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Friday 9 January 2009, 2:18 PM
Scumbag Alert: Tax Return Scam
As you may have read in the press, fraudsters are targeting taxpayers with scam e-mails in the run up to the 31 January deadline for Self Assessment. Just when you thought these lowlifes couldn’t sink any lower (how far down is Hell, actually?), our buddies at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are warning us of further fraudulent attempts to obtain personal information after the 31 January deadline has passed when many of us self-employed workers and small-business owners will be waiting to hear about genuine tax refunds.
What separates these scams from phishing attacks of the past is their attention to detail - unlike the gibberish we’re used to reading, these scams have must have been outsourced because they have structure, correct grammar and the professional appearance of a illegitimate Web site. For many years now cyber criminals have been using news topicality and world events in order try to make their scams appear valid. However, these scams have often fallen short by attempting to react with speed rather than accuracy.
The most recent HMRC phishing scam tries to mimic the HMRC site, so duping you with a site that appears legitimate and recognisable and which you are therefore more likely to respond to. The scam alerts you that you have a tax rebate waiting to be claimed and asks you to provide your details in order to be refunded; in this instance luring the PC user with the offer of reasonable sums of money (a reported £250), further strengthening the appeal and validity of the e-mails. In the past phishing scams have offered get-rich-quick type schemes, which instantly set alarm bells ringing amongst PC users. However, by offering realistic, yet significant amounts of money as a tax rebate this instantly gives the e-mails a sense of legitimacy.
This level of attention to detail is something that we saw increasingly last year and sets the tone for spam in 2009. As the recession takes its toll on many people across the UK and beyond, and as finances become even more stretched, people are becoming more susceptible to such scams. Cybercriminals have changed their approach and are targeting individuals for smaller gains with a greater success rate which over an extended period can result in equivalent financial gains to the larger quick-wins.
We've already seen six specific HMRC focused phishing attacks this month alone, while the HMRC has received over 11,000 reports of fraudulent repayment e-mails since April last year. As phishers continue to target us through topical news and events such as this we will continue to see phishing scams appear and re-appear later down the line. Cybercriminals will continue to develop their phishing skills and improve the appearance of their scams in order to lure more victims; therefore, we must continue to remain vigilant and wary of any requests for personal details or banking information and not respond to requests for such information sent via e-mail.
Christian Harris
Managing Director, BidUpBiz.com
What separates these scams from phishing attacks of the past is their attention to detail - unlike the gibberish we’re used to reading, these scams have must have been outsourced because they have structure, correct grammar and the professional appearance of a illegitimate Web site. For many years now cyber criminals have been using news topicality and world events in order try to make their scams appear valid. However, these scams have often fallen short by attempting to react with speed rather than accuracy.
The most recent HMRC phishing scam tries to mimic the HMRC site, so duping you with a site that appears legitimate and recognisable and which you are therefore more likely to respond to. The scam alerts you that you have a tax rebate waiting to be claimed and asks you to provide your details in order to be refunded; in this instance luring the PC user with the offer of reasonable sums of money (a reported £250), further strengthening the appeal and validity of the e-mails. In the past phishing scams have offered get-rich-quick type schemes, which instantly set alarm bells ringing amongst PC users. However, by offering realistic, yet significant amounts of money as a tax rebate this instantly gives the e-mails a sense of legitimacy.
This level of attention to detail is something that we saw increasingly last year and sets the tone for spam in 2009. As the recession takes its toll on many people across the UK and beyond, and as finances become even more stretched, people are becoming more susceptible to such scams. Cybercriminals have changed their approach and are targeting individuals for smaller gains with a greater success rate which over an extended period can result in equivalent financial gains to the larger quick-wins.
We've already seen six specific HMRC focused phishing attacks this month alone, while the HMRC has received over 11,000 reports of fraudulent repayment e-mails since April last year. As phishers continue to target us through topical news and events such as this we will continue to see phishing scams appear and re-appear later down the line. Cybercriminals will continue to develop their phishing skills and improve the appearance of their scams in order to lure more victims; therefore, we must continue to remain vigilant and wary of any requests for personal details or banking information and not respond to requests for such information sent via e-mail.
Christian Harris
Managing Director, BidUpBiz.com
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