More 21 million dodgy emails reported to Suspicious Email Reporting Service

A staggering 21 million reports have been made to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS), resulting in the removal of more than 235,000 malicious websites, demonstrating a robust public response against online fraud.

Launched by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the City of London Police in April 2020, SERS provides an automated system for the public to forward suspicious emails, which are subsequently scanned for malicious links.

This public-private partnership has evidently proved successful, with a formidable number of reports facilitating a significant clean-up of the internet.

Alongside this initiative, mobile phone providers offer a free service for customers to report suspicious text messages by forwarding them to the number 7726.

This service has led to the removal of 54,000 text message scams as of May 31, 2023, enabling providers to block malicious texts and take down corresponding websites.

Commander Nik Adams, from City of London Police, highlighted the prevalence of phishing scams, with thousands of people in the UK being scammed by fraudulent emails or text messages every year.

He urged the public to refrain from responding or clicking any links in suspicious emails or messages and to report suspected fraud to Action Fraud.

In his words, “Every year, thousands of people in the UK are scammed by a fraudulent email or text message… If you think you have been a victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud… By reporting phishing scams or suspected fraud, you are directly helping us in our work to identify and stop these criminals and helping us protect others from these scams.”

Individuals can forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk and text messages to 7726. In the event of losing money or providing personal information as a result of a phishing scam, victims are urged to notify their bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

The combined efforts of the public, SERS, and telecommunication service providers are carving out a powerful defence against the onslaught of online fraud, making strides toward a safer digital landscape.