PhishPin / Brands Live Phishing Data / Government & public services / NHS
NHS phishing: sites, fake domains & scam patterns
None of the phishing feeds PhishPin tracks currently lists a hostname that clearly references NHS. In the last 15 days, 1 newly registered domains contained or closely resembled the name.
Government & public services · rank #568 of 579 by reported hosts
Key findings for NHS
- 1 lookalike domains were registered in the last 15 days.
Is your brand in these feeds?
Free check: email-spoofing gaps, registered lookalikes and feed listings for your own domain. About a minute, public DNS only.
New lookalike domains registered recently
Domains registered in the last 15 days that contain NHS's name, sit one character away from it or use look-alike characters. Attackers often register these days before sending the first email.
Registrations per day
Top endings of new lookalikes
| # | Domain (defanged) | Why it matched | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | nhs[.]careers | contains brand name | 17 Oct 2026 · 15 days ago |
How NHS phishing works
Phishing against NHS follows patterns common to government & public services. Typical lures:
- A "refund", "overdue balance" or "unclaimed benefit" message with a link to a fake portal.
- A toll or fine notice by text with a short link and a tight payment deadline.
- A call or message from a "case officer" threatening arrest or deportation unless you pay.
- A request to "verify your identity" for benefits, student aid or a travel programme.
Red flags
- Government agencies do not demand payment by gift card, crypto or text link.
- Official sites end in .gov; lookalikes use .com, .xyz, .top or words like "refund" and "pay".
- The first contact is a text or an unsolicited call rather than a letter or your own online account.
Real NHS domains
If the address in your browser is not one of these (or a subdomain of them), it is not NHS. The list is not exhaustive.
nhs.ukIf you already clicked or entered details
Do not pay. If you shared your SSN or ID, place a fraud alert or credit freeze, and report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov and identitytheft.gov. Reach the agency through its official .gov website.
Protecting a brand like NHS from lookalike domains
If you run security, brand or fraud for a company that is copied this way, this is the order that works in practice:
- Enforce DMARC. Move your policy to quarantine, then reject, so attackers cannot send mail that passes as your domain.
- Watch new registrations. Lookalikes appear daily; the earlier you see one, the sooner you can act, ideally before the first email goes out.
- Register the obvious typos and keyword variants you can afford to hold, and check which lookalikes are already registered by someone else.
- Report fast. A live fake needs a request to the registrar and host, plus a report to browser safe-browsing lists and the public feeds shown above.
- Tell your customers where you will and will not ask for logins, codes or payments.
Protect your brand from lookalike domains
NHS is one of 579 brands in this index, but attackers copy any company whose customers log in or pay. PhishPin checks your domain for registered lookalikes, email-spoofing gaps and listings in these same phishing feeds, then helps you get the fakes taken down.
Audits use public data only – we never touch your servers. Results within 24 hours.
Questions about NHS phishing
How can I tell if a message from NHS is phishing?
Check the sender and link domain first. Government agencies do not demand payment by gift card, crypto or text link. Official sites end in .gov; lookalikes use .com, .xyz, .top or words like "refund" and "pay". The first contact is a text or an unsolicited call rather than a letter or your own online account. When in doubt, do not use the link: type nhs.uk into your browser or open the official app.
How many NHS phishing sites has PhishPin found?
As of 1 Nov 2026, no hostname in the phishing feeds PhishPin indexes clearly references NHS. That can change daily.
What do fake NHS domains look like?
In our data, Always read the part of the address just before the first single slash: that is the real site. Real NHS addresses end in nhs.uk.
What should I do if I entered my details on a fake NHS page?
Do not pay. If you shared your SSN or ID, place a fraud alert or credit freeze, and report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov and identitytheft.gov. Reach the agency through its official .gov website.
How do I report a fake NHS website or message?
Forward phishing emails to reportphishing@apwg.org, report scams at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and report the page to Google Safe Browsing. Also tell NHS through the contact options on its official website (nhs.uk).
Is it safe to visit the domains listed on this page?
No. They are shown defanged, with dots in brackets, so they cannot be clicked by accident. Do not type them into a browser. Listings are warnings from automated matching, and some are harmless coincidences.
How does PhishPin find lookalike domains of NHS?
We read the daily list of newly registered domains (1,050,000 domains over the last 15 days) and flag those that contain the brand name, differ by one character or swap look-alike characters. A match is a warning sign, not proof of abuse.
How can a company protect its own brand from lookalike domains like these?
Publish an enforced DMARC policy so nobody can send mail as your domain, monitor newly registered domains that resemble your name, register the obvious typo domains, and file takedown requests with the registrar, host and browser safe-browsing lists when a fake goes live. PhishPin's free brand audit checks the first three for your domain.
Other government & public services being impersonated
All government & public services brands ranked