bad that I reported it to them as a fraudulent e-mail, only to have them tell me it was genuine!

Still, all these online frauds do make us vigilant.

[HerMajesty]

Good grief. I wish they would put their talents to better use.

[cambrensis]

... I've also had a genuine e-mail which looked iffy but was genuine.
Can't quite remember who it was from, but I think it was a building society.
The grammar was so bad that I reported it to them as a fraudulent e-mail, only to have them tell me it was genuine!

Still, all these online frauds do make us vigilant.

Appalling, isn't it? I'm often accused of being too pedantic about grammar, spelling, etc. However, if the person who wants money from me cannot write a decent sentence he is going to be cross-examined before I even think about his request or sales pitch. The chances are I'll just bin it!!