Mark Barlow
You may have noticed problems with Microsoft email services, including Outlook and Hotmail, last night and into today. These were caused by a technical fault rather than a cyber attack, so if your emails went missing for a while, there is no need to worry about your account.
However, fraudsters often take advantage of moments like this. They know people are expecting messages about the disruption and may be less guarded than usual. We would therefore like to share a few gentle reminders.
Be wary of unexpected messages. Ignore any email or text asking you to sign in, verify your account or click a link to restore your email. If your email is not working, simply wait and try again later.
Put the phone down on unexpected callers. Microsoft and other technology companies do not ring people unprompted to offer help. Never let a caller access your computer or ask you to read out a code.
Check before you act on anything involving money. Fraudsters sometimes send messages that appear to come from people you know and trust, including us. We will never ask you to change bank details or transfer money by email. If you receive such a request, please ring us on the number you already have for us, not one given in the message.
Take your time. Scammers rely on creating a sense of urgency. A genuine request will still be genuine tomorrow.
If you think something has gone wrong, change your email password, and any others that use the same one. If your money or bank details may be involved, contact your bank straight away by calling 159, and please let us know too. You can report suspicious emails by forwarding them to report@phishing.gov.uk and suspicious texts by forwarding them to 7726.
As always, if you are ever unsure about a message that appears to come from us, we would much rather you rang to check. We are here to help.
