Is Tom Watson trying to lure Labour members into a phishing scam?

Last Updated: September 12, 2016By
Tom Watson: Do you trust him? [Image: Getty.]

Tom Watson: Do you trust him? [Image: Getty.]

I received an email from Tom Watson, along with (probably) every Labour Party member who has an email address.

It read as follows (edited slightly to remove links):

“During my Deputy Leadership campaign last year, I said that if we organise, mobilise and harness the potential of every single party member, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.

“I also said that it’s not just what you say that matters, it’s what you do, too. Which is why I’m writing to you to today – exactly one year on from the day I was elected Deputy Leader of our party.

“I’ve put together a quick update on the work I’ve been doing over the past twelve months.

“As ever, I’d love to hear from you. If you’d like to send me your comments and feedback on the work I’ve been doing, you’ll find a link in the article.”

If I sent Tom Watson my comments and feedback on his recent work, no doubt I would be suspended from the Labour Party!

This is a ‘phishing’ scam, isn’t it? Phishing, if you don’t know (and you need to) is the practice of sending emails in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information online.

Usually they want passwords or credit card numbers so they can steal your money.

I’m concerned that this is an attempt to learn our opinions so they can steal our votes.

Maybe I’m being paranoid – but look at the people whose memberships have been suspended in the so-called purge.

I’ll hold off on responding to Tom’s kind offer – just until after the Labour leadership election is over – and I urge any other Labour members to do the same. He can read what we have to say when it won’t do us any harm.

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29 Comments

  1. Fibro confused September 12, 2016 at 11:01 pm - Reply

    Exactly my thoughts when I read it then promptly deleted it, even after the election I would refrain from any communication with him until it’s clear things are changing in a positive way

  2. casalealex September 12, 2016 at 11:17 pm - Reply

    I too received this email…not responding….

  3. Christine Cullen September 12, 2016 at 11:35 pm - Reply

    Thanks for the warning. I’m even getting paranoid about “liking” Michael Rosen’s posts on facebook in case of the facebook police! If it wasn’t so serious I would say this is like something out of one of his children’s books. LOL

  4. Colin Glazebrook September 12, 2016 at 11:43 pm - Reply

    I posted my email from Watson on Twitter because I had the same thought. Already told him I’d never vote gor him again and that got me blocked.

    • Jo Hall September 14, 2016 at 12:41 pm - Reply

      Perhaps that’s why I haven’t even received one – I contacted him about a month ago to say how disappointed I am after voting for him last year.

  5. John September 13, 2016 at 6:59 am - Reply

    Think you might be being a bit paranoid Mike? At the moment, I don’t see what the problem is? I don’t understand how it can be an attempt to steal votes either????
    What’s wrong with learning people’s opinions?
    It could be an attempt to suck up to people however? To try and get certain ‘haters’ to ‘like’ him again?

    I’m sure you’ll feel free to correct me on this? :)

    • Mike Sivier September 13, 2016 at 8:18 am - Reply

      I said it might be paranoia in the article. Even if it is, of course, that doesn’t mean it’s unreasonable.

    • Jo Hall September 14, 2016 at 12:44 pm - Reply

      ‘I don’t understand how it can be an attempt to steal votes’

      by members making comments that are against the new bullying, etc rules & so removing their vote (even if they already have voted) &/or suspending / expelling them. Several conference delegates have already been purged …

  6. Martyn Wood-Bevan September 13, 2016 at 7:07 am - Reply

    I think exactly the same thing. The PLP and NEC have been using Social Media and similar to suspend anyone who says anything that could be disapproved of. It seems as if the timing of this email is designed to hoover up any additional suspensions, given how toxic a character he has become. I delete anything from the OS side of the party and have no trust in most of the Labour Party.

  7. Rupert Mitchell (@rupert_rrl) September 13, 2016 at 7:13 am - Reply

    I can only say that I agree with every word you have written above Mike and I wish I had not been so forthright. It seems forthrightness is only appreciated by some when it fits exactly with their own requirements regardless of the actual matter in hand.

  8. Paul Harrison September 13, 2016 at 7:30 am - Reply

    They attack Trotsky because he was Jewish – blatant anti-semitism!

    • Roland Laycock September 13, 2016 at 8:21 am - Reply

      Trotsky did his best for his country and I can’t say that for Tom Watson

  9. Roland Laycock September 13, 2016 at 8:15 am - Reply

    Tom Watson went to far and for me there is no turning back he showed his true colours

  10. Gary smith September 13, 2016 at 8:15 am - Reply

    This man is a menace to the labour party and an undercover blairite pseudo tory.

  11. Jenny Hambidge September 13, 2016 at 8:18 am - Reply

    I’ve had emails asking who I am voting for . These are sent by the Labour party. As I have a suspicious mind I deleted them. I am sickened by the corruption in this leadership election.

    • Zippi September 13, 2016 at 12:47 pm - Reply

      I don’t recall ever telling the party who I intend to vote for, although I did, upon receipt of the first e.mail from Owen Smith, tell him that, if he really cared about uniting the Party, he would support our democratically elected leader, instead of standing against him. I did say that I did not vote for Mr. Corbyn but that I do support him and I suggest that Owen Smith does the same. I was still able to vote. It is worrisome, though, what has been happening. whatever happened to “innocent, until proven guilty?” Och, aye… Tony Blair.

    • Manny September 13, 2016 at 2:00 pm - Reply

      Phishing involves a person or people unknown IMPERSONATING a person, people, a group or business to con them into divulging sensitive information, such as passwords to their paypal or bank account or similar, to defraud them. If the emails in Tom Watson’s name were sent by him or with his consent it isn’t phishing. Honestly. This blog gets ever more paranoid and silly by the day.

      • Mike Sivier September 19, 2016 at 9:20 pm - Reply

        If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.
        Your argument doesn’t stand up.
        That means the insult at the end doesn’t stand up either.

  12. treborc September 13, 2016 at 9:30 am - Reply

    Labour is much more open then this.

    Labour party.

    Dear Robert,

    We are writing to ask if will you be voting in the leadership election, could you please indicate which candidate will you be voting for

    Corbyn

    Smith

    Undecided

    will not vote

    Surely all they needed to know was if your going to voter, not whom your voting for.

  13. josie September 13, 2016 at 10:08 am - Reply

    just dont answer theres only 9 days left so hang on in there then you can vent as much as you like i no i have a dam good few words for them but i can wait

  14. David Woods September 13, 2016 at 1:37 pm - Reply

    Would be nice if everyone replied “After the election”!
    But by then it will be irrelevant, because he’ll know the answer when he receives his P45!

    • Stephen Sheach September 13, 2016 at 8:35 pm - Reply

      He was elected deputy leader and can’t be sacked unfortunately

  15. John Spencer-Davis September 13, 2016 at 2:11 pm - Reply

    I told him precisely what I thought of his achievements over the past twelve months. If I get suspended I will let you know.

  16. autismandate September 13, 2016 at 2:47 pm - Reply

    My thoughts also.

  17. Pjay Mac September 13, 2016 at 6:33 pm - Reply

    Watson Is a Coward and it was he who probably ordered the mass resignation of the Sheep from the Shaddow Cabinet and outwith said Cabinet, Watson your position is untenable you did not resign along with your bleaters not because of your loyalty to the Labour Party and our Leader Mr Corbyn but to serve as the enemy within and a disruptive influence against us. You Sir are a Sly Untrustworthy Self Serving Right Wing elitist of questionable character who does not have one single Labour Bone in his ample body in fact your more than ample body no food banks for you then Eh! In answer to the caption under the image of Watson do you trust him aye a do about as much as I could throw him which would be no distance at all because I could not even lift the junk food guzzling waste disposal unit. Take a good look at his photograph when I look at him I see Cameron, Blair, Osborne, Jeremy Hunt, Tristum Hunt, Chukka Ummuna, Campbell, Mandellson! McNichol, McTernan, May, Davis, Johnstone, yep just another smug FTP Right Wing Elitist deemed not acceptable nor suitable for the Conservative Party this Right Wing Parasite followed Blair, Brown, Darling, et al in Hijacking the Labour Party and was an instrumental cog in the wheel of New Labour as him and his ilk dragged us from Socialism into the nightmare realm of Toryism all for his God and The Blairs God Money they were and are a Corrupt organisation who unbelievably Hypnotised and Brainwashed a whole NATION then proceeded to Rape and Pillage our Wealth just two examples of many should worry us. 1/ The selling at a rock bottom price of our Gold Reserves more alarming than this though is 2/ Which is the Illegal Raid on Pensions. There are many many more examples which can be researched dodgy dealings were and still are rife in the stagnant rotten remnants of Watsons New Labour.

    “Mr Corbyn needs us let’s not Fail Him”

  18. Rusty September 13, 2016 at 9:01 pm - Reply

    Sorry but he’s a smug looking c@nt! I apologise for my language mike!

  19. Zippi September 14, 2016 at 12:20 pm - Reply

    I received an e.mail from Kate Green, entitled “we mustn’t go backwards.” I replied saying that, if life has taught me anything, it is that it is cyclical and gave examples. I stated that this election, like the referendum, was important and that if “she” was going to make bold statements like “Owen is the only candidate that can lead £abour back into government,” she must provide evidence. I said that, like the referendum, we need hard facts, not rhetoric, a few slogans and a wish list. I asked her to convince me why I should vote for Owen. I also stated that we have a leader who has been undermined at every turn and that our M.P.s had been irresponsible by turning against him when we had no government. I begged her to tell me what Owen can do. I am still awaiting a response. My guess is that I’ll wait forever.

    • Antony September 14, 2016 at 4:57 pm - Reply

      By saying “Owen is the only candidate who can lead Labour back into government” she is making an implicit attack on the party leader. By contrast Jeremy’s 2 leadership campaigns have never been negative towards his opponents. I hope these sort of claims by the Smith campaign team will be investigated by a new, even-handed compliance committee when the new NEC starts business.

      • Zippi September 18, 2016 at 5:16 pm - Reply

        I had cat my vote, already but I wanted to know how hard he/ she/ they would campaign for my vote. Not very hard, it would seem. I am still awaiting a response.

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