Evri says ‘we’re aware’ as people see money randomly leaving their bank accounts

Evri says it is aware of the latest problem that is causing people to lose hundreds of pounds to criminals

Evri has issued an urgent warning to all customers, especially those with an iPhone, as people suspiciously notice money coming out of their accounts. As part of a new scam that has emerged, criminals are sending malicious fake Evri profiles to iPhone users in targeted attacks, which is causing innocent people to have their money cruelly withdrawn from their bank accounts.

Every year, masses of people in the UK fall victim to courier and delivery scams, resulting in losses amounting to millions of pounds. A recent survey has discovered that 40% of people in the UK who experienced fraud or scams over the last year have not been able to recover any of their lost funds. The study, carried out by Yaspa, a provider of Pay by Bank services, also found that the average amount lost per person due to fraud was £765.

In a fresh warning, Evri says it is aware of the ongoing scams and has tracked a 10% rise in phishing scams. It also claims that in recent months, the delivery company has taken down more than 18,000 malicious scam sites and fake social media profiles.

A spokesperson said: “Evri, one of the UK’s largest dedicated parcel delivery companies, is committed to protecting the privacy and security of its customers and took down more than 18,000 malicious scam sites and fake social media profiles in recent months, with 73% removed within 48 hours.

“However, delivery scam messages aren’t slowing down, with an almost 10% increase reported last year. Evri today issues an urgent warning about a new scam targeting iPhone users and is reminding consumers how to stay safe and avoid delivery scams.”

The warning and renewed guidance, which affects thousands of consumers across the UK each month, has been issued as the company warns that, in one of the cyber criminals’ latest scams, they are attaching profiles to the phishing attempts in the hope that members of the public will click on the attachment. If downloaded, these profiles can be used to alter settings on the users’ iPhones without their knowledge.

They could redirect traffic so it goes through the attacker’s computer, potentially capturing and examining personal data before going out to the Internet. Or they could change other policies and security settings that a user has set on their phone without their knowledge.

Evri says it has identified further evidence of iPhone users being specifically targeted. Consumers are being prompted to copy and paste a malicious link into Safari, an app that isn’t available on Android devices.

Evri believes this demonstrates a new level of sophistication among cybercriminals. The company says these fraudsters appear to be moving away from generic, multi-platform phishing kits in favour of tailored attacks designed specifically for iPhone users.

Phishing is when criminals use scam emails and text messages to trick victims. The aim is often to make consumers visit a website, which may steal bank details or other personal information. They will often pretend to be an organisation you trust. These tactics can be very convincing and often use genuine-looking branding and messaging.

The Evri spokesperson added: “Evri works closely with several leading external cybersecurity partners, such as Netcraft, BT, Clickatell, and the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Centre, to identify delivery scams using Evri’s name and remove them as quickly as possible.”

Evri is advising customers to be extra vigilant when shopping online. The company is issuing core advice on what to look out for, which it is calling the three L’s.

1. Language – poor language and badly written messages.
2. Lack of – there is a lack of a personal greeting and personal information, such as a tracking number for your delivery address.
3. Links – unusual links or buttons that urge customers to take action, such as paying a re-delivery fee; Evri will never charge for this.

Consumers are being urged to report suspicious activity. Information on how to do that is available on Evri’s website: evri.com/cyber-security. Expert partners will investigate all messages and take down associated fraudulent websites.

Consumers should also report any other suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk or forward suspicious text messages to 7726 free of charge. If a consumer thinks they’ve been a victim of these scams they should talk to their bank or card provider immediately and report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Lee Howard, Head of Information Risk and Information Security, at Evri, said: “Delivery scams continue to become more sophisticated, and as a business that puts its clients and customers first, we are committed to working proactively to tackle this. This latest scam clearly shows scammers continue to innovate and are now turning to targeting specific consumer groups and we’re urging people to stay vigilant and re-issuing important guidance, which will protect the public.”

Lord Hanson, Minister for Fraud, said: “The reason our campaign is called ‘Stop! Think Fraud’ is precisely because of scams like this. What seems like an everyday message from a trusted delivery company is deliberately designed to catch us out.

“Every time you get a message on your phone, email or social media, stop and don’t let fraudsters win. Through our Plan for Change, this Government is ramping up efforts with a tougher, expanded Fraud Strategy to help working people protect every pound.”