Phishing texts, emails and messages include clues that they are a potential attack
Be on your guard against scammers, phishers and other online criminals, folks! Cyber attackers are using Covid-19 to target people via text, email and messaging apps. Some of the potentially dangerous emails, texts and other messages are very convincing and it’s all too easy to be fooled into following a dodgy link.
This potential phishing attack was sent via text message
For instance, this phishing text is doing the rounds. There are several clues that it is not what it seems:
- Web address includes the word ‘redirect’, which should set your inner alarm bells ringing. UK government websites end in gov.uk
- Text message uses the word ‘UKGOV’ to describe the government. A genuine text message from the government refers to GOV.UK
- Use of ‘GBP’ instead of the £ sign is suspicious
- £458 is a precise (and unusual) amount
Both text message and web page include grammatical errors and inconsistencies:
- ‘Relieve’ instead of ‘relief
- ‘Post Code’, and later ‘postcode’
- ‘COVID’, ‘COVID 19’ and ‘COVID-19’
Preventing cyber attacks: help is at hand
If you would like more information about cyber safety, we’ve developed a short elearning module to help you spot and deal with potential cyber attacks. It’s available and ready to use now.
Contact us to find out how you can get it.