Golden rules
The golden rules to use to stay safe from email scams are as follows:

1. From who? – Although this email looked as if it came from the HMRC or TalkTalk etc if you click on the address you can usually see it is from somewhere else

2. To whom? – Unless the email addresses you by name, please ignore it. Most of these fake emails either avoid a personal greeting or use Dear Client or Customer, this is a big red flag. It should be noted that due to some of the big data breaches over the last couple of years that some fake emails do include never these days and so we still need to be vigilant

3. Don’t click! – Never click on any links or attachment, it is much
safer to go separately to your HMRC or TalkTalk etc. account and
see if there any action items

4. Call them to check – it may sound a bit old fashioned but picking up the phone and calling a customer support number that you find independently is the right thing to do.

In summary this year fraudsters are more active than ever trying to trick people into giving their personal and financial information.
They have changed their tactics from trying to scare people to promising refunds or free giveaways, but it’s still the same old cons.

Please keep reading and talking about them to keep you and your
friends and family safe.