Prudential has sounded a warning over scammers emailing advisers and purporting to be from the provider.
In an email to advisers, sent last week (April 9), Prudential said it had been alerted to a number of emails which “at first glance” looked to be from a Prudential email account.
The fraudsters' email — which is sent from an address with someone’s name followed by @prudentiaplc.co.uk or @prudentiasl.com — asks for resolution to settling an account payment.
Prudential warned advisers: “These emails have not been issued by Prudential. Please do not take any action on any such emails including opening any attachments or links they may contain.
“If you’ve received an email from one of these please ‘block’ the sender – you can usually do this by right clicking on the email address, select ‘junk’ and ‘block sender’.”
It also asked advisers who have received the email to let Prudential know about it on wealth.solutions.imt@prudential.co.uk.
A spokesperson from Prudential said: “This was quickly identified and mass and local communications were issued to advisers informing them of it and urging them not to take any action including opening any attachments or links.
“Our security and financial crime teams immediately investigated this abuse of our identity.”
Scams are expected to flourish as the coronavirus outbreak provided fraudsters with a springboard on which to prey on scared and vulnerable consumers.
Last week FTAdviser reported how financial services regulation needed reform in order to beat the scammers while earlier this month regulators came together to warn rising levels of vulnerability caused by the virus lockdown could see more savers targeted by scammers.
Read our investigative piece: How the pension scammers are getting away with it
Just this morning the Personal Investment Management & Financial Advice Association warned investment scams were on the rise in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and launched a campaign to help consumers avoid scams.
imogen.tew@ft.com
What do you think about the issues raised by this story? Email us on fa.letters@ft.com to let us know.
