Phishing Warning

crushednutts · 12-10-2006, 19:20

Just had a very convincing looking email from the Halifax (not even a customer) trying to get my details.
Be Warned.
----------

Dear Client of Halifax Online!

Summer 2006 has been hard for our Bank due to the increasing number of clandestine practices.
Sensible information about our clients is of constant interest for swindlers.
Lots of people seek protection from the hazard of losing money from their bank accounts.

In this respect, Bank announces that September is the fraud-fight month.
Before Octomber 1st all our clients should activate new account protection system.
We have upgraded and considerably improved it. Top EFT specialists tested the system, and independent experts have already affirmed its reliability.
We do not publish this information in mass media in order that malefactors could not employ it criminally.

You have been randomly chosen for the final testing of the account protection system.
Now we offer you to go to h**p://security.halifax.co.uk/update.co (really - 220.130.166.179:9070) and activate the new security system by entering the Internet banking as always.
Currently you may notice some defects.
We are aware of them so you do not have to inform us of these problems, we shall obviate the difficulties on our own.

Please note that on and after September 1st you will have to use the new security system, otherwise your account will be blocked until your identity is proven.
That is why we strongly recommend changing over to the new security standard as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Fraud Fight Department
Halifax Online

MovedGoalPosts · 12-10-2006, 19:28

Hmm, doesn't look very convincing to me. The grammar is appalling, almost as bad as mine.

And why are you getting this after the important date in the email - 1st September?

There are so many of these kicking around. I just delete them, if they even get past teh junk and spam rules.

Edit I've reduced the thread title to Capitalised, not all Capitals - makes it easier on the eyes

crushednutts · 12-10-2006, 19:40

Well it looked better in OE with graphics and all, and not everyone is as attentive as they should be.
Maybe I was just being over-cautious..

I've been getting quite a lot of spam on my NTL accounts lately, thankfully Mailwasher gets them.

Sorry about the caps in the title.

Perhaps someone would like to delete this post and end my Embaressment..

cookie_365 · 12-10-2006, 19:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob C

Hmm, doesn't look very convincing to me. The grammar is appalling, almost as bad as mine.

And why are you getting this after the important date in the email - 1st September?

There are so many of these kicking around. I just delete them, if they even get past teh junk and spam rules.

Edit I've reduced the thread title to Capitalised, not all Capitals - makes it easier on the eyes

Much as it pains me to agree with Rob C - totally agree.

About as convincing as my 'I haven't arranged that meeting yet because ....' rubbish I keep entertaining my manager with ....

ben1390 · 12-10-2006, 20:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by crushednutts

Just had a very convincing looking email from the Halifax (not even a customer) trying to get my details.
Be Warned.
----------

Dear Client of Halifax Online!

Summer 2006 has been hard for our Bank due to the increasing number of clandestine practices.
Sensible information about our clients is of constant interest for swindlers.
Lots of people seek protection from the hazard of losing money from their bank accounts.

In this respect, Bank announces that September is the fraud-fight month.
Before Octomber 1st all our clients should activate new account protection system.
We have upgraded and considerably improved it. Top EFT specialists tested the system, and independent experts have already affirmed its reliability.
We do not publish this information in mass media in order that malefactors could not employ it criminally.

You have been randomly chosen for the final testing of the account protection system.
Now we offer you to go to h**p://security.halifax.co.uk/update.co (really - 220.130.166.179:9070) and activate the new security system by entering the Internet banking as always.
Currently you may notice some defects.
We are aware of them so you do not have to inform us of these problems, we shall obviate the difficulties on our own.

Please note that on and after September 1st you will have to use the new security system, otherwise your account will be blocked until your identity is proven.
That is why we strongly recommend changing over to the new security standard as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Fraud Fight Department
Halifax Online

Ive had one of those as well, spam definitely

Tricky · 12-10-2006, 21:48

Nationwide and Barclays had one start today also

MovedGoalPosts · 12-10-2006, 22:13

Perhaps the answer is to bank with someone obscure. That way you'll never fall prey to these sceams as you know it don't apply to you

Wicked_and_Crazy · 12-10-2006, 22:16

I dont understand why anyone would ever reply to one of these. If your bank wants you do something they will tell you the next time you log on to your account.

Gareth · 12-10-2006, 22:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tricky

Nationwide and Barclays had one start today also

An easy way to determine if a Nationwide email is really from them is to look for both your name and also your postcode at the top and bottom of the email... phishing emails that are sent out blanket-fashion don't include any personally identifiable details.

Nearly forgot... any emails that say they're from "Nationwide Bank" can safely be ignored too

Also, if you're in doubt about phishing emails, have a look at www.millersmiles.co.uk - they have shed loads of them - including the true URL and a screenshot of the scamming website, and it's searchable by financial institution too.

Down the Pub · 12-10-2006, 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tricky

Nationwide and Barclays had one start today also

a bit like this........the text at the bottom is a bit of a giveaway.

**Maggy** · 13-10-2006, 00:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Down the Pub

a bit like this........the text at the bottom is a bit of a giveaway.

Actually those have been discussedhere before..there is athread about the Barclays..I'm getting about 20/30 of the Barclays ones a day with the odd Halifax as well.

As for the ebay and the paypal scams I'm lucky to find any genuine mail at all.

Thank goodness it's not snail mail..That would drive me insane.

Gareth · 13-10-2006, 11:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Thank goodness it's not snail mail..That would drive me insane.

Yeah, that would be unbearable, wouldn't it... although vishing scams (phishing via VoIP) is starting to take off and doesn't incur quite the same sort of expense as sending something via snail mail.

oddjob · 18-10-2006, 12:56

Another way to help fight these criminals .... CastleCops and Sunbelt Software have announced a new anti-phishing community ... the Phishing Incident Reporting and Termination (PIRT) Squad.

This will be a community at CastleCops solely dedicated to taking down phishing sites. ItÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚Â¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚Â¢s the first public takedown community known of and I hope we all start nailing these sites as quickly as possible. CastleCops thanks Sunbelt-Software in its press launch of PIRT. The tool has been written by CastleCops.

It is very simple to report a phishing scam to PIRT. You just copy the source of a phishing e-mail or the link to the phishing site and paste it into a form on PIRT's web site here ....

http://www.castlecops.com/friedphish.html

If you can't do that then just forward the phishing email to them. They will take care of the rest.

More information ...

http://wiki.castlecops.com/PIRT

OJ

19-10-2006, 10:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by crushednutts

Just had a very convincing looking email from the Halifax

Convincing? It's laughable!!

The first line rang my bell and the rest is terrible!

oddjob · 19-10-2006, 10:36

Agreed, lsainsbury. One of the clear giveaways to phising is often the dreadful use of English, in particular, awful grammar and spelling (as in this case).

OJ