MNHQ Can you help with this?

[BlackCatinaWoollyhat]

Just wondered if someone could somehow get hold of my email address just by me going on Mumsnet without me telling them via a PM?

I am asking because I was sent an email about an online bank account I don't have.

The only email I ever get from my bank tells me that my statement is available. It doesn't even have a link to online banking.

Your email could have been randomly generated.

Don't worry about email like this. All they have is your email address. They are trying to entice you into giving them more information.

May I suggest getting a good anti-virus and downloading adaware which is an anti-malware detector. Apart from that just err on the side of caution. Dont agree to install things you didnt specifically intend to install. Don't respond to emails you didn't ask for or that look a bit odd. If it sounds too good to be true its probably a con. Google anything odd and it will likely explain if its a bad thing.

Yes the companies who develop these things have software which can randomly guess email addresses. They use real dictionary words and names, and some of them just go through random letter combinations too. The programs can run off literally thousands of addresses in seconds. Everyone gets spam and phishing emails - it's just like those phone calls you get sometimes which tell you you've won a cruise, and turn out to be a scam.

BlackCat I get loads of those. Just ignore them - in fact I ignore 90% of all messages! I got a couple yesterday purporting to come from Inland Revenue telling me I was due a tax refund of 960 pounds.

Yay!

Except not as I'm not even in the UK.

Boo.