Czech Bank Phishing Scam uncovered
The largest savings bank in the Czech Republic, Ceska Sporitelna (or Czech Savings Bank), warned its customers that a scam was afoot. It warned them to beware of a phishing fraud that was spreading like a virus in the country. The fraud first came to light when a few customers drew the attention of the Bank to some emails they had received asking them to submit details like their credit card and bank account numbers. The object of people behind such scams always is to steal money using these details.
Services like banking have always been the target of phishing scam. Phishing is term given for scams that entice its victims to reveal their personal financial details like credit card number and make unauthorized and illegal use of such information.
How a bank phishing scam is carried out
Such scam is the work of fraudsters who are proficient with the use of the latest in internet technology. They select any bank that has a wide customer base as a target for the scam. They send emails pretending to be from the bank to all the email addresses that they can get hold of. They figure that since the bank is popular, the chances of few of the recipients of the emails being account holders there, would be good.
The email informs the recipient that there was a critical problem with their account and would be shut down unless they immediately submit their account details at the bank website. The customers to the bank are directed to click at a link inside the email to do this.
The catch is: the link takes customers to a scam website instead of the company website and unsuspecting customers give all their details away thinking that they are submitting it to their bank.
The fraudsters use these details to access money in user accounts by either transferring funds to their accounts or by making purchases online using this info.
Simple rule can keep you away from a bank phishing scam
Banks never ask or otherwise communicate critical information like card numbers, account passwords, PIN numbers via phone or email. Neither should you. Banks became aware of the risks that this causes a long time ago.
You should be immediately alerted whenever you receive such queries by phone or email. It can only be yet another fraudster trying out his luck with phishing scam.
Read an interview on the trouble that the scam is causing to Ceska Sporitelna and its customers. The interview was given by the official spokesperson of the bank.
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