Pensioner issues BA scam warning

25 January 2013 09:04

A pensioner was sent an email that was made to look like it had come from British Airways

A pensioner was sent an email that was made to look like it had come from British Airways

A pensioner has warned people not to click on surprise emails after she noticed a scam that was masquerading as correspondence from British Airways (BA). Eileen Eastham, from Darwen, who doesn't use air travel, was bemused when an email dropped in her inbox saying it contained a receipt for her e-ticket and thanked her for booking.

She described how the sophisticated scam included a full itinerary and background information about BA, saying "it all looked very legitimate". But Ms Eastham was wise to the con and immediately contacted both BA and the police. The incident highlights how some con artists will try to use holidays to catch people out. By securing senior travel insurance, pensioners can give themselves additional protection in case anything does go wrong.

After Ms Eastham alerted BA to the problem, the airline said the company's name is often used in email scams. After her experience Ms Eastham warned people not to click any links or download attachments in unexpected emails. She said: "These emails are not from British Airways and the claims made about British Airways within them are false. They are unscrupulous attempts to secure your personal information or extort money from you."

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