A new angle on an old trick Phishing
is a scam that has been around for a few years where criminals
send emails to thousands of people. Historically these emails
have purported to come from banks, credit card companies, online
shops and other trusted organisations. They usually contain a
compelling but bogus reason to send money or personal details to
a specific address or go to a fake site, for example to update
your password before your account is suspended. Victims
are usually asked to click on an embedded link in the email
itself which takes them to a website that looks exactly like the
real thing but is, in fact, a fake site designed to trick
victims into entering personal information such as a password or
credit card number. The
effectiveness of these scams diminishes as more people become
aware of them, so the criminals come up with new ideas – and
Barnes Roffe has become aware these criminals have decided H M
Revenue & Customs (HMRC) can help them put a new angle on
their old trick. How it works The Internet scammers send emails seemingly from HMRC that ask for bank details or even ask directly for money. They usually apply either a 'carrot' (e.g. a tax rebate is waiting to be sent to you) or a 'stick' (e.g. Failure to comply will result...) approach. Clients should be aware that HMRC would never use the Internet for such purposes. Barnes Roffe Topical Tips
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