Everyone is aware that there are a lot of dubious emails in circulation. Probably within days of email being invented someone, somewhere was thinking up a way to try and take advantage of the format to con others out of money.
Unfortunately, the present crisis has accentuated the problem. According to UK Action Fraud there was a 400% increase in coronavirus-themed phishing emails in March 2020 alone. Google blocks an astonishing 100 million phishing (an email intended to persuade the recipient to part with information or money by fraudulent means) emails every day.
One in five of those phishing emails are themed to relate to an element of the coronavirus crisis. They are written to take advantage of the lack of knowledge, spread misinformation and prey on fears the recipient may have.
According to a recent Law Society update:
‘during the coronavirus pandemic, specific scams have included phishing emails sent seeking:
- to impersonate organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO), National Health Service (NHS) or the UK government
- to encourage the recipient to follow malicious links, download malicious software (malware) or software that seeks to lock access to the system in return for payment of a fee (ransomware)
Here at rhw we receive regular training (all staff) to make sure we carry on our activities safely. We regularly review our procedures and work with our IT providers to ensure we are up to date.
Please also ensure that you also keep up with the latest guidance on digital security. The Government has issued guidance here.
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