Mass spam attack alert over fake bank emails

Tens of millions of UK email users could be targeted in a “mass spamming event” designed to harvest their financial details.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Nov 2013, 00:01 BST

The National Crime Agency warned that businesses are particular targets of the messages that look like messages from banks.

Officers have warned that the emails come with attachments that appear to be files such as a fax, an invoice or details of a suspicious transaction, but are in fact malicious software that encrypts the user’s computer.

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The screen will then display a countdown timer that demands the payment of 2 Bitcoins in ransom, worth around £536, for the decryption key.

Lee Miles, deputy head of the National Cyber Crime Unit, said: “The NCA are actively pursuing organised crime groups committing this type of crime. We are working in cooperation with industry and international partners to bring to justice those responsible and reduce risk to the public.”

Anyone whose computer is infected should report it to www.actionfraud.police.uk.