DON’T GET HOOKED BY NORTHERN ROCK PHISHING SCAMS

Equifax warns consumers to look out for hoax emails

London 18th September 2007 – In a week when anxious Northern Rock savers queued to retrieve their money, fraudsters have been exploiting the period of uncertainty with a swathe of ‘phishing’ scams. Equifax, the online credit information provider, warns consumers to ignore emails asking them to update their banking security details, even if they appear to be from Northern Rock or other banks. Consumers should take heed of Equifax’s top tips on avoiding email scams to protect themselves from fraudsters.

“There have been reports of scam emails targeting Northern Rock customers, but it is essential that people don’t respond,” explains Neil Munroe, External Affairs Director of Equifax. “Phishing is a bogus email which appears to be from an official source such as a bank. The receiver is asked to follow a link that asks for and provide personal information such as a bank account PIN or password.

“Fraudsters think nothing of taking advantage of a bad situation for their own gain, which is precisely why consumers need to be cautious. Phishing scams look legitimate, but a real bank would never ask customers to confirm security information in this way. We advise anyone who has received emails like this, to delete them immediately and never reply to them.

“Anyone who thinks they are a victim of phishing should tell their bank and obtain a copy of their credit file to look for signs of unauthorised activity. Keep an eye on all your accounts to stop fraudsters in their tracks. Ignoring the problem is the worst thing people can do as it can affect their credit record and they may have difficulty obtaining credit in the future.”

Top tips on avoiding email scams

Look out for emails that begin “Dear customer”, rather than using your name
Your bank will never ask you to reveal your PIN or passwords in full
Look out for bad spelling or English, these emails often come from abroad
Never click on a link in a dubious email
Never give out personal information
Delete phishing emails immediately
If you have been a victim tell your bank immediately
Sign up for a service like Equifax Credit Watch to alert you of any fraudulent activity

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For further press information please contact: Claire Foster, Kate Clements or Wendy Harrison at HSL on 020 8977 9132 / Fax: 020 8977 5200 or Email: claire@harrisonsadler.com

About Equifax

Equifax empowers businesses and consumers with information they can trust. A global leader in information solutions, we leverage one of the largest sources of consumer and commercial data, along with advanced analytics and proprietary technology, to create customised insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers.

Customers have trusted Equifax for over 100 years to deliver innovative solutions with the highest integrity and reliability. Businesses – large and small – rely on us for consumer and business credit intelligence, portfolio management, fraud detection, decisioning technology, marketing tools, and much more. We empower individual consumers to manage their personal credit information, protect their identity and maximise their financial well-being.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Equifax Inc. employs approximately 5,000 people in 14 countries throughout North America, Latin America and Europe. Equifax is a member of Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500® Index. Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EFX.

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