Is this a scam message making out it is from UK Gov?

soolin

Ectophile said:

debitcardmayhem said:

Never click on links in messages texts emails etc etc

These days, my doctors surgery sends me texts to tell me I'm due an appointment.  If I don't click on their link, I'm not going to get my check up.

If I get a text reminder from my GP it tells me to phone for an appointment or use the app , I can also check it under the messages section in my app if I'm still not convinced- I don't get a link to any site. I would query that with your surgery, as they can't limit the ability to get an appointment purely to those people who have a smart phone. 

dealyboy

soolin said:

Ectophile said:

debitcardmayhem said:

Never click on links in messages texts emails etc etc

These days, my doctors surgery sends me texts to tell me I'm due an appointment.  If I don't click on their link, I'm not going to get my check up.

If I get a text reminder from my GP it tells me to phone for an appointment or use the app , I can also check it under the messages section in my app if I'm still not convinced- I don't get a link to any site. I would query that with your surgery, as they can't limit the ability to get an appointment purely to those people who have a smart phone. 

Indeed, receiving texts with embedded links on my feature phone was standard and sometimes the URLs were so long they were truncated. After moaning for years at reception I was referred to the person responsible for communications and she set my preferences to e-mail only. I have just checked and all the e-mails from the NHS or GP surgery have links starting [edit:] www.nhs.uk/... and my online service addresses are 

https://accurx.nhs.uk/conversations

https://access.login.nhs.uk/enter-email

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/nhs-login/ [end edit:]

tim_p

Are you sure?  I’d expect nhs.net. 

MyRealNameToo

SirFreddy said:

Thanks all for the replies, I was 100% sure it was a scam but with the gov.uk bit I wanted as many MSE board members to be aware just in case there is one moment in time when we are caught off guard.

the .gov.uk has to be immediately before the / (or ? if there is no /) 

Domains are made up of layers so once you trim off any reference to individual pages, ID codes etc you read right to left as it goes from top level domain down to subdomains etc. Once you own a layer you can create whatever you want under that layer or sell the right to do so to someone else. 

You can see from this URL the top level is ICU (I see you) a generic TLD domain created in 2015 and is controlled by ShortDot SA. Anyone can buy a subdomain of that and someone has bought UK_DWPEVV.ICU; now they have that they can create whatever subdomains they want so they've created GOV.UK_DWPEVV.ICU 

Any official governmental website in the UK will always end gov.uk. 

debitcardmayhem

Mine are nhs.uk

dealyboy

@tim_p said:

Are you sure?  I’d expect nhs.net. 

I have received e-mails from @nhs.net but the links are ... ah! not nhs.co.uk/... but nhs.uk/... (I'll correct), as are my appointments and services addresses.

debitcardmayhem

Oh and our surgery has an online triage from anima.net , of course the regulars at the surgery call it Enema