Phishers: they're recording themselves now

PhylPho

I've just opened an email from First Direct, the bank we have our ISA accounts with.

It's in HTML so the persuasive text is, as per First Direct's style, white on a black background. The subject of the message is: Important: Avoid Phishing Attacks.

Well done, First Direct.

But of course, it isn't from First Direct at all but some daft scumbags somewhere who can't speak English. And they're not very good at masking their address ([EMAIL="littleblackbook@mail.firstdirect.com"]littleblackbook@mail.firstdirect.com[/EMAIL]).

However, what's heartening about this particular dismal effort is the way the phishers are beginning to look to their own standards of conduct.

In what's supposed to be First Direct's standard corporate text, the following appears:

first direct is a division of HSBC Bank plc. Because we want to make sure we're doing a good job, we may monitor or record our calls. We hope you don't mind.

I don't mind at all. The more time devoted by halfwit scammers to monitoring and recording themselves, the less time they'll have to alert me to phishing attacks.

closed

Nothing you've put there indicates it's a phishing email. Look on the website, and you will see the email address and "we hope you don't mind" text.

Are they asking you to install Rapport?

esuhl

firstdirect.com appearst to be the correct domain for First Direct, so the email address sounds valid. Actually, I've just found it confirmed here: http://www1.banking.firstdirect.com/1/2/help-support/online-security/viruses-phishing-and-other-nasty-critters/email-scams-and-phishing

Maybe the email is genuine?

CHR15

It does pay to be suspicious, and never enter any information following an email request but for info

From here
http://www1.banking.firstdirect.com/1/2/help-support/online-security/viruses-phishing-and-other-nasty-critters/email-scams-and-phishing

The email says it's from first direct - is it?

It's unlikely. We currently use secure messages from within Internet Banking to advise you of service-related developments. If we do contact you by email, we will never ask you to enter or confirm your security details. By contrast, this is typically what a phishing email does when it tries to obtain your security details. We will only send you emails from the following email addresses: 24hours@firstdirect.com, 24hours@mail.firstdirect.com, littleblackbook@mail.firstdirect.com and newsletter@mail.firstdirect.com.

From here
http://www1.banking.firstdirect.com/1/2/help-support/contact-us

Because we want to make sure we're doing a good job, we may monitor or record our calls. We hope you don't mind