Warning after email scam
HALTON Trading Standards has issued a warning after a resident received an email claiming to be from telecoms giant O2.
Clues in the message identified it as a scam.
These included an email address that had nothing to do with O2, the sender had misused the word ‘watch’ instead of ‘view’ or ‘see’ so the wording was poor English and the website that the link in the email connected to was not an O2 website.
The warning was issued as national Scams Awareness Month began.
A Halton Trading Standards spokesman said scammers are often experts in human behaviour, waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting, the shopper short of time or consumer looking for a bargain.
Trading Standards experts will be out and about knocking on doors in areas that have been targeted by scammers and they will also be at the Halton Direct Links between 11am and 2pm on Thursday, July 20, also Runcorn, and on Thursday, July 27, in Widnes.
They will be wearing pink T-shirts so should be easy to spot.
Discussing the scam email, Cllr Dave Cargill (Trading Standards) said: “The email is intended to cause alarm and prompt an immediate reaction by stating that this bill is for £228.
“If you receive an email like this, delete it without opening or clicking on any links.” Call Halton Trading Standards on 0151 511 8785 or 0151 511 8775.
Alternatively for other advice call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0345 404 0506. ●