Hackers are Trying Rerouting your Direct Deposit Paycheck – Warns FBI

As per the FBI, a latest phishing scam is on the roll that is targeting your paychecks directly. WJHL, in its report confirms that it is the employees' payroll accounts that are being targeted by the cyber criminals, who after hacking employees' payroll accounts are rerouting the direct deposits to their accounts.

The increasing cases of this phishing scam are the major reason for FBI to issue a warning announcement of this security threat to the public. From last year's 17 reported scam cases, the reported phishing scam has grown to 47, till July this year. The scam is framed such that it sends an email from the HR's id initially, asking the employee to update information on direct deposits. Besides, the email is contained with a fake link that redirects the employee to a similarly designed work portal website for updating the information.

As soon as the employee logs in with his/her username and password, the hackers are able to gain access to the personal information. Once hacker have the personal information they need, then they logs into the employee's real company website and redirects direct deposits into the new account that is in hacker's control. This often is a prepaid card. As soon as the salary gets credited into the employee's account on the pay day, the hackers use those prepaid cards to withdraw money from the ATMs, or buy grocery items, or make payments at the retail stores, restaurants, gas stations, and many other stores. All this is done way before the victim gets a chance to realize what is happening. This way, the hackers have stolen more than $1 million this year.

Though the phishing scam is targeting the online payroll accounts in hospitals, schools districts, and universities, but people who are using direct deposits in their job should remain beware of suspicious emails.

The FBI has warned not to click on the email links coming from the HR departments. The first thing to do when in receipt of these emails is to call up the HR Department, and confirm whether they have sent any such email. Also, as per FBI one should note whether they are receiving such email messages after the normal work hours, because most of the phishing emails are received after the work hours. FBI also cautioned the employees to be very alert while sharing their personal information with anyone on email. The login name and password of payroll should always be different from the usual username and passwords.

» SPAMfighter News - 10/8/2018