Warning: The 'Cloud Data Deletion' Scam Hitting UK Inboxes

Have you recently received an urgent email claiming your "Cloud+" membership has ended and your photos are at "immediate risk of deletion"? Before you rush to update your payment details, take a deep breath.

It is a total scam.

Cybercriminals are currently sending out highly polished emails designed to look like official correspondence from Apple or other cloud providers. Their goal? To steal your banking information.

How to Spot This Scam

Even though the email looks professional at first glance, there are several "red flags" that give it away:

• The 'From' Address is Wrong: In the screenshots above, the sender's email is a random address (.emudas@bestquotedirect.com). Official emails from Apple or Google will always come from their verified domains (e.g., @apple.com or @google.com).

• Artificial Urgency: Scammers want you to panic. They use phrases like "immediate risk" and give you a deadline of "tonight at 11:59 PM." Real companies give you a grace period of weeks, not hours, if a payment fails.

• Vague Greeting: Notice the email says "Dear user" instead of your actual name. Most legitimate services you pay for will address you by the name on your account.

• Dodgy Footer Information: If you look at the bottom of the email, it lists a random company address ("Design Studio Fabrics" in the US). This has nothing to do with cloud storage!

What Should You Do?

1. Do NOT click the link: The "Update Payment" button will lead to a fake website designed to harvest your card details.

2. Check the official app: If you are worried, go directly to your phone's Settings or the official website of your provider. Check your subscription status there.

3. Report it: In the UK, you can forward suspicious emails to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) at report@phishing.gov.uk.

4. Delete and Block: Once you’ve reported it, delete the email and block the sender.

"I've already clicked and entered my details—now what?"

If you have already entered your details into the link, you must act fast:

• Contact your bank immediately. Tell them you have been the victim of a phishing scam. They can freeze your card and protect your account.

• Change your passwords. If the scam site asked for your login details, change your password for that service (and any other accounts that use the same password) right away.

Stay safe online—if an email feels like it's trying to scare you into acting, it's usually because it's a scam.

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We examined a version of this message and found that the link directs you to a live website that's a convincing copy of Amazon's official page. Discover what this scam looks like and how you can avoid it.

Source: Which? (04 Feb 2026) 

Beware new voice cloning phone scams

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While you answer the questions, this information is used to create an AI-generated replica of your voice (voice cloning), which can be used to set up direct debits without you knowing. Find out more about this new scam and how you can protect yourself.

Source: Which? (05 Feb 2026) 

4 energy scams to know about

Whether it's impersonating energy suppliers or flogging fake devices that claim to save you money on your energy bills, scammers bank on rushing you into handing over information by sounding official.

Energy scams are prevalent throughout the year, but in the winter months they can be just convincing enough to catch people out. Take a look at some of the most common examples we've seen recently.

Source: Which? (05 Feb 2026)