I’m actually a little surprised that it took as long as this before the phishers jumped on this particular opportunity.
From the Reg:
A phishing attack targeting victims of the HMRC data loss debacle has been spotted on the net. The bogus emails offering recipient the false opportunity to claim a tax refund of £215 from the UK Government over the potential exposure of confidential data. The email contains a web link to a suspect site, reports security firm McAfee, which spotted the ruse.
The ploy takes advantage of the loss of computer discs by HM Revenue and Customs containing the confidential details of 25 million child benefit recipients, including bank and building society details, NI numbers, addresses and child records. The attack follows more than two months after UK Chancellor Alistair Darling announced the loss, so arguably fraudsters have been slow off the mark.
Well, I see that I’m not the only one with that perspective. For our non-security readers, always be wary of emails like this. Anything that asks you to submit your password or tells you that you have received a refund or prize is likely a fraud. Be aware and surf with care.
[tags]HMRC Data Loss, Phishing, HMRC Phishing Fraud[/tags]
