We encounter so many different types of scams in the age of smartphones and instant messaging that it can be easier than you think to get caught off guard.
A long established and common type of scam is the email phishing scam. But what is an email phishing scam, and how can you avoid falling prey to one? We take a look in this article.
Email phishing scams – What are they?
Phishing emails are a type of scam designed trick people into transferring over money or fraudulently obtain valuable personal information, such as bank/credit card details.
Unfortunately as time goes on, some scams are becoming harder and harder to spot, so with this in mind we have compiled a list of some of the most common warning signs to be aware of.
Things to look out for
- Company names – e.g.: Barclay vs Barclays
Look out for intentional alterations in company names, which are designed to catch you out. It can be very easy to skim read an email and think it’s from Barclays instead of from Barclay, for example.
Suspect phone numbers may include international code numbers presented with a + at the beginning, or ones with area codes common to countries or other locations notorious for carrying out scams. If in doubt, search the number online to verify that it genuinely belongs to the supposed company in question.
Look very carefully at any links presented within an email. Hovering over them will show you where the link leads, and phishing emails will often attempt to make you think you are going to a legitimate website when they are in fact sending you elsewhere.
- Misspellings and bad grammar
Look out for simple misspellings or sentences that don’t make sense. Most professional emails are very meticulous about such things, so a lack of care may be an indication of a scam.
Such as “You must act now or face consequences”. This is an extreme example, but often a phishing email will attempt to create a sense of urgency or sympathy. Do not be rushed into taking impulsive action and think about what you are being presented with – have you been cold contacted?
- Incorrect or generic greetings
The email addresses you with the wrong title, such as Mrs. Johnson instead of Mr. Johnson, Dear Customer instead of Dear Chris (if it supposedly a company you have done business with) or the greeting has some kind of spelling or grammatical error, such as misusing capital letters.
- Engaging with malicious senders
If you suspect that you may have a phishing email on your hands, do not engage with it in any way – clicking links, replying, calling a number etc. Forward it to the government’s official reporting inbox: report@phishing.gov.uk.
These could be PDFs, ZIPs, or a link to make some kind of external download. Do not click on or download anything, as it may contain a virus or allow a scammer to access your computer.
- Sender name and email address
Look to see if the sender name or company matches the email address. Many scammers give themselves away by having Gmail accounts with random names, such as sillyname@gmail.com. For more convincing ones, look for extra words tagged onto an address, such as info@company-store.co.uk instead of info@company.co.uk.
- How they contact got your details
Ask yourself how this sender got your contact details. Is it some store newsletter you signed up for? Have you actually got a parcel ready for collection?
Can I report a fraudulent email?
Yes, you can report phishing emails directly to the government. Simply forward suspected scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
If you suspect that you have been scammed and are worried that you have granted someone access to a bank account, phone your bank’s fraud helpline immediately.
Also: if there is some kind of emergency which puts you in immediate danger, phone the police. For non urgent reports, contact the 101 non-emergency helpline. When in doubt, seek help.
Further reading
Report Fraud – Homepage
National Cyber Security Centre – Phishing
Oakwood Solicitors | Financial Loss and Mis-selling.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
If you have lost a large amount of money in some kind of bank fraud or a scam, get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation.
Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
We would love to hear your comments or feedback
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