Google and Facebook were phished for over $100m, it has been reported, proving not even the biggest technology companies in the world are immune from the increasingly sophisticated attacks of online scammers.

Last month it was reported that two major tech companies were tricked into sending over $100m (£77m).

The case shows just how big an issue phishing and online fraud has become, with phishing attacks conning people and companies all over the world out of significant sums of money.

Whilst the common Nigerian Lottery scams still operate with bogus claims of money, techniques used by the thieves have become increasingly sophisticated. The National Audit Office warned in December that the UK was “ill prepared” for online fraud and that it cost UK consumers at least £14.8bn last year. Of this, £4.2bn is thought to be hidden and unreported losses from crime such as mass marketing fraud and counterfeit goods.

Phishing Warning Signs & Tips

• Check the email address of the sender – is this the genuine email address of the company it is claiming to be?
• Are there spelling or grammatical mistakes throughout?
• Does an offer seem to good to be true? Chances are, it is, and the email is trying to scam you out of money.
• Is there a sense of urgency to the request? The Police, HMRC, banks and other organisations will not ask you to do anything of real urgency via an email, or even email you at all.
• Never click on a link in an email. Go directly to the website the email claims to be from, and sign into your account to monitor any notifications or updates.
• If in doubt, throw it out.

For more information about our work, please visit www.safeinwarwickshire.com/cybercrime

Cyber Aware is a cross-government campaign, funded by the National Cyber Security Programme. They aim to measurably and significantly improve the online safety behaviour and confidence of consumers and small businesses (SMEs).

Get Safe Online is the UK’s leading source of factual and easy-to-understand information on online safety. Their website offers advice on how you can protect yourself, your computers and devices, and your business against the likes of fraud, identity theft, viruses and other potential online problems.