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I keep getting spam emails purportedly from HMRC telling me that I am owed a tax refund. They're always clearly a fraud, not least because HMRC would never email you and I don't think they have my email address anyway. I quite admire the people running the scam because they don't try and tempt you in with greed. The figures that are being offered are a realistic £100 or £200, a believable amount for a refund and enough to make you think that that's worth having, but perhaps not as tantalising as a grand or so, which might appeal to your risk-taking side. I have had the email so many times and it's a different amount each time so I am just letting the total add up before I claim it. I am going to be a millionaire. I reckon even if its a scam they probably pay out occasionally, just to look legit.
Today's emails were a step up, not only with a logo attached, but a note at the ned saying “"If you're unsure an email is from HMRC:Do not reply to it or click on any links. Report the suspicious email to HMRC- to find out how, go to GOV.UK and search for 'Avoid and report internet scams and phishing'â€
Presumably they think that some people receiving the email will think that only an official email would have that advice as it would be crazy for scammers to warn you about scammers, so there's no need to check the actual websites to see if it's a scam. Clever. Or not. Because it might make people who were going to be scammed think that they might be being scammed and stop them being scammed.
Today I was told that I was owed "203,48 BGPâ€. I don't know what BGPs are. Unless they are Border Gate Protocol. But do I need so many of those? I am not sure I even need one. And the comma suggests that I might be getting 203,480 of them. Might be inconvenient. Still I will be laughing after the apocolypse , when no one has Border Gate Protocols except me.
Tonight I gigged in Fleet, a town I had never heard of or visited before (apart from its service station, which was excellent before it burned down). I was still ill, but I think I gave a better performance as I got more comfortable with the material and I connected more with the audience who were closer and more visible than last night. Not loads in, but enough and easily over 100 which is my new benchmark of success. It's a big town and I was surprised it was new to me and joked about it appearing once every a thousand years. I particularly enjoyed the second half with its slightly darker routines about bigger subjects. I need to be very much on top of these to make them really fly and I was pleased with the energy I brought to the show.
I had been very tired in the day time and was remembering how much touring took out of me. Usually I think I will write on the road, but don't really get very far, but I don't really have an option now. Loads to get done, but getting it done.
I wrote this blog in the car on the way home from Fleet. Pretty impressive given that I was driving.
