ScottishWoody
Standard Member
I'm normally quite wise to scams and have helped a few friends who nearly fell for them, but this week I unfortunately fell for one myself!
I've been in my new job for two months now, and this week is a big week for the company with head office moving to a new building, so lots going on. On Wednesday I received an email to my works email inbox from my managing director (its a small company so not unusual, we've spoke many times) asking me to send my mobile number as he has a job for me to do but needed to be able to communicate with me away from my computer.
After I do this I'm asked to head to the supermarket and buy some gift cards, he is in a virtual meeting at the moment and needs to send some 'incentives' to these potential new clients.
Long story short, I ended up buying £800 worth of Google Play gift cards and sending the codes before the penny finally dropped. I phoned back to the office and it was confirmed he never sent me out at all. On return to the office and rechecking the email, the email address was different, but of course with today's modern technology all that showed up was the name of the sender in the inbox; very easy to disguise as someone else. Heck even the signature was the same, so someone clearly knew what they were doing!
Hindsight of course is a great thing. Why didn't I check the email address straight away? Why would he get me of all people to do that? Why would I be expected to use my own money then get it reimbursed rather than given money upfront? Why would anyone send gift card codes to potential clients? So many clues that just totally went by me. But as a new employee and seeing an opportunity to impress the big boss, I guess the flags were just out of sight!
What other scams have people fell for here? Hopefully if we share it will stop others from falling for the same thing!
I've been in my new job for two months now, and this week is a big week for the company with head office moving to a new building, so lots going on. On Wednesday I received an email to my works email inbox from my managing director (its a small company so not unusual, we've spoke many times) asking me to send my mobile number as he has a job for me to do but needed to be able to communicate with me away from my computer.
After I do this I'm asked to head to the supermarket and buy some gift cards, he is in a virtual meeting at the moment and needs to send some 'incentives' to these potential new clients.
Long story short, I ended up buying £800 worth of Google Play gift cards and sending the codes before the penny finally dropped. I phoned back to the office and it was confirmed he never sent me out at all. On return to the office and rechecking the email, the email address was different, but of course with today's modern technology all that showed up was the name of the sender in the inbox; very easy to disguise as someone else. Heck even the signature was the same, so someone clearly knew what they were doing!
Hindsight of course is a great thing. Why didn't I check the email address straight away? Why would he get me of all people to do that? Why would I be expected to use my own money then get it reimbursed rather than given money upfront? Why would anyone send gift card codes to potential clients? So many clues that just totally went by me. But as a new employee and seeing an opportunity to impress the big boss, I guess the flags were just out of sight!
What other scams have people fell for here? Hopefully if we share it will stop others from falling for the same thing!