Sure warns of bills scam after one islander loses thousands
POLICE and Sure are warning the public of the dangers of phishing scams after one local person lost thousands of pounds.
These latest fake billing emails, supposedly from Sure, are said to look extremely realistic.
Emails are being received at roughly the time the telecoms operator would usually send out bills.
They include a link which, when clicked, will take customers to a false Sure login page asking for a username and password.
Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails alleging to be from reputable companies in order to convince individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
Tim Stonebridge, chief security officer at Sure, said the attempts by scammers pretending to be associated with the company are becoming increasingly convincing.
‘Customers should look out for some key differences when receiving bills from Sure. We will address our customers by their full name in billing e-mails, never by Sir/Madam or by email address, and Sure will always include customers’ account numbers and customers should check this matches their actual account number by comparing it with a previous bill,’ he said.
‘Phishing isn’t a new technique and scammers are aware of the common advice on phishing and are actively trying to get around this, so we’d advise customers to always be vigilant.
‘If in doubt log on to view your bill directly through www.sure.com.’
Sure advises customers not to click on the link.
If customers believe they may have done so and entered details, they should log into their email account and change their password.
Digital media investigator Tom Elliott said online crime could see people lose a large amount of money in a short space of time.
‘The way that organised criminals operate is changing to coincide with improvements in technology,’ he said.
‘As access to the internet becomes more readily available, whether it be through a mobile phone or other device, the importance of knowing how to protect yourself online is heightened.
‘If you receive an email that you’re unsure of don’t take it at face value. If something appears too good to be true or not quite right then verify the content through another known reputable means of communication.
‘Unfortunately, crime of this nature is becoming ever more sophisticated, and we are thankful of our close working relationship with Sure in order to assist in identifying those responsible.’
Sure has advised concerned customers to call in on 700700.
Anyone who has lost money should contact the police immediately on 725111 or if no loss has occurred report the matter through Action Fraud online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by phone on 0300 123 2040.
. More information and advice about phishing and email safety can be found at https://guernseyhelp.sure.com.
