Is that survey a scam?

AFTER receiving an email as a request to take park in a survey I immediately deleted it without opening it, writes Keith Gudgin.

All I got was:

'Knowing what boaters think about the Canal & River Trust is very important to us, and we would therefore ask you to take part in our Annual Survey by clicking on the following link:

Take Part  Many thanks'.

No indication

Not only was it totally impersonal and unsigned, there was no other indication or logo etc. of any sort to indicate that it came from CaRT, or anyone else for that matter. It was, supposedly, sent from a 'Janet Johnson'. I'd never heard of her. Also, who are the 'us' refered to in the text?

I had no hesitation in deleting it without opening the link (which I have disabled in this piece) as I would do at any time I suspect an email or link is not quite legitimate!

Communications security

If this email has originated from CaRT then those who sent it need to be trained in communications security as a matter of urgency.

I think that the sending out of an email like this without any means of identification or verification is grossly irresponsible. To encourage people to open communications such as these whether by text or email or internet link etc. is not an act any responsible organisation should undertake or be proud of!

[Though we always do, we received no Press Release regarding this survey and this is the second 'annual survey' over a few months. Also the logo found in the text was not the normal Canal & River Trust logo but one shaped like a boat!—Editor.]