Your IT. At risk from email scams.
One of the biggest risks to your IT (whether it be at home or in the workplace) are email scams. There are typically two types of scam emails :
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Emails aimed at you
These emails are the most common and always have several characteristics :
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Emails that appear to have been sent to you by mistake
These emails are less common but are written in such a way to trigger your curiosity. It is less easy to define the characteristics, but they will typically include :
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At the point that you click on the link, or open the attachment, you have taken the positive step to allow your computer to be infected.
It may even appear that nothing has happened, but that is not necessarily a good sign. If the attachment or link attacks your computer using an unknown method of infection, then your anti-virus or anti-malware software may not be able to protect you. The best form if defence is not to click on links or open attachments in emails unless you know, for sure, that the email is from a genuine source. Don't assume that, because you recognise the sender's email address the message is fine - if their email account or PC has been compromised, the emails could be sent without their knowledge.
If an email contains a link, you can hover the mouse pointer over a link to see the actual link address. In the example below, clicking on the link for www.hmrc.gov.uk won't take you to the UK HM Revenue and Customs website, but to a website with an Italian domain name.
It may even appear that nothing has happened, but that is not necessarily a good sign. If the attachment or link attacks your computer using an unknown method of infection, then your anti-virus or anti-malware software may not be able to protect you. The best form if defence is not to click on links or open attachments in emails unless you know, for sure, that the email is from a genuine source. Don't assume that, because you recognise the sender's email address the message is fine - if their email account or PC has been compromised, the emails could be sent without their knowledge.
If an email contains a link, you can hover the mouse pointer over a link to see the actual link address. In the example below, clicking on the link for www.hmrc.gov.uk won't take you to the UK HM Revenue and Customs website, but to a website with an Italian domain name.
As with many things in life ... If something looks too good to be true, it probably is...
Below are a collection of scam emails that we have received. If you receive the same, then do not click on the link or open the attachment.
Below are a collection of scam emails that we have received. If you receive the same, then do not click on the link or open the attachment.
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Date Tue 17/03/2015 14:51
From Leah Beasley <Sarah.af9b@barak-online.net> Subject RE:Confirmation for payment UNT296 Attachments UNT296.doc (11 KB) |
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Date Tue 17/03/2015 13:09
From Ivory Owen <Judy.dc@rdsnet.ro> Subject RE:Transaction confirmation NHF302 Attachments NHF302.doc (11 KB) |
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Date Tue 17/03/2015 07:45
From Linsen Parts UK Ltd <mark12660@linsenparts.co.uk> Subject Invoice from Linsen Parts Ltd Attachments Invoice-3709.doc (85 KB) Please disregard the invoice I sent earlier Please see attached invoice. Regards, Accounts Dept. Linsen Parts |
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Date Mon 16/03/2015 12:23
From Administrator <Administrator@larnecouncil.co.uk> Subject Internal ONLY Attachments SecureMessage.zip (13KB) Untitled attachment 36039.txt (127 bytes) **********Important - Internal ONLY********** File Validity: 16/03/2015 Company : http://larnecouncil.co.uk File Format: Adobe Reader Legal Copyright: Adobe Corporation. Original Filename: Internal.pdf ********** Confidentiality Notice **********. This e-mail and any file(s) transmitted with it, is intended for the exclusive use by the person(s) mentioned above as recipient(s). This e-mail may contain confidential information and/or information protected by intellectual property rights or other rights. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying, or action taken in relation to the contents of and attachments to this e-mail is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender and delete the original and any copies of this e-mail and any printouts immediately from your system and destroy all copies of it. |
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Date Thu 12/03/2015 09:18
From Voicemail <voicemail@.................uk> Subject Voicemail Message (07813239785) From:07813239785 Attachment MSG00002430.WAV.ZIP (58 KB) IP Office Voicemail redirected message |
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Date Wed 11/03/2015 21:48
From HMRC Tax Credit Office <billing@1and1.co.uk> Subject TAX REFUND NUMBER ID: UK321718269-HMRC Link goes to http://www.politicheconciliazioni.it/logs/index.html Dear Applicant, I am sending this email to announce: After the last annual calculation of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of 194.28 GBP. We have attached the tax return form with the TAX REFUND NUMBER ID: UK321718269-HMRC. Complete the tax return form by clicking on the link below : http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ Thank you not to respond directly to this email, your post would not be treated. Your sincerely, MR JACOB N WHITE HMRC Tax Credit Office TAX REFUND ID: UK321718269-HMRC Copyright 2015, HM Revenue & Customs UK All rights reserved. |
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Date Thu 05/03/2015 09:45
From Alpro <carmel@alpro.com> Subject Alpro Invoice(s): 7985974765 Attachment Invoice7985974765.zip (11 KB) Please see attached for your invoice(s) with the following invoice number(s): 7985974765. Kindest Regards, Carmel Wilson Alpro Customer Care Tel: 0800 0 188 180 www.alpro.com/uk www.facebook.com/alpro www.twitter.com/Alpro_UK If you want to hear more about Alpro, our products and competitions, click here to sign up to our newsletter |
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Date Wed 04 Mar 2015 11:19
From Virginia Case <Bernard.ff5@comcastbusiness.net> Subject Remittance advice [Rem_1855BJ.xml] Attachment Rem_1855BJ.xml (30 KB) Good morning You can find remittance advice [Rem_1855BJ.xml] in the attachment Kind Regards Virginia Case DB X-TRACKERS II |
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Date Wed 04 Mar 2015 08:18
From John Donald <john@kingfishermanagement.uk.com> Subject Document1 Attachment Document1.doc (33 KB) |
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Date Fri 27 Feb 2015 12:34
From accounts@dennys.co.uk Subject Dennys Invoice INV650988 Attachment INV650988.DOC (32 KB) To view the attached document, you will need the Microsoft Word installed on your system. |
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Date Tue 24 Feb 2015 15:08
From finance_ap@cabarruscounty.us Subject TOWN OF MT PLEASANT, here is your EFT Notification Attachment live-84200_12-17-2014-PE-E.zip (12 KB) live-842000_12-17-2014-PE-E.pdf |
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Date Tue 24 Feb 2015 12:38
From Andrew Manville <andy@icotherm.co.uk> Subject Board Order - PO15028 Attachment SCAN_20150224_100752437.xls (88 KB) Please find another board order attached for delivery as soon as possible. Our order no: PO15028 There is quite a lot of wastage on these ones in particular. How would we get charged? ½ boards or full? Regards Andrew Manville Unit 3, Osman House, Prince Street, Bolton BL1 2NP Tel: 01204 773040 Fax: 01204 773040 This email is confidential, may be legally privileged, and is for the intended recipient only. Access, disclosure, copying, distribution, or reliance on any of it by anyone else is prohibited and may be a criminal offence. Please delete if obtained in error and email confirmation to the sender. Internet communications are not secure and therefore the sender does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message. The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities. |
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Date Thu 19 Feb 2015 13:47
From Apple <messageriedapple@e-i.co.uk> subject Important warning ! Attachment Untitled attachment 00398.txt (127 bytes) Dear Client, This is an automatic message by the system to let you know that you have to confirm your account information within 48 hours. Your account has been frozen temporarily in order to protect it. The account will continue to be frozen until it is approved and validate your account information. Once you have updated your account records, your information will be confirmed and your account will start to work as normal once again. This will help protect you in the future. The process does not take more than 3 minutes. To proceed to confirm your account information please click here and follow the instructions that will be required. ⓒ 2015 Apple.com All rights reserved. |
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Date Wed 18 Feb 2015 16:52
From nycserv@finance.nyc.gov Subject Thank you for your payment Attachment attachment. zip (13 KB) This is confirmation that your payment on Wed, 18 Feb 2015 16:51:41 +0000 for USD 7900.00 has been accepted by the NYC Department of Finance. Your Credit Card statement will show an entry from Parking Fines NYCGOV. Please read the attachment and save it in case you have any questions about the items that you have paid. Name: sol chaimovits Payment Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2015 16:51:41 +0000 Receipt Number: WWW66601931 Payment Amount: USD 7900.00 Credit Card: Visa Account ending in: 6765 Your payment was for the following items: Agency Item Amount ------------------------------ -------------------- --------------- PVO 1160025162 USD 3000.00 PVO 7247746580 USD 4500.00 DOF Convenience Fee USD 400.00 Thank you for using New York City's website to process your payment. Please do not reply to this email. You may contact us by visiting http://nycserv.nyc.gov/NYCServWeb/ContactUs.html if you have questions or need further assistance. |
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Date Tue 17 Feb 2015 10:31
From AR.Support@efi.com Subject Customer statement 001031389 as on 02/05/2015 Attachment attachment. zip (13 KB) Dear EFI Customer, Please find attached your statement for this month. If you need invoice copies or have any questions you can reply to this e mail and we will contact you at the earliest. Regards, AR Support AR.Support@efi.com ** Attention AP Department ** Effective April 25th our new remittance address will change to the following. Please update your records. Thank you. PO Box 742366 Los Angeles, CA. 90074-2366 Confidentiality notice: This message may contain confidential information. It is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed. If you are not that person, you should not use this message. We request that you notify us by replying to this message, and then delete all copies including any contained in your reply. Thank you. Este email foi escaneado pelo Avast antivírus. www.avast.com |
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Date Mon 16 Feb 2015 11:43
From Regina Frazier <Lina8a1002@schalch.ch> Subject Re: Data request [ID:64952-9128597] Attachment 7765006233.xls (24 KB) Copy of transaction. |
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Date Mon 16 Feb 2015 10:32
From Benedict Cervantes <Valarie791201@ttnet.com.tr> Subject Re: Data request [ID:55620-6407272] Attachment 7765006233.xls (24 KB) Copy of transaction. |
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Date Fri 13 Feb 2015 15:30
From Ella Foster <Rosannace8@biz.rr.com> Subject RE: Remittance [Report ID:46390-4330228] Attachment 241DC3FBA6.xls (25 KB) |
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Date Fri 13 Feb 2015 14:24
From Mary Ayala <Jennifer9652b1@biz.rr.com> Subject RE: Remittance [Report ID:99683-6620099] Attachment 849C03C8B9.xls (25 KB) |
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Date Fri 13 Feb 2015 14:12
From Dionne Koch <Denaa8cf6@catch.no> Subject RE: Remittance [Report ID:64756-3312722] Attachment 4BBD510DAD.xls (25 KB) |
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Date Fri 13 Feb 2015 12:36
From Grace Weber <d5cb9959@lawmanslawgroup.com> Subject Remittance VDM25423977 Attachment 4BBD510DAD.xls (25 KB) Dear Sir/Madam, Hope you are OK. I am writing you to let you know that whole amount specified in the contract has been paid into your bank account on the 12th of February at 16:25 via BACS payment system and should reach the destination (beneficiary's) account within 3 working days. To see full payment details please refer to the remittance advice note attached to the letter. Any queries? Please reply back with your questions and you will receive a prompt and qualitative response as soon as possible. Please do not hesitate to write us. Grace Weber Accounts Payable INVESTEC INVESTMENT TRUST(GB) |