Over 329,000 Scam Sites Yanked in Phishing Crackdown! The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has wiped more than 329,000 dodgy websites following a surge in reports. Action Fraud, the UK’s top fraud and cybercrime watchdog, kicked off a national phishing awareness blitz on 24 June 2024. The move comes as reports to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) hit a record high, soaring 44% since last year with nearly 11.6 million flagged in 2023, up from 8 million in 2022.
Thousands of Scam Texts Busted Every Month
It’s not just emails: suspicious texts are flooding in too. In March 2024 alone, mobile users helped take down over 60,000 malicious websites after forwarding scam texts to 7726. This free service from UK mobile providers makes it easy to report dodgy SMS and stop scams in their tracks.
Action Fraud Boss Warns: “Anyone Can Be Hooked”
Claire Webb, Deputy Head of Action Fraud, said:
“Phishing fraudsters target everyone with fake emails designed to steal your info or cash. Every year, more people report these scams, and Action Fraud urges you to stay sharp. Beware of emails or texts with suspicious links — they often lead to sneaky websites.”
“If you spot a phishing email or text, report it immediately! Forward emails to [email protected] and texts to 7726.”
What’s Phishing? The Scam Explained
Phishing (and its sneaky cousins quishing and smishing) uses fake emails, texts, QR codes, even phone calls to trick you. Scammers might claim you need to verify bank details or pay a “missed delivery” fee to steal your personal data.
One shocking 2023 case saw a London doctor lose over £150 after clicking a fake TV Licensing email – the scam website was a perfect copy of the real thing, fooling even the cautious.
How to Outsmart Scammers: Top Tips
- Always double-check suspicious messages by contacting the company directly via official websites. Never use numbers or links from the message itself. Banks never ask for sensitive info by email.
- Got a weird email? Stop and report it to [email protected]. Unsure? Send it anyway — experts will investigate.
- See a dodgy text or phone scam? Forward texts to 7726. Your network can trace and block the scammer. For scam calls, text “Call” followed by the number to 7726.
- Lost money or shared your details by mistake? Contact your bank immediately. Then report to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or ring 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
Stay alert and keep scammers at bay! The NCSC and City of London Police launched SERS in April 2020 to tackle this very problem. Since then, over 32 million reports have flooded in — proving Brits are fighting back hard against cyber crooks.
