Melanie Walters Scam Warning: Protect Yourself Now

Gavin and Stacey star Melanie Walters has issued a stark warning to others after she was targeted twice by prolific scammers.

The actress, 64, who is best known for her role as Gwen West in the hit, has shared she was at risk of losing 'thousands of pounds' after being sent a suspicious email that appeared to be from her bank, followed by a letter in the post weeks later.

Speaking to Daily Mail, Melanie said that it was purely gut instinct that stopped her from handing over any personal details, and said it she didn't realise it was a scam until she took to the letter to her bank.

The star has also shared her top tips to stop it happening to anyone else, and after partnering with BT Group to promote new classes about online safety, has called for greater support for over 65s when managing their money online.

Melanie said: 'It was just very unnerving, as it is for an awful lot of people. I didn't lose any money, thank goodness, but it was surprising how much the scammers knew, and I think that took me by surprise.'

The star explained she'd been sent a letter that appeared to be from her bank noting that a business account, which she had opened, had been compromised, meaning that 'her image data had been accessed by a third party.'

It went onto share that there had been 'extra security' placed on her account and provided a link offering her a 'free year credit score check' from a 'very reputable company' as compensation.

'Even I know you don't click on the link in an e-mail. So that's the first thing, that sort of thing, hang on a second,' Melanie revealed.

'But I thought, ''well, how do you know, it's my bank, and the address looked okay, and how do they know that I've opened a bank account if it is a scam, so could it be reached?'''

'I mean, I wasn't sure, but I didn't like the fact that it was asking me to click on a link. So I actually wrote the link address in a different window, and actually this reputable company came up.'

'But there was something about it that I really thought, '''you know what, sit on your hands, Walters.''

'So I just took my time, and I actually sent it to a friend of mine who said, ''oh, I think it's a scam.'' So I left it well alone.'

Melanie said she was targeted again with a letter sent to her home six weeks later, and while the two seemed unrelated, she was stunned to learn they were likely from the same scammers.

She continued: 'I was away working and then I came back and it must have been about six weeks later, and this again is the thing that slightly unnerved me because it was like the long game.

'So six weeks later I come back and there's a letter for me, one of those old-fashioned things called a letter!

'And it was from a completely different bank that I have no dealings with, saying, ''Dear Ms Walters, a bank account has been opened in your name with us. Some red flags were raised, so we closed the account, and we're just telling you that this has happened.'

'So they weren't asking for anything, this particular letter, this particular bank. It was just purely information - ''do with it what you will'' type of information.

'So of course, I immediately think, ''well that e-mail was real, my data has been compromised, and now there's somebody going around the UK opening up bank accounts in my name.''

'So that's when I thought ''what do I do?'' And I still had that e-mail.

'So I went back to the e-mail and I thought, ''all right, so the first thing I do is that I haven't lost any money, but I'm gonna make sure that, let's do that credit score thing and then I'll work out what to do.''

'So I put the address in the new window and there was a code there to use to get the sort of free year or whatever. And I put the code in and the code came up slightly differently, so I just thought, ''actually that doesn't look right.''

'And it was of an evening, so I thought, again, Walters, nothing's going to happen tonight. Just go to your bank tomorrow morning.

'And I think I might be able to do that... There's a lot of people of a certain age who may not be able to jump in a car and speed off to their bank and check that things are okay, but I was able to and I went up to the bank, and they said 'no, it's a scam.' I said ''both of them?'' I took the e-mail and the letter.

'They said, ''one, we wouldn't send this type of e-mail out. We would never offer anything free from a particular company.''

'And I said, ''what about this letter?'' And this was six weeks later. And they said, 'it's probably the same group of scammers playing the long game to make you think exactly what I thought.'

'Obviously, when people offer you something free for a year or three months free, you still have to put in your details, because then you subscribe to something, and then they say you can unsubscribe at any point.

'So I think ultimately that would have led me putting my details in and putting my card details in. 

'I mean, that's what I'm assuming, but of course I didn't do anything in the end.'

Melanie added that learning how much of her personal information scammers knew was worrying, and said it's 'impossible' to avoid putting her details online.

She went on to note that a rise in the reliance on online banking has meant there are limited options for over 65s, admitting that 'all five banks' in her local village have closed down.

She added: 'I have to get in my car and drive five miles to get to my nearest bank, which I can do.

'Of course there are phone numbers and things, but even phone calls these days you get a bit suspicious of. It's not that easy for certain people to jump on a bus or a car and get to the bank and see somebody in person.'

'These days, most companies will say, ''download our app, download our app.'' It's much easier if you download our app.

'I think that's the way it's going. You can't do anything. There is an app that I have to use for a certain bit of business of mine.

'And I'm one of these people who don't like changing my phones very often.

'So we are being forced, whether it's getting a new app on your phone or it's actually getting a new phone. And I think, not just seniors, but people go, ‘’I don't know whether I want to embrace this, but I think we sort of have to.''

Melanie has publicly shared her experience with scammers after joining forces with BT Group and UK charity AbilityNet to promote in-personal digital skills sessions to help build confidence in over 65s online.

It comes as new research reveals over half of older people fear they could become a victim of an online scam and almost nine out of 10 would welcome simple, clear guidance to help them understand what’s genuine online.

The actress also took the sessions on a road by boarding a heritage steam train in Essex to bring the in-person safety courses directly to older people.

Offering her advice to others when being aware of scams, Melanie said 'not to panic' or feel pressured into responding if a phone call or text message seems suspicious.

She added: 'I've got, actually, my bank's proper number safe. So I just thought, well, if I've got any problems, I know that's the right number. 

'Because this friend who was phoned by her bank, it wasn't her bank at all, when she rang that number back, it was a long number.

'And luckily, quickly, she had her actual bank's number literally there, and she rang the bank, so she was able to cut it off at its prime.

'So I just think I think the best advice is don't be panicked, and if anybody starts saying you've got to do it now, you've got to do it now, because awful things are going to happen if you don't. I think that might be a red flag.

'Take a breath would be my advice.'