Farty's Fortunes

Friday 5 October 2007

Gone Phishin' Part 3

Please read all of this post, you know it makes sense.

From: Natwest Online Security Service

To: MrFarty@BlueYonder.co.uk [really]

Subject: Natwest Online Alert : Online Access Suspended


Dear Value [sic] Customer,

Due to concerns for safety [whose?],Your account has been randomly flagged in our system as a part of our latest security measures against online fishing [sic]. This happens to ensure that only you have access to your natwest account [what account is that then?] and to ensure a safe Banking experience against online fraud. We require all flagged accounts as yours, to verify their information on file with us. To Speed up the Verification Process,We urge you [to?] verify your account now to avoid your online access disabled.

To Begin the verification process of your natwest records,Please click on the reference link below:
[looks like natwest dot com but actually medisave dot co dot uk]

Thank You.

Smith [no forename]
Customer Advisor
Natwest Direct.
Natwest. another way.


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Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, nationwide [um, I thought this was Gnatwest?] will periodically send you information about site changes and enhancements.

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Now for the science bit:

National ID Fraud Week

National ID Fraud Week takes place across the UK from 8 to 12 October 2007. This annual industry initiative provides a range educational and prevention advice on identity fraud.

Appearances can be deceiving. ID theft affects more than 100,000 people every year in the UK and the Home Office estimates that it currently costs the UK economy £1.7 billion per annum.

We all have a part to play in fighting financial crime and this campaign provides an excellent opportunity for us to help customers who have any concerns or queries around ID Fraud.

In addition to recognising and reporting anything that doesn't look or feel right, employees should use this opportunity to signpost customers to the various sources of information available to our customers on identity theft. These include:

Home Office ID Theft leaflet "Don't Become a Victim Of Crime" (held in all our branches)
Security advice held on RBS.com and NatWest.com

External sources of information:

www.identitytheft.org.uk
www.cifas.org.uk
www.apacs.org.uk

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...and according to the real NatWest website:

At NatWest we will never ask our customers for any personal information by e-mail. If you receive such an email, before deleting it, please attach it to a new email and send it to phishing@natwest.com

...done.

8 comments:

Misssy M said...

I've had this same email about 4 times now. I don't even bank with Natwest. But the next time I get it i will send it on.

I also get a lot pretending to be from Ebay and Paypal.

Aaaah! I remember the Halcyon days where all I got were offers to enlarge my penis and look at Britney Spears naked.

It's the end of the innocence.

Unknown said...

Whats worrying is the amount of people who are probably taken in by such a scam...

However, I love the fact that they didn't even bother to spell check / get someone fluent in english to write this particular email. "Smith"...very stealth.

Cat said...

I had this yesterday. It was sent not to my proper email, but to the generic one for the magazine I edit. Maybe there's an account I don't know about?

Mr Farty said...

Misssy - If I accepted every offer of penis enlargement I'd ever had, it'd be wrapped around my neck as a scarf.

Jo - They only need to be a wee bit smarter than their victims.

Cat - Oh, don't you wish? And that there was money in it that your boss doesn't know about.

BOSSY said...

Holy shite.Bossy will go on Der Alert. Um, she meant 'Red'.

(those fraud folks need Spellcheck)

Sewmouse said...

I like getting those.
I especially like getting those from places that the woman who is trying to steal my identity does business with.

*smiles sweetly*

I keep changing her password to exceptionally RUDE words...

Peach said...

ha ha thieving cunts indeed !!!!!

Mr Farty said...

I do not effing believe it!

My inbox at this very moment looks like this:
Peach
Sewmouse
Abbey National PLC <== FFS!
BOSSY
Mr Farty
Cat
Jo
Misssy M

Anyways...

BOSSY - I'll forgive you, since you're Merkan and can't even spell smiple words like "colour".

You would be amazed at the number of people who walk up to my desk, look at the sign that reads "Mr Farty - Gineus" and tell me I've spelt "genius" wrong.

Sew - You are a gineus!

Peach - Yeah! Grr!