Experts issue urgent warning for people to 'stop' immediately if you receive this type of email
Topics: Technology
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
Topics: Technology
Experts have issued an urgent warning for people to 'stop' immediately if they receive this type of email.
Especially if you work in a job that involves computers, then you'll likely have hundreds of emails come through your inbox every single day.
And even away from work, it seems like everything involves giving out your email address nowadays, from receiving a shopping receipt to signing up to the train WiFi.
Basically, a lot of companies have your email address, as well as a lot of people pretending to be someone credible, but are instead trying to scam you.
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So, how do you know if someone is trying to scam you?
Well, the X account Action Fraud has issued a warning regarding the things to look out for.
"If you’ve received a text or email that doesn’t feel right, STOP!" the social media page wrote, before giving a step-by-step guide on what to do next.
They continued: "Break the contact – don’t reply, click on any links, call any phone numbers or make any payments
"Check if it’s genuine - don’t use the numbers or address in the message – use the details from their official website."
There are many scams out there to be aware of, and it appears these fraudsters are becoming even more clever in their bid to take your well-earned cash.
Bo Braxton Da Savage, who goes by @fitbocop1914 on social media, revealed on Instagram that he caught wind of the 'pretty smart scam', which begins with victims receiving free gifts in the mail.
The problem is that it may appear it's from a company you recognize or perhaps have shopped with before, which can lull you into a false sense of security.
"So what's going to happen is, you get the package, you're going to look at it and think, 'Aw okay someone sent you a gift'. There's going to be a QR code on the package or in the package," Bo explained.
"[...] And you're going to scan the QR code and once you scan the QR code every bit of information in your phone is going to get sent to the scammer - it's going to send your credit card information, your bank information, your pictures, your phone numbers, your contacts. Everything that's in your phone, after you scan that QR code, is going to get sent to the scammer."
So, if a mysterious package does show up, the police officer said simply 'take the gift' or 'trash it' but 'do not scan the QR code to find out who the secret sender is'.