We have recently seen an increase in the amount of scam / phishing emails which are currently circulating. We felt it was important to alert you to some of the most common things we are currently seeing in these types of emails:
- Although the senders display name may look correct, this is easy to replicate so you always need to ensure the email address that has been used is correct
- An email address is more difficult to replicate however Cybercriminals may use a similar email address to your actual email address to make it look correct at a glance. For example, hhllp.co.uk – hhllq.co.uk
- Many companies have a standard email and signature layout that goes out on the end of every email but most of the bulk phishing / scam emails do not have this however more sophisticated ones do – keep a look out for any changes you may notice
- Most of the bulk emails we have been seeing appear to have poor grammar and spelling
Here is a reminder of the main things not to do:
- Do not click on any hyperlinks if you are unsure of who the sender may be, especially if it is regarding payments or financial information, just delete the email.
- Do not open any attachments or act on any email that again may be regarding a payment or financial information especially if the email doesn't seem familiar to you
To be absolutely sure that it is coming from the legitimate source, always call the sender on a number you usually use and do not reply to the email in question.
If you believe you may have fallen victim to any scam emails or wish to report one please contact report@phishing.gov.uk or for any HMRC phishing / scam related emails contact phishing@hmrc.gov.uk
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
