Most of you have received at least a few e-mails that made you curious enough that you wanted to open it even if you didn’t recognize the sender. I get them all the time. I got one just today. Boomers Beware!
It that read as follows:
==============================================================
Dear AIB Customer,
Your Internet Banking access has been suspended due to many unsuccessful login attempts.
You are kindly advised to follow the instructions below to reactivate your account. The activation form is attached to this email.
Please download the attachment, open it, and follow the instructions on your screen.
===================================================================
I don’t have an account with any AIB, but it still makes you curious enough that you want to check to see if someone has possibly stolen your identity. That is the goal of the scammer … create the curiosity! AIB is a legitimate Internet Bank, however this is not a legitimate request from AIB. It is a scam to collect information by tapping into your curiosity.
I obtained the following information from the AIB website
___________________________________________________________________
Phishing Email Alert – April 2009
Security Update April 2009 Virus Information
It has come to our attention that a number of fraudulent (phishing) emails are being circulated purporting to be from Allied Irish Banks p.l.c.
Examples of the subject headings are:
- Your Internet Banking Access Is about to expire.
- Important Message: Confirm Your AIB Security Upgrade 2009
- Online Banking Alert!
- Note that Your AIB Code Card is about to expire
(Please note: this is not an exclusive list of subjects)
These are fake!
Some of the fake messages in these fraudulent (phishing) emails are as follows:
The email states that “Your AIB online banking is about to expire. In order for it to remain active, please use the button below to Activate and get Unlimited Access on your Internet banking.”
“Note that Your AIB CodeCard is about to expire. In order for it to remain active, Use the button below to Activate your CardCode and get Unlimited Access on your Internet Banking.”
“Due to the high number of fraud attempts and phishing scams, it has been decided to implement EV SSL Certification on this Internet Banking Website. ? Please Update your account to the new EV SSL certification by Clicking here.”
“AIB is pleased to notify our Online banking customers that we have successfully upgraded to a more secure and encrypted SSL servers to serve our esteemed customers for a better and more efficient banking services in the year 2009. To validate your online banking account click on Update Online Banking.”
What the Fraudsters Want
When customers click on the “button” or “link” in the email they are brought to a supposed AIB website which in fact is fake! Here they are required to enter their:
- Full Registration Number,
- Full 5 digit Personal Acecss Code (PAC),
- Full Name,
- Full Address,
- City, State, Zip Code
- Home Phone Number
- Work Phone Number
- Email address.
You are also required to enter all 100 Code Card numbers
Email Address
Please note some of the fraudulent emails received by customers have the following email addresses displayed in the “From”section: [email protected], [email protected].
Both of these email addresses are legitimate AIB email addresses.
The fraudsters are covering their fraud email address with a legitimate AIB email address in the hope of tricking customers and bypassing spam filters.
These emails are NOT from AIB – they are fraudulent attempts to obtain your banking details.
If you have received any suspicious emails DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS OR ENTER ANY DETAILS, forward it to [email protected] and then delete it without clicking on any links or attachments.
Please remember AIB NEVER asks customers to enter their AIB Internet Banking log in details or Code Card numbers via email.
What should you do if you have received these emails?
Do NOT click any links.
Do NOT open any attachments.
Do NOT enter any details.
Forward the email to [email protected] and then delete the email.
Contact us –
AIB Internet Banking Users: contact the AIB Internet Banking team using our secure contact form or contact us by telephone at 1890 24 24 24.
AIB iBusiness Banking Users: contact the AIB iBusiness Banking Support team by telephone at 1890 42 22 42.
Please remember the following:
To log in to AIB Internet Banking you will only ever be asked for your:
- 8 digit Registration Number,
- Three random digits of your five digit Personal Access Number
- The last 4 digits of either your home/work/mobile phone or AIB credit card number.
AIB does not request any codes from your AIB Code Card to login.
Other Fraudulent Scams
This is just one of many examples of scams to collect information. I get them almost every day. Many of them are even written poorly, using misspelled words and poor grammar. The whole purpose of the scammer is to gain enough of your curiosity to open the files or click on the attachments. When you do you may be unleashing a computer virus designed to steal the user’s information and gain access to online bank accounts and other personal information or you may be unleashing a computer virus that destroys information and files.
Other examples of malicious spam include e-mails with attachments claiming to be airline ticket confirmations, invoices or on-line banking forms from newly merged banks, job offers, lottery winners, free money, and even greeting cards. They can be any subject. The sender is often times a cybercriminal in another country.
Advice to Curious Boomers and Everyone Else!
The most important thing to remember is: ”Don’t let your curiosity get the best of you! That is exactly what the scammers are depending on. “Never open unsolicited attachments, however tempting they may appear. “ Instead delete, without opening, any unsolicited e-mail – or forward it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
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