Cyber Crime

Dear Colleagues

I would like to make you aware about an increase in the number of fraudulent or ‘phishing’ emails being sent to practices. You may receive an email from the NHS mail team about a similar matter but my understanding is that GP practices have been specifically targeted and not necessarily through their NHS Mail accounts.

Criminals have been posing as CCG or NHSE employees, or as suppliers, using fake email accounts which look real, even to the extent of including a false email trail. They then request a member of the practice to transfer funds electronically into a UK bank account. Sadly, we know that some of these attacks have been successful.

I am copying and pasting the advice from the NHSmail team into this message, but just be aware, if you do receive a request to transfer funds from the practice into another account, make sure you check it out first and be sure it is a genuine request.

Here is the advice:-

These attacks can be difficult to spot as the attacker establishes an email trail and the user expects a response containing instructions, a link or an attachment to act upon. Advice on how to spot fraudulent or phishing emails is contained in our Cyber Security Guide.

What to do if you receive a suspicious email

If you receive an email from what looks to be a familiar organisation or contact, which you believe to be suspicious such as an unusual payment request for goods/services, outside of the normal payment process, make sure you question it:

Do not open attachments or follow links
Validate the request by contacting the organisation or person through normal established channels (e.g. make a phone call or manually navigate to the organisation’s website – do not use the information provided in the email)
Report all suspected spam, fraudulent or malicious emails to NHSmail for analysis and blocking. See the Cyber Security Guide for more information and how to report these emails.
Permanently delete the suspicious email:
Select the suspect email from your email list
Hold down the ‘shift’ key and press the ‘Delete’ key
Click ‘Yes’ to confirm if a warning dialogue appears.
Alert your local IT helpdesk who can report it to your organisation’s Anti-virus provider

Please note that any emails automatically added to your ‘Junk e-mail’ folder do not need to be reported as they have already been identified as spam and can be deleted.

If you have any concerns please do contact the LMC

Best wishes

Mark Corcoran (Chairman Avon LMC)