Halifax Banking Scam
This HTML code reveals two distinct email attempts, both of which appear to be phishing scams. Let's break down the red flags for each:
Email 1: Halifax Phishing Attempt
This section of the HTML code is designed to mimic a legitimate email from Halifax Bank.
Red Flags:
- Spoofed Sender Address: The
From:
address is <[email protected]>
. A legitimate email from Halifax would come from an official Halifax domain (e.g., @halifax.co.uk). The part-trading.de
domain is a huge giveaway that this is not from the bank.
- Urgency and Threat: The subject line "ur dvr h nt u n mrtnt nw mg!" combined with phrases like "verify your primary phone number within the next 48 hours to avoid temporary restrictions" and "If you don't verify your number, you'll need to visit a Halifax branch to restore full access" are classic phishing tactics. Scammers use fear to rush you into making a mistake.
- Generic Greeting: "Dear Customer" is a common sign of phishing. Legitimate banks usually address you by your name.
- Suspicious Link: The "CONFIRM PHONE NUMBER" button links to
https://tuesday.woowway.org?clientid=472020496382128-WNBGSZ1QNQ9.WNBGSZ1QNQ9
. This is clearly not a Halifax website. Clicking this link would take you to a fake login page designed to steal your credentials.
- Unicode Characters in Sender/Subject: While subtle, the
ur-dvr-h-nt-u-n-mrtnt-nw-mg.files/filelist.xml
and ur-dvr-h-nt-u-n-mrtnt-nw-mg.files/editdata.mso
links use non-Latin characters (specifically and
from Greek/Cyrillic alphabets) in what appears to be a directory name. This is a common evasion technique to bypass simple spam filters, making the sender look more legitimate at a glance. Similarly, in the Subject
line, "ur dvr h nt u n mrtnt nw mg!" uses these same characters to disguise keywords.
- Mismatching Footer Information: While the footer tries to appear legitimate with Halifax details and links, the deceptive sender address and link are what truly matter. The contact email
[email protected]
and phone number might be real, but they're included to make the fake email seem more convincing.
Verdict for Email 1: This is a phishing scam. Do not click any links or reply to this email.
Email 2: JustinGuitar Survey/Masterclass
This appears to be a marketing email from "JustinGuitar." While it uses similar HTML structure and appears within the same overall code block, its content and intent are different from the phishing attempt above.
Analysis:
- Purpose: The email's content is about inviting users to take a "Big Survey 2025" to provide feedback on JustinGuitar's services and promoting a "Masterclass with Seth Rosenbloom."
- Legitimate-looking Links: The survey link
https://justinguitar.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=814183c778e0f649e088c3df4&id=29b58d0128&e=f14cb8f3ec
and other links (Feedback Hub, Masterclass registration, social media) point to list-manage.com
and mcusercontent.com
, which are domains associated with Mailchimp. This is a common and legitimate email marketing platform. Companies often use such platforms to send out newsletters, surveys, and promotional materials.
- Clear Opt-Out Information: The footer explicitly states: "You are receiving this email because you signed up on my web site justinguitar.com... You can update your preferences or unsubscribe." This is typical of legitimate marketing emails that comply with anti-spam regulations.
- Sender Details: It provides a mailing address: "Justin Guitar Ltd PO Box 695 Farnham, Surrey GU9 1NB United Kingdom".
Verdict for Email 2: This appears to be a legitimate marketing email from JustinGuitar, sent via Mailchimp. It's not a scam, but rather an attempt to gather user feedback and promote content.
This email is a phishing scam, and quite a textbook example at that. Let's break it down methodically to expose the red flags - and then I'll provide a write-up you can use for public awareness or educational purposes:
Scam Analysis: "Confirm Your Phone Number" Email Claiming to be from Halifax
Subject Line: "Your advisor has sent you an important new message!" Apparent Sender: Halifax - Help centre <[email protected]>
Red Flags:
-
Sender Email Address is Not Halifax:
@part-trading.de
has nothing to do with Halifax. This is the biggest giveaway. Genuine emails from Halifax would come from something like @halifax.co.uk
.
-
Urgency & Threat of Lockout:
- Language like "within the next 48 hours" and "temporary restrictions" is classic phishing pressure to panic you into clicking.
-
Generic Greeting:
- "Dear Customer" - real banks always address you by name.
-
Spoofed Branding & Button:
- The styling is designed to mimic Halifax, but it's just good enough to fool someone skimming the email. The blue button labelled "CONFIRM PHONE NUMBER" likely leads to a spoof website.
-
Fake Support Details:
- The phone number and email may seem correct, but they are there as social engineering bait. Even if the support email looks right (
[email protected]
), it's irrelevant if the actual link behind the "Confirm" button is malicious.
-
Image Block & External Resources:
- The fact Outlook blocked some image content shows it's pulling content from remote servers, another hallmark of phishing.
DO NOT:
- Click any links in the message.
- Reply or call any number listed.
- Trust any contact details in the message.
DO:
- Forward the message to [email protected] or [email protected].
- Delete it from your inbox.
- If you did click or enter any info, contact your bank immediately and run a malware/antivirus scan.
Would you like me to turn this into a sharable alert, YouTube video script, or anti-scam infographic for public education? I can also generate a realistic phishing test version of this email (safe and labeled) if you're training staff or raising awareness.
Overall Conclusion
The provided HTML contains the structure for two distinct emails. One is a clear and dangerous phishing scam attempting to impersonate Halifax Bank. The other is a legitimate marketing email from JustinGuitar. It's crucial to differentiate between them by carefully examining the sender's actual email address and the destination of any links, regardless of how convincing the visual design might be.