Anyone receiving any email scams directed at electricians?

[captaincaveman]

Hi all.

I've recently been receiving lots of iffy looking emails asking to send me pics of jobs that want doing. I've ignored some which are just too vague and suspicious but just replied to one which sounds more credible. Just wondering if there is a new wave of scams directed at electricians or whether I'm just getting paranoid. Anyone else getting these and has anyone been stung?

 

[telectrix]

Keep on getting an advert for ERG at the top of the forum page of all places. Are they the Southend lot?

they are notable for not paying you. i had to use a debt collector to get paid for some call-outs. took 4 months.

 

[SparkyChick]

Before I reply to it... has anyone else received this email?

Hello

I would like to get a quote for a full electrical job at my property and was wondering if you would be available to replace the fuse box and maybe just check the electrics for me? I may need a few sockets installed as well and also carry out some major renovation works there.

We are looking to change and fix in new LED Lights, Storage Heaters, Lighting, Cable, Consumer Units, Sockets & Switches.

Kindly get back to me so i can send you pics of the property and see if you are available to carry out the work.

Best regards

I'm dubious because the To and CC fields are blank, which suggests it was BCC'd en mass.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Before I reply to it... has anyone else received this email?

me me.

 

[buzzlightyear]

this one is paul s88t sent me a email, just waiting for Wendy lu from the back and beyond next .

 

[SparkyChick]

me me.

Thanks Buzz... in the bin it goes

 

[123]

Before I reply to it... has anyone else received this email?



I'm dubious because the To and CC fields are blank, which suggests it was BCC'd en mass.

Did they leave a contact number?

I find an easy way to to start and sniff them out, be it spam or a timewasting customer who has just emailed every electrical company in a 25 mile radius, is to say in order to give an accurate quotation I would need to do a site survey - when would be suitable to do this? Also ask for the address of the job.

If spam or timewaster a response is generally not forthcoming.

PS it doesn't find them all. I went to a survey of a potential rewire about a year ago and they handed me a spec. "Electrical Spec #14/25"

25 ****ing quotes they tried to get. And I was only 14th, raging!

 

[SparkyChick]

Did they leave a contact number?

I find an easy way to to start and sniff them out, be it spam or a timewasting customer who has just emailed every electrical company in a 25 mile radius, is to say in order to give an accurate quotation I would need to do a site survey - when would be suitable to do this? Also ask for the address of the job.

No contact number.

I very rarely give a quote/estimate without seeing the place. Even for simple accessory or light swaps.

25 quotes... a bit OTT, bet they went with the cheapest as well.

I'm more dubious of late because I received an email very similar to one that's been posted in this thread already and replied to it

 

[plugsandsparks]

Just had the one regarding a project in December, the email address used leads me to think they are using the competent electrician database as i use a different address for public stuff. Fortunately I choose my clients, based on referral, so its binned

 

[rhitey]

Ah glad I found this thread
Had 2 in the last week that just looked wrong
Both from outlook email addresses with 09 in the names
No location info and a bit vague as below


Hello
I would like to get a quote for a full electrical job at my property and was wondering if you would be available to replace the fuse box and maybe just check the electrics for me? I may need a few sockets installed as well and also carry out some major renovation works there.
We are looking to change and fix in new LED Lights, Storage Heaters, Lighting, Cable, Consumer Units, Sockets & Switches.
Kindly get back to me so i can send you pics of the property and see if you are available to carry out the work.
Best regards


My name is Justin I just bought a property and I would like to be moving in sometimes around November or probably early December so I found your details online and was getting in touch as the property will require full re-wire and new consumer unit etc. And wondered if it was something you would be able to quote for.
I would need your expertise in the area of electricity, So please let me know if your timeline accepts a new electrical job. Please get back to me so i can send my plans across to you.
Many thanks

 

[captaincaveman]

Before I reply to it... has anyone else received this email?



I'm dubious because the To and CC fields are blank, which suggests it was BCC'd en mass.

Almost the same as mine earlier in the thread.. So unless you live down the road and the same person is getting quotes then I'm guessing yes lol

And WHITEY, I've had your first one as well. Not your second... yet. I've noticed with most of them how overboard they are. Not just "How much to change a light?" but more "How much to do every single piece of electrical job possible?". Next they'll be asking "How much to wire up my model railway?"!

 

[rhitey]

Hmm ok so dumb question but what do these idiots gain from this exercise?
Is it just to bung our email addresses on more spam lists???

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Hmm ok so dumb question but what do these idiots gain from this exercise?
Is it just to bung our email addresses on more spam lists???

I imagine the photos that you would have to download after replying contain some Trojan Horse software, that will steal your data and cost you money.

 

[Wilko]

Hi - never never never open attachments from an unknown source. The attachment itself used to be the problem, but as Spin has said that can cleaned for us, if we are lucky. However within the attachment may be further links that you'll be asked to click on...
The missing phone contact is a good thought .

 

[MG201]

A guy I know who does roofing got caught put with this type of scam. They ministered his emails and when a invoice for 33k was paid they had sent an email to client changing bank details. .police got involved but as most scams he lost his £...as you are basicly downloading malware.

 

[SparkyChick]

Hmm ok so dumb question but what do these idiots gain from this exercise?
Is it just to bung our email addresses on more spam lists???

They could be looking to collect email addresses of possible targets. I'd be interested to know which of my email addresses these are being sent to, but as they are using the BCC field, it's impossible to tell.

Spamming or phishing is simply a numbers game. The more targets you have, the greater the chance someone will respond 'positively'. It costs nothing to send an email, so they have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain.