Covid-19 Vaccine Scam
Fraudsters are taking advantage of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout through a cruel but convincing text in an attempt to steal people’s personal and financial details. The text contains a link that leads to a very believable but bogus NHS website with an application form to register to take the vaccine.
A member got in touch today when they received a text message purporting to be from the NHS. It confusingly stated that “we have identified that your are eligible to apply for your vaccine” and advised him to follow a link to get more information and ‘apply’:
This URL(in blue) takes you through to an extremely convincing fake NHS website that asks for your personal details, but the member became suspicious when it asked for his bank/card details in order to ‘check his identity’. It was then that he began spotting spelling mistakes on the site and in the SMS itself e.g. ‘your are’ which are classic signs of a phishing scam.
Remain vigilant of coronavirus scams
We know that criminals will use the confusion and urgency around the pandemic as a way to target potential victims. With the recent approval of multiple vaccines in the UK, these types of scam attempts are likely to continue as fraudsters look to take advantage of the rollout to so many people.
Cold calls regarding the vaccine are also beginning to take place – I’ve already had reports of scammers asking people to pay for it over the phone. If you receive one of these calls, hang up. If you think you may have handed over your card details to scammers, let your bank know what’s happened immediately.
David Rose
Choir
I hope everyone enjoyed Christmas, in whatever way you celebrated. We opted out of a family gathering, so spent it quietly at home, thankful for Facetime enabling us to see and chat safely to our loved ones, and admire all the gifts our grandchildren received. I imagine a few of us did the same thing.
There was a little interaction over the festive season though. Thanks to Rose (really, many thanks, Rose) the choir were able to present our usual floral token of thanks to our accompanist and musical director, Margaret. I had been concerned as to how we may manage it this year (I’m going nowhere, so felt reluctant about asking it of someone else) but Rose agreed right away, and to taking a photo’ to mark the event, and you can see from the super photo’ she provided that we were, as usual, able to express our thanks with flowers. Thank you for all your efforts, Margaret.
All good wishes for a happy and peaceful 2021.’
History Group
The History Group always welcomes all U3A members. Our indoor meetings are held at Central Methodist Church on the 3rd Wednesday of the month commencing at 2.00 pm. At present I am not sure when indoor meetings will restart – but – watch this space! I decided to re- schedule the visits due in 2020 to 2021 which means Richard lll is set for March 17th 2021 – and remember money already paid for the trip is safe in the U3A bank. Please cross fingers, toes and anything else you can – that the visits will go ahead. Doddington Hall will be on 16th June. I am still waiting for Sharpes Pottery to reply. I look forward to seeing everyone but in the meantime please take care and stay safe.
No-one came back to me objecting or otherwise when I mentioned re-booking the speakers from this year for 2021 which means I will go ahead. (See booking list) However at present I feel booking a speaker for February is still a bit iffy so if we can meet I will think of something history based we can do to entertain ourselves.
I went to a day school years ago about writing articles. The tutor told us if using a computer “Never rely on the spell checker picking up miss-spelled or wrong words”. The following poem is (I think) interesting; what do you think?
Eye have a spelling chequer
Witch came with my pea sea
It plainly marques for my revue
Miss steaks I kin knot sea
I strike a quay and type a word
And weight four it to say
Weather eye am wrong oar write –
It shows me strait a weigh
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee four to long
And I kin put the error rite –
It’s rare lea ever wrong
Eye have run this poem threw it;
I am shore your pleased two no
It’s letter perfect awl the weigh –
My chequer tolled me sew.
How many corrections can you find? This poem went through my computer without showing any red lines.
Happy new and better year to all members. T.T.F.N. & God bless from Maureen
2021 HUCKNALL & DISTRICT U3A HISTORY GROUP
Meeting dates 3rd Wednesday of the month except July August & December. Venue for Indoor meetings: Central Methodist Church. Time 2.00pm prompt. This year early meetings do depend on the Covid situation, government tiers and vaccines. All dates have been booked.
January 20th 2021 ?????
February 17th 2021 Members Meeting. ?????
March 17th 2021 Visit to Richard lll Centre & Leicester Cathedral. Leave Hucknall 10.30am; Leave Leices. 4.00pm. Return Hucknall 5.30pm (ish) Cost £18 If this visit does not happen I will try to re-arrange it later in the year. July or August or November. Alternatively we may have an indoor meeting????
April 21st 2021 Malcolm Darroch is coming to talk about ‘When the Balloon went up’.
May 19th 2021 Friends of Bennerley Viaduct (Kieran Lee) coming to talk about this historic monument past and future.
June 16th 2021 Visit to Doddington Hall & Gardens. Leave Hucknall 9.30 am: Leave Doddington 4.00pm. Return Hucknall 5.30pm (ish) Cost £20 – Price cut to the bone.
July and August – holidays.
September 15th 2021 Robert Mee is coming to talk to us on Bradshaws and an early railway Tour. (He says it is the famous railway timetable and a mystery tour.)
October 20th 2021 Visit to Sharpes Pottery and The Magic Attic. Leave Hucknall 12.15pm: Leave Sharpes 4.30pm, Return Hucknall 5.30pm (ish) Cost £11. I am still awaiting confirmation from the museum and will book a visit elsewhere if there is a problem.
November 17th 2021 Members Meeting – Christmas theme.
December 15th 2021 No meeting. Close to Xmas.
I will photocopy this list for the ‘first’ meeting we can attend.
And Finally ….
Just be careful, because people are going crazy from being in lock-down! Actually, I’ve just been talking about this with the microwave and toaster while drinking tea and we all agreed that things are getting bad. I didn’t mention anything to the washing machine as she puts a different spin on everything. Certainly not to the fridge, as he is acting cold and distant. In the end the iron straightened me out as she said everything will be fine; no situation is too pressing. The vacuum was very unsympathetic… told me to just suck it up, but the fan was more optimistic and hoped it would all soon blow over! The toilet looked a bit flushed when I asked its opinion and didn’t say anything but the door knob told me to get a grip. The front door said I was unhinged and so the curtains told me to ……..yes, you guessed it …..pull myself together