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Date Posted: 09:01:56 12/30/03 Tue
Author: Billy
Subject: Re: Bank warns over email scam
In reply to: Gone phising 's message, "'Phisher' site targets Visa, as holiday scams abound" on 04:21:32 12/30/03 Tue

Bank warns over email scam
Patrick Hosking and Jane Padgham, Evening Standard
30 December 2003

THE Bank of England has been caught up in a massive email hoax, it has emerged. The public is being warned to delete bogus emails, apparently sent by the Bank, which ask the recipient to download a file to protect the security of their personal and account information.

It was not clear whether the fraudsters were trying to con people into divulging Pin numbers and passwords, or if it was a less sinister hoax.

Asked about the contents of the file, a Bank spokeswoman said: 'It's possibly a virus or worm and we are warning people not to touch it.

The Bank discovered the fraud this morning after more than 100,000 emails 'bounced back' from intended recipients.

The large number of bounce-backs - which usually occur where the email address is wrong or where the recipient has automatic reply software - suggests that many more people could be receiving the email.

About a fifth of the adult population has at least one online bank account, accessed via a home computer, and there are more than 13m online accounts. The Bank has already taken calls from worried members of the public.


Any emails with the sender's address of admin@bankofengland.co.uk should be deleted immediately, the Bank said.



The bogus email begins: 'Dear customer. The security of your personal and account information is extremely important to us. By practising good security habits, you can help us ensure that your private information is protected.' It then goes on to ask recipients to 'install our special software'.



Hoax emails have been plaguing bank and building society customers in recent months. Nationwide Building Society issued a warning in October after conmen using email tried to trick online banking customers into divulging Pin numbers and passwords.


Halifax and NatWest were forced to shut their online banking websites temporarily after customers were sent hoax emails, also in October.



But a third of Britons who have internet access refuse to bank online because they are worried about fraud, according to a recent poll.



Customers who do bank online like the convenience and service levels and 11% said they had been forced into it by branch closures.



General email hoaxes have also surged in popularity in the last 12 months, with internet users receiving on average 100 junk emails each day.



Experts believe many are sent by organised crime syndicates. Many hoaxes install spam-sending software on to users' machines, so thousands of British computers could be sending spam without their owners' knowledge.




How to beat the fraudsters




• Never open a file contained within an email unless you are sure of its contents, even if the email address it comes from appears real.



• Never enter your full online banking password. Genuine sites will ask you for only selected letters from it.



• Ensure your computer's anti-virus software is up to date by visiting the manufacturer's website.



• Never give out your email address or otherwise reply to junk email - it will alert hackers that your email address is 'live'.



• Never put your password or Pin number in an email.



• Install security software known as a firewall to keep the hackers away.

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Replies:

  • Re: 'Phisher' site targets Visa, as holiday scams abound -- Giblet, 22:16:34 01/04/04 Sun
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