Debenhams - Rogue Email Phishing Scam

ashleypride

slightlymiffed wrote: »

Oh dear... I used the wrong word ('investigate') didn't I? Sorry.

Sincere apologies too for upsetting so many people when all I wanted to do was to alert others to something which I found disturbing.

I don't seek 'thanks' and I really didn't want a row so I'll bid you all good evening and I'll keep away from this forum in future.

Internet forums are strange places indeed.

Nobody is upset, but your original post doesn't make much sense. There is no breach of security, there is no need to investigate, phising and spam are a part of life - I get 100s a day, I don't understand what is so special or disturbing about this one?

edgex

slightlymiffed wrote: »

Oh well... just trying to be helpful...

Normally, when there is a breach of security affecting one of our largest FTSE companies, there is more publicity about it and it surprised me that there wasn't. That's what I was trying to say but the Forum police seem to be out in force .

Wish I'd never started this thread now!

For the record, yes I did read my email properly, over and over... which is why I was seeking further information.

For the record, I also read the advice at the head of this forum 'Be nice to all MoneySavers'.

Wonder why there is so much antagonism here?

2nd time of asking;

what is the 'breach of security'?

ashleypride

slightlymiffed wrote: »

Normally, when there is a breach of security affecting one of our largest FTSE companies, there is more publicity about it and it surprised me that there wasn't.

There is no breach of security, Debenhams has not been hacked in any shape or form, and nobody has got hold of their email database. Spammers are spamming random addresses with the phishing email.

gazza975526570

Jeez - give the poor person a break!!! They have posted some info to bring it to people's attention. No need to critique his every word!

ashleypride

gazza975526570 wrote: »

Jeez - give the poor person a break!!! They have posted some info to bring it to people's attention. No need to critique his every word!

Everybody is being quite pleasant here. The OP made a serious allegation about a company, which is wrong, you may be OK with untrue rumors and allegations being spread, but personally I prefer the truth.

The spam hit some of my accounts, but non related to my dedicated Debenhams email address. I'd be the first to report to the ICO if it had.

gazza975526570

ashleypride wrote: »

Everybody is being quite pleasant here. The OP made a serious allegation about a company, which is wrong, you may be OK with untrue rumors and allegations being spread, but personally I prefer the truth.

The spam hit some of my accounts, but non related to my dedicated Debenhams email address. I'd be the first to report to the ICO if it had.

Chill man, chill, nobody died.......:cool2::cool2::cool2::cool2::cool2:

trumpton

The OP simply got a bit over-worried and was trying to warn others. I don't think there is anything to be excessively concerned about, but thanks for posting OP.

slightlymiffed

Thank you gazza & trumpton - all a bit fierce here for me!

Now that I have a little more time, perhaps it may help if I put the record straight and try to clarify my original post (and worries) yesterday.

Firstly, I'm sorry - I had no intention of 'panicking' or 'worrying' anyone, I didn't make a 'serious allegation' or try to spread 'untrue rumors' (sic), I didn't suggest anyone was being 'nasty' and I do know the purpose of forums. Most importantly, I did not suggest that Debenhams be 'investigated'!

I'm sorry too if my post was written in haste and not well worded - but the speed and fervour with which I was criticised and the quibbling over semantics left me feeling quite shocked if I'm honest.

The reason I wanted to alert people to this Debenhams email was that I personally found it quite disturbing to receive something like this from a trusted big name online retailer.

Let me explain; to have been emailed a warning by Debenhams (the genuine one) implies that this email was sent to everyone who has ordered from (i.e. is a customer of) Debenhams.com. Whilst it is re-assuring that Debenhams acted promptly and responsibly, dealt with the scammers and had the site shut down, it does raise the question of why (apparently) only Debenhams customers seem to have been informed of this. I say 'apparently' because I could find no other references to this email or any warnings about a fake Debenhams site despite careful and repeated Google searches.

Of course we all get spammed every day; we are all used to urgent messages from banks we have never dealt with, Nigerians who want us to transfer funds, Russian escort girls, Viagra...need I elaborate?

However, when one of our leading 'high street' online retailers, a trusted name with, I would assume, online sales running into millions of pounds, has a spam attack on its customers serious enough to warrant emailing all of them, I do wonder why there hasn't been any similar warning to Joe Public (that I could find)?

This then suggested to me that maybe it was only Debenhams customers who had been targeted by the spammers and that could, worst case scenario, imply a possible compromise of Debenhams' customer database.

The 'investigation' I suggested was into the reason there has been so little media coverage into what could have, potentially, been a very serious problem.

I will admit, it did alarm me that spammers seem now be moving into the territory of multi-national 'high street' online retailers and, with Christmas sales gearing up, this surely should concern everyone, shouldn't it?

Of course, it may be me just being a worrier... in which case I apologise for my own insecurities!!

edgex

slightlymiffed wrote: »

Thank you gazza & trumpton - all a bit fierce here for me!

Now that I have a little more time, perhaps it may help if I put the record straight and try to clarify my original post (and worries) yesterday.

Firstly, I'm sorry - I had no intention of 'panicking' or 'worrying' anyone, I didn't make a 'serious allegation' or try to spread 'untrue rumors' (sic), I didn't suggest anyone was being 'nasty' and I do know the purpose of forums. Most importantly, I did not suggest that Debenhams be 'investigated'!

I'm sorry too if my post was written in haste and not well worded - but the speed and fervour with which I was criticised and the quibbling over semantics left me feeling quite shocked if I'm honest.

The reason I wanted to alert people to this Debenhams email was that I personally found it quite disturbing to receive something like this from a trusted big name online retailer.

Let me explain; to have been emailed a warning by Debenhams (the genuine one) implies that this email was sent to everyone who has ordered from (i.e. is a customer of) Debenhams.com. Whilst it is re-assuring that Debenhams acted promptly and responsibly, dealt with the scammers and had the site shut down, it does raise the question of why (apparently) only Debenhams customers seem to have been informed of this. I say 'apparently' because I could find no other references to this email or any warnings about a fake Debenhams site despite careful and repeated Google searches.

Of course we all get spammed every day; we are all used to urgent messages from banks we have never dealt with, Nigerians who want us to transfer funds, Russian escort girls, Viagra...need I elaborate?

However, when one of our leading 'high street' online retailers, a trusted name with, I would assume, online sales running into millions of pounds, has a spam attack on its customers serious enough to warrant emailing all of them, I do wonder why there hasn't been any similar warning to Joe Public (that I could find)?

This then suggested to me that maybe it was only Debenhams customers who had been targeted by the spammers and that could, worst case scenario, imply a possible compromise of Debenhams' customer database.

The 'investigation' I suggested was into the reason there has been so little media coverage into what could have, potentially, been a very serious problem.

I will admit, it did alarm me that spammers seem now be moving into the territory of multi-national 'high street' online retailers and, with Christmas sales gearing up, this surely should concern everyone, shouldn't it?

Of course, it may be me just being a worrier... in which case I apologise for my own insecurities!!

1) they have not stated, or implied, this
i have a debenhams login, & i didnt receive the phishing email

2) if you dont have a debenhams login, then what info would you be providing to a phishing site?
if your not a debenhams customer, then why would you be updating anything with debenhams?
also, debenhams will only have the email addresses of its own customers.

where else / how else do you want it publicised?




this is the email that was sent out to random email addresses;




if you typed in that web address, youd actually go to the debenhams corporate site

but seriously, look at the appalling english on the email!

slightlymiffed

Thank you for posting that edgex.

I did not get the scam email. Having the benefit now of seeing it, I agree it's really poor - if I had received the spoof email, I wouldn't have been so rattled and certainly wouldn't have been tricked but then not everyone is so savvy and I personally haven't received any phishing spam emails masquerading as a high street retailer.

I'm sure you would agree though that, on the information I had, I couldn't have felt so confident; I assumed it may have been more professional.

My concerns about spammers turning their attention to high street retailers remains however and I believe should have received wider media coverage.

Just a final thought - maybe you could consider being a little less harsh on infrequent forum posters who are genuinely concerned? I found your posts quite aggressive.

Thank you!