Phishing E-mails in Different Versions Strike ‘Nationwide’ Users

Phishing scams supposedly from the long-running insurance firm Nationwide are targeting mailboxes in fresh versions, thereby attempting at duping the e-mail recipients into going to Internet sites, which maliciously serve harmful login pages, published softpedia.com dated August 9, 2012.

Reportedly, a particular version tells that the e-mail recipient's 'Nationwide' statement has been made ready for the personal account number xxxx1718 and it can be viewed online. Therefore, he requires clicking a given web-link, logging into the Internet-banking service, finding his statement and so clearing his bill, the e-mail states.

But, clicking takes the user onto a site that belongs to certain American aircraft brokerage firm that the attackers compromised as also modified for producing a crafty page.

Another version, addressing the recipient as accountholder, informs that his ability to do Internet-banking isn't available because of security purposes. But he can reinstate the service by validating his identity for which he should provide his updated account particulars, the message explains.

Evidently, the compromised website the user this time visits for accessing the login page for Internet-banking actually is of certain Columbian publication.

Unluckily, according to the analysts examining the above phishing frauds, during both instances incase end-users follow the furnished web-links they'll definitely lose their cash or other financial assets.

Thus, to remain safe security specialists outline a few easy security tips: one, genuine financial institutions (e.g. Nationwide) or banks won't solicit anyone's private info (banking credentials) over electronic mail. So incase anybody gets such an information-seeking message he must contact his financial institution through his credit card or statement provided telephone number and verify if the e-mail is genuine.

Two, people should unfailingly type the web-address inside their browsers' address bar for getting the site for Internet banking instead of following the embedded web-link within any e-mail.

Moreover, like with Nationwide, another financial institution Lloyds TSB the British retail bank, during the 1st-week of August 2012, too became the target of phishers who sent e-mails that the bank was implementing fresh banking validation processes so recipients required validating their banking information through a given web-link else become impaired from accessing personal A/Cs.

Related article: Phishing Attacks, Growing in Sophistication

» SPAMfighter News - 8/18/2012