Is this a scam

[Ken]

I received an e mail claiming to be from bt ( my internet and therefore e mail is bt) It said ' your system is out of date and needs updating, we have stopped 7 e mails from reaching you, click here and upload your name and passcode to update' It all looked absolutely right including the padlock showing next to the bt name. However all my normal e mails are arriving as they should, there's no sign of anything missing and I REALLY don't trust this, I think it's a scam.
If there was a problem surely it should say we were unable to deliver  seven not we stopped seven.  Sounds as if the writer is either thick or doesn't have English as a first language. Any thoughts ?

[Birdsnest55]

It sounds like a scam. never click and send passwords.

Paul

[Worf]

Sounds like a scam to me also.
See https://www.bt.com/help/email/email-security/what-is-a-phishing-scam--is-the-email-i-have-received-genuine-

[GlenAnderson]

I'd report it as "phishing" and delete it.

[RATA1]

It's a scam/phishing email. Report and delete it.

But to be 100% please urgently email me all your <insert all sensitive information here> and I'll check before <insert urgent reason here>. 

Once a hacker is in your email they can do very nasty things with all your on-line life tied to that email.
As mentioned, never click any links in emails and if you must, hover over them to see if it is a proper site and check manually.


 

[dartymoor]

(Sorry if a bit long. I'm someone who has dealt with the human cost of such fraud before, as well as the technical side. I'll risk boring or patronising many of you on the offchance it helps someone!)

This is 100% scam and not from BT. I saw an email very similar to this today from one of my users, so it's doing the rounds. OPs address is on a spam list and it's going to be passed and sold around.

They are getting better at it, but trust your instincts and if there is any doubt whatsoever, step away and consider things. What's the worse that can happen if you don't respond? If it's legitimate and important, the company will try again. By other means, maybe.

Nobody legitimate will ever ask you to give them any password by email or on the phone, and you shouldn't click on any links on an email. If it's BT - contact BT directly by using the contact methods on their main website, never through that email. The same if it's HRMC, DVLA, your bank or anyone.

Also, generally, try and consider tone and urgency. Scams and phishers manipulate your fear response to get you to act with immediacy and without engaging any critical thinking. "Act now", "You will be fined if you don't respond immediately" and so on. It works far too many times and they're always trying new ways. Humans are the weakest aspect of computer security now, and are being increasingly targetted.

Feel free to report such emails to your ISP if they have a spam/phishing button - that can help train their filters, but in my experience, there is very little point bothering any further. The same goes for phone calls - I've had ones from "HMRC" and "The government" this week asking me to "Press 1 to speak to an operative". I know my junk email folder gets *hundreds* of these a day, and some get through into my inbox. In each case, the most basic critical thinking makes it obvious it's fraud.

Sadly TPTB do not take this seriously and offer very little protection or prevention. It's easy to understand why - the problem is huge and the offenders are usually on the other side of the world. The protections in place (GDPR, TPO etc) are only honoured by the law abiding and worthless in this scenario. It's getting worse and it's not going away any time soon.

If you think such a contact might be legitimate, contact the company directly and ask "I've received an email that says it's from you, are you trying to get in touch with me?" Even if they rang you, hang up, have a good think about it, and if you're still unsure, contact the company directly, never using any contact method they gave you.


(If you receive spam and curious how your details got known - visit https://haveibeenpwned.com/ and enter your address (It is legit, I swear!)).  That site collates various data breaches and the information leaked from them. My own address is in there from 13 breaches and one paste. It's interesting.)

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

Get calls and emails for BT technical support / Sky customer service most days. Barclays/ NatWest bank depending on wind direction. Sometimes, if I can be bothered,  I play along...

Pretend to be a bit doddery, senile. Act like a 'mark'. Tell them you've been waiting for their call, ask them for their password, you've forgotten it. That sort of thing. Give them the wrong pw. The word soon gets out you weren't born yesterday.

It's sport. Part of life. Move on.

[370abc]

I always tell callers they have the wrong person and my name is Maurice Van Axel. Oh and by the way I have a sister called Mercedes.

[Old Hywel]

I always tell callers they have the wrong person and my name is Maurice Van Axel

Is he related to Hertz van Rentl ?

[NoBeardNoTopKnot]

In short this won't go away, do your bit. See them coming, and if you've time, waste theirs. It's fun and you're doing good work. [Edit: Only on a  Land rover forum would I have to say I don't find the root of this fun. ] Be on your guard with almost anything, more so if it looks legit.  If you have to ask,"Is this a scam?", trust your gut.

[Old Hywel]

HMRC sends me loads of emails offering live webinars concerning various aspects of taxation. Looks genuine, but I'm uneasy when it starts 'Dear Customer'.

[Beowulf]

These scams may be a "part of life" but they are not "fun". Usually affecting the elderly and the vulnerable they cause utter devastation to individuals and families, often resulting in the loss of a lifetime of savings. And then the mental trauma e.g., "how could I have been so stupid to have fallen for it" and then comes the desperate feeling of guilt. The after effects on victims must be shocking and certainly not something to jest about.  I thank my lucky stars that I haven`t fallen victim, while reminding myself it doesn't always happen to someone else. 

The costs of scams (fraud), of every kind, to the country, whether industry or personal loss, runs into the multi billions.

Those that appear in my Inbox or Text are reported to BT via [email protected]. I've also got a decent landline phone with an excellent Call Blocker, so I don`t need or want to engage them in pointless conversation.

Additionally, you could try this. Right click in the body of the unopened email - select More - select Mark As Spam - select Mark As Spam & block Sender or Mark As Spam & Block Domain. That's on BT, others may have other methods.

Sorry if I sound like teacher     I just don`t find any aspect of this crime funny

[Wittsend]

Always contact them using the account link you have - NOT the one given in the scam email.

A genuine email will address you by the name you registered with.
e.g. Hello, Mr David Jones.

Alan is my middle name and I use my "official" name for things like this; Medical, Banking, utilities, tax, council, DVLA etc.

[Serious Series]

You could always take there own email and transate it to some obscure language.
This one is an ebay order translated to Chinese on my laptop.
Very easy to do on pc or phone had a friend today who had recieved an email in Portugese took seconds to convert to english on his phone.
If it is a bot sending the email could fool it.

[Ken]

Thanks everyone, good to hear that all opinions tally. I long since programmed myself to doubt everything. I'll delete it.