Land Registry warns on property phishing scam
September 28, 2016
Seid Yassin (557 articles)
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Land Registry warns on property phishing scam

The Land Registry is warning its users not to fall for a new phishing scam which imitates a request for property ownership information.

The latest phishing emails state: “The document attached is an official requisition, reminder or letter from Land Registry. It is not a circular and relates either to an application you have lodged with us or a property in which you have an interest. No paper copy of the item of correspondence will be sent to you.

“The document is in ‘HyperText Markup Language’ (HTML) which replicates the appearance of the hard copy version. You will need to open the document with your internet browser.”

Tips to identify phishing emails

If you are unsure the email you have received is genuine, the first thing to do is check the sender address domain in the email’s “From” field. Genuine Land Registry emails have a sender domain ending in .gov.uk, so for exampletelford.Office@landregistry.gov.uk.

While phishing emails may use the Land Registry’s office name, they are being sent from other email domains, for example noreply3@nlcpa.com.

What to do if you receive a suspect email

If you are unsure about an email claiming to be from Land Registry, it suggests you follow these steps:

  1. Don’t open the attachment or follow any links as it may infect your computer with a virus. These viruses can help criminals steal data from your computer.
  2. Don’t reply to the email.
  3. Forward the email to phishing@landregistry.gov.uk. While it won’t respond, it examines them all carefully.
  4. If you’ve lost money or information, or your computer has been taken over by a phishing or malware attack, report it to Action Fraud.
  5. Delete the email
  6. If you have accidentally opened the attachment, run your anti-virus software and/or tell your IT administrator.

Source | yourmoney