01213184211

I received a call from this number this morning, Tuesday the 9th of March, 2021. The individual on the line introduced herself as Mary and claimed to be calling on behalf of “WINDOWS.” She stated that they had detected unusual activity linked to my email- which she quoted accurately-indicating it had been misused, presumably by some fraudsters, to send dodgy emails. At that moment, I felt my temper rise. I expressed my disbelief, asserting that I found it hard to trust someone claiming to be from “Windows,” (I assumed she was referring to the tech giant). In my irritation, I informed her-rather harshly-that I frequently received calls like hers and then hung up before swiftly blocking the number with my call-blocking device. Yet, upon reflection, I couldn't help but wonder if I had acted a tad hastily. “Mary,” despite probably not being her true name, had come across as rather soft-spoken and pleasant. It was only after conducting a quick search online about the number that I discovered the identity of the callers was unknown, which helped reconfirm my initial scepticism regarding “Mary’s” intentions. Perhaps I could have exercised a bit more courtesy, listened a touch longer before making that block. However, if everyone were to indulge these kinds of scammers, it might put the more vulnerable individuals at risk of being taken in by their deceitful tactics. I strongly advise against engaging with such fraudsters. They employ a deeply insidious manner; their approach is incredibly persuasive and, dare I say, perilous. It’s quite likely that they are working for unscrupulous scammers above them-essentially criminals who target the vulnerable, the elderly, and those less savvy about these tricks. Speaking from experience, I've fallen victim to scams before, and I must admit, I still don’t feel adequately streetwise!