Scams of any type.

Post scams of any type. If it is not from personal experience, check its veracity if you can; Snopes.com is a good reference. I shall be posting IT scams as I become aware of them, and you of course, can do the same.

Open Loop 72

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 3y

      Scooploop poll on removing posts

      https://www.scooploop.com/thread/when-a-user-creates-a-post-in-a-group-and-then-wants-to-remove-it-what-should-happen

    • Lonicera @Lonicera Oxshott - updated 3y

      Newest line.

      I am from BT and checking if your phone call blocker is working. (Idiot he just used it) After a few harmless questions I asked him if he wanted my account number now . He slammed the phone down.

    • Lonicera @Lonicera Oxshott - updated 3y

      Which --more info --scams

      https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/12/5-banking-scams-to-watch-out-for-in-2021/?utm_source=whichcouk&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=scamalert090121

    • TerryS @TerryS Purbrook - 3y

      Coronavirus Vaccine Scam

      Beware of anyone contacting you, by phone, online or in person offering a Covid vaccine.

      Action Fraud: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/vaccine

      BBC Report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-55560604

      Message Sent By
      James Adnitt (Police, Cyber Protect Officer, Hampshire )

      You may have heard on The News today that someone was injected at home with an unknown substance on payment of £150.

    • Boots @Boots Barking & Dagenham - updated 3y

      Phishing scam ? - allegedly from Sainsburys

      It's f i n a l l y time to see how your 2020 shopping stats shape up - and there's one item you loved more than any other this year. That's right, your basket was brimming with:



      Interested to know what your 2nd and 3rd most bought items were? Take a peek behind the orange door, and all will be revealed.



      Thanks a million for all your support in 2020,



      Team Sainsbury's.

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 3y

      Scam texts that link to fake NHS websites

      Fraudsters are targeting the vulnerable with scam texts that link to fake NHS websites demanding bank details in return for Covid vaccine appointments: https://mol.im/a/9118495

    • TerryS @TerryS Purbrook - updated 3y

      Loft Insulation

      I have just received a telephone call from 01865 951193. Someone who called himself John said he was calling about the insulation I had installed in my loft. When I asked who he thought he was speaking to he hung up.

      More information here https://who-called.co.uk/Number/01865951193
      I tried to report the call. The Telephone Preference Service does not get involved in scams and directed me to Action Fraud. Their limited options did not allow me to report this because the call ended early.

    • Ray P @RayPro Norwich - updated 3y
    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 3y

      Amazon impersonators top the charts for nuisance calls as scores of people reveal experiences (Edited)

      Information and advice: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/beatthescammers/article-9046827/Scores-people-reveal-experience-nuisance-calls.html

    • Sheila A @Ange Bromley Common - updated 4y

      Email

      Just received this today..............

      Unsuccessful delivery attempt




      Package from: HM Courts & Tribunals Service


      Package type: Large letter


      Delivery date & time: Friday, 27 November 2020 12:05



      We attempted to deliver your package at 12:05 on Friday, 27 November 2020 but no one was available.



      Your parcel was returned to our depot and you need to reschedule your package delivery.



      Please reschedule your package delivery by pressing 'Reschedule Now' and one of our drivers will attempt to deliver your package.


      Reschedule Now





      Thank you,


      The Royal Mail Team



    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Scam about a fake scam 'Spotted by Martin Lewis'

      Whatsapp and Facebook users are currently spreading a false warning about a scam that Martin Lewis and Action Fraud have supposed to have discovered. The non-existent scam warns that a payment to O2, Vodafone, Three, Giffgaff or EE hasn't gone through, and you should click a link to resolve it. The message describes the scam as the most advanced banks have ever seen. This is the latest version of a recurring scam. https://bit.ly/2Jh23Ae

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 4y

      Fake Windows update email

      The Emojet (https://bit.ly/36Cv3uf) malware is currently masquerading as a Widows Update email. It will tell you that you need to update Word in order to update the attached document. As always, check who actually sent it. It could lock your system with ransomware, or use your email address to send spam. Learn about fake emails and phishing here: https://bit.ly/32MAlC4

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 4y

      Trouble pasting links (Edited)

      If you have trouble posting a clickable link and posting & such as in shop names such as M & S, see below:
      1. You may have noticed, or experienced yourself, that when pasting weblinks on Scooploop, that they are sometimes not clickable, i.e. blue. The reason for this is, that if you type a shortened web address, such as bbc.co.uk, an important part is missing, viz.www. If you type bbc.co.uk in to the address bar of a browser, the browser will add h t t p s://w w w*, this may not be visible in some browsers, such as Chrome, but if you copy the address in Chrome it will be there!
      When you paste a full address on Scooploop, confusingly it is shown without the h t t p s://w w w*. So, here is bbc.co.uk typed or copied from somewhere, and here is https://www.bbc.co.uk/ as copied from a browser. This does not apply to all web addresses, but, if yours doesn't work, you'll know why.

      *I have added spaces, because even if you type or paste a full address, Scooploop's program removes it.



      2. Another Scooploop funny is using & in a post. If you type &, followed by any number of other characters, & and the characters will not appear. So, if you Type M & S without the spaces, you will just end up with M

    • Lonicera @Lonicera Oxshott - updated 4y

      Action Fraud -----Pay Pal

      Action Fraud is warning people selling items online to be on the lookout for criminals sending fake PayPal emails.

      Between January 2020 and September 2020, 21,349 crime reports were made to Action Fraud about fake PayPal emails.
      Victims reported losing a total of £7,891,077.44 during this time.
      Those targeted included people selling jewellery, furniture and electronics via online marketplaces.
      Reports of fake PayPal emails to Action Fraud made up a third of all reports of online shopping and auction fraud during this period.

      How does it happen?

      Criminals have been targeting people selling items online, by sending them emails purporting to be from PayPal. The emails trick victims into believing they have received payment for the items they’re selling on the platform.

      Typically, after receiving these emails, victims will ship the item to the criminal. This leaves them at a further disadvantage having not received any payment for the item and also no longer being in possession of it.


      How can you protect yourself?
      Sellers beware: If you’re selling items on an online marketplace, be aware of the warning signs that your buyer is a scammer. Scammers may have negative feedback history, or may have recently set up a new account to avoid getting poor feedback. Don’t be persuaded into sending anything until you can verify you’ve received the payment.
      Scam messages: Don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails, and never respond to messages that ask for your personal or financial details.
      How to spot the difference: A PayPal email will address you by your first and last name, or your business name, and will never ask you for your full password, bank account, or credit card details in a message.


      If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.


      Message Sent By
      Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

    • Lonicera @Lonicera Oxshott - updated 4y

      Which scam alert---Parking penalty

      https://conversation.which.co.uk/scams/hm-courts-tribunals-parking-penalty-charge-scam-email/?utm_source=whichcouk&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=scamalert041120

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Amazon scam currently circulating

      Customers are being warned of a new scam that could see you unwittingly hand over your payment details to fraudsters.

      Ahead of Black Friday and Prime Day shoppers are being told to stay vigilant as there have been warnings about a number of scams that could leave customers significantly out of pocket.

      One message involves a fake email pretending to be Amazon that states "Your Amazon Account are on hold due to a billing issue."

      It gives the customer 24 hours to update the payment information, or if not the account will be "on hold permanently."

      This urgent style message means some customers are likely to skip over the warning signs to ensure they don't lose their account, especially if they have paid for a service such as Prime, or are waiting for a product to arrive.
      Clicking on the link would then send you to a phishing site that asks for your details, which would hand them straight over to fraudsters.

      While it looks professional there are plenty of signs that something is wrong in this example, and customers should always be alert.
      What to keep an eye on:
      Where has the e-mail come from? - While it may say the sender's name is Amazon or Amazon Support, if the email address is from somewhere completely different that should be the first red flag. It should say that it's from @amazon.co.uk.
      Where does the link go to? - If you hover over the link it should tell you where you will be sent to, if that's not an Amazon link you recognise then don't click it.

      How well is the e-mail written? - In this example "Your Amazon Account are on hold" should be the biggest sign that something is wrong. Nobody's perfect but it seems unlikely an official Amazon e-mail would have a big error in the very first sentence.

      Is there a time limit? - It's very unlikely that Amazon are going to give a short time limit before locking your account, but it makes perfect sense for scammers to rush you.

      Be wary of anything telling you you must act now - and even if you think it's legitimate it might be worth checking with Amazon's support before clicking anything.

      There's also the additional things to consider such as whether you have actually bought anything from Amazon, whether the subject line is relevant to the email, and if the e-mail looks like others you have recieved from the site.

      Amazon say they "take phishing and spoofing attempts seriously" and customers can report it directly to the company through their website.

    • Lonicera @Lonicera Oxshott - updated 4y

      Who called me?

      I had quite a few calls, started checking the numbers with some marked dangerous.
      Came across advise:
      If 13 numbers it is a hired phone number usually from abroad and only for a short time.

    • Lonicera @Lonicera Oxshott - updated 4y

      01976290123

      Received a call and Googled -- copied ---

      01976
      Geographic - unassigned
      The 01976 dialling code has not yet been allocated to any geographic location.

      If you have received a call from a telephone number beginning 01976, it is likely that the caller is spoofing their identity.

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 4y

      Scam website. (Edited)

      Here is an example of a scam website: https://bit.ly/3osmeuR The whole of the contents are complete lies. The person shown, started an estate agents. If it worries you to look at it, use a private web browser such as Epic Privacy Browser: https://www.epicbrowser.com/ If you are at all worried, just look and don't click anything. Ignore the rubbish below, it comes from the website.

    • Lonicera @Lonicera Oxshott - 4y

      Action Alert

      Have you bought anything online recently?…

      Almost 34% of all retail sales during May 2020 were carried out online, and new research suggests that only 16% of UK consumers intend to return to their old shopping habits post-lockdown.

      Online shopping fraud during lockdown

      Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, received over 16,000 reports relating to online shopping and auction fraud during the lockdown, with losses totalling over £16m. Members of the public have reported buying mobile phones (19%), vehicles (22%), electronics (10%) such as games consoles, AirPods and MacBooks , and footwear (4%) on sites such as eBay (18%), Facebook (18%), Gumtree (10%) and Depop (6%), only to have the items never arrive.

      Top tips for shopping online securely:

      Choosing where to shop:
      If you’re making a purchase from a company or seller you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first. For example, by checking to see if others have used the site and what their experience was.

      Email accounts:
      Use a strong, separate password for your email account. Criminals can use
      your email to access other online accounts, such as those you use for online shopping.

      Scam messages:
      Some of the emails or texts you receive about amazing offers may contain links to fake websites. Not all links are bad, but if you’re unsure don't use the link, go separately to the website. And remember, if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.

      Payment method:
      If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one as other payment providers may not provide the same protection.

      What to do if you’ve fallen victim to online shopping fraud

      We all make mistakes and these days the scams can be incredibly convincing.

      If you think you’ve visited, or made a purchase on, a bogus website, you should first, take a note of the website's address, then close down your internet browser. You should then report the details to Action Fraud and contact your bank to seek advice.

      Whether you've been a victim of fraud will depend on how much information you’ve provided to the website, so keep an eye on your bank transactions, if you can. Contact your bank immediately about anything that you don’t recognise, even small amounts.

      For more information about how to stay safe online, please visit www.actionfraud.police.uk/cybercrime

    • Sandie08 @Sandie08 Walton-On-Thames - updated 4y

      Just to say ...

      ... if you want to keep up with the endless current scams, especially since Covid, just watch the "Rip off Britain" series on BBC iplayer. A great programme which deals with so many different topics, gives you so many tips, and gets a lot of justice for some victims.

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Premium rate number scams

      This scam tries to snare people searching online for phone numbers of government advice services, by creating ads which contain premium-rate telephone numbers. Details from Which: https://bit.ly/34iKY0O

    • Sheila A @Ange Bromley Common - 4y

      02 Payment Scam

      Have received a text message on 2 different mobiles saying that 02 could not take my monthly payment. It was a bit of a coincidence that I had only just upgraded with 02 and I thought maybe that had caused some sort of problem until I realised that the first message had come through on a Pay as you Go number and, therefore, there was no payment to take.

    • Lonicera @Lonicera Oxshott - updated 4y

      References

      I saved from a posting in Kahuti. Maybe you like to make a note as well.

      THESE ARE THE REAL AMAZON SUPPORT PHONE NUMBERS: 888-280-3321 888-280-4331

      https://www.thedailyscam.com/not-amazon-customer-support/

    • Lonicera @Lonicera Oxshott - 4y

      01190 tel no

      Received a call from above no and Googled -- copied --

      The 0119dialling code has not yet been allocated to any geographic location. If you have received a call from a telephone number beginning 0119, it is likely that the caller is spoofing their identity.

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Scam parcel post

      The post has been removed, as it was a hoax currently circulating. It was true 15 years ago!

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Amusingly bad scam parking fine

      Posted by Vera in Anything: https://www.scooploop.com/thread/scam-warning-3

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 4y

      Scam voice texts on BT landlines

      A scam voice text can be sent to a BT landline. If you do not have an answerphone, the service will keep ringing you until you answer. If you wish to stop voice texts, call 0800 587 5252. Select Option 1, then Option 5 to disable all messages

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Fake Facebook competitions

      Beware of fake competions on Facebook. These ask entrants to share and like them. Facebook forbids sharing or tagging competitions with friends. Competitions can be promoted as adverts on your Facebook page. If you click to a page from the competition, you should see a blue tick to confirm that it is genuine. You can also look to see if it is on the company's Facebook page. Click to see a Centre Parcs scam, and lots of advice: https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/12644344/center-parc-scam-facebook/

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 4y

      Impersonation scams almost double in first half of 2020

      Impersonation scams almost double in first half of 2020, as criminals exploit Covid-19 to target victims. PDF file: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AtxiPFXpEKB_gbYTKrjb8mo13uUEgA?e=tcjbQO

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Fake Asda email offering £1000 gift card (Edited)

      Gift Card Scams— Fake Asda email


      Over 100 reports have been received of an email circulating claiming to be from Asda offering a £1,000 gift card for filling in an online form.


      These emails are known as phishing and use prizes to entice people to give out their personal information.


      Fake emails from supermarket chains are particularly common and offer a large shopping voucher in return for completing online forms/surveys. They will often be accompanied by a number of glowing reviews from customers who allegedly received a voucher.


      The reports of phishing emails have escalated during lockdown, with criminals increasingly turning to online scams to target those who have been spending more time at home.


      Earlier in the year, Essex Trading Standards released the following statement:


      “Please be aware of these scam emails circulating to be from various supermarkets.


      The scammers cloak the email in the branding of a popular supermarket chain and inform the recipient that they have received a money off voucher to assist with purchases during the quarantine.


      The email then directs the recipient to click a link so that they may claim the coupon. Rather than being a kind offer from some of Britain’s most popular chains, it is a fraudulent email which aims to steal the credit card details of the recipient.


      Look out for the tell-tale signs that the voucher offer is a scam, such as poor spelling and grammar; however, this is not always the case, and many look identical to official supermarket emails.


      Never click the links or input your card details.


      If an offer sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.”

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      HMRC gift card scam

      Gift Card Scams—Have HMRC really contacted you?


      Many of us are aware that criminals regularly make telephone calls claiming to be HMRC. Increasingly, they are making these calls claiming that there is a warrant out for the arrest of the recipient and that they are required to pay their ‘outstanding debt’ in order to avoid arrest. However, they proceed to ask the recipient to pay off this debt using gift cards, including Amazon and iTunes gift cards.


      Due to the fact that gift cards are relatively untraceable, this proves to be a low-risk, high-reward scam. As recently as this week, four people paid £1,000 each in Peterborough.


      What to look out for:


      • You cannot pay bills or outstanding debts using gift cards


      • Fraudsters claiming to be from HMRC will try to panic you by informing you there is a warrant out for you arrest


      • Once the gift cards have been purchased, scammers will ask you to scratch off the back of the gift cards and send them the codes underneath—this is particularly suspicious if they ask them to be sent via platforms such as WhatsApp.


      • If you are unsure, hang up, and call back on a trusted number. Never use a number supplied by the person on the phone, and use an alternative phone if possible. Genuine organisations have no issue with you confirming who they are.


      If you think you have been a victim of this scam or have received similar calls claiming to be from HMRC, report to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or at www.actionfraud.police.uk

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 4y

      TV licence scam (Edited)

      Now that over 75s have to pay for their TV licence, it is being used as the subject of scam emails demanding payment. TV Licensing do not send such emails, they are contacting people by post. The letter should contain your licence number, title and last name, and will be sent from the following address:



      TV Licensing


      PO Box 578


      Darlington


      DL98 1AN



      You should receive a letter by the end of September. TV Licensing does send emails. They include your name and/or part of your postcode. they will come from donotreply@tvlicensing.co.uk, or donotreply@spp.tvlicensing.co.uk. They can also phone, using the following numbers:



      0300 790 6075


      0300 555 0285


      0300 555 0355



      In case you are unaware, if you have caller display, malicious callers can display any phone number they wish; so, if you wish to be sure that you are speaking to the number shown, ask for the caller's name, and phone them.



      To see a real TV Licensing email, and get more information, visit: https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ288

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 4y

      Scam financial websites (Edited)

      Here is an example of a famous person being used for a financial scam. The websites contain events that never happened on morning TV shows, fake Facebook posts and free money etc.

      Sir Richard Branson Brings Financial Freedom for ALL UK Residents


      By Rose Evans



      "You can make money in no time."



      Sir Richard Branson told the presenters. "The idea behind the platform is incredibly straight-forward. You deposit £250 or more and the algorithm starts buying and selling Bitcoin! You can make money in no time. It's incredible"



      Determined to show the presenters just how easy it was to earn, Branson had Kate Garraway deposit £250 live on the show. They then talked again about the amazing benefits before checking the results at the end of the show. By the end of the interview, Kate has £537 in her account.



      Even the studio staff were shocked



      Even the studio staff were shocked and one of the cameras wobbled as the cameraman rushed to get his phone out to test it for himself. Even co-host Ben Shepard couldn't believe it and wanted to try it for himself.


      Kate and Ben astonished by their easily made profit while trading on Crypto Nation during the show (Image: Major News)



      The next day, the presenters revealed that they had both earned over £1000 each. Ben left saying:



      "I never thought an interview could be so profitable but the benefits of this amazing bitcoin trading app are incredible. Even Tim our cameraman has been in on the action."



      Tim then revealed that he had earned £2198 since the previous show.



      To find out how you can earn money thanks to this amazing platform, read the description below.


      If you had invested just £100 in Bitcoin back in 2010 you would now enjoy dividends of £75 Million!



      Try Crypto Nation Now


      We decided to put Crypto Nation to the test, to see if it was really possible for you to make money using the platform.



      Here's the deal: We quickly discovered that the platform charges a commission of 2% on profits a user generates and you need to make a minimum deposit of £200 to get started. That money will be your initial investment, which the trading software uses to trade.



      Also, we learnt that Crypto Nation makes money by buying when the price goes up AND selling when the price goes down. This is known as short-selling, and the platform handles it for you automatically.



      MY RESULTS WITH Crypto Nation AFTER 7 DAYS: I decided to sign up for an account with Crypto Nation, I made the initial deposit £200 and set my account to active.



      On the show, Kate was able to make £143.18 in profit after 3 minutes, for me, it took much longer. The platform took 20 hours to generate an £139.19 profit, which still impressed me a lot! I've never purchased Bitcoin before and never made a trade in my life, yet here I was able to generate profits.



      I spent about 5 minutes a day checking my results, and after 5 days, the platform had traded up to a massive total of £630. That is a 252% increase in my initial deposit. I was starting to become a true believer in this platform.



      After 7 Days my initial investment had traded up to £1,930. At this point, my mind was racing with possibilities of all the things I could spend that money on. This is more money than I made at work for the week and I spent less than 30 minutes checking the platform.



      I decided to keep my account active for 15 days in total because I wanted to see how high it could go. My account eventually hit a peak of £6,380.10 but had a negative -£79.51 trade. I looked through my trading logs and discovered that not every trade is profitable, some actually lose money.



      The platform isn't magic, but after 70% of my trades were profitable, the net result was I made £6,300.59 from my initial deposit of £200. It took me less than 30 minutes of work a week and absolutely no technical or investing experience.



      As you can see from the screenshot below, I decided to use the 'withdraw funds' function to withdraw £6,300.59 from my account.


      How I easily withdrew my money from my Crypto Nation account (Image: Major News)



      All in all, I was able to make £6,300.59 from using Crypto Nation. I decided to pull my money out to pay for an overseas holiday. When I get back, with the money I've got left over from my holiday, I will definitely reinvest in Crypto Nation. I may even quit my job!



      Note: It took 48 hours for my money to be deposited into my personal bank account.


      TRY Crypto Nation FOR YOURSELF



      Right now, Crypto Nation is allowing our readers to try the platform for a minimum initial deposit of just £200. You can withdraw this amount at any time you want.



      Given the massive increase in popularity of the trading platform, this initial minimum deposit may increase!



      It is crucial that you sign up for Crypto Nation immediately, as we do not know how many places will be available



      You can fund your account via credit card or a bank transfer.



      There are three steps to get started:


      1. Sign Up For A Free Account


      2. Deposit The Minimum £200


      3. Use The Bitcoin Trading Platform To Earn Profits



      Note: You can withdraw your profits or initial deposit at ANY time by using the 'Withdraw' button inside the platform


      Step 1: Enter Your Details To Sign Up For A Free Account


      Step 2: Deposit The Initial Minimum Investment Of £200


      Step 3: Withdraw Your Profits (or keep them invested to generate more profit!)



      Try Crypto Nation Now



      Associated Links:


      Crypto Nation Official Site

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 4y

      PayPal Facebook Messenger scam

      Fraudsters are stealing money from PayPal accounts by posing as friends on Facebook Messenger: https://bit.ly/2QbVRJQ

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 4y

      Coronavirus misinformation

      The following email containing incorrect information is currently circulating. It does not originate from John Hoskings Hospital:>From John's Hopkins Hospital - great
      > explanation! Worth the time*
      >
      */From John's Hopkins Hospital/*

      This Covid-19 virus is not a living organism.It is a protein
      molecule (RNA or DNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid
      (fat), which, when absorbed by the cells of the ocular (eyes),
      nasal (nose) or buccal mucosa (mouth), changes their genetic code
      (mutates) and converts into aggressor and multiplier cells.

      * Since the virus is not a living organism, but is a protein
      molecule, it cannot be killed. It has to decay on its own. *The
      disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity and type
      of material where it lies.*

      ** The covid-19 virus is very fragile; the only thing that
      protects it is a thin outer layer of fat and that is the reason
      why soap or detergent is the best weapon. The foam CUTS THE FAT
      (that is why you have to scrub for 20 seconds or more, to create
      lots of foam). By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule
      disperses and breaks down.*

      * HEAT melts fat; this is why it is necessary to use water above
      77 degrees for hand washing, laundry and cleaning surfaces. In
      addition, hot water makes more foam, making it more effective.

      * Alcohol or any mixture with alcohol over 65% DISSOLVES ALL FAT,
      especially the external lipid layer of the virus.

      ** Any solution with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly
      dissolves the protein, breaking it down from the inside.*

      * Oxygenated water increases the effectiveness of soap, alcohol
      and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein.
      However, because you have to use it in its pure form, it can
      damage your skin.

      * NO BACTERICIDE OR ANTIBIOTIC WILL WORK because the virus is not
      a living organism like bacteria; antibodies cannot kill what is
      not alive.

      * The virus molecules remain very stable at colder temperatures,
      including air conditioning in houses and cars. They also need
      moisture and darkness to stay stable. Therefore, dehumidified,
      dry, warm and bright environments will degrade the virus faster.

      * UV LIGHT on any object that may contain the virus breaks down
      the protein. Be careful, it also breaks down collagen (which is
      protein) in the skin.

      * The virus CANNOT go through healthy skin.

      * Vinegar is NOT useful because it does not break down the
      protective layer of fat.

      * NO SPIRITS, NOR VODKA, serve. The strongest vodka is only 40%
      alcohol, and you need a minimum of 65%.

      * LISTERINE is 65% alcohol.

      * The more confined the space, the higher the concentration of
      the virus there can be. The more open or naturally ventilated,
      the less.

      * You have to wash your hands before and after touching any
      commonly used surfaces such as : mucosa (mouth area) , food,
      locks, knobs, switches, remotes, cell phones, watches, computers,
      desks etc. and don’t forget when you use the bathroom.

      * You have to MOISTURIZE YOUR HANDS due to frequent washing. Dry
      hands have cracks and the molecules can hide in the micro cracks
      The thicker the moisturizer, the better.

      * Also keep your NAILS SHORT so that the virus does not hide
      there.

      */PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS/*
      The message, which has no identifiable connection to Johns Hopkins, includes approximately 20 bullet points, the first of which begins "The virus is not a living organism … ." It is sometimes attributed to a Johns Hopkins doctor, or immunologist, or to "Irene Ken, whose daughter is an Asst. Prof in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University."

      The information, which is being widely shared via email and on social media, has been reviewed by the popular online fact-checking resource Snopes and labeled "misattributed." A Johns Hopkins statement says the message "lack[s] credibility."

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Microsoft scam (Edited)

      Peter wasn't on duty, here's John: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz0cEo2h3f8
      Many people are not aware of this scam, which has been catching people out for years. No one will ever call to say you have something wrong with your computer.

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Fake Chrome update page

      Beware of a fake web page that tells you that Chrome is out of date. If you click to download the new version, a banking trojan called Chthonic will be installed. It also installs a remote-control program, which gives access to everything that you do.
      Chrome will never display that there is an update, as updates are installed when you open Chrome.

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y
    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Chrome - Data stealing extensions (Edited)

      More than 100 data-stealing extensions have been found in the Chrome app/extension store. They are accessing clipboards, log in details, tracking keyboard entries, and taking screenshots. They have been downloaded 32 million times. They were designed to avoid detection by antivirus programs. By now they have all hopefully been removed from the Chrome Web Store.
      You should check to see if you have installed any of these. To do this, visit: https://awakesecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/GalComm-Malicious-Chrome-Extensions-Appendix-B.txt and leave the tab open. Next, click the Chrome menu (three dots), then More Tools, then Extensions. You will now see any extensions that you have added. Next, to check the extension, click the details button, then look in the address bar to see if the ID at the end of the address is on the list you have open. Delete any extension that is on the list.

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - updated 4y

      Social media scams

      Avoiding social media scams: https://assets.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/images/site_images/62868_July20_SM_Scams_Leaflet.pdf

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Royal Mail scam: FakeSpy - new version.

      A new version of FakeSpy has reached Europe. It has been described as one of the most powerful information stealers. It infects Android phones by sending a text message saying that Royal Mail has been unable to deliver a package to you. It says to download what appears to be a Royal Mail app that requests permission to read text messages and ignore battery optimisation, which you click to agree to as usual! You will be sent to the real Royal Mail website.Your phone is now infected, and messages, phone numbers, banking app details will be stolen. It also sends itself to all your contacts.

    • John H @JohnH6 Westcliff-On-Sea - 4y

      Posting scams. (Edited)

      Post scams of any type. If it is not from personal experience, check its veracity if you can; Snopes.com is a good reference. I shall be posting IT scams as I become aware of them, and you, of course, can do the same.
      xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxignore anything below this line, it is for testing.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

      Posting guidelines

      Help seekers:

      If a particular device or operating system (Windows 10 etc, Mac etc.) is the subject of your post, put this at the beginning of the title of your post, so that other members can see if they can help, or if it interests them. If it concerns a phone or tablet, give the make and model number, and, if you can, the Android version (if appropriate) Always give full details of the problem to avoid too much tooing and froing, thus, hopefully, giving you a quicker solution. Don't forget to thank helpers, and please don't post a problem and disappear.

      Helpers:

      Please bear in mind that this group is to help non-techies. If it is necessary to get techie, explain exactly what it means, or provide a link to a suitable website explaining it in simple terms if possible and/or screenshots.

      This discussion is now closed.

Open Loop 72