Fraudsters pose as The Sun staff to steal thousands of pounds
Scammers used spoofing technology to convince victims.
Con artists pretending to work for The Sun have tricked victims into handing over thousands of pounds.
The fraudsters spoofed a genuine email address and phone number to convince people that they were from the newspaper. They then told them the paper was short of content, on a tight deadline and looking for interview subjects, according to the Guardian.
If the victim agreed to be interviewed they were then told that the journalist was a freelancer who wouldn’t be paid unless the article was printed. So they asked the victim for a deposit to cover costs that would be refunded when the article appeared in the newspaper.
Over a dozen people were caught by the scam handing over as much as £1,250. One victim was unsure so asked to be called back from an office number and email from a Sun address. Both happened because the scam artists used spoofing software to recreate genuine addresses.
What is spoofing?
This is a relatively new way of scamming people which involves using software to copy genuine telephone numbers and email addresses to give a scam credibility.
The Metro reported the case last month of Nargess Sadjady, from west London, who lost £12,000 to fraudsters. They pretended to be from her bank, Santander, and used spoofing software to make it appear as though they were calling her from the number that appeared on the back of her bank card.
It is becoming an increasingly common scam. You receive a call that your caller ID states is from your bank or the police. You are then told there has been a problem with your bank account and you need to transfer your money to another account to protect it. Of course, your money then disappears once the scammers get their hands on it.
How to avoid becoming a victim
Never give out personal information or transfer money in response to an incoming phone call, no matter how genuine it may seem. Get the person off the telephone line then wait a few minutes to make sure the line is clear, or ideally use a different telephone. Call your bank yourself from a number you have found of your own accord to check what is going on.
Make sure you wait a few minutes before calling or use a different telephone as some criminals will simply wait on the line after you’ve hung up so when you think you are making a new phone call you are actually just talking to them again.
Money upfront scams
The Sun con is actually combining two scams – both spoofing and money upfront scams. The latter is where you are convinced to hand over cash thinking you will get it back at a later date. It’s a con that can take many forms, from a fraudulent employer saying you need to pay for a criminal record check only to disappear with your cash, to being offered a loan as long as you pay some upfront insurance costs.
With this con remember that if it sounds to good to be true it probably is. Are you being offered a great loan you couldn’t get elsewhere? A fantastic price on a property investment, in return for a small deposit? Never hand over any cash without researching the deal yourself first.
If you are unsure whether it is genuine call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and ask for their advice.
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