Sophisticated fraud being aimed at Lloyds Bank customers

lisa110rry

Hello folks,

I've just received the email below from Action Fraud and thought I would share it.

"Lloyds customers should be on the lookout for a new sophisticated fraud that involves fraudsters sending fake bank letters.

The convincing letters being sent are a replica template from Lloyds and include their logo, address and signature from a customer service representative.
The letter tells recipients that there have been some “unusual transactions” on their personal account and asks them to call a number highlighted in bold to confirm they are genuine.
When victims call the number, an automated welcome message is played and the caller is asked to enter their card number, account number and sort code followed by their date of birth.Victims are then instructed to enter the first and last digit of their security number.
The fraud was spotted by the Daily Telegraph who was alerted to it by a reader who had three identical letters sent to an office address. On separate occasions the Daily Telegraph ran some tests using fake details and were passed to fraudsters who claimed to be from a Lloyds contact centre. The bank has confirmed that the phone number and letters are fake.
The letters are essentially a sophisticated phishing attempt and serves as a warning to consumers to question written correspondence from their banks.

If you are ever suspicious about correspondence from your bank you should call the customer serviced number on the back of their card."

oldagetraveller

A timely warning of something I was not aware of. Yes, I am a Lloyds account holder.
Usually vigilant but it is a concern that these fraudsters could have customers' names and addresses if they are in fact addressed personally? Or are they sent out generically in the hope that recipients are Lloyds Bank customers?

PeacefulWaters

oldagetraveller wrote: »

A timely warning of something I was not aware of. Yes, I am a Lloyds account holder.
Usually vigilant but it is a concern that these fraudsters could have customers' names and addresses if they are in fact addressed personally? Or are they sent out generically in the hope that recipients are Lloyds Bank customers?

Most online phishing is the latter.

lisa110rry

But this is not online, it is a letter, in the post!

PeacefulWaters

lisa110rry wrote: »

But this is not online, it is a letter, in the post!

I know. I can read.

I'm familiar with the random targeting nature of online phishing.

I'm a lot less familiar with postal phishing. But unless somebody can produce evidence of a significant data protection breach it's highly likely that the letters are randomly targeted. Probably using publicly available information from the voters roll.

Don't you agree?

Norscbu

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

I'm a lot less familiar with postal phishing. But unless somebody can produce evidence of a significant data protection breach it's highly likely that the letters are randomly targeted. Probably using publicly available information from the voters roll.

Don't you agree?

That's the point of asking...:rotfl:

lisa110rry

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

Most online phishing is the latter.

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

I know. I can read.

In this case, your initial comment was tangential.

I am so keen that everyone knows about this that I wanted to reiterate the fact that it is a real letter, not online. I don't know about others, but I would certainly be less vigilant of a proper letter than of an email.

PeacefulWaters

lisa110rry wrote: »

In this case, your initial comment was tangential.

No. It was completely relevant and highlighted what happens with similar frauds when conducted by email rather than letter and in part answered a concern raised by another poster.

I am so keen that everyone knows about this that I wanted to reiterate the fact that it is a real letter, not online. I don't know about others, but I would certainly be less vigilant of a proper letter than of an email.

And you have achieved that.

Biggles

How come Action Fraud (if, indeed, it was actually them) chose to email you, out of all Lloyds customers? Are you actually a Lloyds customer and, if so, how would they have known?

lisa110rry

Biggles, I'm not a Lloyds customer, however I am signed up to a newsletter called "In the Know" which keeps me posted on things like special constabulary recruitment and even when unscrupulous builders have been seen in the area.

edit: here is the link
https://www.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/pages/174/1/How_to_register_for_Alerts.html

Dobbibill

It was in the paper last week

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/personal-banking/savings/would-fall-latest-ingenious-bank-scam/