Virgin Media O2 users are being warned about a new email scam circulating in the UK. The fraudulent emails are taking advantage of the recent discontinuation of O2’s 3G mobile platform, which has been replaced by faster 4G and 5G services.

Although most O2 customers are unaffected by the transition, scammers are attempting to deceive users with emails pretending to be from the company, claiming a SIM card upgrade is necessary. The emails, designed to look authentic with official branding, have subject lines like “Alert: Switch to Your New 5G SIM for a Faster, Stronger Network.”

Virgin Media O2 emphasizes that these emails are not legitimate and should not be engaged with. Users are advised not to click on any links, respond, or provide any personal information. Instead, the emails should be promptly deleted. Any suspicious emails can be reported by forwarding them to phishing@virginmediao2.co.uk.

This phishing scam aims to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information by impersonating trusted organizations. In some cases, scammers might even send a physical SIM card and request recipients to activate it with a PIN. The emails may also prompt users to log in to the O2 app with a provided password and contain a “Contact Us” button that could lead victims directly to the scammers.

If successful, these scammers could obtain access to private accounts or gather enough personal data to commit identity theft or other fraudulent activities. To protect oneself, it is recommended to ignore suspicious emails and contact the company directly through verified channels. Seeking a second opinion from a trusted individual before taking any action is also advisable.