Phishing E-Mails Sent to Southbridge Savings Bank Clients

Internet banking clients holding accounts with Southbridge Savings Bank situated within Southern Worcester County, Massachusetts (USA), lately became the targets of one phishing e-mail, thus published Telegram.com in news on September 15, 2011.

Actually, the bank's clients, on September 8, 2011, complained that they got one electronic mail, which addressing customers (e-mail recipients) told them that due to the bank being concerned of users' security, it is contacting readers for getting their Online Banking Access up-to-date so their account access will remain secure.

Moreover, the e-mail directed that users must follow a given web-link inside the phishing message.

But upon doing so, they were diverted onto one copycat site of the Southbridge Savings Bank's real site, meaning onto one phishing site, which sought the visitors' usernames and passwords followed with their e-mail ids, as well as asked them for providing the replies to 3 challenging queries.

Moreover, telling more about the above stated phishing fraud, Senior Vice President of Retail Banking, Susan A. Gunnell with Southbridge Savings Bank stated that the bank immediately replied to the e-mails its clients sent and in 30 minutes it posted a message for its Internet clients, online. Telegram.com reported this.

The most vital aspect, said Ms. Gunnell was that people must not answer those e-mails or divulge personal information. Rather they should erase them instantly despite the sender's details and subject line looking as associated with one's banking institution.

Ms. Gunnell further stated that in case people had any doubt regarding the legitimacy of an e-mail; they must contact the nearest branch of their bank and verify from its officers.

Furthermore, clients must never forget that Southbridge Savings Bank wouldn't ever request them to provide personal usernames and passwords alternatively Social Security Numbers to make a confirmation, the Bank said in addition.

Besides, some more suggestions, which can assist end-users for parrying such phishing incidences are 1st, during logging in, the Bank's URL must be typed inside the browser rather than following its web-link within an e-mail. 2nd, it's most important to make sure that users have the updated security software loaded onto their PCs.

Related article: Phishing With A Redirector Code

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