The National Cyber Security Centre’s new website reporting tool allows people to send them a link from websites which they think are trying to scam the public, regardless of how they got to the site.
The NCSC – which is a part of GCHQ – then analyses the site, and if found to be malicious a notice may be issued to the hosting provider for the site to be removed, preventing members of the public falling victim in future.
The NCSC has previously highlighted the problem of scam websites, including fake news pages where celebrities such as Sir Richard Branson appear to be endorsing investment schemes. Links to these pages were subsequently removed by the NCSC. The website reporting tool is the latest way in which the public can help the NCSC counter online scams. Last year, the NCSC created the pioneering Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) where the public can forward suspected scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.