We all get them – some lots some a few. I thankfully am the latter. Just got one today. Firefox 3.5 blocked it but good old IE 8 didn't.

I know its probably reckless as some links maybe really harmful – but the email came in as code and so I could see the exposed URL. I pasted it into IE and then proceeded to enter profanity like you'd never believe 😉 Does anyone get pissed off enough to do this – I know they will ignore it but makes me feel better. I usually block and ignore but sometimes it get really on my nerves!

I have a rotating IP address BTW and to I renewed it afterwards. 🙂

the banks have contacts you can forward them to. Look online.

http://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/security

http://www.lloydstsb.com/security/phishing.asp

etc

http://www.angermanagement.org.uk ??? 😉

edit – omg, I don't believe that web address actually exists 😯

I got a purchase confirmation e-mail from Cable Universe, some basic bike lights.

I couldn't open it, my anitphising software kept closing the entire window.

Surprize, surprize, a few days later, my CCC calls me and tells me that my CC has been compromised, that I am to destroy my card and they'll send me another.

Go figure.

Solo.

edit – omg, I don't believe that web address actually exists

Oh come on FBK like you "know it is a legit url" coz you go to their meetings 😉

I couldn't open it, my anitphising software kept closing the entire window.

I am not an expert but are you sure your 'av and antiphising' software is not compromised. If not do you store your CC details on your comp. I would think that your browser/computer is compromised probably by a keylogger?

I could see the exposed URL. I pasted it into IE

It is usually a bad idea to click (or cut-and-paste) any link in a spam or phishing email.

If the link is something like:
natvvest.com/honestguv/st34gd/entarpassword

then the 'st34gd' could uniquely identify you. So following the link means you'll confirm to them that your email address is active and that you're potentially gullible enough to follow links in spam.

So you'll just get more.

If it arrives by email, it's not legitimate. If the bank needs to get in touch with you they'll send you a letter or phone you up.

GrahamS!
Nope – sorry you are right but not in thise case – I am fairly experienced with urls and am experienced in website design and html markup etc and have been using computers since I was 5.

you're potentially gullible enough to follow links in spam.

Blimey there are so many people one here quick to judge. Soooo opinionated dude. The HTML markup of the email was exposed not a renderd link duh! This was a general url linking to a PHP scripted page which just asked for my login and bank details – I have SMB virus defense here at work which catches most viruses and scripts so I feel confident enough to post rude messages on their site. Thats it – I just wanted to know if anyone else feels annoyed enough to do this not advice on why i AM GULLIBLE etc!

Sorry I didn't mean to imply that YOU are gullible, but from the spammers point of view they don't know what your motivation or skill set is.
They won't differentiate between vigilante and victim. They would just see you as someone who has "fallen for it" and followed the link and therefore mark you as a potential future target.

Thats it – I just wanted to know if anyone else feels annoyed enough to do this not advice on why i AM GULLIBLE etc!

I was trying to answer you. I do feel annoyed enough to do this sometimes, but I generally don't for the reasons above.

If it arrives by email, it's not legitimate. If the bank needs to get in touch with you they'll send you a letter or phone you up.

My banks (NatWest and Egg) frequently contact me via email. In fact I've done everything I can to avoid them wasting trees by contacting me via post.

then proceeded to enter profanity like you'd never believe Does anyone get pissed off enough to do this

Er, yes, I used to, not out of being pissed off – I just thought Nigerians wouldn't like being called gaycnuts etc. I just ignore them these days.
(As that was the actual question you asked)

@Samuri – what are you on about?!

If it arrives by email, it's not legitimate. If the bank needs to get in touch with you they'll send you a letter or phone you up.

not exactly true, I regularly get authentic emails from Virgin and MBNA inviting me to spend money, or yesterday I had one offering paperless statements. Every link on in the email was to MBNA and they quoted the last 4 digits of my card number. Of course, I wouldn't actually click just in case. I've also had some from TSB that seemed genuine.

If it arrives by email, it's not legitimate. If the bank needs to get in touch with you they'll send you a letter or phone you up.

I do love it when people phone you and start asking for security questions. MMMMM nope don't think so son shine or madam you phoned me so i ain't telling you jack schite security questions. Or to be a cantankerous git i tell them the wrong security info.

I do love it when people phone you and start asking for security questions. MMMMM nope don't think so son

Egg do this too. But it is usually pretty easy to tell it is them as it is usually about ten seconds after the salesperson swipes my card for an unusually large purchase (like when I bought my new kitchen).

I always picture flashing lights and alarms going off in a call centre bunker somewhere 🙂

I do love it when people phone you and start asking for security questions. MMMMM nope don't think so son shine or madam you phoned me so i ain't telling you jack schite security questions. Or to be a cantankerous git i tell them the wrong security info.

I used to hate that – but then HSBC phoned to say my CC had been used fraudulantly somewhere. By calling me they stopped the payment and I cancelled the card. So I'm not so awkward these days.

GrahamS – sorry took your comments the wrong way – See those idiots even got the victims arguing. Cheers. FXR

no probs.

xx

@Samuri – what are you on about?!

I'm trying to work out why it's confused a few people, but can't. Maybe if I change the wording slightly.

Your bank will only get in touch with you to try to sell you a service you don't need (so that goes in the bin instantly), or if you owe them money in which case they won't just send you an email. If you owe them money they will send letters and phone you up. Otherwise I can't imagine why I'd want to speak to them.

Does that help?

Yes. The previous wording made it sound like you thought any email purporting to be from a bank was a scam.

samuri – Member

@Samuri – what are you on about?!

I'm trying to work out why it's confused a few people, but can't. Maybe if I change the wording slightly.

Your bank will only get in touch with you to try to sell you a service you don't need (so that goes in the bin instantly), or if you owe them money in which case they won't just send you an email. If you owe them money they will send letters and phone you up. Otherwise I can't imagine why I'd want to speak to them.

Does that help?

LOL! Yeah, if the thread was about avoiding phishing emails eh?! Gawdblessya. 😉

Yes. The previous wording made it sound like you thought any email purporting to be from a bank was a scam.

I don't, I know exactly what I'm doing. Lots of people don't though so it's sound practise to treat all emails in this way. Until banks establish a secure manner of passing people emails, I'd advise people who are unsure to always treat any email proporting to be from their bank as extremely suspicious.

For me, it's not worth even looking at them because as I've pointed out above, if the bank send me an email I know it's not important.

Some banks have a secure email service – You can log into your online bank service and send them a secure email – They send you an email back telling you to log into your account (no links) as normal and check your secure messages. This seems to work for me 🙂