One of the UK’s biggest mobile networks is warning people to be extra vigilant this weekend as it predicts fraudsters will be dishing out scams left, right and centre – and it’s all because of Mother’s Day on Sunday. EE said it expects to block 10 million spam calls and texts this month alone and has advised all phone users to be on the lookout for telltale signs that someone is trying to con them out of their money or personal data.
The phone company said events like Mother’s Day spurs cyber crooks into action as they target people with scams designed to trick them into giving over sensitive information. Most common are fake missed delivery messages where people are urged to click a link to organise another drop time.
Last year EE said it blocked 3.3 million fraudulent text messages and 4.9 million scam calls around Mother’s Day 2023, and expects the total figure to rise above 10 million this month.
Along with warning about the dangers, EE also says it is permanently removing ‘mother’s maiden name’ as a security question for all EE and BT customers.
New EE research said nearly two-thirds of Brits use this question as a security backstop for personal accounts such as banking and tech subscriptions. But this level of security is quite low, as if a criminal knows that information about you they might be able to access your accounts.
“Mother’s Day is sadly always a scam risk for mums across the UK, as millions of unsolicited yet much-appreciated deliveries turn up on doorsteps across the country, opening the door for the now ubiquitous delivery scam,” Helen Burrows, Policy Director at BT/EE said.
“We stop millions of scam attempts from reaching our customers every month, and this weekend will be no different. I’d urge consumers to be on their guard this weekend for the few that make it through network defences.”
The mobile network, which serves millions of UK phone owners, sent Express.co.uk a few top tips to avoid scams this Mother’s Day, and all year round:
• Take a moment to stop and think and trust your instincts. If it sounds too good to be true or is suspicious, there’s probably a catch
• Don’t stay on the phone unless you’re 100% sure the caller is genuine
• Don’t give away any of your personal details or give anyone access to your computer – if you think you might have provided your bank account details, contact your bank immediately
• Keep your device up to date with the latest software and firewall updates
• It also advises to put the phone down straight away if you receive a suspicious call. You don’t have to engage! You can also text the phone number and details of the incident to 7726, and your mobile provider can investigate to see if it’s spam.
• You can also easily block phone numbers from being able to call you again on any mobile phone.
