UK Students targeted in £1m phishing e-mail scam

student email scamHundreds of students have had their bank accounts compromised after having received phishing e-mails claiming that their details held with Government student loan scheme providers needed to be updated. [20 Dec 2011]

The targeted students received links to a bogus website where they were instructed to enter personal bank account details.

The Metropolitan Police’s economic crime unit have been investigating the phishing scam since August 2011 and have worked closely with the Students Loan Company, banks and internet service providers. Two men have now been charged with conspiracy to defraud.

Organised cyber criminals

Greater Manchester police have assisted the Metropolitan police service in issuing search warrants for premises in south and east London, greater Manchester and Bolton. Police officers have seized computers and associated storage media which will be forensically examined. Further arrests have been made. Four men and two women have been arrested in connection with conspiracy to defraud, money laundering and under the Computer Misuse Act which protects individuals and organisations from criminals obtaining unauthorised access to data.

Detective Inspector Mark Raymond of the police central e-crime unit said, "A great deal of personal information was compromised and cleverly exploited for substantial profits.
We have today disrupted a suspected organised group of cyber criminals and prevented further loss to individuals and institutions in the UK. Today's arrests demonstrate what can be achieved when a partnership approach is adopted to investigate internet based crime."

Get safe and stay safe online

Phishing e-mails can be very sophisticated and it is easy to be fooled. If an e-mail purporting to be from your bank arrives in your inbox, don’t be tempted to click on any links. Contact your bank using a known telephone number and ask if they have tried to get in touch with you.  If you have access to online banking account log in via your bank’s secure connection to update any personal information.

For further advice about protecting yourself from phishing and other types of online crime visit Get Safe Online.  

 
Please note that Action Fraud is not responsible for the content of third party websites.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of this type of fraud, report it to Action Fraud so that the incident can be passed on to the police.