Suspicious Email Reporting Service sees a million referrals in just two months

Reports of fake online shops and spoofs involving brands such as TV Licensing, HMRC, Gov.uk and the DVLA are among two million referrals to a new service set up by a branch of the UK intelligence agency GCHQ.

The scams have been detected by Suspicious Email Reporting Service which was launched by The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in April.

The pioneering tool allows the public to forward suspect emails which may link to fraudulent and bogus websites.

The service, which was launched as part of the Government’s Cyber Aware campaign, has seen a massive response from the public, receiving a daily average of 16,500 emails and now reaching the milestone of one million.

NCSC Chief Executive Officer Ciaran Martin, said:

“Reaching the milestone of one million suspicious emails reported is a fantastic achievement and testament to the vigilance of the British public.

“The kind of scams we’ve blocked could have caused very real harm and I would like to thank everyone who has played their part in helping make the internet safer for all of us.

“While it’s right that we should celebrate reaching this milestone, it is important for all of us to remain on our guard and forward any emails that don’t look right to report@phishing.gov.uk.”

Kevin Brown, Managing Director of BT Security, said:

“The last few months have changed the way we use technology throughout our daily lives, it is therefore critical that we follow security best practice to protect ourselves from cybercrime.

“We are proud to be working with the NCSC to keep the UK safe online during these uncertain times.”

Cryptocurrency investment scams have been recognised as a growing problem, leading to millions of pounds in losses annually as scammers masquerading as a crypto exchanges or traders trick people into handing over money.

If people have lost money, they should tell their bank and report it as a crime to Action Fraud, but sending emails to report@phishing.gov.uk will offer an automated service to people who flag what they think to be a suspicious email and prevent others from falling victim to these scams.