Well-disguised phishing email: How to prevent your bank details from being stolen

• Phishing scammers target Comdirect customers.
• Russia’s exclusion from the SWIFT system serves as a pretext for data theft.
• Attempted fraud is difficult to recognize.

Cybercriminals are only too happy to take advantage of times of crisis. They play on your fears or spread false information to get your personal information. This is also currently the case, and they are particularly targeting Bank Comdirect’s customers. The sanctions against Russia serve as a pretext for the data theft.

This is how the scammers operate

In an email with the subject “Current message – Electronic mailbox”, the fraudsters inform you that the European Union is taking action against Russia and those in power with a package of measures. Since the financial sector is also affected by these sanctions, the banks of various countries would have to work together to exclude Russia from the SWIFT process. Up to this point, no misinformation will be spread, even if it is no longer current.

However, it is later claimed that Comdirect was asked to immediately initiate the validation of existing customer data in its own online portal. To do this, you need to follow a link that is valid for 24 hours and update your data. If you do not comply with the request, your account will allegedly be blocked.

Despite this threat, you should under no circumstances follow the link. As the consumer advice center reports, this leads to a fake Comdirect page. All data you provide there will be forwarded to the fraudsters. They sell the stolen data on the dark web or use it to gain access to your bank account.

The professional presentation, the address with your name and the truthful information make it difficult to recognize the fake. However, if you look closely, you can see signs that clearly indicate a phishing attempt. These include the sender address, typographical errors and the threat of account blocking. So don’t let yourself be put off and always check the content carefully. You should then put the fake in the spam folder.

Simple signs: How to recognize every phishing email

A first indication that you have received a phishing email: The email will ask you to confirm personal information or enter it on a website. This Under no circumstances should you comply with the demand. In addition, criminals often use the official logos of the companies they are copying in their emails, but not official sender addresses.

If the sender seems suspicious to you, you should read the email twice. You will often find spelling errors or inconsistencies in German grammar. The attackers usually do not write their own emails, but instead use automatically generated messages or translate known emails with a translation program. But why actually go to all this effort?

What do criminals achieve with phishing attacks?

Phishing is used on the Internet to collect real user data. These can be used to make money when email addresses, names and other information are sold for advertising purposes or passed on in criminal forums. With the data obtained, cyber criminals can also target future phishing attacks more specifically, making their attacks more effective.

Attachments and links contained in malicious emails often introduce malware or viruses to your computer. In addition, you should not simply ignore suspicious emails. Forward it to the email address above and help us report future phishing attacks.

More fraud warnings on netzwelt – stay one step ahead of cybercriminals

But phishing emails are not the only danger lurking on the Internet. In addition to attempted fraud, there are all sorts of viruses, Trojans and malware that can infect your computer. Unfortunately, data scandals are also part of everyday digital life. You can see the five most recent articles on the topic of “fraud warnings” below:

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