Loose Women star Linda Robson on why it is so important to beat online scammers - saying 'I should know, it happened to me'

The Loose Women favourite was near shaken aft thieves tried to get currency from her by claiming to beryllium her daughter

Linda Robson has issued a stark informing astir the dangers of online scams - aft she was tricked by thieves pretending to beryllium her daughter.

The Loose Women star, 66, was near shaken aft being taken successful by a “Hi Mum” substance begging her to nonstop exigency cash. Linda admitted it was terrifying however convincing the connection was, mimicking her daughter’s connection and utilizing her household nickname of Bobbi Girl. And she urged radical of her procreation to amended themselves astir staying harmless online - insisting they indispensable not disregard the risks of technology.

Linda recalled: “I was connected Loose Women erstwhile I got a Whatsapp connection from my daughter, saying: 'I've dropped my telephone down the toilet, tin you nonstop maine immoderate money?' I rang her and past she texted maine saying: 'I can't prime up the telephone due to the fact that it's gone down the toilet.' It sounded similar it was my daughter, she was saying things we would accidental to each other, and utilized her nickname for her - Bobbi Girl."

Mum-of-three Linda said she was truthful convinced it was 28-year-old Bobbie that she was acceptable to transportation the cash. "I truly thought it was true," admitted Linda. "I would've sent the wealth the scammers wanted - £150 - due to the fact that I was truly disquieted she didn’t person any. Luckily 1 of the bosses connected the amusement said to me: 'I deliberation you're being scammed'. So I asked the idiosyncratic connected the telephone for the sanction of our dog. They said Gerald, and I said: ‘No, my dog's called Dolly. So that's erstwhile I knew I was being scammed."

Linda says she was taken aback by however convincing the scam was. “I was rather shaken afterwards due to the fact that it was scary however convincing it was," she said. And it’s happening to much and much radical present - friends of excavation person been targeted and mislaid hundreds of pounds. I deliberation everyone - but particularly america older radical - request to beryllium alert of the risks. I'm 66 now, truthful I'm not arsenic savvy arsenic the younger people. We request to beryllium really, truly careful.”

Linda has present joined forces with BT Group to promote radical of her procreation to larn integer skills together. She attended a escaped league hosted by BT Group’s foundation spouse AbilityNet successful London helping to rise consciousness astir scams and staying harmless online. The courses tally in-person crossed the UK and online to thatch implicit 65s however to spot scams and ways to debar them.

Linda said: “It was truthful inspiring to spot radical successful their 60s, 70s, and adjacent 80s learning however to usage their phones. There were astir 25 of us, each asking questions and learning caller things, from downloading apps to staying harmless from online scams. It was a existent eye-opener." Offering her proposal to guarantee others aren't caught out, she said: “If it doesn’t look right, past it’s not right. I've spoken to the different Loose Women astir this, and told tons of friends, due to the fact that the scammers prey connected the older generation. Younger radical are much apt to spot the reddish flags, truthful if I’m not definite astir thing I tally it past my kids, adjacent my 12-year-old granddaughter. I’ve ever been precise trusting but it tin beryllium a scary world, and sometimes you request to beryllium sceptical.”

Victoria Johnson, Social Impact Director astatine BT Group said: “Tackling the integer disagreement and driving societal mobility is an integral portion of BT Group’s purpose, Connect for Good, providing everyone with the skills and entree they request to marque the astir of beingness astatine location and astatine work. By enabling the state to beryllium much assured and autarkic online, we tin make a divers and inclusive integer nine that works for all.”

It's not the archetypal clip Linda has fronted an important campaign. The Birds of a Feather prima fought to get smoking banned successful cars, successful representation of her dada who died of lung cancer. Working with the British Lung Foundation, she helped get the instrumentality passed and it was introduced successful 2015.

Join Linda connected a escaped webinar connected 4th December to learn how to steer wide of seasonal scams with AbilityNet and BT Group at abilitynet.org.uk .

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