Here is a screenshot of an O2 text scam.
Question, if you have an O2 account and had received the same text, what would you have done?
Of course, if you do not have an O2 account I would hope that you would delete it immediately.
Criminals send millions of messages that appear to come from legitimate senders such as; O2, Amazon, Netflix, PayPal, Gov.uk, HMRC, TV licensing, eBay, BT, this list is almost endless.
I would suggest that if you receive an electronic communication from what on face value appears to be a recognisable company by either text, email, WhatsApp, Messenger etc then don’t respond by clicking on the link or contacting the telephone number within the message. Instead, login to your online account using your normal tried, tested and trusted means.
If you are an O2 customer, further advice can be found here:
https://www.o2.co.uk/help/safety-and-security/phishing-and-smishing-advice
Remember, you can report scam text messages by forwarding it to 7726.
By reporting these text messages it alerts other people across the UK to the scam, and it provides an opportunity to take down the website the link relates to.
Edition 5 of the Little Book of Big Scams is now available:
Mr Nigel Sutton 8517
Cyber Protect Officer
Serious & Organised Crime (Intelligence and Specialist Crime Department)
Cambridgeshire Constabulary
Hinchingbrooke Park,
Huntingdon, PE29 6NP
