NHTCU wipes Smile off phisher's face

The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) has arrested a British man suspected of launching a phishing scam.

Phishing is an attempt to trick internet users into revealing personal details, often by using fake emails and websites.

The Smile internet bank reported the scam last month. Following an investigation, officers from the NHTCU and Lancashire Constabulary arrested a 21 year-old man from Lytham St Annes.

The NHTCU described the man as a copy-cat phisher who is not connected to the organised crime group behind a number of similar scams targeting bank users in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US.

Detective Chief Superintendent Len Hynes, head of the NHTCU, said in a statement: "The message is clear. Do not try this at home - we will find you.

"Anybody who thinks that they can copy a scam and get away with it is sorely mistaken. People are entitled to their identity on the internet without fear that it can be stolen by criminals."

Phil Garlick, director of operations at Smile, added: "The security of our customers' money is absolutely paramount to us and we will take all necessary steps to ensure that anyone caught trying to undermine that security in any way will feel the full impact of the law.

"We regularly remind customers via secure messages and on our website not to respond to emails of this kind as we would never ask customers to send personal information about their Smile account to us in this way."