Better education needed over phishing, expert warns

Contractors need to be better educated on the risks presented to them by online email scams, it has been claimed.

With the January 31st 2010 deadline for self-assessment tax returns having passed, HM Revenue & Customs has already warned consumers to expect a rise in cons of this nature, which are known as phishing scams.

Managing director of Get Safe Online Tony Neate warned that criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the way that they target potential victims.

For instance, he said that many people have been taken in by hoax messages purporting to be raising money for the Haiti earthquake appeal.

And Mr Neate added that contractors make sure they know the risks which these scams can present.

"We all use computers now, so these criminal terms such as phishing need to be learned by everybody," he said. "Phishing is now as big a problem as any other crime that takes place."

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