More than 18,000 malicious scam sites and fake social media profiles have been taken down in recent months by a major parcel delivery company. Evri has issued an urgent warning about a new scam targeting iPhone users as delivery scam messages are on the rise. Evri has reported that in a recent scam, cybercriminals are attaching files to phishing messages, hoping that people will open them. If someone downloads one of these attachments, it could give attackers control over certain settings on their iPhone without them realising it.
They could redirect traffic, so it goes through the attacker’s computer, with personal data potentially being captured and examined, before going out to the internet. Or it could change other policies and security settings that a user has set on their phone without their knowledge.
According to Evri, iPhone users are specifically targeted. Consumers are being prompted to copy and paste a malicious link into Safari, an app that isn’t available on Android devices. The company believes this shows a new level of sophistication among cybercriminals, who appear to be moving away from generic phishing kits in favour of tailored attacks.
Phishing is when criminals use scam emails and text messages to trick victims. The aim is often to make consumers visit a website, which may steal bank details or other personal information. They will often pretend to be an organisation they trust. These tactics can be very convincing and often use genuine-looking branding and messaging. According to a report by the cloud communications company Sinch, 44% of business leaders say security and privacy is their single biggest challenge with customer communications.
Evri is advising customers to be extra vigilant when shopping online and is issuing core advice on what to look out for which they’re calling the 3 Ls.
Language – poor language and badly written messages
Lack of – lack of a personal greeting, lack of personal information such as a tracking number of your delivery address
Links – unusual links or buttons that urge customers to take action such as pay a re-delivery fee; this is something Evri will never charge for
Lee Howard, Head of Information Risk and Information Security, at Evri, said: “Delivery scams continue to become more sophisticated, and as a business that puts its clients and customers first, we are committed to working proactively to tackle this. This latest scam clearly shows scammers continue to innovate and are now turning to targeting specific consumer groups and we’re urging people to stay vigilant and re-issuing important guidance, which will protect the public.”
Lord Hanson, Minister for Fraud, urged people to stop and think when they receive a message.
He said: “What seems like an everyday message from a trusted delivery company is deliberately designed to catch us out.
“Every time you get a message on your phone, email or social media, stop and don’t let fraudsters win.”
Consumers are being urged to report suspicious activity. Information on how to do that is available on Evri’s website. All messages will be investigated with expert partners to take down associated fraudulent websites. Consumers should also report any other suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk or forward suspicious text messages to 7726 free of charge.
If a consumer thinks they’ve been a victim of these scams they should:
