Daily Tech Tip 10: Fake delivery fees, account warnings and urgent payment requests are designed to make you act before checking. The safest response is to pause and verify through an official route.
Why this matters
A convincing logo or sender name does not prove a message is genuine. Links can lead to copied websites that collect card details, passwords or security codes.
Safe steps to try
- Do not tap the message link; open the company’s official app or type its known website separately.
- Check the full sender address or number rather than the display name.
- Look for pressure, unusual payment requests, spelling problems or a mismatched web address.
- Contact the organisation using a number from a statement, card or official website.
- Report and delete the message after confirming it is fraudulent.
What to avoid
- Do not share one-time passcodes with anyone who contacted you unexpectedly.
- Do not install remote-access software for an unsolicited caller.
- Do not assume a message is safe because it appears in an existing conversation thread.
When to stop and get help
If you entered bank or account details, contact the relevant provider immediately, change affected passwords from a trusted device and review recent activity.
Urgency is a common scam tool. Verify independently before clicking, paying or sharing a code.
For model-specific advice, see our phone support advice in Bristol.
This general maintenance guidance cannot diagnose an individual device. Stop using equipment that is swollen, smoking, burning, severely overheated or electrically unsafe.