More attempts at Phishing
04 07 2005
‘Phishing’ is an attempt to get you to provide a password and other information that will allow Internet fraudsters to gain access to funds in your bank account.
Often it is used in conjunction with apparently genuine emails and websites. Bank customers are favourite targets of this type of identity theft.
In June 2005 two fraudsters were jailed for six years at Leeds Crown Court for their part in an international ring that forged credit cards from details provided unwittingly to fake websites. Police reckoned they raked in as much as £6.5m in just two years.
Note that phishing is also used to trick customers of eBay, PayPal and others into supplying their credit card details.
The email below arrives with a Lloyds TSB logo and tries to trick you into believing it is genuine by warning you about scams and telling you about a new secure system installed by the bank. But it is actually a fraudulent attempt to get people to supply their bank account details to swindlers.
Dear Customers,
Lloyds TSB Online Bank always look forward for the high security of our clients. Some customers have been receiving an email claiming to be from Lloyds TSB advising them to follow a link to what appear to be a Lloyds TSB web site, where they are prompted to enter their personal Online Banking details. Lloyds TSB is in no way involved with this email and the web site does not belong to us.
Lloyds TSB is proud to announce about our new updated secure system. We updated our new SSL servers to give our customers a better, fast and secure online banking service.
Due to the recent update of the servers, you are requested to please update your account info at the following link.
[Link removed]
*Important*
Please provide all these info completely and correctly otherwise due to security reasons we may have to close your account temporarily.
A. J. Blair
Online Security Admin
Lloyds TSB Online Bank
Please do not reply to this e-mail. Mail sent to this address cannot be answered.
For assistance, log in to your Lloyds TSB Online Bank account and choose the "Help" link on any page.
Lloyds TSB Bank Email ID #325
Tips to avoid identity theft and
Do not reply to emails or pop-up messages that ask for your personal or financial information
Banks and other legitimate institutions don’t send emails asking for your password, account details or security information, or direct you to a web page that asks for this information.
Use reliable anti-virus software and a firewall
Ideally use software that detects Spyware too. Always keep your security software up-to-date.
Be very cautious about opening or forwarding email attachments
These files can contain viruses and other programs that affect the security of the computer used by yourself and others.
Treat security icons with suspicion
Look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a website that begins https: - the ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’).
Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof - some phishers have produced forged security icons as well.
You can find out more from Microsoft about phishing scams here: Help prevent identity theft from phishing scams (page opens in a new window)
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