Hermes Scam Text

[2CatShapurr]

I am currently very stressed and sleep deprived for various reasons and yesterday this led to me semi-falling for one of those text scams pretending to be from Hermes (there's a similar 'Royal Mail' one doing the rounds too). I was expecting a package from Hermes which had already been delayed by a day and I had received 9 about (legitimate) emails updating me on its progress or lack of. When I got a text purporting to be from them, my kids were hassling me in each ear and without thinking I absent mindedly clicked on the link and filled in my details - including my name, address and (argh) date of birth. It was a very sophisticated copy of the Hermes website. When it got to the next page saying I needed to pay a fee for redelivery, the penny dropped that it was a scam and I quickly closed the tab.
I saw on the legit Hermes website they had a number to forward scam texts to, which I did but as I was panicking I deleted the original text including the number it cane from.
So they don't have my bank details but I am absolutely kicking myself that I gave my name, address and date of birth to professional scammers and potentially leaving myself open to identity fraud. What I'm hoping is they only go for the easy pickings of people who hand them their bank details so they can clear out accounts, and that me not stopping before getting to that point may alert them that I'm onto them?
Argh, I'm gutted I did this as I'm usually good at spotting scammers (but there are so many these days!) and I couldn't sleep last night worrying that someone could be trying to take out a loan or a mobile phone contract or whatever with my personal details. I signed up with Experian yesterday so I can keep checking my credit history but they say they need to do background checks which will take a few days. I set up an account on actionfraud.co.uk but I can't report a crime as nobody's actually robbed me yet!
Any other advice or reassurance from anyone with similar experience? Am I worrying for nothing? I feel like a massive idiot! Thanks

Argh snap 2 weeks ago did exact same thing. Ended up cancelling my bank card just in case. B*stards

I had an text from Hermes at a time when I was waiting for a delivery - the webpage was so convincing.

It was only that it said I had missed a delivery at 5am that I got suspicious and I clicked on the menu and it did not work. None of the other links worked, so I left the page.

I reported it.

They won't get far with just that info though.

@Hyppogriff

Argh snap 2 weeks ago did exact same thing. Ended up cancelling my bank card just in case. B*stards

Bastards indeed @Hyppogriff. I worry about older/vulnerable people too if I'm falling for it when I'm normally pretty savvy. I blame Hermes themselves a bit for being so unreliable! I spoke to my bank who said if they don't have my bank details they shouldn't be able to get into my account so I didn't need to cancel my card, but I'm now worrying I'll get the bailiffs on my doorstep in a few months' time!

I had one from Royal Mail but luckily I read about it in Metro news beforehand. The other scam you have to watch for are 'competitions' (asking for your personal details so they can send you your 'prize') appearing on a trusted website you are on (e.g. Ebay) but in the Google Ads bit which makes you think it's from the website owners but it isn't.
As a rule I now NEVER click on any link on a text from any company. I always type the official website in the web browser and enter the website that way.

My mum was sent this kind of text recently; she was waiting for a delivery but luckily she forwarded it to me to deal with — took me until the ‘Dob’ field to think:

Then I also clicked around on the menu etc and established it wasn’t legit — but terrifyingly good!

@LIZS

They won't get far with just that info though.

That's reassuring thank you @LIZS . I did read that scammers can use the info they have to take out loans etc in my name though. Normally I shred all personal mail etc in the rare unlikely case an opportunist went through my bins but I basically gave this info directly to a gang of professionals, argh! I'm praying they're such a sophisticated unit they'd rather just nab big sums of money direct out of people's accounts rather than go through the admin of pretending to be me but the fact they asked for this info as the first step makes me wonder if they have all bases covered. Or maybe that's the way they weed out the more gullible people and now I've sussed they won't bother?

They could ring you pretending to be a bank/credit card company, or send you another scam text to get more info next.

If a "bank" rings put the phone down and use another phone to check your bank is really ringing you. If the person at the bank sounds confused then presume it is not a bank ringing you and put the phone down.

I've done this for years and the vast majority of banks/card companies don't mind if you put the phone down on them. (The ones that do are not worth having products with.)

Even if you are waiting for another parcel don't fall for anymore texts about paying for parcel redelivery. You don't pay for parcel redelivery from any of the main delivery firms like Hermes and DPD. They try 1-3 more times and return it to the sender.

Another scam text is to pretend to be your mobile phone company and you owe them money. They use the number you have to guess the mobile company but can easily get it wrong.

For example my number was original a Vodafone number but I'm with another provider. Either way my provider never sends texts saying I owe them money without other forms of follow up including a bill send by paper or email so it was easily a scam.

Also read this and sign up for the other two credit reference agencies - www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/check-free-credit-report/

@LIZS

They won't get far with just that info though.

They will get a lot further than you think. Scammers 'mine' victims for several months. They sell this information on the dark web, gaining small bits every time. Eventually they have enough to really con someone. They got DH with the 'we are your Santander bank' scam. Had all his details, DOB, phone number and they even had the same number on the back of his card. Luckily DH did cotton on, but it was a near miss.

BBC News - Eight arrests in Royal Mail text scam investigation

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-57226704

Happened to me, unfortunately I fell for it and they managed to take £900 out!! Luckily got it back, didn't realise how it had happened until a couple of weeks later when someone was mentioning it

I think you should have to be told who the parcel carrier will be when you order something. Companies would soon move away from using Hermes if that was the case, and would also be very clear about how they contact you to make scams more difficult for someone to try.

[quote RedMarauder]They could ring you pretending to be a bank/credit card company, or send you another scam text to get more info next.

If a "bank" rings put the phone down and use another phone to check your bank is really ringing you. If the person at the bank sounds confused then presume it is not a bank ringing you and put the phone down.

I've done this for years and the vast majority of banks/card companies don't mind if you put the phone down on them. (The ones that do are not worth having products with.)

Even if you are waiting for another parcel don't fall for anymore texts about paying for parcel redelivery. You don't pay for parcel redelivery from any of the main delivery firms like Hermes and DPD. They try 1-3 more times and return it to the sender.

Another scam text is to pretend to be your mobile phone company and you owe them money. They use the number you have to guess the mobile company but can easily get it wrong.

For example my number was original a Vodafone number but I'm with another provider. Either way my provider never sends texts saying I owe them money without other forms of follow up including a bill send by paper or email so it was easily a scam.

Also read this and sign up for the other two credit reference agencies - www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/check-free-credit-report/[/quote]
Thank you @RedMarauder for the link there, I signed up with ClearScore and it did a credit check, I also paid for their extra scan of the dark web and they have my date of birth on there. Scary stuff! So I took out CIFAS protective registration which makes it very hard for anyone to take out credit with my details for 2 years. £30 is a small price to pay for peace of mind and I will definitely be extra vigilant now!

@Arghlife

Happened to me, unfortunately I fell for it and they managed to take £900 out!! Luckily got it back, didn't realise how it had happened until a couple of weeks later when someone was mentioning it

Oh what a nightmare @Arghlife . So glad you got your money back!

Thanks for posting because there's some great advice here! I had the same text the other day and clicked through, it's so convincing isn't it? Been stressed about it since.

@newnortherner111

I think you should have to be told who the parcel carrier will be when you order something. Companies would soon move away from using Hermes if that was the case, and would also be very clear about how they contact you to make scams more difficult for someone to try.

YY and when you get a legit text it should say where the parcel is from - that's what alerted me on mine because I wasn't actually expecting anything that day.

I got one of those as I was waiting for a parcel
Luckily dh said it’s a scam.
Worrying
I’m sliding into elderly territory.

@HoldontoOneMoreDay mine frequently don't.

However as I've used couriers for a couple of years, on my phone they are stored in such a way I know whether they are legit or not.

They also send me an email.

Scammers do one or the other but not both.