Got this email today - is it a Scam???

[clique-al]

Can anyone confirm if this is genuine from BT update - asset ???

Have already forwarded to BT phishing as think it looks suspicious.

[steephill]

It is a scam, delete it.

[gg30340]

It is a scam. Please remove the scammers email address that you have posted so that no one clicks on it!

[DavidM · Accepted solution]

Hi @clique-al and thanks for posting.

This is most certainly a scam. I've edited the address for you.

Cheers

David

[clique-al]

Hi @DavidM, Thanks for removing the scam email address.
Cheers, Al

[old_email]

How on earth can BT not pick up or even mark as suspicious the scam emails telling folk that their BT services are due for deletion/expiry/renewal.  The emails aren't even clever to anyone who has a clue.  Today I received two, one to my xxxx@btinternet.com address and another to my xxxx1@btinternet.com address. 

Subject:  Account update🔔 

Dear Mail User

We will be closing all of our old BT Email versions on September 1st, 2023 Based on the information we have in our records, your BT account has not been upgraded to our new version.

Click on the account revalidated button to continue receiving all mail on hold

Years ago they were boasting about how clever the detection systems were and this was in the context of deleting, without notification, valid emails.   Have they just given up?

[Andy_N]

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@old_emailwrote:

How on earth can BT not pick up or even mark as suspicious the scam emails telling folk that their BT services are due for deletion/expiry/renewal.  The emails aren't even clever to anyone who has a clue.  Today I received two, one to my xxxx@btinternet.com address and another to my xxxx1@btinternet.com address. 

Subject:  Account update🔔 

Dear Mail User

We will be closing all of our old BT Email versions on September 1st, 2023 Based on the information we have in our records, your BT account has not been upgraded to our new version.

Click on the account revalidated button to continue receiving all mail on hold

Years ago they were boasting about how clever the detection systems were and this was in the context of deleting, without notification, valid emails.   Have they just given up?

---

You would think it was obvious, but that's not how anti-spam systems work. They (currently) don't read emails like we do. It's possible that future AI systems could thwart these - but equally spammers might use AI systems to write better spam ... So the fight will continue.

[old_email]

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@Andy_Nwrote:

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@old_emailwrote:

How on earth can BT not pick up or even mark as suspicious the scam emails telling folk that their BT services are due for deletion/expiry/renewal.  The emails aren't even clever to anyone who has a clue.  Today I received two, one to my xxxx@btinternet.com address and another to my xxxx1@btinternet.com address. 

Subject:  Account update🔔 

Dear Mail User

We will be closing all of our old BT Email versions on September 1st, 2023 Based on the information we have in our records, your BT account has not been upgraded to our new version.

Click on the account revalidated button to continue receiving all mail on hold

Years ago they were boasting about how clever the detection systems were and this was in the context of deleting, without notification, valid emails.   Have they just given up?

---

You would think it was obvious, but that's not how anti-spam systems work. They (currently) don't read emails like we do. It's possible that future AI systems could thwart these - but equally spammers might use AI systems to write better spam ... So the fight will continue.

 I didn't cite all the headers and links as I deemed it unecessary.  Are you saying that is not how BT anti-spam systems work, or all anti-spam systems work?

I've used Bayesian systems over 15 years ago  as a front end to one of my email clients which would, after a few weeks of training, classify (yes I mean, work, hobby, banking, spam etc) with 98% accuracy.  I use other ISP email systems for more important stuff (as BT don't seem to have the systems in place) which accurately detect spam/scam, put the items in a spam/scam folder and notify me that there is something in that folder. 

Other main email providers at least have a decent attempt at determining whether something is spam. 

There are many add-ons, see https://www.comparitech.com/net-admin/anti-spam-software/ just as a quick example.

It seems to me that BTInternet have simply given up and would be happy to relieve themselves of having to provide users with email, let alone secure email when the need to do so is continuously increasing.

[gg30340]

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@old_email wrote:

It seems to me that BTInternet have simply given up and would be happy to relieve themselves of having to provide users with email, let alone secure email when the need to do so is continuously increasing.

---

BT have stopped providing new customers with email and if an existing customer has not already set up an email account they will not now be able to do so.

With that in mind it is probable that BT will cease their email service at some point in the not to distant future in the same way as Virgin have and no doubt other ISP will do.

[Andy_N]

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@old_emailwrote:

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@Andy_Nwrote:

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@old_emailwrote:

How on earth can BT not pick up or even mark as suspicious the scam emails telling folk that their BT services are due for deletion/expiry/renewal.  The emails aren't even clever to anyone who has a clue.  Today I received two, one to my xxxx@btinternet.com address and another to my xxxx1@btinternet.com address. 

Subject:  Account update🔔 

Dear Mail User

We will be closing all of our old BT Email versions on September 1st, 2023 Based on the information we have in our records, your BT account has not been upgraded to our new version.

Click on the account revalidated button to continue receiving all mail on hold

Years ago they were boasting about how clever the detection systems were and this was in the context of deleting, without notification, valid emails.   Have they just given up?

---

You would think it was obvious, but that's not how anti-spam systems work. They (currently) don't read emails like we do. It's possible that future AI systems could thwart these - but equally spammers might use AI systems to write better spam ... So the fight will continue.

 I didn't cite all the headers and links as I deemed it unecessary.  Are you saying that is not how BT anti-spam systems work, or all anti-spam systems work?

I've used Bayesian systems over 15 years ago  as a front end to one of my email clients which would, after a few weeks of training, classify (yes I mean, work, hobby, banking, spam etc) with 98% accuracy.  I use other ISP email systems for more important stuff (as BT don't seem to have the systems in place) which accurately detect spam/scam, put the items in a spam/scam folder and notify me that there is something in that folder. 

It seems to me that BTInternet have simply given up and would be happy to relieve themselves of having to provide users with email, let alone secure email when the need to do so is continuously increasing.

---

I didn't say that's how the systems work - it was the fact that obvious to us scam emails will not be to a machine. Spammers do get around anti-spam systems, some due to the vast amounts they still send - possibly swamping end ISP systems making them fail due to overload. Also the odd one now and again will get through after they've learnt a new signature etc - exactly what you were saying - with you quoting 98%. I would say if that was the case, then 2% spam could be a lot.

Systems will never be 100% accurate.