Phishers Attack AIB Customers

Allied Irish Banks (AIB) of Ireland has cautioned customers using its Internet banking service to remain alert of fraudulent, phishing e-mails. This warning has been issued in view of an enormous 300% increase in phishing assaults.

The reports state that e-mails posing as communications from AIB have flooded the inboxes of personal and business e-mail account holders. They (e-mails) seek for confidential information of the users' bank accounts.

Understandably, over 100,000 customers have been recipients of these fake messages.

A lot of the bank's customers have got e-mails showing the subject lines as 'Your AIB Code Card is about to Expire,' 'Your Internet Banking access is about to expire' and 'Important Security Issue.'

A few e-mails tried to lead the customers to a bogus Internet site, which appeared exactly same as the formal AIB website and then asked them to enter their particulars like registration code, 5-digit PAC code, card number, and other details like address, residence and office phone numbers and e-mail ID.

In the meantime, AIB reported of 40-50 phishing attempts during August 2009 alone as compared to 75 all in 2008.

Sean Jevens, Chief of eChannel Development, AIB, said that the number of attacks was substantial and therefore customers should remain alert. During January-June 2009, about 300 attacks were designed to strike AIB, as reported by Examiner on September 2, 2009.

AIB explains - a phishing campaign involves a bulk of e-mails sent to numerous consumers who are directed to furnish personal information. Normally, the e-mail would take the recipient to a spoofed Internet site, which appears exactly same as the actual company's site.

Besides, AIB has alerted its customers that it doesn't send e-mails to any person requesting for personal information or for updating or confirming his password by following a web-link. Thus, customers should handle these e-mails carefully and avoid clicking on links in them.

In similar instances during the end week of August 2009, a pair of additional phishing scams was observed, targeting AIB customers. Those scam e-mails contained web-links and interestingly one link in one of the e-mails connected to an authentic radio station Internet site.

Related article: Phishers Expand Their Sphere of Attacks

» SPAMfighter News - 9/18/2009