Today I received yet another attempt to get me to click on a button leading to a phishing scam. On the face of it the email looks very realistic so I thought I would put out another ‘scam alert’. Here’s a screenshot, see what you think:
Some of the details to note:
- It is relating to a genuine email address
- The organisation it claims to come from is real
- The attached trademark is real (used fraudulently)
- The message seems plausible
These messages are dangerous precisely because they look so real. An unwary user could easily spot this in their inbox and mistake it as something genuine and important requiring attention. Making it all too easy to click on the link and start the phishing process. Thankfully, there are some pretty good spam filters these days. I use the GMail App to handle all of my email accounts and it had no problem filtering this nonsense straight into the junk, disabling all attachments and deactivating the contained links:
But despite the thing going straight to spam I still find it annoying to receive these things. I just wish the people behind them would get a conscience and stop ripping off unwary people. Sadly, the people who fall for this fraud are often the elderly and vulnerable, which makes the practice completely evil in my view.
Anyway, just a heads up. Always be alert to this kind of thing. Genuine notifications will come from TDL Web Developments, or if you manage your email separately, your alternative email provider. If you’re not sure about anything you receive give me a shout – I’ll be happy to take a look.
And above all: DON’T CLICK ON ANY LINK YOU’RE NOT SURE OF!
