Bank of England hit by email scam

The Bank of England has become the latest target of internet fraudsters, as thousands of people received hoax emails urging them to install security software.

Emails appeared to come from an administrator at the Bank and claimed that downloading the software would help prevent credit card fraud.

But in a statement, the Bank of England, said: "We are aware that fraudulent emails, which have the appearance of being sent by the Bank of England, are in circulation. Any emails with the following address admin@bankofengland.co.uk should be deleted immediately.

"The email asks the recipient to download a file (antikeylog2004.exe) to protect the security of their personal and account information. Both the email and attachment are fraudulent."

The Bank of England is the latest financial institution to be targeted by this type of scam. Known as "phishing", it involves criminals bombarding random surfers with emails in the hope of luring them in to giving out confidental information.

Internet scams such as this have increased five-fold in just two years, according to the UK’s National Hi-Tech Crime Unit. Online customers with Barclays, Nationwide, NatWest and Lloyds TSB have already been targeted by fraudsters.