Email Scam Attacks Local Bank

Customers of a local bank in Pennsylvania are being targeted by a phishing scam and the cyber criminals are attacking central Pennsylvanian by phishing mail. Even the non-users of bank have got the emails.

A phishing mail is a fraudulent mail which comes in the inbox of users appearing to be from an authentic source. The objective of these mails is to steal private information like password etc to steal money from accounts.

This particular email scam seems to have come from Susquehanna Bank with the logo of the company. It directs the users to call the below listed number. And that number is an automated system that asks the users for Visa Card number, and then asks for the expiry date and private pin number. Further, the automated system thanks the user and disconnects.

But Susquehanna Bank claims that this is a phishing mail and users should delete it as soon as they receive it. They also added that any bank or an authentic company would not request for personal details or update private information on the net.

Also, in a time when all users are watching their money very closely, scam authors are discovering new methods to get what they are as this mail lures the user by offering a huge amount of money. Susquehanna is the latest victim of this type as phishing attacks and banks globally are being targeted.

Also, hackers are using meltdown in the bank sector to deceive users in transferring financial data. They have sent bulk mails that seem to be from banks and other financial units hoping to deceive innocent users into revealing their private details.

The latest figures from the UK banking association APACS said that almost 20,000 fake phishing sites were created in the first quarter of 2008, exceeding the figures in the first quarter of 2007 (up 180%). Further, the losses due to online banking scam were estimated to be at £21.4 Million (approx. US$ 36.92 Million) in the first 6 months of 2008, which is a big leap from £7.5 Million (approx US$ 12,93 Million).

Related article: Email Security – A Big Challenge to Companies & Individuals

» SPAMfighter News - 10/17/2008