Gmail users hit with ‘red alert' warning and urged to ‘remain vigilant' over new scam stealing sensitive information
GMAIL users have been hit with a 'red alert' warning and urged to 'remain vigilant' amid a new scam stealing sensitive information.
The long-standing mail platform has more than a billion worldwide users.
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Gmail users have been given a "red alert" over a new scam
Credit: Getty
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Cyber crooks regularly trying tricking Gmail's billions of users
Credit: Getty
Countless cyber crooks regularly try to catch out the billions of people who use Gmail, but the vast majority of these are caught and blocked by Google's filters and spam protection.
This latest threat would see criminals deceive users while stealing their valuable data.
But how exactly is this scam even pulled off?
The deception begins with a phone call and scammers claiming to be from Google.
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From there, the caller attempts to access the would-be victim's Google account by claiming an account details change needs verification.
The actual objective is securing the two-factor authentication code sent by Google upon the user's request.
Should the crooks receive this, they will be able to hack the account and lock out the real users.
In a statement to Forbes, Google said: "We've hardened our defenses to protect users from this type of abuse and suspended accounts that have misused Google services in these scams.
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"But we encourage all users to remain vigilant – please reiterate to your readers that Google will not call you to reset your password or troubleshoot account issues.'
Last month, Gmail users were given a "red alert" over a sophisticated phishing scam.
One word that instantly tells you an email is fake
This new phishing scheme was so advanced that it could bypass much of Google's impressive security, meaning some users could be caught out.
Google said it was working to stop the "extremely sophisticated attack" which looked incredibly real and could trick you into giving away sensitive personal information.
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Developer Nick Johnson said he was targeted by the attack, which consisted of a message which suggested a legal subpoena had been issued for him.
The scam also told users that a copy of their Google account content needs to be produced.
Although this sounds far-fetched, people may have been inclined to trust the email due to coming from a seemingly valid Google account.
How to protect yourself from scams
BY keeping these tips in mind, you can avoid getting caught up in a scam: Firstly, remember that if something seems too good to be true, it normally is.
Check brands are "verified" on Facebook and Twitter pages - this means the company will have a blue tick on its profile.
Look for grammatical and spelling errors; fraudsters are notoriously bad at writing proper English. If you receive a message from a 'friend' informing you of a freebie, consider whether it's written in your friend's normal style.
If you're invited to click on a URL, hover over the link to see the address it will take you to – does it look genuine?
To be on the really safe side, don't click on unsolicited links in messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact.
Be careful when opening email attachments too. Fraudsters are increasingly attaching files, usually PDFs or spreadsheets, which contain dangerous malware.
If you receive a suspicious message then report it to the company, block the sender and delete it.
If you think you've fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its online fraud reporting tool.
He explained in a thread on X: "The first thing to note is that this is a valid, signed email - it really was sent from no-reply@google.com.
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"It passes the DKIM signature check, and Gmail displays it without any warnings - it even puts it in the same conversation as other, legitimate security alerts."
In a statement to Newsweek, a Google spokesperson said at the time: "We're aware of this class of targeted attack from the threat actor, Rockfoils, and have been rolling out protections for the past week.
"These protections will soon be fully deployed, which will shut down this avenue for abuse."
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A sophisticated phishing scam targeted Gmail last month
Credit: Getty
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Labour's vow to 'smash the gangs' won't see Channel migrant numbers fall until NEXT YEAR, sources warn Labour's promise to "smash the gangs" will not see Channel migrant numbers fall until at least next year. Measures to break the route "up stream" by tackling smugglers and boat suppliers will take months to trickle down according to law enforcement sources. Ministers have been warned good weather this year is also contributing to a surge in crossings that are on course for a record year. The number of so called "red days" when the calm seas and wind make it perfect to cross have doubled in 2025 so far according to the same point last year. And intelligence monitoring of the Channel has indicated a rise in migrants from the Horn of Africa has seen riskier and larger crossings attempted. Those smugglers are cramming more people into boats, which is also pushing up the numbers. More than 13,000 people have already made the journey this year, putting 2025 on course to have the highest ever number of crossings, since records began in 2017. Government insiders are highly pessimistic about the prospect of reducing numbers this year. And they warn that policy changes and increase in enforcement measures not noticeably pay off until 2026 due to the high numbers of migrants already in France and ready to attempt the perilous journey. Former Border Force chief Tony Smith told the BBC the "vast majority" of the agency's resources were deployed to the Small Boats Operational Command and that he would like to see focus on other marinas. "My preference certainly would be to be able to deploy more widely and to look more across the whole of the UK coastline to identify threats," he said, adding he thought the interviews with Nick would be "really, really helpful as another source of intelligence". Nick insists small marinas are still being used today and adds: 'People are going to hate me because there'll be smuggling going on now. When they hear this, there's going to be an issue. "I regret a lot of it, but I don't know that it would have ever been any different," he says. "I think I was always out for self-destruction anyway." Shadow World: The Smuggler is available now on BBC Sounds
