A message from Action Fraud:
In 3 days, Action Fraud has received 226 reports from email users who have this email. The phishing email is sent from a fraudster who describes themselves a b law-abiding citizenb & has accidentally received the email recipientb s personal details. Attached to the email is a document which the fraudster claims contains the recipientb s personal details.
The fraudster suggests that the email recipientb s details may have been made available to scammers and they are contacting them to try to rectify the problem. To do so the recipient must open the document.
In reality, the attached document opens the door to malware being downloaded onto the victimb s computer. The malware attempts to obtain sensitive data from victims, such as banking credentials and passwords.
In order to protect yourself from malware, having up-to-date virus protection is essential; however it will not always prevent you from becoming infected.
b ”Donb t click on links or open any attachments you receive in unsolicited emails or SMS messages. Remember that fraudsters can b spoofb an email address to make it look like one used by someone you trust. If you are unsure, check the email header to identify the true source of communication.
b ”Do not enable macros in downloads, enabling the macro will allow the Trojan/malware to be installed onto your device
b ”Always install software updates as soon as they become available. Whether you are updating the operating system or an application, the update will often include fixes for critical security vulnerabilities.
b ”Create regular backups of your files to an external hard drive, memory stick or online storage provider. Itb s important that the device you back up to isnb t left connected to your computer as any malware infection could spread to that too.
b ”If you think your bank details have been compromised, immediately contact your bank.