topic Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers. in Discussions & Feedback

02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 23:11:32 GMT

I don't know where to post this but I'd just like to raise awareness for other pay monthly O2 customers that may encounter the same scam I just nearly fell in it.

I just received a text message from 02UK in which the message states - "Dear Mrs J*** P*****. We've made some changes to our website and your account requires immediate validation to remain active. Please follow this link: ----------------"

The text is from 02UK not O2UK in which the O is a zero.

I clicked the link thinking O2 with one of these special offers or what ever. Which it took me to a replicate of the O2 website in which asked for my login detail which I entered incorrect but still let me in. It then asked for my name in which this area was filled in already, address, postcode and DOB which was filled in automatic as well. I entered false details again which then asked me to enter bank details to verify myself. I thought it was fishy and went to O2 live chat asked them about my account and they said it may be some 3rd party message and to never entered my information into these links again.

I could have been robbed of my hard earned money and I don't want anyone else falling into this trap. It's quite a common mistake but I clicked on faster then one might think!.

Happy New Year! Don't fall for it!

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

MI5 — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 23:17:50 GMT

Scary how they knew your name !!

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

Really-Dazed — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 23:18:11 GMT

I have recieved a similar email to this evening , it had my name, number ,date of birth etc . The only reason i new it was not real was it ending up in my junk mail folder . It was quite worrying how much info they had in the email.

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

MI5 — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 23:24:53 GMT

These scammers get more and more clever by the day.
Keep your eye on your accounts and change your passwords to be on the safe side.

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

Cleoriff — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 23:28:42 GMT

Thanks for the heads up on these scams....Maybe this is something for @Toby to be made aware of?...

I know he probably can't do much about them... but he can certainly inform O2....

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 07:15:51 GMT

Thank you @Anonymous and @Really-Dazed for highlighting these emails.

It is indeed worrying how clever and official looking these emails are that these people are sending to try to entrap a unsuspecting person.

O2's Link for help is How do I report a phishing email?

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 07:27:27 GMT

Completely off topic, but i love the fact that someone edited the op's name in her original post, even though her forum username kind of gives the game away!

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

Beenherebefore — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 08:56:56 GMT

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

gemz4the1 — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 09:11:40 GMT

I have received many scam emails and a few text messages, but none posing as O2.

Also, I am normally called the customer or my email address, but not my name.

Thank you for highlighting this @Anonymous and I hope it will help others to be more cautious.

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

Toby — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 09:32:39 GMT

Hi @Anonymous ,

I'm Toby, the O2 Community Coordinator. Thanks for highlighting this!

If you could, please send me a private message with the contents of the email you received and I shall the team know about it.

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 10:59:22 GMT

Always look at links in emails - scam emails normally try to hide dodgy links - golden rule though never give any details away in response to an unsolicited email.

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

gemz4the1 — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 18:43:52 GMT

I always double check my emails - for example, if I get an email that says it is from the Apple store, yet when I click on the name it comes up a random email address, alarm bells ring in my head DODGY DODGY DODGY!!!

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:00:50 GMT

@gemz4the1 wrote:
I always double check my emails - for example, if I get an email that says it is from the Apple store, yet when I click on the name it comes up a random email address, alarm bells ring in my head DODGY DODGY DODGY!!!

Agree. Unless I am expecting an email then I assume it is unsolicited and don't click on links.

I prefer to go directly to the website from my browser by entering in the Web address myself.

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

gemz4the1 — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:08:22 GMT

I don't click on ANY links within the email (even sometimes if it is a trusted site).

I click on the bit where it says the sender and it reveals the email address that it was sent from.

Re: 02UK scam being sent to pay monthly customers.

Toby — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 14:57:45 GMT

Hi guys, I have received the below info regarding this issue and wanted to share it for your piece of mind. I will close off this discussion now, but feel free to PM me about the issue if you're having any more communication of this kind:

We’ve completed the investigation after reports from some customers about a new phishing scam. This attempt was triggered by a malware.

To explain a little further, if a computer/laptop is compromised, the scammers can put on key loggers and other malware, this can be done when visiting legitimate compromised web sites, clicking on phishing e-mails or using unsecured wireless networks. They can capture keystrokes and screenshots of any systems that a user logs onto. This information is then used by the scammers in targeted phishing emails and texts to make the user think they are genuinely sent from the originator because it appears to contain accurate information to the user.

To conclude, no personal data that may have been used within this phishing scam originated from O2.

We have a page on our website where customers can find out more about phishing emails, how to spot them and what they can do if they receive one that claims to be from us: http://www.o2.co.uk/help/everything-else/phishing#qs You can also check out our blog that showcase an example phishing email attempt: http://news.o2.co.uk/2014/05/29/phishing-alert-may-2014/

We take the subject of security very seriously and we’re constantly working hard to help prevent fraudulent activity from happening. Customers who receive an email they suspect is a phishing scam just need to forward it to phishing@o2.com so we can investigate and shut down these scammers.