Scam Router EMail?

[Womble1212]

I received an email on 17 January from Sky saying that "

It looks like you’re using one of our older Sky Broadband hubs. From March 2025, these hubs will no longer be supported, meaning you’ll stop getting regular service and security updates.

The good news is you can upgrade to a new hub on us.

Just log in following the link below before the 16 February to order your new Hub 4.

(removed)

Your Sky Broadband Team"

Clicked on the link, and forgot about it. A couple of days ago, a card was stuck under our gate saying that DPD had called , but couldn't deliver a parcel. Checked online, had a photo of the exterior of our gate, and tried to rearrange delivery of what I assumed was the new router. Nothing appeared, and DPD online says it's being returned to Sky. Can't get any information out of DPD, rang Sky Cutomer Services on the number on their site. Spoke to Martin (would not give second name, but said he was in Bulgaria) who said the original email was a scam, no replacement routers were being sent out, and no record of the email on my Sky account. Said it was a fake router to gain access to our system, and no such originating email address was in use for Sky. However, I have had emails from this address in the past. So I don't have the new scam? router, and was told I should forget about it all. I asked if Sky had fraud people who might be interested in knowing about this, and he said they didn't have such people.

All very strange, has anybody else had the same experience? 

Moderator note: Removed third party link.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Womble1212 wrote:

Said it was a fake router to gain access to our system

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That's almost unbelievably unlikely unless you've seriously upset a state intelligence agency or similar adversary: just imagine the complexity involved in 'faking' an ISP router but still have it able to function.

There's been a similar post here recently about an 'upgrade' router referencing that supposed March deadline: I'll ask Sky about it elsewhere.

[jamesn123]

@Womble1212 

It is worrying the lack of information & training Sky provide to their staff. Its also worrying how an advisor would jump so quickly to the conclusion that someone was trying to send you a 'fake' router, whatever that is. 

What the advisor told you is completely wrong. Sky did indeed run a campaign where they were upgrading customers routers in preparation for the big 2025 'switch off' where all lines would either need to be FTTP or SOGEA with the phone running over VOIP not copper. Older Sky hubs do not support the use of the landline over VOIP hence why Sky need to upgrade some customers routers.

If DPD have sent your router back to Sky then you'll likely need to start the whole process again. I can escalate your post to Sky so you can chat on the forum if you'd prefer to do that over calling. 

[TimmyBGood]

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@jamesn123 wrote:

Its also worrying how an advisor would jump so quickly to the conclusion that someone was trying to send you a 'fake' router, whatever that is. 

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Bulgaria, though ; )

Half a century of mandated state surveillance leaves a legacy.

[jamesn123]

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@TimmyBGood wrote:

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@jamesn123 wrote:

Its also worrying how an advisor would jump so quickly to the conclusion that someone was trying to send you a 'fake' router, whatever that is. 

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Bulgaria, though ; )

Half a century of mandated state surveillance leaves a legacy.

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If Sky are going to have oversea's contact centers then they need to be educated properly. No point trying to scare people who phone up with questions. 

[TimmyBGood]

@jamesn123 

I'd imagine back-dooring the appropriate ISP router could be done, but the kind of internet user destined for such targeting probably isn't using default hardware anyway.

Of course, sometimes conspiracies are real ; )

[TimmyBGood]

@Womble1212 

Sky confirms that some subscribers are getting such an invitation: unfortunately the CS rep you spoke to apparently hadn't read the memo.

Obviously anyone receiving such an email should attempt to verify that it's actually from Sky, and that they are logging into the genuine Sky website to respond.

[Womble1212]

James

Thanks. The whole experience was baffling - not helped by the total absence of delivery update information from DPD. Usually get lots of of updates on despatch, out for delivery, tracking, etc. This time no information at all, except a card to say they couldn't deliver. Tried to rearrange, but package has been returned to Sky. All very odd, not helped by the Bulgarian and his nonsense.

Will try to get hold of someone at Sky who can arrange for the router to be resent.

[Womble1212]

Well, managed to get someone from Sky to call me back about the mystery router and the connected 'scam'.

The Sky caller (in India?) after some time said that there was no email sent by Sky, and no router was ever sent. He said the whole thing was a scam, but was unable to explain what the scam was, but that I should ignore the email. None of this explains the fact that the original email came from a Sky account used in the past, and that DPD did in fact try to deliver something to me, which they then confirmed they had returned it to Sky. I have no idea what to make of any of this, but nothing that has happened in any of this nonsense has encouraged me to want to stay with Sky, after many years as a customer. I've now spoken to two Sky advisors, and have no conviction that anything said to me was accurate. Forget about it, I suppose, and consider changing broadband supplier.

[jamesn123]

@Womble1212 

I've flagged this with the Sky staff we have contact with here on the forum as I have to say its a really bad look for Sky and after hearing about your experience I would agree it would not encourage me to stay a Sky Broadband customer.