It has come to our attention that some services are receiving phishing emails falsely claiming to be from us. These emails may appear authentic at first glance. An example of how one might look is included below.
How to spot a phishing email
- Grammar and spelling: look out for poor grammar or spelling mistakes.
- Generic greetings: be cautious if the email uses generic greetings like ‘Dear Customer’ instead of your name.
- Suspicious email addresses: watch for unusual or misspelt email addresses, for example, Ba_nkofScotland.co.uk
- Urgency: be wary of emails urging immediate action.
- Self-reflection: ask yourself if you were expecting the email or attachment and if it feels legitimate.
Best practice
If you are at all suspicious about an email and its contents:
- double check the sender’s email address
- pause before clicking on any links or opening any attachments
More useful information can be found at Cyber Scotland and Cyber Fraud Centre.
Example of phishing email below.