Beware of this email purportedly from Barclays Bank. The sender’s email address is info (at) comms.barclays.com
It is convincing, providing fraud prevention information and advice which is timely with the approach of Christmas. It reads as follows:
“Dear xxx,
With the festive season upon us, many people will be looking forward to some well-earned time off.
Stay safe from fraud by making sure you and your family understand these risks and how to report any issues.
It gives advice for example:
“Online shopping
More and more people are shopping online. Ensure you have anti-virus software on your computer, laptop or mobile device.
Try to use online retailers you know and trust and avoid those with poor ratings, as fraudsters can trick shoppers into making purchases on scam websites”.
However, the email appears to be fraudulent and the two links provided do not appear to link to a recognized Barclays Bank website pages. Safe Communities Portugal have contacted Barclays Bank and their reply is as follows:
“Thank you for your email.
We are aware of a number of email scams that are currently operating. We will review the one you have sent to us and take appropriate action
We screen every email received and any evidence of phishing attempts or other scams are reported to the relevant authorities.
Stay safe online
Whilst Barclays may contact you from time to time with useful information related to products and services which may be of benefit. We will never send you the following..
- Emails containing attachments
- Emails with links taking you directly to our Online Banking Log in pages.
- Emails requiring you to reply with personal information such as date of birth, pin numbers or other security details.
- Emails containing alleged transaction activity.
- Emails related to invoicing of accounts or to confirm sales through retail websites.
Please also refer to our fraud prevention guide online by following this link