Beware cash machine at Morrisons

There are crooks all around.
We had scam email from "Lloyds TSB" which was in fact from Vietnam (if you right click and go into "Properties" you can find the source of an email) - they wanted us to click on a link as it said there had been criminal activity on our account. I can imagine that someone not computer-savvy might have done this - it looked very believable.

Someone I know who works in a fraud dept in a bank said
ANYTHING that looks weird when using a cash machine, back away and phone the bank.
Also YOU have responsibility for keeping your PIN secret. Cover it up. If someone is standing to close ask them to back away.

And unless you expect to get a phone call from your bank - don't engage in a conversation with someone who calls (like my MIL did - they took £400 - very upsetting for her)

If you get a mysterious answering machine message saying ring back - Don't. If it is non-scam they will ring again. If you call back it might be a premium line scam.

Email - anything you don't expect, don't open, don't click, don't forward. Even if it looks as if it is from YOUR bank - does your bank usually send you emails? Probably not.
Even if it appears to come from someone you know but is for instance "recommending a product" don't click on the link. Just say no.
Resist chain letters etc.
If you are on facebook find out how to set your privacy settings. And don't tell the world you are going on holiday!
They teach this kind of thing to kids in school these days.
It is also a good idea not to agree to send money to random foreign princes who want to share their good fortune/inheritance or people that are offering to increase your penis size.

My partners mother received a box of chocooates in the post the other day that she hadn't ordered. She phoned the company and they said she could have them for half the selling price; she refused saying she didn't want them at all. We've just thought that these people were trying to get her credit card details over the phone. Will try to get a bit more info about it. Thinking about it, most people would probably just keep them and say nothing anyway, but it's worth looking into.

I haven't heard of that before crimson - but nothing would surprise me..........there are some very 'clever' people out there

My boss, who sends regular warnings out to all of us about fraud got 'done' last year. And my partner has twice had his credit card cloned; both times in a restaurant. It happened at our local garage as well, but I always pay cash for petrol and would never use a garage where you put your card in a machine by the petrol pumps. Always use one cash point for withdrawals which is at my local bank. Any other time and I'd use cashback at a supermarket.

crimson unsolicited goods can legally be kept if they aren't collected within 3 months. No more need be done now they have been notified. If they send a return label that means taking the chocolates to a post office, ignore it - there is no requirement that anyone has to step outside their front door - the onus is on them to get back what was not ordered.

That is pretty darn cheeky.

Reader's Digest continually sent unsolicited books to my late uncle. Being a shrewd character, he told them to come and get them and left the books, packaged, in his porch. Needless to say, they never did collect them, but eventually they got the message and stopped sending them.

Cashback at the supermarket seems to be the safest, but I am surprised jess M at your final piece of advice - random foreign princes offering to share their fortune AND increase your penis size - how could you possibly refuse an offer like that?

Jess I haven't got a penis! Do you know where I can get one?

Whilst we're on the subject of penises, I read an article recently, about a postman who was caught on camera, opening and keeping items of mail at a sorting office. It follows that his home was a treasure-trove of goodies, and what's more, he had kept and consumed a packet of penis boosters! He must have felt so proud And his wife must have had such a

I wonder if he had to apply for a larger pair of uniform trousers from the Post Office?

Ha ha! GM! I get a lot of offers of penis enlargements in spam. You'd think by now they'd give up I never open rubbish like that - only open from addresses I know.

I only get ones that offer to increase my pens by 5"

Oxon Shall I forward you my offers??

You must have a really good spam filter oxon70

Talking of penises - did you hear the story about the man who lost his in an accident and the surgeon offered to fit him with a new one privately? The cost was based on the length - £1000 per inch. Surgeon suggested he discuss it with his wife, and when he returned he asked the patient what he and his wife had decided.
He looked a bit sheepish and said: "We are having a new kitchen."

Mishap

Mishap A brilliant joke. Our friend told this one at a party and the laughter lasted an awful long time...

oh yes! That is one even I will remember!

Only just back here - suffering from pre-Xmas and rain depression....

Gally - not unless they are about pens. Bigger pens for all!

I guess everyong knows about Lorena Bobbit?