Internet Central Warns Consumers of Phishing E-Mails Supposedly from BT

Internet Central the provider of business broadband is cautioning end-users about fake e-mails that are posing as messages from BT (British Telecom). Broadbandwatcher.co.uk reported this on July 11, 2011.

Addressing recipients of the scam e-mail as 'customers,' the bogus message tells them that it's from BT notifying that the company couldn't process their latest bill payment, which maybe because of any of the causes given below.

Thereafter the e-mail cites 2 reasons responsible for the said failure. One, a recent alteration the recipient made to his private details like phone, billing address etc. Two, the recipient provided wrong information while processing his bill payment. Consequently, for making sure that the user's service continues uninterrupted, BT Internet is urging its customer for confirming his billing information as also making it up-to-date via following a given web-link, the e-mail states.

Furthermore, the e-mail also tries to appear genuine so it says that incase the recipient has already fulfilled the said requirement then he needn't pay heed to the current e-mail since BT Telecom has started processing the alternations.

Meanwhile according to BT officials, there's a web-link provided in the e-mail as well which if clicked directs the user onto a bogus page wherein his private particulars are grabbed.

And because the above kinds of phishing scams are so malicious, BT officials along with security specialists urge e-mail users to adopt some easy tips. First, they must treat all e-mails that ask to immediately provide personal information with suspicion. Second, they must forever know that phishers commonly add exciting/disturbing statements to the electronic mails they dispatch for making recipients react instantly just like in the above instance where BT clients are told that it wasn't possible to process their most recent bill payment.

Third, consumers must remember that any genuine organization like BT Telecom won't ever request their clients to provide the login credentials for the Internet banking service they use, over e-mail. Finally, phishing e-mails characteristically aren't personalized as is evident from the above instance where the unsolicited e-mail addresses the recipient as "Dear Customer"; end-users are recommended that they erase such e-mails instantly.

Related article: Internet Threat Volumes Overwhelm Security Companies

» SPAMfighter News - 7/16/2011