Protect yourself from phishing emails

While you may think you’d never fall for a scam, research shows that one in ten of us has been the victim of fraud at some point in our lives*. And phishing – where scammers send out fake emails or texts, or call thousands of people in a bid to collect sensitive information, including bank details – remains a favourite technique of fraudsters. Now, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is warning that these scams are getting harder to spot.

Recent phishing scams include a fake email or text message that appears to be from Royal Mail, saying it’s been unable to deliver a parcel. A link in the message directs the recipient to a fake site where they’ll be asked to confirm personal details and make a payment to release the parcel. Another phishing scam currently doing the rounds appears to have come from British Gas. The message warns that the recipient’s last direct debit payment didn’t go through and their gas is at risk of being cut off. A link in the message to a fake website prompts them to enter personal details and confirm up-to-date payment details to resolve the problem.

With scammers coming up with ever-more-sophisticated ways of getting us to part with our personal information – and hard-earned cash – this is what you need to know to outfox phishing fraudsters.

What will phishing scam fraudsters do with my details?

If you’ve given out bank details, scammers may try to use the information to gain access to your bank accounts. Alternatively, they may try to commit fraud in your name or even sell your personal information for a profit.

‘Fraudsters have been known to compile the details they’ve acquired into huge lists and sell them on to other fraudsters,’ explains Craig Mullish, Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) at City of London Police. ‘This is why it’s important always to be vigilant for calls and messages that ask for personal and financial information.’

I think I dodged a phishing scam. Should I still be worried?

If you’ve received a phishing email or text, or you’ve had a phone call you correctly identified as dodgy, you should still be on high alert. Fraudsters will often target you in different ways, so if the phishing email or text message didn’t work, they may try to call pretending to be from your bank, or from another organisation you know and trust, such as TV Licensing or HMRC.

What if the number the call is coming from seems genuine?

Action Fraud advises that you shouldn’t use the number the call appears to be coming from as proof that it’s genuine. ‘Fraudsters often mimic the phone numbers of real companies, such as your bank or a utility provider – a technique known as Caller ID spoofing,’ cautions DCI Mullish. ‘The goal of this tactic is to try and trick you into believing the caller is from a legitimate company. Fraudsters can also use similar technology to spoof email addresses.’

So how can I spot a phishing scam call or message?

Legitimate companies won’t contact you out of the blue and ask for details such as your date of birth or banking passwords.

If a phishing scammer is posing as an employee from your bank, they may also ask about your recent purchases. This is because questions about recent transactions are commonly used by banks as part of the security process to verify your identity.

If you’re suspicious about a call, hang up and call the real company back using a number you know is genuine – the phone number on the back of your bank card, for example. Always wait at least two minutes after ending the suspicious call before you call your bank to make sure the last caller is properly disconnected from the line.

If you’ve received an email you’ve identified as a phishing message, mark it as ‘Junk’ so you won’t receive emails from this address again and delete it. If it’s a phishing text message, block the number on your phone and delete the message.

I think I’ve been the victim of a phishing scam. What should I do?

If you’ve divulged your bank details or transferred money from an account, contact your bank immediately. Call Action Fraud to report the scam on 0300 123 2040.

*Lloyds Bank and YouGov, 2019

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