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Some crafty criminals are aiming to steal one of the most valuable pieces of your personal property: your banking information.
In a new warning, the Federal Bureau of Investigation warns account holders of a new spam email scheme that involves a type of malware called "Gameover." The scheme involves fake emails from the National Automated Clearing House Association, the Federal Reserve or the FDIC. These messages attempt to trick recipients into clicking on a link to resolve some type of issue with their accounts or a recent ACH transaction. Once you click on the link, Gameover takes over your computer, and thieves can steal usernames, passwords and your money.
The FBI also warns the thieves' hacking capabilities can navigate around common user authentication methods banks use to verify your identity, which is certainly a cause for concern. Those additional authentication steps -- often personal questions, birth dates or other pieces of private information -- are meant to provide some extra security padding.
While phishing scams are nothing new to the world of online banking, this type of warning serves as a reminder of just how susceptible account holders can be to malicious attacks. As more account holders begin to jump on the mobile banking bandwagon, it's important to remember that a smartphone essentially acts as another computer. While this additional connection to the Internet is convenient, it also serves as another outlet where your information can be compromised.
Here are a few crucial steps to take to avoid falling victim to this type of Internet crime.
- Keep your computer and mobile device updated with the newest versions of anti-virus software.
- If you have any doubts about an email sender's authenticity, do not click on any embedded links.
- Remember, banks never request any personal information via email.
- Be vigilant about checking your account balances. The sooner you notice and report any type of fraudulent activity, the more likely you'll be able to be reimbursed for any missing funds.
Have you ever fallen victim to an online banking attack? If so, do you have any tips for other readers to avoid the trap?
Cindi, thanks for the alarmist stuff!! I don't believe that an entire country somewhere has all of its citizens engaged in stealing everyone's money but you are free to believe it.
financial terrorism? agree with previous poster, we've already been robbed by wall st and the banks. nothing covert, it's all right there happening in front of us.
sacrificing safety for convenience is your opinion and I do not believe that you know all about the safeguards every bank employs, nor would your aunt. she would know about HER bank. While you are free to fear based on her fears, I'll continue to make my own decisions based on what is really happening, and what my financial institutions do.
I do appreciate, however, the helpful reminder about what FDIC does and does not cover.
My aunt was a vice president of a major bank and would NEVER do online banking. The banks will not replenish your account if it is drained. You are only protected if the bank fails by the FDIC. Using a debit card carries the same risk. Folks wake up. There are countries working on ways to empty every online banking account in the country. That will be the next wave of terrorism. We are sacrificing safety for convenience.
Really it dosent matter if you use Debit card,M
aster card, Visa or American Express once you enter your name address phone number email address or any other information is given over the internet you are at risk. Anti virus or not because SOME not all are the very same people collecting
this information from you are stealing your IDENITY.
My heart goes out to the elderly who just sometime cant
understand they are being taken and all of their life are sucked out of them because of the way the system is set up.
Some places want except information from you unless you give your cell number now the home number is not enough another way of getting information from you. So is a no win situation. Just pray it want happen to you. Goverment,FBI nobody can control this there is always somebody smarter and trive on this for a living to rob you blind.
People who prey on others should be candidates to receive an expedited death penalty. a few of those, well publicized, would help curb the problem.
Use your brains people This story is simply old and ridiculous. What about the banks who already have robbed Americans of their rmoney out right? Have you heard of mortagage fraud and out and out corruption? Most the banks create these 'scams' (real or not), the 'bank owned' media blows it out of proportion, so you are then enticed to buy 'protection' from the banks, the very ones perpetrating it. Thanks for the laugh though!
I use a Debit Card only now. I transfer only enough money from my savings account into my checking account to pay my bills, or whatever, leaving only a hundred bucks or so in my checking account. This way, if my checking account gets raided, they only get what's there, and it doesn't break me.
I only use a walmart money card for online transactions. i deposit what i need on the card and do my transaction. the rest of my money stays in my safe at home
Several pfishing text messages, purporting to be official sites, ask you to go to their web site whick is just slightly different than the official web site to correct a problem or to update your information due to outdated information. Call or go to the official web site, and give the callers phone # and web site they give you, to your customer service representative. They will follow up to find and procecute the offenders.
To those who say you should never do online banking. Where do you think your information is stored at the bank ON A COMPUTER. Your personal information exists on many computers whether you like it or not. Never click email links to your bank (always go to your known site). I've literally had ALL my money stollen via ACH transfers one day a couple of years ago but I'm not afraid of online banking.
This has nothing to do with hacking but with overdrafts, overdrawn accounts. To stop this, all is necessary is to stop
writing checks,close your checking account, use your ATM card, and pay your bills electronically. The rest of your money can be stashed away in a saving account. And now you can put your extra money on a expres card for your every day expenses. This has helped me tremendously.