Beware of Telephone Calls Asking For Your Email

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I just had this happen this morning and I wanted to let you all know about it. I had a man with a very thick accent call my cell phone from HSBC - London. I have an auto loan from HSBC so I wanted to make sure it was not about that.

He was very hard to understand but asked for my email address because a man with my same last name had died with no next of kin. Now, my husband and I made up a brand new last name when we got married by combining our middle names so there is no way we have any unknown relatives with the same name.

I told him that I don't give out my email address for business matters and I would be happy to give him my office address for any correspondence by mail. I then asked how he got my personal cell phone number. This is when he hung up.

I just wanted to let you all know that this is happening so you can be on your guard. I don't know why they would want your email address but probably for some sort of scam email. You would get the message, remember the call and think it was more legit.

Thanks and don't give out your email address to anyone you don't know or trust.

Jess

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By Teresa (Guest Post)

July 15, 20081 found this helpful

Top Comment

hello. I actually got an email from HSBC bank- London a few minutes ago. i've actually gotten it a couple times. and I had something i went through HSBC bank, so i checked it out and it's the exact same thing with the next of kin things. just thought you should know. if you have any information on scamming with that email, please let me know! thanks!

Editor's Note: Because I get nearly every spam known to man, I NEVER login using a link in an email, even if I think it might be my bank, mortgage or credit card company. I always login from my own links. I've seen spam that is very convincing, it looks just like the site but isn't. I believe I've gotten ones from that bank.

Pat Giles
Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! 791 Feedbacks

November 15, 20070 found this helpful

Thanks for the tip. Scams are scary, aren't they?! Happy Holidays and God bless you.

Crystal

November 15, 20070 found this helpful

I have a similar story, my in-laws got an e-mail from someone asking about my mother. They had her name and said they were looking for her becuase she had an outstanding bill that needed to be paid. My brother did some research on the info they got from the e-mail and it turns out that they make up a bogus outstanding bill and try to get any family member to pay it on behalf of the person they claim to be looking for.

By Pattie (Guest Post)

November 15, 20070 found this helpful

Well, I can tell you what this man wanted. An email address makes it so easy for scam artists to gain access to personal information about you. This includes your online shopping. They are so smart they can gain your credit card numbers, social security number and other personal information. It's a shame but you have to protect yourself all of the time by only shopping on the most secure sits and also changing your passwords frequently.

I am sure there are other good tips out there. I hope other readers will write and submit their advice! I get those next of kin emails about 5 or 6 times a week. My gosh, I'd be one big millionaire if I had relatives in third world countries just dying to give me their money so often!!

Kathy

November 16, 20070 found this helpful

Hi Jess! I just read your post about being wary of callers. I had sort of the same thing happen and the guy also said he was from HSBC. We have a loan with them and so it sounded legit on the surface. He wanted me to make a payment over the phone. (I always pay on the web site.) It just made me very uneasy, especially when he got upset with me for asking how I could know he was who he said he was, and he said I could speak to his supervisor.

Well, How could I know the supervisor was who he said he was? You get the idea. Maybe it was legit, maybe not, but I paid on the web site like usual anyway and hung on him. Way too many scams going on out there. Katie

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